TORONTO (CP) - Ricky Williams is going to have to get used to taking handoffs from Spergon Wynn for the next little while.
Wynn threw two touchdown passes replacing an injured Damon Allen, while Williams ran for 97 yards on 18 carries in his CFL debut as the Toronto Argonauts beat the Hamilton Tiger-Cats 27-17 on Saturday in the season opener for both teams.
The loud, but disappointing Rogers Centre gathering of 27,689, had barely got into their seats when Allen, the CFL's outstanding player last year, broke the middle finger on his right hand on Toronto's third play. Allen was injured trying to break his fall after taking a late hit from Hamilton safety Wayne Shaw, who was penalized on the play.
That brought in Wynn, who struggled in Toronto's two exhibition losses to Hamilton. But Wynn, who finished 18 of 28 passing for 224 yards, hit Tony Miles with a 26-yard TD strike on his first play from scrimmage to open the scoring.
"There's always a jolt of reality," Wynn said of Allen getting hurt on an innocent-looking play. "You never know what can happen.
"You're relaxed on the sideline and suddenly you're in."
Fortunately for Toronto, Allen does have a reputation of being a quick healer. Two years ago, Allen missed just seven starts recovering from a fractured leg and returned to lead the Argos to a Grey Cup title.
"Four-to-six weeks is the initial diagnosis," said Toronto head coach Mike (Pinball) Clemons. "But you look at Spergon and the way he played, that's why we went out looking for a guy who can come in and do the kind of things you need your No. 2, now No. 1, quarterback to do."
"But I guess I'll rub my hand in a little bit of mud and put it on Damon's finger."
Surprisingly, Toronto continued relying on the pass despite Allen's absence and having a former NFL rushing leader in the backfield. The Argos spent the first half content to use Williams as a decoy on play-action pass plays as the former Heisman Trophy winner had just eight yards on three carries and two catches for 24 yards.
Williams saved his best for the second half, ripping off a 35-yard run midway through the fourth after rookie Jermaine Mays' interception put the Argos at their 20-yard line leading 24-17. Noel Prefontaine's 32-yard field goal on that drive gave Toronto a 10-point cushion with 3:10 remaining.
Quarterback Jason Maas, making his Ticats debut after coming over in the off-season from Edmonton, said Mays' interception was the game's turning point.
"If I miss the throw, we'll take the field goal and be down four points with six minutes left," he said. "I take the blame."
"If I make one more pass, it's a completely different game."
But Hamilton coach Greg Marshall did a slow burn when Toronto gave Williams the ball twice from the Ticats' six-yard line in the dying seconds, attempting to get him the TD and 100 yards rushing.
"Would you give it to your star back with five seconds left," Marshall fumed. "It doesn't matter, our job is to defend and they can do what they want to do."
Williams, who ran for just 53 yards in the two exhibition games, shrugged off Marshall's comments.
"I think they (Argos) just wanted to get me over 100 yards and get me a touchdown," he said. "They were just trying to make my debut just a little bit nicer."
"When you lose you find things to get pissed about. Seriously, it's not a big deal. Who cares about 100 yards. We won, that's what's important."
Clemons obviously does. He didn't go for the chipshot field goal because Prefontaine was playing hurt so Clemons figured if the Argos could get the extra TD on the ground, then it could help the team down the road.
"The reality is we play them four times . . . and there is a greater likelihood of a tiebreaker and the first tiebreaker is points," he said. "You always have to think ahead and have knowledge of what the system is and what it can lead to. "
"If this was the third game and we had won the first two we would've just taken a knee."
Maas finished 25 of 34 passing for 240 yards with no touchdowns and two late interceptions. The Ticats also had to do without running back Josh Ranek, who left in the first half with a charlie horse.
But Corey Holmes stepped in admirably for Ranek. Holmes, the CFL's outstanding special-teams player last year with Saskatchewan, rushed for 85 yards on 13 carries and added 10 catches for 70 yards.
"It's my job to step in when someone goes down," he said. "This has left a bitter taste but it's a long season."
Not surprising, the contest was a chippy one with 23 penalties for 214 yards and an ejection (Argos defensive end Jonathan Brown).
Arland Bruce III had Toronto's other touchdown. Prefontaine added two converts, four field goals and a single.
Julian Radlein scored Hamilton's touchdown. Jamie Boreham kicked the convert and three field goals.
NOTES - Former Argos Adrion Smith and Noah Cantor, who each retired in the off-season, both thanked fans for their support during pre-game festivities . . . Receiver Kwame Cavil didn't suit up for Hamilton while running back John Avery was among Toronto's scratches . . . Saturday's game marked the first time since '89 that Toronto and Hamilton opened their seasons against one another.
