'Snake-bitten' Argonauts drop third game in a row with loss in Edmonton

National Post

3 hours ago

EDMONTON — The Edmonton Elks appear to be poised for a second-half surge.
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Steven Dunbar Jr.'s early fourth-quarter touchdown catch proved to be the difference as the Elks emerged with a 28-20 victory over the Toronto Argonauts in a game between two teams clinging to playoff hopes on Friday.
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The Elks (3-6) have now won two games in a row.
'I'm really proud of this unit,' said Elks quarterback Cody Fajardo. 'Our challenge this week was to do something we haven't done this year, and that's to stack two wins on top of each other.'
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Fajardo, who started the season as backup to Tre Ford, was 25-of-31 passing for 273 yards.
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'He's doing a great job with the offence right now,' said Elks head coach Mark Kilam. 'They are really rallying around each other. I thought (running back Justin) Rankin did a nice job and that the receivers were really blocking on the permitter. A credit to those guys for sure.'
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After being held without a single rushing yard in his team's previous game, Rankin had 92 yards on the ground and 87 yards receiving.
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The Argos (2-8), meanwhile, have now lost three straight.
'I thought the fight was there and guys were battling and we had a chance to win that game,' said Argos head coach Ryan Didwiddie, noticeably calmer than after his team's previous loss. 'But where we are at it in the season, we can't afford to lose any more games. It just wasn't our day.
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'Sometimes I feel like we are just snake-bitten, but I thought (quarterback) Nick (Arbuckle) gave us a chance to win.'
Arbuckle threw for 382 yards on the night.
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The teams traded field goals on their first possessions, with Toronto kicker Lirim Hajrullahu converting a 14-yard attempt after the Argos were set up by a 56-yard catch by Dave Ungerer, and Edmonton's Vincent Blanchard making a 30-yard boot through the uprights.
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Blanchard added a 20-yard field goal late in the opening quarter.
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Hajrullahu responded with a 45-yard field goal to start the second.
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Toronto's defence stepped up with a big play five minutes into the second as Wynton McManis intercepted Fajardo at the Edmonton 37. However, the Argos were held to a 20-yard field goal.
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Edmonton finally got the game's first major with just over a minute to play in the first half as running back Justin Rankin scampered in from two yards out.
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Toronto added a punt single before halftime.
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The Argos surged ahead midway through the third quarter as Arbuckle floated a nine-yard touchdown pass to Jake Herslow.