Toronto Argonauts 13 Winnipeg Blue Bombers 15 (August 24, 2007)
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On what was billed Milt Stegall Night, the Blue Bombers slotback caught nine passes for 151 yards to help his team deliver a 15-13 win over the Toronto Argonauts on Friday.
"The win topped it off," said Stegall, who was honoured in a pre-game ceremony to mark the new CFL all-time touchdown record he set last month.
"It just says a lot about this organization. There's no way I can thank them, but hopefully the win will say enough thanks to them."
While the 13-year receiver had a hand in the victory, it was sophomore kicker Rob Pikula who booted a 28-yard field goal with seven seconds left in the game.
Pikula was replacing veteran placekicker Troy Westwood, who injured his hamstring early in Winnipeg's 22-21 win over B.C. on Aug. 10. Pikula went 3-for-3 in that victory.
"I wanted to make up for that missed field goal earlier (in the game)," Pikula said.
"I got the opportunity at the last second, a game-winning field goal to do that, so I'm pretty happy to do that."
Toronto (2-6-0) has now lost five straight, while Winnipeg bumped up its CFL East Division-leading record to 5-2-1.
The game started late after Stegall received praise and gifts from team, city, provincial and league officials in front of the season's fourth straight capacity crowd of 29,533 at Canad Inns Stadium.
The 37-year-old broke the league record of 137 TDs he'd shared with former running backs George Reed and Mike Pringle on July 27 against Hamilton. Pringle attended the tribute, but Reed couldn't make it.
Stegall has stretched his TD total to 140, but didn't notch one on Friday.
Winnipeg's points came off a Charles Roberts' four-yard TD run and another Pikula field goal from 30 yards. The kicker also added a pair of singles from a punt and a missed 27-yard field-goal attempt.
Toronto defensive back Byron Parker, who sometimes sees action as a receiver, caught a 27-yard TD pass from Rocky Butler and Noel Prefontaine hit field goals from 25 and 51 yards.
Butler, who was signed last month after being released by Hamilton in late June, was making his second straight start and sixth start in his six-year career.
He's the fourth QB the Argos have used this season as they wait for Michael Bishop (broken wrist) to come back around Labour Day and veteran Damon Allen (toe) to return late in the season. Mike McMahon was backing up Butler.
The Argos' five-game losing streak started after Bishop was injured.
Butler finished the night completing 14-of-25 pass attempts for 152 yards. Winnipeg QB Kevin Glenn was 21-of-35 for 299 yards.
Toronto head coach Michael Clemons said blame for the loss can't be dumped entirely on Butler's shoulders.
"You have to make plays," Clemons said. "A guy has to break a tackle and make a play. When you run the ball, you have to run the ball more effectively. We have to be more efficient. It's not huge things, it's little things and detailing."
When Bishop does return, the players can't expect it to fix all the team's problems, he added.
"It's a part of it, but there is no miracle formulas in this game," Clemons said.
Toronto led 10-9 at halftime after gambles and turnovers had a hand in the scoring.
The Argos were facing third and two early in the second quarter when a direct snap went to linebacker Michael Fletcher and he ran for 26 yards. On the next play, Butler threw the TD pass to Parker.
Winnipeg notched its first TD after an Argo turnover. Bomber defensive lineman Jerome Haywood sacked Butler and the ball came loose. Linebacker Barrin Simpson recovered the ball and went nine yards to Toronto's 15-yard line. Four plays later, Roberts ran in for the TD and 9-7 lead.
Roberts went into the game 157 yards short of passing Bomber running back Leo Lewis for the team's all-time rushing record (8,861 yards). He had 25 carries for 108 yards.
Prefontaine booted a 51-yarder as time expired on the second quarter, the second-longest field goal of his 10-year career. His longest was 52 yards in a game last season.
The teams were scoreless in the third quarter.
Prefontaine booted his 25-yarder 12 seconds into the fourth quarter for the 13-9 lead. Pikula hit a 30-yarder with just under three minutes to go after a penalty nixed a third-and-inches situation from Toronto's 19-yard line.
courtesy of cfl.ca
Date
August 24, 2007
