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How on earth did the Argos win this game? Ben Grant goes solo with JB away for a Postgame Reaction to one of Toronto's strangest victories of the season - a 30-28 win over the Winnipeg Blue Bombers on a night when the Argos spent much of the first half looking completely out of sorts before finding big plays everywhere they needed them. Toronto fell behind 21-7 and, offensively, was going nowhere. At halftime the Argos had run just 14 offensive plays, produced only 100 yards of offence and six rushing yards, and possessed the football for a remarkable 8:21. The reason they were even within a touchdown? Janarion Grant's 128-yard missed field goal return for a touchdown. Then the game changed. Chad Kelly and the offence finally found some explosives. Tyler Kahmann hauled in a 56-yard touchdown, and then Damonte Coxie blew the game open with an 84-yard touchdown reception. Coxie finished with 149 yards receiving as Kelly rebounded from a difficult start to throw for 290 yards and two touchdowns. The defence found another gear as well. After Winnipeg controlled the first half, Toronto began creating pressure and turnovers, finishing with four sacks and two interceptions. But even then, the Bombers weren't done. A 76-yard QB sneak by Bryce Perkins put Winnipeg back in front 28-27 with just over six minutes remaining. Which set the stage for one more bit of chaos. With Toronto needing something from its return game, Grant fielded the ball and pulled off a Music City Miracle-style lateral pass to Dave Ungerer III, giving the Argos the field position they needed for one final drive. From there, Lirim Hajrullahu did what he's been doing since returning from injury: delivered. His late field goal put Toronto ahead, and James Ceasar's interception on Winnipeg's final possession slammed the door. It was a night when special teams didn't just contribute, they were absolutely central to the victory. Grant scored one touchdown and helped manufacture the field position for the winning points, while Hajrullahu was clutch. The Argos didn't run the ball particularly well, but it was better than last week. They lost the time-of-possession battle again. They were outgained on the ground 232-62. And for a good portion of the night, Winnipeg looked like the better football team. But Toronto found explosive plays on offence, takeaways and sacks on defence, and game-changing moments on special teams. Argos 30, Bombers 28. Ben breaks down a wild one from Winnipeg, solo, on the Xs and Argos Postgame Reaction.

JB is away this week, so 3DownNation's John Hodge returns to the co-host chair for the first time since 2024 as the Toronto Argonauts head to Winnipeg for a Friday night matchup with the Blue Bombers. There's some breaking news to discuss, with signs of actual movement toward CFL expansion in Quebec City. Then it's on to the Argos, beginning with the loss of Tarvarus McFadden. The defensive back has been placed on the six-game injured list with only four games remaining in the regular season after injuring his hand while making the game-clinching interception against Edmonton. Ben and John discuss McFadden's remarkable road from being released by Toronto, then Ottawa, to becoming a Grey Cup champion and key part of this Argos secondary - and, most importantly, who can possibly replace him. Toronto has also added an intriguing potential replacement in Nic Toomer, a long, athletic defensive back with experience throughout the secondary and some striking physical similarities to McFadden. Then comes a bigger football question: Do you actually need a running game to win in the CFL? Toronto somehow won last week despite finishing with minus-one rushing yard, which John notes is a record for a Canadian CFL team. But the issue goes beyond the rushing total. The Argos possessed the football for only 21 minutes, leaving their defence on the field far too long. Ben and John debate whether Toronto can simply lean into being an elite passing offence or whether developing a credible ground game is essential before the playoffs arrive. There's also the latest on Chad Kelly's contract situation. Kelly and his agent have reportedly shut down extension talks for the remainder of the season. Is that actually something Argos fans should be concerned about, or simply business that can wait until the games are over? In Pick Six, which potential West Division crossover opponent Toronto should fear most. The Argos have shown they can beat anybody, particularly at home, but Edmonton, Saskatchewan and BC present an uncomfortable common problem - Toronto hasn't consistently demonstrated that it can run the football against those kinds of fronts. Then it's on to Winnipeg. Toronto has already secured second place in the East, so this game carries considerably more urgency for the Blue Bombers. Plus, OCDC, the Injury Report, One Thing, Put Me Down for 20, and John takes over Challenge Flag. It's Argos-Bombers, Hodge is back in the co-host chair, and we've got you covered on the Xs and Argos Pregame Walkthrough.

