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Halfway through the season and more than a few fans of the Double Blue are heading for the nearest halfway house.

It’s been that kind of season, which began with the Argos losing by 50 points to Hamilton.

A one-point loss would follow and perhaps the cruellest of losses when Toronto headed out East to Moncton for a Touchdown Atlantic showcase against the Als, who emerged with a 28-22 win.

The game ended with Armanti Edwards dropping a touchdown pass on the game’s final play.

S.J. Green was wide open in the end zone, but quarterback McLeod Bethel-Thompson didn’t see the veteran.

The one-point setback came against B.C. when veteran returner Chris Rainey secured a missed field goal in the back of the end zone at BMO Field.

His right foot was out of bounds as the Lions won on a walk-off rouge.

B.C. and Toronto are the CFL’s lone one-win teams, but the Argos should have won that meeting against the Lions.

The Argos would have beaten Montreal had they shown more focus and discipline.

One can argue how the Argos should have beaten the host Stamps on a night when Toronto’s defence turned the ball over seven times.

Nine games down, nine games to be played and it’s looking awfully bleak for an Argos team that missed the post-season in 2018 following a four-win campaign.

There will be lots to digest before Labour Day when the Argos head to Hamilton, but what is known is that Toronto’s margin for error has been reduced to zero.

At the mid-way point to the season, the Argos should be 4-5 and not 1-8.

They should be competing for Montreal for home field in the playoffs, but they are not because the Argos haven’t been good when they needed to be good in key moments.

Even when Edmonton came to town recently, the Argos traded punch for punch, but the offence could not score touchdowns, while the defence could not make stops on second down to force punts.

“Hopefully it’s 8-1, right,’’ said Bethel-Thompson, who is ever the optimist. “What we have to do is focus on one game at a time. We have a game against Hamilton coming up and they’re a good team. Take it one play at a time and build the character in this room.

“If anybody can do it, if anybody can do it, this team can do it.

“I believe that with all my heart and everyone in this locker room believes that as well. We’re the strongest willed team in this league and if anyone can do it we can.”

The Argos are holding their breath on the health of the Chris Rainey, who hurt his heel on the game’s final play in Moncton.

Trade speculation continues regarding James Franklin and James Wilder Jr.

Franklin, who began the season as Toronto’s starter, was back in uniform against the Als. He entered the game on the Argos’ first possession to convert on third and run by running to his right.

He never saw the field again.

Wilder Jr. was on the team’s 46-man roster, but was scratched before kickoff.

Toronto’s secondary isn’t very good, but at least the team brought pressure Sunday.

Offensively, improvement has been made, but no team can win when its offence is held to six second-half points.

Improvement has been made on special teams, but no team can win when a penalty allows a team to regain possession.

To say the Argos have been close wouldn’t be a stretch, but being close isn’t good enough when the name of the game is producing wins.

“There is no margin for error,’’ said head coach Corey Chamblin.

Chamblin would say how his team made fewer errors Sunday than it did against Edmonton, but acknowledged how errors did play out nonetheless.

It’s been a half season of one error after another, an Argos team that shows glimpses but can’t find a way to maintain a high level of play.

With nine games left, the Argos’ season is looking more bleak.

TERRITORIAL STRUGGLE

McLeod Bethel-Thompson knew the offence had to do more on an afternoon when the unit produced in excess of 500 yards.

The third quarter Sunday afternoon at Moncton featured possession after possession beginning deep in Toronto’s territory.

A few first yards to move the chains could have changed the complexion of the game.

“We couldn’t even get out of our own end,’’ said Bethel-Thompson of the third period. “We were backed up but we have to push the ball out of our own end, get three or four first downs and get better field position for our defence.

“Yes and no. We are playing better, but there are still times when we get in our own way. A single defence hasn’t stopped us this whole year. It’s us doing it to ourselves.”

The Argos controlled the football for 20 minutes in the opening half against the Als, but a late first-half fumble with the Argos scrimmaging deep in Montreal’s territory denied Toronto points.

The Argos, who led 16-6, at intermission, managed one score in the second half when Derel Walker hauled in a pass for a touchdown.

The convert was missed.

The Als used a double reverse to score a major, a play head coach Khari Jones dug up from his days in Hamilton when he served as offensive co-ordinator. Montreal also benefited from a roughing to the kicker flag allowing the Als to score a touchdown.

— Frank Zicarelli

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