Toronto Argonauts get ‘home cooking’ in Regina (& eight other thoughts)

Photo: Tanner Piper/Piper Sports Photography/3DownNation. All rights reserved.

In what was technically a “home” game for the Toronto Argonauts, they defeated the Saskatchewan Roughriders 40-34 at Mosaic Stadium to improve to 2-1 on the year. That put their record above .500 for the first time since 2024.

Here are my thoughts on the game.

Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Kelly

Coming off back-to-back 400-yard performances, Chad Kelly showed some concerning decision-making in this game. From the interception to Josh Woods, where he had other options but instead handed the Roughriders their first pick of the season, to the deep shots he forced to Makai Polk and Tyler Kahmann in the third quarter, the questionable choices stood out. There were also moments of panic that led to four sacks, and it easily could have been worse if not for a few missed opportunities by Desmond Evans.

These are the kinds of mental mistakes many were concerned about after Kelly’s 580-plus days away from game action. That said, he still flashed the ability that makes him dangerous, connecting with Kahmann late in the first half to take the lead, and leaning on his trusted target in Damonte Coxie. Kelly finished 23-of-30 passing for 321 yards, two touchdowns, and one interception.

As the season progresses, there’s reason to believe Kelly can learn from these errors and clean things up as the Argonauts look to build momentum in 2026. However, if the reckless play continues, it won’t do him or the team any favours.

Blinked and they missed him.

Janarion Grant is the kind of player who can change a game in an instant, and for the Argonauts, that ability can be the difference between winning and losing. That was exactly the case tonight.

After Oscar Chapman launched a 55-yard punt in the first quarter, Grant took over, breaking free for a 68-yard return touchdown to give Toronto an early 7–0 lead. It marked his first punt return touchdown since 2024 and immediately shifted momentum in the Argonauts’ favour.

That play ultimately proved to be a turning point in the game. Without it, the outcome could have looked very different. If Grant doesn’t take that punt to the house, perhaps the drive stalls, or the Roughriders capitalize and take the early lead instead. In that scenario, this story might be about a 1–2 record rather than a 2–1 start.

Grant finished the night with four punt returns for 91 yards, highlighted by his 68-yard touchdown return. He also eclipsed the 9,000 all-purpose yard mark for his career and moved into third place on the CFL’s all-time return yards list.

No Ouellette (and still a problem)

When it was announced that A.J. Ouellette would be out for this game, it seemed like the Roughriders’ run game might be neutralized. That wasn’t the case early.

Enter Quali Conley, the former Arizona Wildcat, who made an immediate impact and gave the Argonauts problems. He finished with eight carries for 50 yards, a touchdown, and a long of 18, almost all of it coming in the first half.

Conley, a rookie who spent 2025 in training camp with the Cincinnati Bengals, showed a burst and explosiveness that Toronto didn’t appear ready for initially. While the Argonauts contained him in the second half as Saskatchewan was forced to abandon the run, the bigger concern remains. With matchups against Dedrick Mills and Brady Oliveira coming up, the run defence will need to tighten up quickly.

It’s the Kahmann

Tyler Kahmann continued his strong run for the Argonauts, finishing with five receptions for 89 yards and two crucial touchdowns. He has quickly become a key piece of Toronto’s receiving corps, even with Kevin Mital performing at a high level, stepping up in the absence of injured targets like Jake Herslow.

That raises an interesting question: what happens when Herslow is ready to return from his hamstring injury? Miller kept it simple postgame, saying, “We’ll worry about tomorrow, tomorrow.”

Kahmann, for his part, isn’t focused on it either, noting that Herslow has been one of his biggest supporters. If Kahmann continues producing at this level, it will be difficult for the Argonauts to take him out of the lineup or even reduce his role.

“Home game”

For the Argonauts, the only things resembling a BMO Field atmosphere were the team in their home blues and the noticeable patches of empty green seats at Mosaic Stadium. Beyond that, this felt like just another Roughriders home game.

The moment it was announced that Toronto would relocate its home games to Regina, Winnipeg, and Hamilton, the decision was met with strong backlash from fans. Ultimately, the move appeared to be a financial one, giving MLSE a way to offset losses from the three home games displaced by the FIFA World Cup.

Though some universities could have accommodated the Argos temporarily, there was never a perfect solution in Ontario. Even if the Argonauts had played every game at Hamilton Stadium, it’s questionable whether Tiger-Cats fans would have shown up — perhaps only to hate-watch. Either way, it was always going to be an imperfect situation. In 41 days, though, the Argonauts will finally return home to BMO Field.

Hail, Ceasar

The news that Robert Priester will miss the season with a torn Achilles is a significant blow to an Argonauts secondary that already needed improvement coming out of 2025. One bright spot, however, has been the emergence of James Ceasar, who continues to look like an excellent find week after week.

Ceasar recorded six tackles and three pass knockdowns on the night, making a clear impact for a defence that has been searching for difference-makers in 2026. Miller praised his performance, noting it stems from a strong training camp and preseason, while adding, “He’s a guy that’s a physical football player. We said that’s what we always want to lean on.”

Should they have challenged that?

Even in a winning effort like this, Miller’s decision to challenge the spot on a Chad Kelly quarterback sneak in the second quarter stood out as questionable, especially with the alternative being to simply go for it on third-and-one from the Saskatchewan 17-yard line. Instead, the Argonauts lost their challenge on a play that is rarely overturned and settled for a chip-shot field goal — a choice that felt more conservative than the moment called for.

Had the Argonauts lost the game, this decision likely would have been a major talking point and viewed as a costly mistake. With the win, those concerns are easier to overlook. Still, it was worth asking Miller postgame whether there was any regret about the decision.

“No, no, I had a lot of good feedback,” Miller told me post-game.

“I thought what I saw was pretty accurate. I thought at that point in the game, if we were able to maintain that possession, then we might have a chance to go in and push for the touchdown. No, I don’t regret that at all.”

Giddy up, Argonauts

The Argonauts face another quick six-day turnaround as they head to Calgary for the second annual Stampede Bowl next Thursday at 9:00 p.m. EDT. The Argonauts will be looking to extend their winning streak to three games, something not seen since the 2024 season. The Argonauts are also hoping this trip to Cowtown won’t be their last visit there in 2026, as McMahon Stadium will host the 113th Grey Cup in November.