CFL.ca Staff

HAMILTON – Monday’s Labour Day win was more than just two points in the standings for the Toronto Argonauts. For first-year defensive back Ahmad Carroll, the game meant much more.

With Monday’s game very much in the balance and the Argonauts beginning to grab momentum, Carroll cut underneath a Henry Burris pass intended for WR Chris Williams, picked it off and returned it 37 yards for a touchdown as well as the lead in the game.

Carroll's timely touchdown couldn’t of come at a better time after the 29-year-old was flagged four times for a total of 89 yards all on his own the week before in a 27-16 loss to the Edmonton Eskimos.

More on the Argos Labour Day win
» Video: Toronto at Hamilton Recap » View Game Stats » Images: TOR at HAM » Owens comes through in the clutch » Video: Carroll's Pick-Six » Video: Owens Strikes Early on Labour Day » Video: Burris Finds Onrea Jones for TD

Argos head coach Scott Milanovich was not shy about his disappointment in Carroll’s play the week before but there was no happier person than the sideline boss that called the Arkansas grad into his office earlier in the week.

"It was a tough week for him and our team stuck by him and believed in him and it was great to see that play," Milanovich said of Carroll. "He's got that knack, he's got that ability.

"He's a big-play guy who understands the game. You're always happy when a guy has a tough week like that makes such a big play."

Carroll’s play may have kept him in the lineup with an unpredictable Chris Jones defence that is rarely the same play-in-and-play-out in regards to personnel.

He drew the task of covering Williams for the majority of the contest which is by no means an easy assignment but when the time was right, Carroll picked his spot and made the play he needed to get back in his coaches’ good graces.

"I undercut him and made a play on the ball," Carroll said of his TD return. "He's a great receiver and I just appreciate coach Jones (defensive co-ordinator Chris Jones) having faith in me.

"We talked about the penalties and the thing about him and our (defensive back coach Orlondo Steinauer) is they treat you like a man. I gave up a big play (52-yard grab) but as soon as I came to the sideline coach Jones said, 'Let's go. You don't know what's going to happen."'

Carroll joined the Argos in the off-season after spending a brief period with the Calgary Stampeders in 2010 and the NFL prior to that.  Originally a first round draft pick of the Green Bay Packers in 2004, he made an impression on the Argos’ brass in training camp, enough to earn a starting spot.

- With files from The Canadian Press