As a CFL playoff showcase, Sunday's game between the Toronto Argonauts and Hamilton Tiger-Cats was instead a mistake-filled monstrosity filled with tentative play and dubious performances.
But in the end it mattered little to the Toronto Argonauts, who got the most from very little to hand the Tiger-Cats a tough-to-swallow 16-13 victory Sunday at Ivor Wynne Stadium to win the East Division semi-final showdown.
The Ticats had dominated Toronto over the course of the regular-season, outscoring a turnover-prone Argos team by a margin of almost 3-to-1 while winning all three games.
But it was a nervous Hamilton outfit that returned the favour on Sunday, committing five turnovers - including two by the kick-return specialist Marcus Thigpen - while committing a number of senseless penalties.
It all played a huge role in turning the game in Toronto's favour, much to the chagrin of 27,828 mostly fervent Hamilton fans who could only look on with despair.
"Today we had to pay them back," said Toronto running back Cory Boyd, who pounded for 93 yards off 19 carries. "I think guys set up this stage just for this right here, just so we could come into their home, smack them around, and take it to the finals."
Toronto cornerback Byron Parker iced the victory, intercepting gimpy-kneed Hamilton quarterback Kevin Glenn at the Toronto 33-yard-line with just two second left as the Ticats were driving for the possible tying field goal that would have sent the game into overtime.
"It hit me right in the hands," Parker said of the ball that deflected off the intended receiver, former Argo Arland Bruce III. "I almost didn't have to catch it."
The playoff win for the Argos, their first since 2006, vaults Toronto into Sunday's East final in Montreal against the well-rested Alouettes, whom the Argos split the four-game regular-season series against.
The QB somehow got it done Toronto rookie quarterback Cleo Lemon did complete 22 of 29 passes - but only for 134 yards. He did not complete a pass for more than 12 yards all game and made a horrible decision in the third quarter with Toronto scrimmaging from the Hamilton five by trying to force a touchdown pass to Spencer Watt. The off-balance toss was under thrown and made for an easy interception by Hamilton defensive back Geoff Tisdale. The Argos were leading 10-6 at the time.
Glenn sucked it up:
It appeared Hamilton's chances for success suffered a severe blow late in the second quarter when quarterback Kevin Glenn was forced from the game after absorbing a nasty, twisting tackle at the hands of Toronto defensive end Ricky Foley. Glenn injured his left knee but returned to play late in the third quarter and engineered a 59-yard touchdown drive in the fourth quarter that cut the Argos' lead to 16-13 with 6:53 left to play.
The key drive:
With Toronto clinging to its three-point lead and backed up all the way to its three-yard line with 4:51 to play, Lemon finally started to play with some authority. He completed a couple of passes into a stiff breeze to Jeremaine Copeland to give Toronto some breathing room. Boyd then took over, rushing five straight times for 32 yards. The drive, which consumed almost four minutes, stalled at the Hamilton 51. Toronto kicker Noel Prefontaine then did his job, angling his 41-yard punt out of bounds at the Hamilton 10, leaving the Ticats with a scant 52 seconds to try to mount a comeback.
In defence of Cleo:
"A lot of criticism has been coming up against him, saying that he's messing up the offence, he's not a CFL quarterback," Boyd said about Lemon. "But this is a rookie quarterback we got here. He's putting up some good numbers, he keeps his poise, he keeps trying to make plays. And everybody was rallying behind him. His leadership showed today."