The Argos have clinched a home playoff game, but they certainly didn't make it easy on themselves. Ben Grant goes solo for this edition of the Xs and Argos Postgame Reaction after Toronto held on for a 24-19 win over the Edmonton Elks, guaranteeing postseason football at BMO Field with four games still remaining in the regular season. For a half, the Argos threw the football all over the field. Chad Kelly piled up yards through the air, but Toronto was almost completely one-dimensional, managing just one rushing yard on three attempts. After halftime, even the passing attack disappeared as the offence was held scoreless in the second half. Fortunately, the defence was ready to carry them. Ralph Holley's 55-yard scoop-and-score provided the only Toronto points of the second half and ultimately gave the Argos just enough of a cushion. But Edmonton kept coming, and in the final minute the Elks drove all the way to the Toronto 17 with a chance to steal the game. That's when Tarvarus McFadden ended it, intercepting Cody Fajardo in the end zone with 21 seconds remaining to seal the victory. It wasn't pretty. The offence vanished for an entire half, Edmonton piled up yards and Toronto was one play away from watching the game slip away. But the defence made plays with the game on the line. Argos 24, Elks 19. A home playoff game is officially coming to BMO Field. Ben breaks it all down, solo, and may even go on a bit of a rant on the Xs and Argos Postgame Reaction.

Toronto enters Saturday's 3:00 p.m. matchup with Edmonton with a potential opportunity to clinch a playoff spot and secure a home playoff game. The guys start with a busy transaction report featuring both intriguing additions and concerning injuries. Meanwhile, Toronto has added several new faces, including UFL standout quarterback Luis Perez - "The Spring King. There may also be some very good news for the offensive line. Kendall Randolph appears close to returning after practicing fully for the past two weeks. With Rush Reimer suffering what appeared to be a significant injury against Ottawa, the timing couldn't be better. Then comes a question Argos fans probably don't hear very often: Should you cheer for Hamilton this week? A Ticats loss to Montreal could help Toronto lock down its current playoff position. But a Hamilton win would keep another possibility alive - first place in the East. The Argos currently sit three games behind Montreal, but that gap could be down to two after this weekend. With Toronto and Montreal scheduled to meet in Week 21, Ben and JB map out what would have to happen for that regular-season finale to potentially become a battle for first place. Then it's on to the Edmonton matchup - on WWE Night at BMO Field, with 7,000 pairs of Jey Uso sunglasses being given away. Plus, OCDC, the Injury Report, One Thing, Put Me Down for 20, and Challenge Flag. The last time these teams met, Edmonton handed Toronto its ugliest loss of the season. This time, the Elks come to BMO with the Argos playing their best football of the year - and with a chance to take a major step toward securing their path through November. We've got you covered on the Xs and Argos Pregame Walkthrough.

The Argos won. Somehow, they also made it far more interesting than it ever needed to be. Toronto moved the football almost at will against the Ottawa Redblacks, piling up first downs and consistently driving into scoring territory. Chad Kelly threw for 443 yards, the Argos produced 31 first downs, and the offence converted 16 of 24 second downs. For most of the afternoon, moving the ball wasn't the problem. Finishing drives was. Kelly was excellent between the 20s, completing 35 of 42 passes with two touchdowns, but both of his interceptions came in the red zone. Those missed opportunities allowed an Ottawa team that Toronto largely controlled to hang around, turning what could have been a comfortable victory into a game that came down to the final second. There were plenty of individual performances to like. Dave Ungerer III exploded for 175 receiving yards and a touchdown, while Tyler Kahmann went over 100 yards and Kevin Mital caught nine passes. Isaiah Smith also continued to give Toronto balance on the ground, rushing 15 times for 84 yards. Defensively, the Argos did their part. Ottawa was held to just 17 first downs, and Toronto's defence repeatedly kept the Redblacks from turning the Argos' offensive mistakes into control of the football game. Ottawa hung around, but it never felt as though Toronto was being outplayed. And then things got very strange down the stretch. Toronto had an opportunity to win the game in regulation, but some questionable clock and game management nearly resulted in the Argos running out of time altogether. Fortunately, the officials put one second back on the clock, giving Lirim Hajrullahu one final opportunity. And Lirim delivered. A week after his perfect return in the Labour Day Classic, Hajrullahu drilled the 29-yard field goal at 0:00 to give Toronto a 26-23 victory. So how do you evaluate this one? The Argos were clearly the better team. The defence played well. The offence moved up and down the field. Kelly threw for more than 400 yards. But red-zone turnovers and some late-game management questions turned what should have been a relatively straightforward afternoon into a last-second escape. Still, a win is a win. The Argos have now won back-to-back games, improve to 7-6, and continue to strengthen their position in the East. Ben Grant and JB break down the good, the frustrating and a very strange final minute on the latest Xs and Argos Postgame Reaction.

