Perhaps better late than never, the Toronto Argonauts’ sudden surge has thrust them back into contention for a CFL playoff spot.

Now they’ll have to win their biggest game of the year Friday night with a third-string quarterback when they host the Montreal Alouettes.

But Jarret Doege’s work at the end of Saturday’s 31-30 win over Edmonton gives Toronto hope it can overcome the loss of Nick Arbuckle. Doege, a former Elk, completed 40- and 22-yard passes on the Argos’ winning field goal drive.

“It’s my third year in the CFL so I feel like I’ve kind of figured out the game a little bit,” Doege said. “I kind of feel like I know how to go out there and play well. I’m just trying not to make the game bigger than it needs to be.”

Arbuckle is expected to sit two to four weeks with a calf injury. Chad Kelly, who has been sidelined all year with a broken leg suffered in last year’s conference final, might be able to return next week.

Toronto (5-8) has scored 118 points during its three-game winning streak and might need to keep the points coming against a Montreal team that righted itself on Saturday night with a stunning 48-31 rout at 10-3 Saskatchewan.

The result snapped a five-game skid for Montreal (6-7), which stayed in second place in the East. The Als hold a tiebreaker edge with the Argos after winning the first two of their three matchups.

Quarterback McLeod Bethel-Thompson returned from an elbow injury to light up the Roughriders’ inexperienced cornerbacks, hitting 20 of 26 passes for 379 yards and three touchdowns. Tyson Philpot caught nine passes for 238 yards, the most by an Als receiver in 69 years.

“We’re a team to be reckoned with,” Bethel-Thompson said. “The CFL gets fun when you get into September and October. We have to keep getting better and be at our best at the end of the season. That’s what the CFL’s all about — who gets hot late and is rolling at the end.”

–Field Level Media