Argos hammer Ticats in season opener

There wasn't much of a Canada Day celebration at Ivor Wynne Stadium on Wednesday.

The visiting Toronto Argonauts took a 20-point lead in the first quarter and never looked back, handing their arch rival Hamilton Tiger-Cats a 30-17 defeat and silencing the hometown crowd at the CFL season opener.

The Boatmen led from start to finish, scoring early and often to spoil the opening night party in Hamilton. 

Argos quarterback Kerry Joseph threw touchdowns on Toronto's first two possessions of the game and added one more in the third quarter, passing for 227 yards and going 14 for 29.

"It was good for us to start fast," said Joseph. "We had a lull in the first half, but it was good to come out and establish … [ourselves] and get the momentum, especially on the road."

Jamal Richardson ran for 124 yards and had a touchdown in the Argos' victory.

Hamilton quarterback Quinton Porter, who got his feet wet as a starter last year and earned the No. 1 spot for this season, was picked off twice.

Porter threw for 229 yards, two touchdowns and went 26 for 40. 

"We moved the ball and can build on that and keep growing each week," Porter said. "We'll watch the film and focus on the good stuff."

While the game was well in hand for Toronto, the Argos were not without problems. Joseph was sacked four times, and Hamilton won the ball possession battle at more than 31 minutes.

The Argos' defence helped the cause, recording six sacks in the winning effort.

Andrus wins his 1st as Argos coach

Toronto got on the board just before the 10-minute mark when Joseph rolled right and found slotback Arland Bruce III streaking to the corner of the end zone for a 21-yard touchdown pass.

On the Argos' next possession, Joseph hit wide receiver Reggie McNeal in the end zone with a 7-yard touchdown pass. 

Robertson scored Toronto's third when he broke through the middle on the last play of the first quarter to make it 20-0 with the conversion.  

Kicker Eddie Johnson separated his shoulder making a tackle on a kickoff and wasn't able to kick the Argos' first conversion of the game, which running back Jarrett Payton attempted and missed.

Johnson returned and was perfect the rest of the game. He was also good for a 25-yard field goal in the second quarter.

"He's a tough guy," Joseph said. "You have to commend him for his toughness to come out there with one arm and punt like that. 

"That's a big deal for us. With the way our defence was playing, to have field position like that was big."

Wednesday marked the first regular-season CFL appearance for Argos coach Bart Andrus, who coached in the NFL Europa league and last season served as an offensive assistant with the NFL's Tennessee Titans.

Andrus got water from a cooler dumped on his head at the end of the game to celebrate his first CFL victory.

Bruce goes over the top

"I would never want to do this job if I couldn't have fun at it, and I preach that to the players because I want them enjoying the game again," said Andrus, who is also serving as the team's offensive co-ordinator. 

"At some point when they were young, they played this game because it was fun and went back the next day and played again because it was fun, and we want to keep that part of it.

"But, yeah, it was very cold."

Bruce took that fun approach too far when, after his touchdown, he took off his helmet, shoulder pads and uniform and laid down in the end zone, pretending to be buried to honour the memory of Michael Jackson.

Bruce received two objectionable-conduct penalties and Toronto was forced back to its 15-yard line.

"I made the mistake of telling him in camp that once he got to the end zone, I didn't care what he did," Andrus said. "But he's straight with it now, and I think next time around he will celebrate in an appropriate manner."

Porter got the Tiger-Cats on the board in the second quarter when he hit running back Terry Caulley with a three-yard outlet pass, and Caulley ran it into the end zone.

Kicker Nicholas Setta hit the conversion to make it 20-7 and later in the quarter made an 18-yard field goal attempt to bring the Ticats to within 10 points of the Argos. 

With 30 seconds to go in the half, the Ticats were in the Argos' red zone, but Porter's end zone pass to wide receiver Chris Davis was picked off by Argos defensive back Lin-J Shell. 

Ticats score with 58 seconds left

Porter threw another interception earlier in the half, a floater that was picked off by diving Toronto linebacker Kevin Eiben.

In the second half, the Argos scored first on Joseph's 22-yard touchdown pass to wide receiver Matt Lambros, who was streaking down the right sideline and made the catch in the end zone.

Johnson hit the convert, and the Argos restored their 20-point lead, making it 30-10.

Joseph, the CFL's 2007 Outstanding Player of the Year, was hit awkwardly in the third quarter and hobbled off the field with what appeared to be an injured left leg, but was back for the next series.  

With 58 seconds remaining, Porter threw his second touchdown of the game and got the otherwise silent crowd going, with a lofty 21-yard pass to wide receiver Prechae Rodriguez.

Porter gave himself a mark of B-minus for the game.

"I used my legs to my advantage but made some mistakes. I don't feel down about it," he said.

Ticats coach Marcel Bellefeuille said Porter needs to get the ball of quicker, a skill that will come with more experience.

"When you're doing things right, which we are doing, the hardest thing is being patient," he said. "This team is going to be good.

"Quinton will get better. It's part of the growing pains of that position. He is going to need to play in order to be good."