Toronto Argonauts quarterback Cameron Dukes runs in a touchdown as Calgary Stampeders' Bentlee Sanders, left, and Cameron Judge, centre, look on in Calgary on Aug. 4, 2024.Jeff McIntosh/The Canadian Press
There’s no place like home for Ryan Dinwiddie and the Toronto Argonauts.
Toronto (4-4) faces Calgary (4-4) at BMO Field on Friday night. The Stampeders outscored the Argos 21-0 in the fourth quarter Sunday night at McMahon Stadium for a 27-23 win that improved their home record to 4-0.
However, Calgary is 0-4 on the road while Toronto sports a 3-1 home record. The Stampeders have just one win in their past 10 games away from McMahon Stadium and haven’t recorded a back-to-back sweep of the Argos since 2008.
Toronto has won 12 of its last 13 regular-season games at BMO Field and eight straight there versus West Division teams.
But on Sunday night, Calgary’s defence registered six sacks and forced two turnovers while quarterback Jake Maier threw two fourth-quarter touchdown passes in the comeback win.
“Just too many mistakes,” Dinwiddie told reporters about Sunday’s loss. “[Defensively] we were doing a great job all game and then they got some stuff going.
“That’s going to happen when you’re on the field the whole time. There’s about four drives at the end of the third and into the fourth offensively where we had busts, four drives where we wasted opportunities on mental mistakes. We weren’t playing good enough to overcome those mistakes.”
Maier finished 26-of-37 passing for 287 yards with the two TDs and an interception. Reggie Begelton had eight catches for 97 yards – both game highs – while Marken Michel registered four receptions for 59 yards and a touchdown.
Toronto starter Cam Dukes completed 18-of-26 passes for 177 yards with a touchdown and interception. He also ran for a game-high 95 yards and a TD on 12 carries but the Argos managed just one second-half point.
Toronto’s Ka’Deem Carey had eight carries for 31 yards and TD against his former team.
“I thought Cam showed the versatility he has with his legs as well as being a passer,” Dinwiddie said. “He gave them fits with his legs and did a great job there but we’ve got to throw for well over 200 [yards] and run for over 100 [yards] to get it done.”
Veteran Nick Arbuckle will start Friday night. Dukes will be a game-time decision as the backup after being limited in practice with a leg injury.
Canadian linebacker Fraser Sopik (shoulder) will be another game-time decision while Anthony Vandal starts at right guard with fellow Canadian Gregor McKellar (toe) out.
Dinwiddie said he’d like Carey – the CFL’s second-leading rusher with 522 yards – to be more involved in Toronto’s offence Friday night.
“Ka’Deem didn’t get enough carries (Sunday) to try and get the quarterback comfortable,” Dinwiddie said. “Obviously, we’ve got to make sure he’s got more touches this week.”
Sunday’s loss tarnished two solid defensive performances for Toronto. Linebacker Jonathan Jones had a game-high 11 tackles while safety Royce Metchie recorded a career-tying nine tackles with an interception and forced fumble.
But Michel said rallying for the victory showed Calgary’s resolve.
“Obviously it was frustrating in the first half but at halftime we just rallied together and just reminded each other that we’ve put in the work, just go out there and have fun,” Michel told media in Calgary. “It showed the character of this team, it showed that we’ll never give up on each other.
“I think you need those moments to really test your team and see what kind of guys you have in this locker room and I think we proved that we have some great guys in this locker room.”
Michel also downplayed the significance of Calgary’s road woes and whether the 0-4 record is playing on the minds of Stampeders players.
“Honestly, I don’t see that in the eyes of any of my guys,” he said. “We don’t care about what anybody else is talking about as far as being 0-4 on the road, that doesn’t matter.
“This is a new game. Those games happened in the past, there’s nothing we can do to change those games. We’ve got to focus on the game that’s in front of us right now.”