It's perhaps the definition of a trap game, for those who believe in such things. Fresh off a convincing Labour Day victory in Hamilton, the 6-6 Toronto Argonauts are back at BMO Field on a short week to face a very well-rested Ottawa Redblacks team with nothing to lose. Ben Grant and JB get you set for Toronto's third home game of the season on this week's Xs and Argos Pregame Walkthrough. The guys start with the latest transaction involving Jordan Herdman-Reed before taking a look at the bigger picture in the East Division. With six games remaining, it's time to start talking Magic Numbers. What does Toronto need to do to secure a playoff berth, and where do the Argos stand in the race to host the East Semi-Final? With Ryan Dinwiddie returning to BMO Field, how different is he from Mike Miller as a head coach and offensive mind? Ben and JB discuss two coaches who actually have plenty in common, but also some fascinating differences. Then it's on to a game Toronto absolutely cannot afford to overlook. Ottawa comes in rested, motivated and with players fighting for their futures. Dinwiddie would undoubtedly love to beat his former team, and the Redblacks have nothing to lose. Meanwhile, Toronto is coming off an emotional Labour Day victory and has had little time to recover and prepare. The message to the Argos: bring everything you have. In OCDC, Ben looks at how Ottawa can attack Toronto by turning the game into a physical battle for the Argos' linebackers. For the Argos, the plan starts with something that worked extremely well against Hamilton: Kevin Mital as part of the protection scheme. But this time, Toronto can use that tendency against Ottawa by showing the same protection looks and leaking Mital into routes. And against a Redblacks defence allowing more than 130 rushing yards per game, there's no reason to abandon the ground game either. Plus, the Injury Report, One Thing, Put Me Down for 20, and Challenge Flag. Toronto has fought its way back to .500 and taken control of second place in the East. Now comes a different challenge: beating a team everyone expects you to beat. It's Ottawa at Toronto, Ryan Dinwiddie is back at BMO Field, and we've got you covered on the Xs and Argos Pregame Walkthrough.

Now that is how you respond. One week after a frustrating loss in Saskatchewan, the Toronto Argonauts went into Hamilton for the Labour Day Classic, outplayed the Tiger-Cats and came away with a convincing 37-22 victory in one of their most important games of the season. Ben Grant and JB break down a true full-team win on the latest Xs and Argos Postgame Reaction. Defensively, the challenge started with Tre Ford. Toronto did an excellent job containing one of the CFL's most dangerous athletes in the first half, preventing Ford from taking over the game with his legs and forcing Hamilton to find other ways to move the football. The defence bent at times after halftime, but the outcome never really felt in doubt. Offensively, Chad Kelly was dealing, but some of the biggest plays of the afternoon belonged to his receivers. Damonte Coxie, Jake Herslow, and Dave Ungerer III each found the end zone, and all three touchdowns were impressive physical plays in their own way. Toronto's receivers repeatedly put their bodies on the line to finish catches, turning accurate throws from Kelly into some of the defining moments of the game. And then there was Lirim Hajrullahu. Five games after missing a game-winning field goal in Hamilton and subsequently landing on the injured list, Lirim returned to the scene of the crime and looked every bit like the veteran professional Toronto has come to trust. He was a perfect 3-for-3 on field goals and 4-for-4 on converts, including a booming 52-yarder. There was no late-game heartbreak this time. The offence made plays. The defence did its job. Special teams delivered. And after letting a very winnable game get away in Saskatchewan, the Argos responded with one of their most complete performances of the season when they needed it most. Toronto is back to .500 at 6-6, has won the season series against Hamilton and has put itself firmly in control of second place in the East. It's Argos 37, Ticats 22 in the Labour Day Classic, and Ben and JB break it all down on the Xs and Argos Postgame Reaction.

