Calgary defender Mike Labinjo, right, celebrates his touchdown reception with teammate Randy Chevrier during the first half. (Jeff McIntosh/Canadian Press)Toronto's second game under coach Don Matthews looked much like the first despite a quarterback change, as the Argonauts committed five turnovers in a 34-4 loss in Calgary.
Henry Burris led the Stampeders with 241 yards passing and touchdown throws to Mike Labinjo and Nik Lewis to stake the Stampeders to a big first-half lead. Sandro DeAngelis contributed four field goals for Calgary (8-4).
In Calgary's three consecutive wins, Burris has thrown for 972 yards, with 10 touchdowns and just one interception.
Calgary could find itself with a share of the CFL West lead depending on the outcome of Saturday's late game between B.C. and division leader Saskatchewan.
Toronto (4-7) falls into a tie for second in the CFL East with the Winnipeg Blue Bombers. The Argonauts have failed to score a touchdown in the third stint for Don Matthews as head coach.
Cody Pickett played better in his first CFL start than the score indicated, but was also not helped at all by his teammates. Pickett completed 21 of 36 passes for 193 yards.
The quarterback had a pass intercepted and returned for a touchdown by Calgary's Wes Lysack on the last play of the third quarter, but the game was well in hand for the Stampeders by that point.
"Our defence was exceptional," said Calgary coach and general manager John Hufnagel. "We knew going in that …we were facing a young quarterback and our plan was to put some pressure on him and hopefully force him to make some mistakes. We were able to accomplish that."
The naming of Pickett as a starter couldn't have been predicted before the season when Toronto heralded the acquisition of last year's top player in the CFL, quarterback Kerry Joseph, and announced the re-signing of backup Michael Bishop.
The quarterback combo helped cost coach Rich Stubler his job after just 10 games, by which time Bishop was moved to Saskatchewan. After last week's 39-9 drubbing at the hands of Winnipeg, Matthews decided to bench Joseph for Pickett.
"I see us getting better and we have some good players," said Matthews. "We had enough chances to make it a very competitive game and did not do it."
After a Calgary single opened the scoring at McMahon Field, the teams exchanged field goals thanks to their return men.
Markus Howell took a punt 39 yards for Calgary, and a Toronto penalty for an additional 15 helped set up a Sandro DeAngelis kick from 16 yards.
Toronto return whiz Dominique Dorsey took the ensuing kickoff 44 yards to set up Mike Vanderjagt's 35-yard field goal.
Calgary pulled out some trickery for their first touchdown, scored early in the second. Mike Labinjo, who moves between linebacker and defensive end, was inserted on offence to catch a one-yard toss for an 11-3 lead.
Labinjo was a running back during high school in his native Toronto.
"We worked on that all week," Burris said. "He's a guy who has excellent athletic ability. Labinjo did a good job of selling the block and just crept in the back of the end zone and was wide open."
Pickett's teammates started letting him down in earnest in the second quarter. The quarterback completed a slant to Bethel Johnson, but the receiver had the ball jarred loose by Calgary defensive back Brandon Browner.
The turnover set up a 37-yard DeAngelis field goal.
On Toronto's next drive, running back Jeff Johnson coughed up the ball to the Stampeders after taking in a Pickett pass.
The Argonauts defence could not even get a boost when former NFL cornerback Will Poole dished out a jarring hit on Stampeders receiver Brett Ralph, who held on for a 23-yard gain.
The Stamps resumed the drive undeterred, with Burris hooking up for a 19-yard scoring pass to Lewis for a 21-3 score.
Burris went for the end zone again late in the half, but his pass intended for Jeremaine Copeland was intercepted by Pete Hunter with 37 seconds left.
Not long after DeAngelis contributed another three-pointer, Lysack intercepted Pickett's throw and took it 56 yards to the end zone for a 31-4 score.
Dorsey tried to spark his side with another good punt return and a 32-yard rush early in the fourth, but Jamal Roberston couldn't corral Pickett's handoff on the six-yard line, with the ball recovered by Calgary.
"We cannot have turnovers against a good team like Calgary," said Pickett. "We have to take care of the ball better."
Ben Sankey replaced Burris midway through the fourth and set up another DeAngelis field goal. Calgary showed mercy after a huge Joffrey Reynolds rush put the offence near Toronto's end zone in the final minute, opting to run down the clock instead of running up the score.
Reynolds gained 112 yards on 12 carries.
The Stampeders and Argonauts will meet next Saturday in Toronto.
With files from the Canadian Press
