Brown throws five touchdown passes to lead Redblacks past Argos 46-42

Dru Brown threw a career-high five TD passes Saturday afternoon and the Ottawa Redblacks needed each one of them to earn a shootout victory.

Brown's 11-yard toss to Justin Hardy with 41 seconds remaining helped Ottawa secure a wild 46-42 win over the Toronto Argonauts. The score capped a clutch 72-yard, nine-play march in a game the Redblacks trailed 22-1 after the first quarter.

Brown completed 26-of-31 passes for 373 yards as Ottawa (3-6) captured a second straight victory following a four-game winless streak. Included was a 29-16 setback to Toronto on June 29.

"When you lose there's so much time spent trying to win," Brown said. "When you're losing, it can take its toll on you but you just have to stay together and we stayed together.

"We had a rough stretch there but it really is awesome to see everyone's faces in there after a win."

Brown downplayed the significance of his five TD passes.

"Theoretically it should be like that when everyone is doing their job, including myself," Brown said. "We were able to get great field position at times and kind of punch it in.

"If everyone does their job, that's how it looks."

Toronto (2-7) got the ball at its own 39-yard line with 36 seconds left but former Argo Robert Priester intercepted Nick Arbuckle to clinch the win. Arbuckle was 32-of-38 passing for 317 yards and three touchdowns while rushing for another.

"Priest made a huge play in a game he wasn't even sure he'd be up for," said Ottawa head coach Bob Dyce. "That's what it takes, you've got to do the extra.

"Dru played with great confidence, great belief. The line gave him time and protection to take it and make his reads and Tommy (offensive coordinator Tommy Condell) called a great game. Dru did a fantastic job of working through the process."

Ottawa's return game also came up big in the contest.

Brown cut Toronto's lead to 22-8 with a six-yard touchdown pass to Lewis at 4:15 of the second following Kalil Pimpleton's 57-yard punt return to the home team's three-yard line. Then Daniel Adeboboye — another former Argo — took the second-half kickoff 72 yards to the Argos' 19, setting up Brown's seven-yard TD strike to Eugene Lewis at 1:21 of the third.

There was no convert try due to a bad snap but Lewis Ward's 92-yard single on the kickoff at 1:42 put Ottawa ahead 26-25. Toronto has struggled covering kicks this season, having allowed four return TDs thus far.

"Special teams is a massive thing," said Dyce, a veteran CFL special-teams coordinator. "It might not be many snaps but at the same time every one of those plays covers great distance.

"When you're able to make big plays in that area … that's massive."

Lirim Hajrullahu's 35-yard field goal at 12:10 put Toronto ahead 42-39, delighting the announced BMO Field gathering of 13,297. Arbuckle found DaVaris Daniels on a six-yard touchdown pass at 5:02, then hit Jake Herslow for the two-point convert to put the Argos up 39-32.

But Ottawa made it 39-39 on Dustin Crum's one-yard run at 9:33.

"We're not playing winning football, it's frustrating for everybody," said Toronto ahead coach Ryan Dinwiddie. "I didn't think the defence and special teams were what (they) needed to be to put them away early.

"It's unfortunate, we had every opportunity to win this game."

Dinwiddie said his post-game message Saturday was very familiar to ones he has delivered this season.

"I sound like a broken record talking to them after the game," he said. "I just told them I'm not going to quit on them and I don't think those guys quit on us but I think we have some pretenders in the building who like to talk a big game and don't show up on game day.

"If you don't love it, let me know. I know I love it and I'm not going to quit."

Hardy and Lewis, both with two, Crum and Bralon Addison had Ottawa's touchdowns. Addison added a two-point convert while Ward kicked two converts, a field goal and single.

Herslow, Dejon Brissett and Jordan Williams scored Toronto's other touchdowns. Hajrullahu booted three converts, two field goals and a single.

Hajrullahu's 20-yard field goal to end the second quarter staked Toronto to a 25-19 halftime lead. But it was Ottawa that dominated the quarter, outscoring the Argos 18-3.

Williams put Toronto ahead 22-1 as the six-foot-five, 285-pound defensive lineman returned Brown's fumble 77 yards to end a disastrous first for Ottawa. Argos linebacker Cameron Judge forced the turnover on Brown's run.

"Things can change up here (in the CFL) really quick," Brown said. "The last three minutes feel like a whole other game, it's like two separate games almost.

"Nothing really needs to be said, just, 'Let's go execute, let's go do what we do in practice.' We were able to get into a lot of good plays."

UP NEXT

Redblack: Visit the Winnipeg Blue Bombers on Thursday.

Argonauts: Visit the Edmonton Elks (2-6) on Friday.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Aug. 9, 2025.