Labour Day! The 5-6 Toronto Argonauts head down the QEW for the annual Labour Day Classic against the Hamilton Tiger-Cats, and this year's edition could have enormous implications for the East Division playoff race. Ben Grant and JB get you set for one of the biggest games on the CFL calendar on this week's Xs and Argos Pregame Walkthrough. The guys start with a surprising transaction: Toronto has released rookie kicker Brady Lidster, who handled the kicking duties for the past five games while Lirim Hajrullahu recovered from a hamstring injury. With Lidster gone and no other active kicker on the roster, is a familiar face about to return? There's also some off-field CFL news to dig into. The league has launched its new website, and Ben and JB discuss the early returns before turning their attention to the CFL's upcoming field-dimension changes. USPORTS and Football Canada won't be adopting the new dimensions in 2027, creating some logistical questions for teams that share facilities with university programs. This week's Pick Six asks a question that takes us back to the days of Condredge Holloway and Joe Barnes: whatever happened to quarterback tandems? If Chad Kelly is struggling, why not give Nick Arbuckle a series or two? Ben and JB examine why modern offences have largely moved away from rotating quarterbacks and whether there are situations where it could still make sense. Then it's time for the Labour Day Classic. The stakes are enormous. A Toronto victory would put the Argos four points ahead of Hamilton with a game in hand and secure the season-series tiebreaker, giving them a commanding advantage in the race for second place in the East. A loss would pull Hamilton level on points, hand the Ticats the tiebreaker and turn the final stretch of the season into a fight for playoff positioning. There's also some potentially significant news in the Injury Report, as a big name makes his return to practice. In OCDC, Ben looks at how Hamilton could use both Tre Ford and Harrison Frost - even within the same drive - to take advantage of a Toronto defence that has been forced to prepare for two very different quarterbacks. For the Argos, the question is how they respond if Hamilton follows Saskatchewan's second-half blueprint and leans heavily on man coverage. Ben wants Toronto to start with the running game, use stacks, bunches, reduced splits and motion to manufacture separation, and make Kevin Mital a central part of the plan. If Hamilton wants to turn its back to the football and challenge Toronto's receivers to beat man coverage, the Argos need to make the Ticats regret it. Plus, One Thing, Put Me Down for 20, and Challenge Flag. It's Argos-Ticats. It's Labour Day. And for a Toronto team trying once again to get back to .500, this one could go a long way toward deciding where the East Final road runs through in November. We've got you covered on the Xs and Argos Pregame Walkthrough.

In many ways, this might have been the Argos' worst loss of the season. Toronto went into Regina facing a Saskatchewan team ravaged by injuries, built a 22-12 halftime lead, and appeared to be in complete control. Instead, the Argos failed to score a single point on offence in the second half and watched another game slip away through a combination of missed opportunities, protection problems and costly mental mistakes, falling 28-24 to the Roughriders. Ben Grant and JB break down a frustrating night where the Argos should have put the game away long before Saskatchewan ever had an opportunity to come back. The first half is perhaps the most maddening part. Chad Kelly threw for 295 yards and three touchdowns before halftime, yet Toronto left an enormous number of points on the field. The Argos missed two converts, one of which Saskatchewan returned for two points, failed to connect on a wide-open touchdown, and somehow allowed the Riders to drive into field-goal range in the dying seconds of the half. A 22-12 lead could very easily have been 31-7. Then the offence disappeared. Toronto finished the entire game with just 15 rushing yards, repeatedly found itself in second-and-long, and once again struggled to keep Kelly clean. The quarterback finished with 416 yards and three touchdowns, but Saskatchewan's pass rush increasingly took over as the game progressed and the Argos couldn't put together a scoring drive in the second half. The defence, meanwhile, did enough to give Toronto an opportunity to win. The Argos held Saskatchewan to 28 points despite the offence's second-half struggles, produced a late safety to go up three, and had the Riders settling for a field goal from the four-yard line with just over three minutes remaining. And then came perhaps the most painful mistake of the night. An inexcusable offside penalty on the chip-shot field-goal attempt gave Saskatchewan a fresh set of downs. One play later, Tommy Stevens was in the end zone, turning what should have been a tie game into the touchdown that ultimately put Toronto away. This wasn't a game where the Argos were simply beaten by a better football team. They had opportunities to take control, opportunities to put Saskatchewan away, and an opportunity to get the ball back late with a chance to win. They wasted all of them. Ben and JB break down the missed opportunities, the complete absence of a running game, Toronto's recurring pass-protection problems, the second-half offensive collapse, and the mental mistakes that continue to turn winnable games into losses. The Argos are back below .500 at 5-6. And after eleven games, the question is becoming increasingly difficult to avoid: when do these stop being isolated mistakes and simply become who this team is?

