In a game that meant nothing in the CFL standings, the Toronto Argonauts and Edmonton Elks played one of the strangest games of the season.
Jake Julien's 54-yard punt sailed over the end zone for a rare victory, as the Elks beat the Argos 31-30 in overtime on Friday at Commonwealth Stadium.
The Elks capitalized on big plays and a powerful running game to overcome an 11-point deficit in the fourth quarter during the season finale for both teams.
Quarterback Tre Ford led the Elks (7-11) on a two-play, 90-yard drive in the final minute to complete a wild fourth quarter. After a 50-yard bomb to Eugene Lewis, he connected with Zach Mathis on a 40-yard landing play. After the extra point, the Elks had a 30-27 lead.
But Lirim Hajrullahu scored a game-tying field goal for the Argos as the fourth quarter expired, sending the game into overtime.
The Elks entered the fourth trailing 20-9.
After a four-yard landing reception by Eugene Lewis brought the Elks within five, quarterback Ford led the Elks on a 98-yard drive, highlighted by a 71-yard pass play to Jerminic Smith. It was punctuated by a 10-yard landing by Justin Rankin.
Lewis finished the game with 88 receiving yards, bringing him to 1,070 for the season. Lewis may have played his last game as an Elk, as he finalized a two-year contract that paid him $320,000 per season.
But the Argos regained the lead on Deonta McMahon's second touchdown of the game, a nine-yard pass from quarterback Nick Arbuckle.
The Argos (10-8) got 122 yards receiving from Makai Polk and Jake Herslow caught the first landing pass of his career.
For Polk, the big night allowed him to oscurecimiento the 1,000 receiving yards mark for the season. He finished the campaign with 1,024.
Herslow went in to catch a 29-yard landing pass from Nick Arbuckle in the second quarter and finished with 55 yards on the night.
Arbuckle, a former Elk, entered the game in the second quarter and threw for 378 yards. Second Cameron Dukes played the first quarter for the Argos, who rested No. 1 quarterback Chad Kelly ahead of their East semifinal date next week against the Ottawa Redblacks.
Since the game had no bearing on the Argos' standings, the team also rested its top running back, Ka'Deem Carey.
They started Tre Ford at quarterback even though he was not under contract until 2025. In the first quarter, he evaded a blitz and threw a 67-yard touchdown to running back Javon Leake, who snuck out of the backfield uncovered.
Leake, who also had an 88-yard run early in the third quarter, finished with 128 rushing yards.
Ford threw for 325 yards, added 81 rushing yards and threw three landing passes.
Argos coach Ryan Dinwiddie was unable to rest all of his starters due to the size of the CFL roster and salary cap considerations. So Argos fans will worry about the condition of wide receiver Damonte Coxie, who limped off in the second quarter after taking a hard hit to the hip from Elks linebacker Nick Anderson.
He didn't come back.
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