October 6, 2015

Owens’ crazy catch cements Argos win over REDBLACKS

CFL.ca

CFL.ca Staff

OTTAWA – Trevor Harris engineered a last-minute touchdown drive finished off by a miraculous one-handed catch by Chad Owens as the Toronto Argonauts outlasted the Ottawa REDBLACKS in a 38-35 thriller at TD Place.

Despite leading most of the contest, Harris calmly marched the Argos down the field from deep in his own end, connected with Anthony Coombs for 15 yards before sending a lob toss to Owens in behind coverage.  Owens stretched out and stabbed the pigskin with his right hand, recording not only the game-winning touchdown but potentially the play of the year in the process.

Toronto, Ottawa and Hamilton are now all tied for first place in the East Divison with records of 8-5.

Eventhough he threw two interceptions, Harris was dominant in the winning effort, passing for 397 yards on 32 of 44 passing with 5 touchdowns.  Running back Brandon Whitaker added 81 yards combined on 19 touches in the win.

Related: REDBLACKS vs Argos

» View Game Stats
» Images: OTT vs. TOR
» Video: Owens Dazzles with Winning TD
» Video: Coombs Sets up Gurley Major
» The Snap: Twitter Reacts to Owens TD
» Burris: ‘I’ll be fine, I’ll be back next week’
» Standings: 2015 East Division
» Preview: Argos, REDBLACKS battle in OTT

The REDBLACKS attempted a last second hail-mary but it fell incomplete.  More concerning than the loss for Ottawa could have been the health of Henry Burris who left on the second last play favouring his right arm but he confirmed post-game that he shouldn’t miss any time.

Twelve days separated the last time these two teams played, with Toronto taking a Saturday night affair, along with the season series, with a 35-26 victory. Ottawa dismantled the Alouettes and the Argonauts enjoyed a bye before facing one another in a game that was slated to be a Toronto home game but moved to TD Place due to scheduling conflicts brought on with the Toronto Blue Jays baseball schedule at Rogers Centre.

Burris was coming off a career performance in his 15th CFL season while lighting up Montreal’s secondary. He passed for 504 yards and set a new league record for most single-game completions with 46.

Right from the start, he picked up where he left off. On his club’s first possession, Burris completed a quick pass to WR Chris Williams before connecting with WR Ernest Jackson. Jackson’s 37-yard catch-and-run helped set up a 2-yard touchdown run from RB Jeremiah Johnson to give Ottawa a 7-0 lead just five plays into the game.

Harris and the Argos answered almost immediate however as the young pivot found Kevin Elliott on Toronto’s first play from scrimmage for a 57-yard gain before the two notched the latter’s third touchdown at TD place in two games to tie things up early.

A quick two-and-out by Burris and co. and Harris went back to work on a long field. The 29-year-old escaped the pocket on a second-and-medium and found SB Anthony Coombs down the sidelines for a 38-yard gain. Three plays later, Harris dropped a pass into WR Tori Gurley whose 15-yard over-the-shoulder grab put the Argos up 14-7.

After two offences that started on fire, both defences stepped up to force turnovers with the REDBLACKS interception two of the three picks thrown by the teams at the end of the first quarter. Both interceptions came deep in Argos territory and netted Ottawa two field goals as the first quarter wrapped up with the Boatmen on top by a point.

The defences continued to stand their ground until the second quarter got under five minutes. Harris and Whitaker attacked the REDBLACKS on the ground and in the air as a part of a 9-play drive but the Argos settled for a short field goal to increase their lead to 17-13.

Ottawa responded with a 45-yarder off the foot of Chris Milo with zeros on the clock to bring the deficit back to one.

When the REDBLACKS returned to the field, they had to do so without the League’s touchdown leader in Jeremiah Johnson. The sophomore tailback left the game just before half favouring his left leg after an awkward plant on the TD Place turf. He was replaced by Kansas State product William Powell who was playing in just his third CFL game.

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