Kelly directs Argos to season-opening win over Tiger-Cats

TORONTO — The Hall of Fame uncle had one final piece of advice for his nephew Chad Kelly, the 29-year-old quarterback who has been installed to lead the defending Grey Cup-champion Toronto Argonauts in their 150th anniversary year.

"He just told me to have fun and take what the defence gives me," said the younger Kelly, who took the advice of former Buffalo Bills legend Jim Kelly to heart in the Argos' season-opening 32-14 CFL victory against the rival Hamilton Tiger-Cats (0-2) on Sunday.

Chad Kelly rushed for three touchdowns, completed 14 of 23 passes for 213 yards and carried the ball five times for 28 yards.

About the only move Uncle Jim and Argos head coach Ryan Dinwiddie panned their 29-year-old quarterback was for a late-game 12-yard run for a first down with the outcome already decided.

"I'm hearing it from every uncle," Kelly said about the risky play. "So I guess I gotta learn to get down."

Kelly won the starting job this year, with McLeod Bethel-Thompson now playing for the USFL's New Orleans Breakers.

He demonstrated his worth in the Grey Cup last year when forced to replace Bethel-Thompson in the fourth quarter after the latter suffered a dislocated thumb. Kelly completed four-of-six passes for 43 yards and had a crucial 20-yard run on second-and-15 that set up A.J. Ouellette's game-winning five-yard rushing touchdown.

But being named the starter to begin the season was different.

"You gotta be prepared to play the whole game," Kelly said. "I had to make sure I trained really hard to be prepared."

Dinwiddie kept the game plan simple for Kelly. The Argos head coach was impressed with the quarterback's outing before 15,976 at BMO Field.

"Chad's a gamer," Dinwiddie said. "That's why we chose to bring him in to be our franchise quarterback."

The Argos (1-0) opened their season with a banner-raising ceremony to toast their 18th Grey Cup championship, trotting out past stars like Damon Allen and Ricky Foley to help celebrate the occasion.

Dinwiddie and Kelly credited the Argos defence for shutting down veteran Ticats quarterback Bo Levi Mitchell.

The two-time Grey Cup champion with the Calgary Stampeders was intercepted in the first half by Toronto's Qwan'Tez Stiggers and DeShaun Amos in the end zone.

Mitchell now has four interceptions and only one touchdown pass in his first two starts for the Ticats.

He was replaced midway through the final quarter by backup Matt Schiltz. Mitchell completed 16 of 24 passes for 158 yards.

"The defence was a factor," Kelly said. "They flew around, and we see that every day in practice."

The teams traded fourth-quarter touchdowns. Toronto veteran Andrew Harris scored on a 10-yard run with 6:08 remaining in the fourth quarter for the lone score of the second half. With less than two minutes to go, Schiltz hit Tyler Ternowski for an eight-yard strike.

Toronto's Boris Bede added a 27-yard field goal with 56 seconds remaining.

After a slow start, Kelly marched Toronto down the field for a seven-yard scamper and his first score. The touchdown drive was aided by an unnecessary roughness penalty from Ticats lineman Mason Bennett and a Kelly to DaVaris Daniels 17-yard connection over the middle with 1:52 remaining in the first quarter.

A 10-yard rush from James Butler 4:31 into the second quarter pulled Hamilton to within 8-6. The Ticats, however, failed on their two-point conversion attempt.

Kelly finished an 11-play, 93-yard drive with a one-yard plunge for a 15-6 advantage. Again, the Argos were helped by a Hamilton major foul. Mohamed Diallo was nabbed roughing the passer at Hamilton's 23-yard line.

Kelly led Toronto down the field for his third rushing touchdown and a 22-6 lead, a drive set up by a 59-yard pass from Kelly to Damonte Coxie with 23 seconds remaining.

PETERS OUT

Cornerback Jamal Peters sat out the Argos opener. After signing with the Atlanta Falcons, the NFL team released Peters on June 5, causing him to miss Toronto's entire training camp.

Peters, 26, led the league with six interceptions in 2022, five coming against Hamilton.

UP NEXT

On Friday, the Ticats host the Montreal Alouettes (1-0) in their home opener at Tim Hortons Field. The Argos visit the Edmonton Elks (0-2) on Sunday.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published June 18, 2023.