This very quickly became a quarterback-themed episode. The 5-5 Toronto Argonauts head back on the road looking to climb above .500 again as they take on a Saskatchewan Roughriders team that has dropped two straight. Ben Grant and JB get you set for the first half of Toronto's two-game road trip on this week's Xs and Argos Pregame Walkthrough. The guys start with the latest transactions, including the release of defensive back Anthony Wilson and the addition of an intriguing new quarterback. Paxton DeLaurent arrives in Toronto after a monster season in the Indoor Football League, where he threw 64 touchdown passes, completed more than 70 percent of his throws and was named Offensive Rookie of the Year. What does the former Southeast Missouri State star bring to the quarterback room and why sign him now? And speaking of quarterbacks... The people have spoken. Our inbox has been flooded with Chad Kelly contract extension questions over the past two weeks, and paranoia about Ottawa's involvement, so we thought we'd take a look at some of the smoke. Kelly is scheduled to become a free agent following the season, while smoke continues to build around the possibility of a reunion with former Argos head coach Ryan Dinwiddie in Ottawa. There's nothing remotely concrete, but with the Redblacks' quarterback situation deteriorating and Kelly potentially able to hit the open market in February, should the Argos be trying to get ahead of this and extend their star quarterback ASAP? This week's Pick Six keeps the quarterback theme going. How difficult is it for a QB to join a new CFL team in the middle of a season and actually play? Ben explains why learning the plays isn't necessarily the biggest obstacle, but learning an entirely new language is. Then it's on to Saskatchewan. The Riders are banged up and have lost two straight, while Toronto is coming off one of its best performances of the season against Hamilton. Chad Kelly is also 4-0 in his career against Saskatchewan. Can the Argos keep the momentum going and move above .500 for the first time since June? In OCDC, Ben looks at how Saskatchewan can protect an older, intelligent quarterback with an elite release by leaning on quick-game concepts and essentially replacing parts of the running game with short passes. For Toronto, the starting point is simple: don't forget what worked last week. Establish the running game again, then use Saskatchewan's response against them. Plus, the Injury Report, One Thing, Put Me Down for 20, and Challenge Flag. It's Toronto at Saskatchewan, and we've got you covered on the Xs and Argos Pregame Walkthrough.

Now that looked like the team the Argos have been trying to become. After an hour-long lightning delay at BMO Field, Toronto turned a tight game into a convincing 39-20 victory over the Hamilton Tiger-Cats, using a dominant second half to pick up a massive win in the East Division. Ben Grant and JB break down one of Toronto's most complete performances of the season. For weeks, we've talked about what the Argos need to do to help an offensive line that's struggled in pass protection. Against Hamilton, they found an even better solution: don't have to protect for very long and run the football. For the first time this season, Toronto showed a legitimate power running game. Isaiah Smith led the way with 99 yards on 15 carries as the Argos piled up 145 yards on the ground, giving the offence a balance it simply hasn't had. And that made life considerably easier for Chad Kelly. Kelly didn't need to play superhero. He played smart, efficient football, completing 26 of 34 passes for 289 yards and three touchdowns, adding another on the ground. He took what Hamilton gave him, protected the football for most of the night and, perhaps most importantly, wasn't sacked once after the protection problems that plagued Toronto a week ago in Edmonton. Damonte Coxie also responded in a big way. After a difficult afternoon last week, Coxie bounced back with four catches for 75 yards and a touchdown, including a huge score in the fourth quarter. Defensively, the challenge was obvious: don't let Tre Ford's legs take over the game. Toronto accomplished that. Ford made plays through the air, but the Argos largely kept him contained as a runner, sacked him four times and produced one of the game's biggest plays with a strip-sack and recovery. The Argos trailed at halftime. They outscored Hamilton 24-3 the rest of the way.

