Toronto Argonauts unofficially seal their fate in loss to B.C. Lions (& seven other thoughts)

Photo courtesy: David Friederich/B.C. Lions

The Toronto Argonauts lost to the BC Lions by a score of 27-22 on Friday night in the team’s only visit to the West Coast this season.

Here are my thoughts on the game.

Not in the Nick of time

What was expected to be two to four weeks on the sideline for Argonauts’ quarterback Nick Arbuckle ended up being just one game missed, and he returned to action with a solid performance against B.C. Arbuckle completed 28-of-38 passes for 281 yards; however, his night was overshadowed by the lone touchdown on the stat sheet. He also had one interception, which came right after Nathan Rourke’s own pick. This interception, which could have been avoided, is just one example of the plays contributing to the Argonauts’ current 5-10 record.

Looking ahead to the last three games of the season, it will be interesting to see how Arbuckle performs. Not only will he aim to improve his personal stats for 2025, but he will likely want a strong showing to build up his confidence as he looks towards the 2026 season. Despite his big statistical numbers, the Argonauts’ season could have looked very different if Arbuckle had reduced costly mistakes like avoidable interceptions and capitalized on scoring opportunities.

Defence continues to step up

In a season where the Argonauts have often needed to score 30 points because their defence allows the same, the defence has shown resilience in the last two weeks despite a pair of losses.

Against the Lions, they limited a potent offence to 27 points — a notable accomplishment a week after B.C. scored 52 points against the Calgary Stampeders, who have been regarded as one of the league’s best defences.

Nathan Rourke threw three interceptions, underscoring how the Argonauts’ defence, while inconsistent earlier in the year, has made key turnover-worthy plays. These moments offer the offence better opportunities to score touchdowns, although, unfortunately, that wasn’t fully capitalized upon in this particular game.

Can’t always rely on a Lirim and a prayer

Having a reliable kicker like Lirim Hajrullahu is a luxury in the CFL, a player you can count on to score points and keep the team in games. However, when the offence consistently stalls, it’s not a winning formula.

Going only one-for-two in the red zone during such a critical game is unacceptable. Had the Argonauts converted two-for-two in the red zone, this recap would sound very different. This limited red zone efficiency has been a glaring issue that has significantly impacted the team’s ability to close out games successfully.

Shaken and unstable

The Argonauts’ offensive line has been shuffled frequently and was again in this game, with John Bosse stepping in at right tackle after an injury to Brandon Kemp. Bosse, along with Ryan Hunter, often looked lost on the line, struggling to protect the quarterback and open running lanes. This has sadly been a recurring story for much of the season.

Meanwhile, B.C.’s Matthieu Betts has consistently dominated as a disruptive presence on their defensive line, racking up three of the four sacks the Lions had on the night. The frequent penalties, mainly attributed to Bosse, further hindered the offence’s rhythm and effectiveness, contributing to the team’s ongoing struggles and providing a reminder of the challenges Toronto’s front line faces.

“Too many penalties, too many second-down-and-longs,” Dinwiddie said to TSN post-game.

When you need a catch, call Herslow

On a night when the Argonauts’ playoff chances seemed to fade further, Jake Herslow continued to impress. Although he didn’t find the endzone this time, Herslow caught 10 passes for 104 yards, showing he is quickly becoming the preferred target for whoever is playing quarterback.

Herslow has made quite an impressive mark on the 2025 season and looks poised to finish the year strong, continuing his promising young CFL career with more standout performances.

The Swiss Army knife of Argos offence

Reversing a familiar storyline of running back struggles for the Argonauts, Spencer Brown stood out in this game. He accounted for 82 yards of total offence, with 69 of those yards coming from seven receptions, many occurring in critical moments when Arbuckle needed a play to secure a first down.

The only critique is Brown’s 13 rushing yards, but his strong receiving yards helped mask that on the night. Had he been able to add a few more rushing yards, it could have made the difference between victory and defeat, regardless of the offensive line penalties that plagued the team.

Last call at BMO

Next Saturday will be an emotionally charged day for Argonaut fans as the team hosts its final home game at BMO Field before being displaced for the 2026 World Cup. The Argonauts are not expected to return to BMO Field for games until late July 2026 at the earliest.

This final home game at BMO Field features a matchup against their QEW rivals, the Hamilton Tiger-Cats, with kickoff at 3:00 p.m. EDT. It will be an intense rivalry game where the Argonauts aim to win the season series and spoil Hamilton’s chances of clinching first place in the East Division. Given the circumstances, it will hopefully be in front of a stronger crowd than the 13,848 that came out last time around.