Article by Griff Bordignon
On a vibrant Friday night along the shores of Lake Ontario, the Hamilton Tiger-Cats, clad in their iconic black and gold, came roaring down the QEW and put on a spectacular display, overpowering the Toronto Argonauts 51-38.
The Argos started strong, with quarterback Nick Arbuckle and the offence quickly jumping out to a 7-0 lead. But that early promise was short-lived, as Hamilton seized control and never looked back.
Star wide receiver Kenny Lawler was unstoppable, hauling in three touchdowns and racking up an impressive 207 yards receiving. Meanwhile, the Argonauts, now heading into their bye week at 1-4, showed flashes of potential but were ultimately undone by inconsistency.
Here are my thoughts on the game.
Jekyll and Hyde defence
Just five nights ago, the Toronto Argonauts’ defence soared against the Ottawa Redblacks, holding them to a mere 16 points and only one touchdown. Fast forward to Friday night’s clash with the Hamilton Tiger-Cats, and the story was drastically different.
With help from Lawler’s remarkable individual effort, Bo Levi Mitchell carved up the Argos’ secondary, throwing for 332 yards and five touchdowns. Seven different Tiger-Cats receivers caught passes, and the offence was efficient, converting 13 of 20 second-down attempts. The 51 points surrendered marked the most the Argonauts have allowed at BMO Field since 2019, when, coincidentally, Hamilton also put up 64 points against them.
The defence, clearly banged up and missing key players like Wynton McManis and Derek Parish, struggled to contain the relentless Tiger-Cats attack. Hamilton came into Toronto’s house, brought their fans, and cooked the Argos like a medium-rare steak.
With a tough bye week ahead, the Argonauts’ defence must regroup and refocus, especially with three challenging games looming starting with heavy hitters Montreal and a home-and-home series against Winnipeg.
Million-dollar returns
One bright spot for the Argonauts on Friday night was kick return ace and 2024 John Argo Special Teams Award winner Janarion Grant. Grant electrified the crowd when he received a lateral from Kevin Brown and sprinted it to the house, injecting much-needed energy and momentum into the Argonauts’ effort. His explosive return was a highlight in an otherwise challenging night for Toronto, showcasing why he remains a vital weapon in the team’s special-teams arsenal.
That electric return from Janarion Grant wasn’t the only special-teams highlight of the night. Hamilton’s Isaiah Wooden answered back with a dazzling 86-yard kickoff return touchdown of his own, swinging momentum right back to the Tiger-Cats and helping seal the win. Wooden’s return also led to a life-changing moment for Roy Lyster, who won the Save-On-Foods Touchdown to Win contest and a million-dollar prize.
Asked how he felt about being one of the reasons Roy became a millionaire, Grant jokingly asked to be cut in on the prize.
“It feels great. I hope they give me some of it, man,” he grinned. “No pressure, just a little bit.”
As we say in football, game recognizes game. Grant did exactly that on Roy’s once-in-a-lifetime night, praising Wooden’s performance.
“Man, he just did his thing. They came out with a dub, so that’s all it was. We just gotta be better on our end to make sure that never happens again.”
Je m’appelle Kevin
Second-year receiver Kevin Mital continues to elevate his game early in the season, notching his first career 100-yard receiving performance. Mital has been steadily rounding into form, leading the Argonauts’ receiving corps and showing the upside that made him a top draft pick.
Despite his milestone, Mital was not satisfied after the game.
“It’s not good enough. We didn’t have a game, we’ve got to work on our offence and get better.”
I appreciated this candid response from a disappointed Mital. While he delivered a great individual performance, it was clear that the team as a whole fell short of the standards everyone in that room expected.
Mital and his teammates understand that to improve and rack up more wins, they need to elevate all three phases of their game: offence, defence, and special teams. That commitment to improvement will be put to the test when the Argonauts head to Montreal after the bye week, marking a crucial turning point in their season.
We’re all Team Ted
The rivalry between the Argonauts and Tiger-Cats is one of the most intense in Canadian football, felt both on and off the field. On this particular evening, the Argonauts coaching and support staff put competition aside, donning “Team Ted” t-shirts in a heartfelt show of support for Tiger-Cats GM Ted Goveia, who publicly shared his cancer diagnosis before the season began.
It was a simple, classy gesture that underscored a powerful truth. In the CFL, the sense of family extends far beyond the fans and the scoreboard. It reaches the individuals on every team who dedicate themselves to the game, reminding everyone that some battles are bigger than football.
Offence did its job, but wasn’t enough
The theme of this post-game write-up rings true: on this night, the Argonauts’ offence spent much of the game chasing both the scoreboard and the relentless Tiger-Cats. Time and again, Toronto would inch closer only to be forced to punt or see Hamilton answer every Argos touchdown with one of their own. For nearly 90 percent of the contest, it felt like the Argos were playing catch-up, never quite able to seize momentum.
Yet, there are positives to build on. The offence still managed to find the end zone four times, and quarterback Nick Arbuckle delivered a strong performance, completing 27-of-38 passes for 339 yards, two touchdowns, and just one interception. It was another outing that showcased Arbuckle’s growth and his ability to keep improving week after week.
“It feels good to have the positive plays and the positive drives that we’ve had,” Arbuckle said post-game. “I think there’s a lot of things to build on in that, but at the same time, you wanna play a full 60, and that’s what we haven’t really put together quite yet through the first five games. We played really good at times and sometimes for some extended time. But our bad drives have to be better.”
Putting the right pieces into the right places
As the Argonauts head into their first bye week of the season sitting at 1-4, there are plenty of questions swirling around this team. Will Chad Kelly be ready to play in Montreal? Which key players will return from the injured list after the break? Most importantly, how can this group find the spark to turn things around before it’s too late?
While it’s often said the CFL season doesn’t “officially” begin until Labour Day, each loss makes the climb steeper and the margin for error slimmer. Playing catch-up football is a dangerous game — one no team wants to be forced into.
Still, the Argonauts remain confident in their locker room mentality and their belief that better days are ahead. The challenge now is to put the right pieces in place and prove it on the field. With a long season still ahead, the opportunity for redemption is there — if the Argos are ready to seize it.