Wynn threw two touchdown passes replacing an injured Damon Allen, while Williams ran for 97 yards on 18 carries in his CFL debut as the Toronto Argonauts beat the Hamilton Tiger-Cats 27-17 on Saturday in the season opener for both teams.
The loud, but disappointing Rogers Centre gathering of 27,689, had barely got into their seats when Allen, the CFL's outstanding player last year, broke the middle finger on his right hand on Toronto's third play. Allen was injured trying to break his fall after taking a late hit from Hamilton safety Wayne Shaw, who was penalized on the play.
That brought in Wynn, who struggled in Toronto's two exhibition losses to Hamilton. But Wynn, who finished 18 of 28 passing for 224 yards, hit Tony Miles with a 26-yard TD strike on his first play from scrimmage to open the scoring.
"There's always a jolt of reality," Wynn said of Allen getting hurt on an innocent-looking play. "You never know what can happen.
"You're relaxed on the sideline and suddenly you're in."
Fortunately for Toronto, Allen does have a reputation of being a quick healer. Two years ago, Allen missed just seven starts recovering from a fractured leg and returned to lead the Argos to a Grey Cup title.
"Four-to-six weeks is the initial diagnosis," said Toronto head coach Mike (Pinball) Clemons. "But you look at Spergon and the way he played, that's why we went out looking for a guy who can come in and do the kind of things you need your No. 2, now No. 1, quarterback to do."
"But I guess I'll rub my hand in a little bit of mud and put it on Damon's finger."
Surprisingly, Toronto continued relying on the pass despite Allen's absence and having a former NFL rushing leader in the backfield. The Argos spent the first half content to use Williams as a decoy on play-action pass plays as the former Heisman Trophy winner had just eight yards on three carries and two catches for 24 yards.
Williams saved his best for the second half, ripping off a 35-yard run midway through the fourth after rookie Jermaine Mays' interception put the Argos at their 20-yard line leading 24-17. Noel Prefontaine's 32-yard field goal on that drive gave Toronto a 10-point cushion with 3:10 remaining.
Quarterback Jason Maas, making his Ticats debut after coming over in the off-season from Edmonton, said Mays' interception was the game's turning point.
"If I miss the throw, we'll take the field goal and be down four points with six minutes left," he said. "I take the blame."
"If I make one more pass, it's a completely different game."
But Hamilton coach Greg Marshall did a slow burn when Toronto gave Williams the ball twice from the Ticats' six-yard line in the dying seconds, attempting to get him the TD and 100 yards rushing.
"Would you give it to your star back with five seconds left," Marshall fumed. "It doesn't matter, our job is to defend and they can do what they want to do."
Williams, who ran for just 53 yards in the two exhibition games, shrugged off Marshall's comments.
"I think they (Argos) just wanted to get me over 100 yards and get me a touchdown," he said. "They were just trying to make my debut just a little bit nicer."
"When you lose you find things to get pissed about. Seriously, it's not a big deal. Who cares about 100 yards. We won, that's what's important."
Clemons obviously does. He didn't go for the chipshot field goal because Prefontaine was playing hurt so Clemons figured if the Argos could get the extra TD on the ground, then it could help the team down the road.
"The reality is we play them four times . . . and there is a greater likelihood of a tiebreaker and the first tiebreaker is points," he said. "You always have to think ahead and have knowledge of what the system is and what it can lead to. "
"If this was the third game and we had won the first two we would've just taken a knee."
Maas finished 25 of 34 passing for 240 yards with no touchdowns and two late interceptions. The Ticats also had to do without running back Josh Ranek, who left in the first half with a charlie horse.
But Corey Holmes stepped in admirably for Ranek. Holmes, the CFL's outstanding special-teams player last year with Saskatchewan, rushed for 85 yards on 13 carries and added 10 catches for 70 yards.
"It's my job to step in when someone goes down," he said. "This has left a bitter taste but it's a long season."
Not surprising, the contest was a chippy one with 23 penalties for 214 yards and an ejection (Argos defensive end Jonathan Brown).
Arland Bruce III had Toronto's other touchdown. Prefontaine added two converts, four field goals and a single.
Julian Radlein scored Hamilton's touchdown. Jamie Boreham kicked the convert and three field goals.
NOTES - Former Argos Adrion Smith and Noah Cantor, who each retired in the off-season, both thanked fans for their support during pre-game festivities . . . Receiver Kwame Cavil didn't suit up for Hamilton while running back John Avery was among Toronto's scratches . . . Saturday's game marked the first time since '89 that Toronto and Hamilton opened their seasons against one another.
