Toronto Argonauts show fight, but fall short in Saskatchewan (& seven other thoughts)

Photo courtesy: Electric Umbrella/Liam Richards/Saskatchewan Roughriders.

The Toronto Argonauts fell to the Saskatchewan Roughriders by a score of 27-19 on Friday night in Regina.

Here are my thoughts on the game.

Should Doege have continued to play?

Jarret Doege put together a solid performance, completing 20-of-31 passes for 221 yards, one touchdown, and one interception. However, he absorbed several hits that saw his helmet bang off the turf, the first of which left him holding his head and led to his removal by the concussion spotter. He left the field after the other two incidents as well and was replaced by Tucker Horn, but returned each time.

I’m certainly no doctor and don’t want to question the expertise of Toronto’s medical staff. But in a game with nothing on the line, it’s simply not worth risking a player’s health and safety after repeated hits like that, especially when he’s your QB1.

As for whether Doege will be starting under centre for the team’s regular-season finale in Calgary next week, head coach Ryan Dinwiddie refused to be definitive.

“We’ll see how Jarret’s feeling,” he said. “I think we’ll probably try to get all three on the field, and we’ll try to have some short-yardage stuff for Max (Duggan).”

Finding motivation after elimination

When you’re 5-11, officially eliminated from playoff contention, and heading into a game against a Roughriders squad looking to clinch first place in the West, it can be tough to find the motivation to compete. However, the Argonauts didn’t let that stop them. Instead of allowing the Roughriders to walk over them, they locked in and kept their opponents at bay for much of the game.

“We’re always planning and coaching for jobs. But they’re a band of brothers; they want to play for each other. We’re all playing for pride,” Dinwiddie said postgame.

“Anytime you get out there, the competitive nature of it, that’s going to win over. It’s unfortunate where we are at this stage, but guys get to go out there and finish the season the right way. Football’s a fun game.”

An offensive microcosm

This offensive performance reminded me of the Alouettes game from a few weeks ago. The offence had its moments to help the team, but ultimately, it was the reason they lost, once again on a Doege interception. This one landed in the hands of A.J. Allen on Toronto’s final offensive series, but came when the Argos were trailing by eight points.

“It’s encouraging to see,” Doege said of the effort level.

“It’s a bunch of guys that are not going to give up, and we’re not going to give up going into Calgary next week either. I’m glad to see the O-line stepped up from last week.”

The back-breaking statistic that perfectly sums up the microcosm of the season was going 0-for-1 in the red zone and an abysmal 5-of-18 on second down. I know the team is 5-12, and the season is cooked like a Thanksgiving turkey, but in a game where they covered the spread and had a chance to win, converting only five second-down attempts is losing football, even for a team as lowly as the Argonauts.

Flags a-plenty 

Another low point in this game that completely killed any momentum for the Argonauts was penalties, particularly those committed by the offensive line. John Bosse and Brandon Kemp were both flagged multiple times. The Argonauts were called for 11 penalties in total, costing them 118 yards.

It’s small details like these that could have helped the Argonauts stay close in this game, as well as in countless others throughout the season. There’s no simple fix for this heading into next week, but it will need to be addressed in the offseason as the Argonauts aim to be Grey Cup contenders again in 2026.

Defence held its own

Entering the contest as 11.5-point underdogs and missing their leader and star in Wynton McManis after he was shut down for the season, the Argonauts’ defence wasn’t expected to deliver much of a performance. Throughout 2025, the unit has often been a major reason for the team’s struggles, frequently costing them games and late leads.

Friday night, however, that wasn’t the case. The Argonauts’ defence managed to keep the game from getting out of hand, holding quarterback Trevor Harris to 340 passing yards and 2 touchdowns — numbers that easily could have been much higher.

The one major blemish came from allowing their opponent’s top receivers to post big numbers yet again. Samuel Emilus led the way with six receptions for 142 yards, while Joe Robustelli added five catches for 75 yards, including the game’s opening touchdown.

Backups bonding

The Argonauts saw all three of their quarterbacks take snaps on Friday, with the most impressive performance coming from Tucker Horn. In limited action, Horn completed four of five passes for 35 yards, showing poise and confidence despite his limited experience.

The three young quarterbacks have formed a tight bond, pushing each other to improve while maintaining strong camaraderie in the locker room. That chemistry has translated into their play, where their trust and support for one another are clearly evident. As the Argonauts look toward the future, that unity among their young signal-callers could be a key foundation to build upon and have stand behind Chad Kelly in 2026.

“The thing is with me, Tuck, and Max is we’re very close friends off the field,” Doege said post-game.

“We’ve kind of gotten to know each other, gotten close to each other. We hang out a lot. So whoever’s in, we’re supporting each other, and we’ve got full trust in each other and whoever’s in the game.”

One last stampede 

With no playoffs on the horizon, next Saturday night in Calgary will mark the Argonauts’ final game of the 2025 season — one they’ll be eager to put in the rearview mirror. They’ll have the chance to play spoiler against the Calgary Stampeders, whose season has taken an ugly turn since Labour Day with four straight losses. Let’s see if Ryan Dinwiddie can get one over on his former team.

A small but possibly important side note: the Argonauts may have extra motivation to finish strong in Calgary, as the city will be hosting next year’s Grey Cup — an event they’ll undoubtedly aim to be part of in 2026.