TORONTO - This time, Nick Arbuckle and the Toronto Argonauts made a solid lead stand to earn their first home win of the season.

Arbuckle threw two touchdown passes and Lirim Hajrullahu kicked six field goals as Toronto defeated the Winnipeg Blue Bombers 31-17 on Saturday night. Last week, the Argos led Montreal 25-7 in the second half before losing 26-25.

"It was the first time all season last week that we really got into that building a good lead and really beating a team on the scoreboard for the first few quarters," Arbuckle said. "We could build confidence through how well we played for three of those four quarters and just put it all together and make sure we finished this time.

"Whenever you can end the game on a kneel down, that's the best play in football."

Toronto (2-5) recorded its first victory in four home games. The Argos also earned a fourth straight win over Winnipeg (3-3), which includes their 41-24 decision over the Blue Bombers in last year's Grey Cup game, in which Arbuckle was named MVP.

Toronto won the turnover battle 7-1 on Saturday. Arbuckle was 22-of-31 passing for 316 yards, while Damonte Coxie had six catches for 145 yards and a TD before an announced BMO Field gathering of 13,266.

"There definitely was a sense of urgency," Coxie said. " "We knew we couldn't come out being lackadaisical.

"Not only did we have to get out early but finish. Last time we got out early but we didn't finish, so today was big because we got out early and we still finished."

Toronto head coach Ryan Dinwiddie praised his team for its resiliency in bouncing back from last week's heartbreaking loss.

"Everybody thought we were dead to the wolves last week the way we lost that game," he said. "But we found a way to learn from it and build some confidence.

"We're never happy about the loss but I think we grew as a club. In the locker room those losses can go either way and we chose to make it go a positive way."

Dinwiddie also gave Arbuckle kudos for having the patience to take what Winnipeg's defence gave him.

"The thing Nick did a great job of (was taking) the easy completions," Dinwiddie said. "We only got to half of our plays and that's the best thing when you go back-to-back.

"You've got something to pull from. I didn't try to get too heavy but there's a lot we're going to add to this game plan that we have already."

The two teams meet again Friday night at Princess Auto Stadium.

Winnipeg starter Zach Collaros was five-of-10 passing for 79 yards and two interceptions in the first half. But he rejoined his teammates in the third quarter on the sidelines as Chris Streveler took over.

There was no immediate reason given for Collaros's departure. He also left last week's 41-20 loss to Calgary with a neck injury but did resume practising with the Bombers.

"We've lost games here before and we know how long of a season (it) is," Streveler said. "But ultimately the bottom line right now is we're just not playing good enough and we have to get better.

"There's still time to get better and put this thing right. It's going to start (Sunday) watching this film and being critical of ourselves."

Streveler finished 11-of-18 passing for 148 yards and a TD.

DaVaris Daniels had Toronto's other touchdown. Hajrullahu also had a convert.

Jerreth Sterns and James Vaughters scored Winnipeg's touchdowns. Sergio Castillo kicked two converts and a field goal.

Hajrullahu's 36-yard field goal at 6:16 of the fourth put Toronto ahead 31-17.

Streveler found Sterns on an 18-yard TD pass at 14:50 of the third, cutting Toronto's lead to 28-17. Hajrullahu kicked a 21-yard field goal at 5:55.

Hajrullahu's 16-yard field goal to end the second quarter put Toronto ahead 25-10 and culminated a smart 15-play, 92-yard march. The wet, rainy first-half conditions didn't seem to bother the Argos, who accumulated 305 net offensive yards (compared to 104 for Winnipeg) while forcing three turnovers.

Toronto outscored Winnipeg 16-0 in the second.

Hajrullahu's 22-yard field goal moved Toronto ahead 19-10 at 8:03. Cameron Judge's interception then set up Hajrullahu's 40-yard boot at 9:16.

Arbuckle put Toronto back ahead 16-10 with an 18-yard scoring strike to Daniels at 3:13.

Vaughters gave Winnipeg a 10-9 lead, returning a Khalan Laborn fumble 29 yards for the touchdown at 13:26 of the first.

Hajrullahu's 32-yard field goal at 11:01 put Toronto up 9-3. It was set up by Brandon Calver's recovery of Trey Vaval's fumble on a punt return.

Castillo's 39-yard field goal at 8:16 cut Toronto's lead to 6-3. The Argos opened the scoring with Arbuckle's 33-yard TD pass to Coxie at 3:23.

Receiver Janarion Grant started the four-play, 81-yard drive with a 41-yard completion to Coxie. But Hajrullahu's convert try hit the upright.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published July 26, 2025.