It's CNE Game in Toronto, and this one feels bigger than most. The Hamilton Tiger-Cats come to BMO Field for one of the marquee dates on the Argos calendar, and with Toronto and Hamilton battling for position in the East Division, there's a lot more at stake than bragging rights. Ben Grant and JB get you set for a huge rivalry matchup on this week's Xs and Argos Pregame Walkthrough. The guys start with the latest transactions, as a banged-up Argos roster adds a pair of Canadians in defensive lineman Gabriel Maisonneuve and defensive back Istvan Assibo-Dadzie. What might those additions tell us about Toronto's injury situation heading into the weekend? Then it's time to dig into two Xs-and-Os questions that could have a major impact on Saturday's game. First: How does a defence prepare when it doesn't know who the opposing quarterback will be - especially when the two possibilities couldn't be more different? Harrison Frost is a traditional pocket passer. Tre Ford is one of the most dangerous running quarterbacks in football. The guys explains why preparing for both isn't simply a matter of learning two players - it can be like preparing for two entirely teams. On the other side of the ball, Toronto has a problem of its own: pass protection. After the offensive line struggled again in Edmonton, what can the Argos do to protect Chad Kelly without simply asking the same five blockers to suddenly play better? Quick game, screens, moving pockets, chips, heavier protections, RPOs, tempo and formation can all help - because pass protection isn't exclusively an offensive-line problem. This week's Pick Six continues that discussion with a bigger CFL question: is there a genuine shortage of quality offensive tackles in the league, or are teams failing to properly develop the ones they have? Then it's on to the game itself. In OCDC, Ben looks at how Hamilton can take advantage of Tre Ford's extraordinary athleticism without repeatedly exposing him to hits, and why sometimes the threat of the quarterback run can be more valuable than the run itself. For Toronto, it's about making Hamilton process as much information as possible with motion, tempo and a variety of pre-snap looks. Plus, the Injury Report, One Thing, Put Me Down for 20, and Challenge Flag. And Saturday is about more than just the game. It's the annual CNE Game, Argos jerseys are 40% off in-stadium, and franchise greats Kevin Eiben and Carl Brazley will officially become All-Time Argos during a halftime ceremony. The rivalry is renewed. The East Division race is heating up. And the Argos need an answer after an ugly afternoon in Edmonton. It's Hamilton at Toronto at the CNE, and we've got you covered on the Xs and Argos Pregame Walkthrough.

*]:pointer-events-auto R6Vx5W_threadScrollVars scroll-mb-[calc(var(--scroll-root-safe-area-inset-bottom,0px)+var(--thread-response-height))] scroll-mt-[calc(var(--header-height)+min(200px,max(70px,20svh)))]" dir="auto" data-turn-id= "request-684a4243-315c-8012-8233-2e0eb05acf92-0" data-turn-id-container= "request-684a4243-315c-8012-8233-2e0eb05acf92-0" data-testid= "conversation-turn-364" data-turn="assistant"> This was an ugly one. The Toronto Argonauts went into Edmonton looking to build some momentum after last week's dramatic home win over Calgary. Instead, they leave with perhaps their most concerning loss of the season, falling 42-12 to the Elks and dropping to 4-5. Ben Grant flies solo for this edition of the Postgame Reaction to break down a game where the final score doesn't necessarily tell you which unit struggled most. Believe it or not, Toronto's defence played pretty well. The Argos came in with an excellent plan for Justin Rankin, completely neutralizing one of Edmonton's biggest weapons for much of the afternoon. But after repeatedly being put back on the field by mistakes elsewhere, the defence eventually ran out of gas. The bigger concerns came on offence and special teams. Toronto turned the ball over six times, struggled to establish any kind of running game and had a series of costly drops - including one from sure-handed Damonte Coxie that turned into an Edmonton pick-six. Special teams contributed two missed field goals, a shanked punt, and a fumble on a kickoff return. But perhaps the most troubling development was up front. The Argos' offensive line struggled to protect Chad Kelly even when Edmonton rushed only three or four defenders. When a defence can consistently generate pressure without blitzing, it can drop eight or nine into coverage and make life extremely difficult for any quarterback. Ben breaks down why that's such a major concern going forward - and some of the schematic answers Toronto can use to combat it. There are also some coaching decisions to discuss, including a pair of questionable third-and-short calls, an unusual penalty decision late in the first half, a head-scratching challenge, and the decision to go for two following Kevin Mital's huge catch. And then there are the injuries. Jonathan Kongbo, Kevin Mital, DaShaun Amos, LP Gauthier, Bubba Bolden, and Dave Ungerer all required attention at various points, although most were able to return. There isn't much to celebrate after a 30-point loss, but there is plenty to break down. What went wrong? What can be fixed? And after reaching the halfway point of the season at 4-5, what should concern Argos fans most about this team going forward? It's all on this edition of the Xs and Argos Postgame Reaction.

