TORONTO 31 SASKATCHEWAN 26
Andre Durie and Chad Owens each caught two touchdown passes from Ricky Ray as the Toronto Argonauts clinched both a playoff spot and second place in the CFL's East Division with a 31-26 win Saturday over the Saskatchewan Roughriders.
Owens' second - a 60yard catch-and-run early in the third quarter - snuffed out Saskatchewan's comeback bid after the Roughriders (8-9) had scored on five straight possessions.
Saskatchewan - already assured of a playoff spot - lost its third straight.
The Argos (8-9), losers of three straight themselves entering the game, were under more pressure after the Tiger-Cats beat the Winnipeg Blue Bombers 28-18 earlier in the day.
That result kept the possibility alive of Hamilton overtaking Toronto for second.
The Argonauts also entered the game tied with the Edmonton Eskimos (79), who were last in the West Division but own the tiebreaker with Toronto and have the inside track on a crossover playoff berth.
Ray was front and centre in the first quarter, sandwiching a consequence-free interception between TD throws to Durie and Owens. The Riders, by contrast, opened with three straight two-and-outs and took more than 13 minutes to secure their initial first down.
Ray kept the Riders' second-quarter rally somewhat at bay with his second seven-yard TD toss of the game to Durie.
Saskatchewan had come within five points of the Argos at the half, scoring on all four of its second-quarter possessions. Sandro DeAngelis hit field goals from 37, 28 and 36 yards while Kory Sheets dragged five Toronto defenders with him across the goal line to complete a 24-yard scoring run.
But when the Riders needed points the most DeAngelis was nowhere to be found. He missed second-half field goals from 17 and 43 yards, and Ray answered back with the game-clinching deep ball to Owens.
Darian Durant hit Weston Dressler with a 10-yard pass in the end zone, set up by a 42-yard run from Sheets, to cap the Riders' scoring.
Toronto kicker Swazye Waters was good from 29 yards on his only field goal attempt for the final score of the game.
Ray finished 24 of 30 passes for 305 yards. Durant went 24-for-38 for 252 yards with one late-game interception.
HAMILTON 28 WINNIPEG 18
HAMILTON, Ont. - Henry Burris seized the moment.
The veteran quarterback took advantage of what he described as the "electric" atmosphere during the final regular-season game at Hamilton's Ivor Wynne Stadium Saturday to lead the Tiger-Cats to a 28-18 win over the Winnipeg Blue Bombers and stave off elimination - at least for one day.
"We had to seize this opportunity because our fans came out today [in the pouring rain]," said Burris, who threw two touchdown passes - his 38th and 39th to tie a career-best. "They were excited about everything taking place.
"But it wouldn't have been complete without a victory. We seized the momentum and were able to go out and get the big win."
The Blue Bombers (5-12) were eliminated from the playoffs with the loss. Hamilton must now hope either Toronto or Edmonton lose this week in order to still have a shot at the postseason.
"The bottom line for us going into this week is to make sure that we take care of business ourselves because we were the common denominator," he said.
Chris Williams, Andy Fantuz and Greg Peach each scored touchdowns for the Tiger-Cats (6-11). Winnipeg quarterback Joey Elliott and Terence Edwards each scored for the Bombers.
Burris completed 15 of 27 pass attempts for 171 yards.
Hamilton kicker Luca Congi was good on two of three field-goal attempts, missing a 40-yarder that slipped off the tee, and hitting from 18 and 36 yards.
Winnipeg kicker Justin Palardy was good on his lone attempt, from 22 yards.
Bombers starting QB Buck Pierce left the game with a shoulder injury after an ineffective first quarter and a fumble that was recovered by Peach for a touchdown. He completed two of seven pass attempts for 16 yards before being replaced by Elliott, who threw for one touchdown, one interception and ran for a six-yard TD. He completed 14 of 29 pass attempts for 126 yards.
