Bombers make it three in a row, claim 34-17 victory over Toronto

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This article was published 12/08/2016 (3608 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Three weeks ago, Clarence Denmark was a free agent and the Winnipeg Blue Bombers were 1-4 on the year. On Friday night, he helped the team to their third consecutive win and a .500 record heading into their first bye week of the season with a two-touchdown performance in a 34-17 win over the Toronto Argonauts.

Denmark’s 29-yard touchdown in the second quarter gave the Bombers their first lead of the night, and his second of the evening, a 79-yard offering from pivot Matt Nichols in the fourth, cemented the win.

Denmark had 195 yards on seven catches in the win. He had three total touchdowns last season in 18 games for the Blue and Gold. He now has three in seven quarters in 2016.

As good as the Bombers were on offence, it was defensive back Kevin Fogg’s world on the other side of the ball, and the Argos were forced to live in it in the Big Smoke.

Fogg had a career game in his rookie season in the CFL, recording two interceptions, a fumble recovery and a sack.

Maurice Leggett added a 99-yard pick six late in the fourth quarter, his second such interception of the season, and his second of the game on the very next Argos’ drive.

Nichols finished 17-for-28, with 246 yards, two touchdowns and his first interception of the year and pushed his record to 3-0 on the year.

The Bombers had 24 points off five turnovers in the game and scored 31 unanswered after falling behind 10-3 in the first quarter.

It’s the first time the Bombers have won three straight since July 11, 2014.

Toronto jumped out to a 10-3 lead after the first quarter as Argos rookie pivot Logan Kilgore launched a 62-yard touchdown pass to receiver Diontae Spencer with nine seconds left on the first quarter clock.

The Bombers struggled out of the gate with consecutive two-and-outs to open the game, but they found their stride in the second quarter on the back of mishaps on offence for the Argos.

Winnipeg scored 10 unanswered in the second quarter, capped off by Denmark’s first touchdown of the game for a 13-10 lead at the half.

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Bombers tailback Andrew Harris pushed the advantage to 20-10 in the third quarter, capping off an 11-play, 92-yard scoring drive with the major after Matt Nichols went 6-fo-6 for 69 yards on the drive.

Fogg intercepted his second pass of the night in the Bombers backfield to give to start proceedings on the scoring play.

The Argos added a late major with back up quarterback Cody Fajardo finding Levi Noel 34 yards in the end zone.

scott.billeck@freepress.mb.ca

Twitter: @scottbilleck

Scott Billeck
Reporter

Scott Billeck is a general assignment reporter for the Free Press. A Creative Communications graduate from Red River College, Scott has more than a decade’s worth of experience covering hockey, football and global pandemics. He joined the Free Press in 2024.  Read more about Scott.

Every piece of reporting Scott produces is reviewed by an editing team before it is posted online or published in print — part of the Free Press‘s tradition, since 1872, of producing reliable independent journalism. Read more about Free Press’s history and mandate, and learn how our newsroom operates.