Fresh off a wild 33-30 victory over Calgary at BMO Field, the 4-4 Toronto Argonauts head west to take on the 6-3 Edmonton Elks in a rare Saturday mid-afternoon matchup. Ben Grant and JB get you set for a fascinating test against one of the CFL's best teams. This week, the guys start with the latest transactions as Toronto makes a couple of moves involving major NCAA programs, bringing former USC defensive back Akili Arnold back into the fold while moving on from former Florida State offensive lineman Darius Washington. Then it's time for a deep dive into late-game clock management. Toronto's final drive against Calgary ended with the win, but did the Argos leave the Stampeders far too much time? Ben breaks down the difference between Clock Preservation Mode and Last Possession Mode, explains when an offence should make the transition, and introduces his formula for determining how much time you should leave on the clock as you move into scoring territory. The guys also tackle one of the biggest questions surrounding the Argos through eight games. Chad Kelly's aggressive style has produced spectacular results, but also plenty of interceptions. This week's Pick Six asks whether Toronto should try to rein him in or accept the turnovers as the price of having one of the CFL's most dangerous quarterbacks. Then it's on to Edmonton. Ben and JB break down the matchup, including how the Argos can prevent Justin Rankin from taking over the game and how Edmonton can use its running backs to put Toronto's defence in conflict. On the other side of the ball, Ben explains why Toronto's receiving corps is perfectly suited for an option-based passing attack and why mesh could be the concept to watch on Saturday. Plus: The latest Injury Report OCDC One Thing Put Me Down for 20 Challenge Flag The Argos are back to .500 and sitting second in the East. Now comes another opportunity to show that the team that emerged from that brutal opening road trip is ready to make some noise in the second half of the season. It's Toronto and Edmonton, Saturday at 3:00 p.m. ET, and the Xs and Argos Pregame Walkthrough has everything you need to get ready.

Home sweet home. After seven straight games on the road, the Toronto Argonauts finally returned to BMO Field and somehow found a way to pull out a wild 33-30 victory over the Calgary Stampeders. It certainly wasn't easy. On a night when the Argos' offence seemed determined to give the game away, Toronto's defence delivered its most complete performance of the season. The Double Blue held Calgary to under 250 yards of total offence, intercepted Vernon Adams Jr. twice - his first two interceptions of the season - and didn't allow him to throw a single touchdown pass. Those turnovers were especially important because Toronto was having problems of its own. Chad Kelly threw four interceptions as the Argos lost the turnover battle 5-3, yet a special teams touchdown and an outstanding defensive effort kept them within striking distance all night. And then, when they absolutely had to have it, the offence finally came alive. Trailing late in the fourth quarter, Toronto battled back, Sam Hicks ripped off a huge 40-yard touchdown run, and rookie kicker Brady Lidster gave the Argos the lead before Benji Franklin's interception slammed the door on Calgary. Ben Grant and JB break down one of the strangest and gutsiest wins of the season. How did the Argos survive five turnovers? What changed defensively after Calgary put up 58 points in their first meeting? And what can we take away from an offence that struggled badly for much of the night but still produced when the game was on the line? Plus, the guys discuss the other star of Toronto's long-awaited home opener: the new and improved BMO Field. From the pristine grass surface to the upgraded lights, sound system and video boards - and the brand-new North Pavilion boxes enjoyed by several Home Suite Home winners - the World Cup renovations have transformed the Argos' home. After two months away, the Argos are finally back at BMO. And they're back at .500.