Toronto running back Jamal Robertson takes a pitch from quarterback Kerry Joseph as Fred Perry of Winnipeg looks on. (John Woods/Canadian Press)

The Toronto Argonauts didn't exactly look great without Arland Bruce on Friday night, but they didn't have to be the way the Winnipeg Blue Bombers played.

Toronto (2-2) moved into second place in the CFL East with a 19-5 road win at Canad Inns in Winnipeg. Jamal Roberston rushed for the game's only touchdown, with kicker Justin Medlock adding four field goals.

The Argonauts were looking to move past a controversy concerning receiver Bruce, who was kept home for unprofessional behaviour. Bruce then proceeded to criticize coach Bart Andrus and quarterback Kerry Joseph in a Globe and Mail interview published Thursday.

"I don't think [Bruce's absence] had any effect on the game," said Andrus. "This was about the guys who were here playing the game. It was about them doing the right things, them taking the game to the next level and executing and being determined and playing physical football.

"That's what it was all about tonight for me."

Joseph was far from tack-sharp on Friday — he threw two interceptions nabbed by Jovon Johnson — but he looked like an all-star compared to Winnipeg starter Stefan LeFors.

LeFors threw for just 30 yards on 7-of-11 passing before getting pulled. Replacement Bryan Randall was no better, completing just one of six passes and throwing a crucial interception near the goal line in the second half.

Winnipeg (1-3) had to resort to employing former Hamilton signal caller Richie Williams by the fourth quarter. Williams was proficient given the trying circumstances, but a drive to the doorstep late in the fourth had more to do with a spate of Argo penalties than any inherent offensive brilliance from the home team.

Running back Fred Reid was limited to 32 yards rushing on 12 carries.

Bombers in QB quandary

As a result, Blue Bombers coach Mike Kelly is in a bit of a quandary at the quarterback position for next week's rematch in Toronto.

"I'm sure it won't be all strictly on the quarterbacks, but none of the three played very well," Kelly said. "We didn't catch the ball very well and, you know, it's just one of those things where at some point somebody's going to have to start making some plays."

While the Argonauts showed they can win without Bruce, it would be inaccurate to say that any of the receivers really grabbed the reins in his absence.

Reggie McNeal caught four passes for 60 yards, while Mike Bradwell had a key reception on the touchdown drive.

Joseph, sacked three times by Doug Brown of the Bombers, relied heavily on Robertson. The running back gained 101 yards on 24 carries and added 42 more on four catches.

Jason Shivers led an impressive Toronto defence with an interception and a forced fumble.

"Arland is a great football player, but we knew the guys that we had here we had to be together and we had to get it done and that's what we were able to do," said Joseph.

LeFors had an early shot at the end zone when Joseph threw an interception on Toronto's first drive, a pass deflected at the line of and caught by Johnson.

Winnipeg had the ball on Toronto's 28-yard line, but had to settle for an Alexis Serna field goal.

The Blue Bombers found themselves under the gun in the quarter when Chivers stripped receiver Brock Ralph of the ball deep in Winnipeg territory.

Bombers defensive back Lenny Walls came up with the big play, deflecting a pass in the end zone to help limit the Argos to a field goal.

After two more field goals, Toronto's major came with just under three minutes left in the first half. Robertson capped off a 66-yard drive by leaping over the pile near the goal line.

The Argos made it 19-3 on their first drive of the second half, with Medlock making it 10-for-10 for the season.

Robertson had the ball knocked loose on Toronto's next drive on one of 12 tackles from Winnipeg's Barrin Simpson. Fellow linebacker Siddeeq Shabazz scooped it up, giving Winnipeg the ball on Toronto's 19-yard line.

But Argos linebacker Kevin Eiben made a terrific play, reading Randall's intentions and picking off a pass intended for Romby Bryant.

At the end of the third quarter, Winnipeg had just two first downs and 73 net yards.

The Bombers defence did all it could to give the offence a chance to come back.

"The defence played well enough to win, the special teams played well enough to win," said Kelly. "Offensively, we have to make plays and we didn't make plays. We certainly tried a variety of things and nothing was working. That's the bottom line."

The last serious gasp to change the course of the game was a third-down pass from Williams with three minutes left into the end zone that was knocked away, appropriately, by Shivers.

Toronto would concede a meaningless safety to round out the scoring.

Joseph would complete 14 for 28 passes for 144 yards.

With files from The Canadian Press