Sears must be fined for hit By Frank Zicarelli, QMI Agency

Steven Jyles (left) walks off the field after being hit by Bombers' Johnny Sears on Friday night. (Brian Donough/QMI Agency)

As much grief as the Argos took last week, they deserve accolades at the way they competed Friday night.

In a game that turned nasty featuring both starting quarterbacks unable to finish the game, the Argos, who have nothing to play for, showed resolve and resiliency from the opening kickoff to the final horn.

Players were going down almost as often as flags got thrown by officials who were completely clueless and who lost complete control of a game that would require nearly 3 1/2 hours to complete.

It was almost unbearable the way the game turned into an exercise in dithering and delays.

Prevailed

Somehow, the Argos would prevail, 27-22, to record only their fifth win of the season, which ends next Thursday at home against Hamilton.

In reality, there was no winner on this night, not when the officials, yet again, made a mockery of the game.

What can’t be lost in the shoddy officiating was the way the Argos refused to give up, trailing big at one point, losing their rhythm in the third and making the right plays in the final quarter.

“A lot of character came out under some adverse conditions,” head coach Jim Barker said in his post-game availability.

“It’s something this team can take forward.”

When Steven Jyles was knocked unconscious, setting off a brief melee, his teammates came to his aide.

Jason Pottinger left the bench area, which cost the Argos their starting middle linebacker.

But on this night, it provided a chance for someone else to step up.

When Pottinger was given the boot, all three linebackers — Willie Pile, Tristan Black and Nick Clement — made plays.

Devastating only begins to sum up the loss for the Blue Bombers, who were eyeing first place and a bye into the East final.

For Winnipeg to play host to the East final, it must now need help from Montreal, which allowed the Bombers to stage a remarkable comeback last week.

The Argos nearly saw Winnipeg make another comeback, but a clutch second-down conversion that featured Dalton Bell hooking up with Jeremaine Copeland and a Cory Boyd burst would seal the deal.

With so much to play for, the Bombers had to come out fast and go for the jugular, the only way a team can impose its will, especially when playing at home.

Faced with a third and one at Toronto’s five-yard line, Winnipeg settled for a field goal, a decision that did not sit well with the faithful.

Passive

When they should have been aggressive, the Bombers were passive, failing to seize the moment and take an early hold on a game that slowly turned in favour of the visitors.

Momentum clearly was on Toronto’s side when the Argos managed to escape the shadow of their end zone by moving the chains and chewing up time when Winnipeg had the wind advantage.

In the second quarter, the Argos were making plays in all three phases, would knock Buck Pierce (knee) out of the game and ultimately lead 24-6 at halftime.

Chad Rempel scored his second career touchdown, both this season and Jeff Johnson produced his third touchdown in two games, but the most meaningful major was fashioned by Byron Parker.

Parker undercut a route, picked off Pierce and returned the interception 45 yards for a touchdown.

For Parker, it was his ninth pick-six of his career, which is the most by any player in the history of the CFL.

His record return was punctuated by a Deion Sanders end-zone dance.