A.J. Ouellette scored three touchdowns as the defending Grey Cup champion Toronto Argonauts remained undefeated on the season with a 43-31 victory over the Edmonton Elks on Sunday.
Ouellette only had two touchdowns in 13 games for the Argos last season.
The Argos improved to 2-0, while the Elks are off to a rough start at 0-3.
Edmonton started the scoring on its second possession midway through the opening quarter, a relief after being shutout for the first time in 47 years last week when they fell 22-0 to the B.C. Lions. A 42-yard punt return by C.J. Sims launched a drive that would be completed when Kevin Brown reeled in a Taylor Cornelius pass and dove into the end zone for a 13-yard touchdown.
The Argonauts responded with a major of their own on the next drive engineered by quarterback Chad Kelly, getting a three-yard rushing major from Ouellette.
Punching it in with Authority ????<a href=”https://twitter.com/Ouellette_AJ12?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw”>@Ouellette_AJ12</a> has his first rushing touchdown of the season! <a href=”https://t.co/yJF1JGPNVB”>pic.twitter.com/yJF1JGPNVB</a>
—@TorontoArgos
The Elks surged back ahead early in the second frame as Loucheiz Purifoy stepped in front of a Kelly pass and ran it back 27 yards for the pick-six TD.
Toronto came back with a 42-yard field goal by Boris Bede and added a punt single to close to 14-11.
Edmonton’s Dean Faithfull kicked an 18-yard field goal to close out the second quarter with Toronto up 18-17.
The Argonauts were able to extend their lead on a long drive to open the second half, capped off by a two-yard TD run by Ouellette.
Guess Who ????<br><br>Another for <a href=”https://twitter.com/Ouellette_AJ12?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw”>@Ouellette_AJ12</a> <a href=”https://t.co/YWhfMSY9u1″>pic.twitter.com/YWhfMSY9u1</a>
—@TorontoArgos
Ungerer also came up big on special teams with a blocked punt, eventually leading to a four-yard TD run by Ouellette.
The Elks attempted a quarterback change, but on the first play Kai Locksley fumbled on his own 24, with Argo Robertson Daniel recovering. Bede nailed a 16-yard field goal to extend the Toronto lead to 36-17.
Edmonton’s bad luck continued as Eugene Lewis was stripped of the ball a step shy of the end zone with the Argos’ Daniel once again getting credit for the turnover.
The Elks finally got back on the board with less than three minutes to play in the fourth as a 72-yard return by Sims led to a two-yard pass from Doege to Vincent Forbes-Mombleau and a two-point convert by Doege.
Edmonton was able to add another highlight reel play to the proceedings with six seconds left as Doege escaped pressure and through a hopeful pass upfield that bounced out of the hands of a defender to Forbes-Mombleau for an 84-yard touchdown play.
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