Kelly rushes for 3 TDs as defending champion Argonauts beat Tiger-Cats in season opener

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

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 made was their 29-year-old quarterback for a 12-yard run late in the game for a first down with the outcome already decided.

“I hear it from every uncle,” Kelly said of the risky game. “So I guess I have to learn to go down.”

Kelly won the starting job this year and McLeod Bethel-Thompson now plays for the USFL’s New Orleans Breakers.

He proved his worth in the Gray Cup last year when he was 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-fifteen that set up AJ Ouellette’s game-winning five-yard touchdown.

But to be named the starter to start the season was different.

“You have to be willing to play the whole game,” Kelly said. “I had to make sure I trained really hard to be prepared.”

“Chad is a gamer”

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

“Chad’s a gamer,” Dinwiddie said. “That’s why we chose to bring him in as our franchise quarterback.”

Dinwiddie and Kelly credited the Argos defense for knocking out veteran Ticats quarterback Bo Levi Mitchell.

The two-time Gray 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 just one touchdown pass in his first two starts for the Ticats.

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

“The defense played a role,” said Kelly. “They flew around and we see that every day in practice.”

The teams traded touchdowns in the fourth quarter. Toronto veteran Andrew Harris scored on a 10-yard run with 6:08 left in the fourth quarter for the only score of the second half. With less than two minutes left, 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 Toronto marched downfield for a seven-yard dash 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 left in the first quarter.

Kelly completed an 11-play, 93-yard drive with a one-yard dive for a 15–6 advantage. Once again the Argos were helped by a big offense from Hamilton. Mohamed Diallo was caught roughing the passerby at Hamilton’s 23 yard line.

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

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