Toronto @ Winnipeg preview

Last Meeting ( Sep 17, 2016 ) Toronto 29, Winnipeg 46

The Toronto Argonauts look to continue their promising start to the season when they hit the road to take on the Winnipeg Blue Bombers on Thursday. The Argonauts scored 25 points in the second half en route to a 26-25 victory against the Ottawa Redblacks to move into first place in the East Division, and hope to take another step in the right direction by beating the Blue Bombers for the first time since Nov. 6, 2015.

Toronto has dropped nine straight games against West Division opponents dating back to last season, including both meetings against Winnipeg in 2016 by an average margin of 17 points. Winnipeg is left to go back to the drawing board following a disheartening 29-10 defeat to the Calgary Stampeders. The Blue Bombers harboured serious hopes of challenging the Stampeders for West Division supremacy, but were shut out in the second half en route to their seventh consecutive loss in the series, and hope to bounce back by downing the Argonauts for the third straight time. "It's not a gloomy feeling around here as we lost a football game to a good team," Winnipeg quarterback Matt Nichols told reporters. "We're going to come back and we have 16 more of these as it's a long season."

TV: 8:30 p.m. ET, TSN, RDS

ABOUT THE ARGONAUTS (2-1): Ricky Ray threw for 366 yards and two touchdowns to become the sixth player in CFL history to throw for 300 TDs in his career. "I will remember this one a little bit more because it came in a big win," Ray told reporters. "It will be nice when I'm old to think back and remember that was the one where we were able to come back in Ottawa and get to that 300 mark." S.J. Green had a career night as he caught 10 passes for 210 yards and a touchdown while Victor Butler continued his assault on opposing quarterbacks as he recorded three sacks to take his total to a league-leading seven through three games.

ABOUT THE BLUE BOMBERS (1-1): Nichols completed 27-of-40 passes for 267 yards and a touchdown, but threw two interceptions, including a pick six in the third quarter that turned the tide in Calgary's favour. Weston Dressler caught six passes for 76 yards against the Stampeders to reach 9,000 receiving yards for his career. Linebacker Ian Wild, who recorded 70 tackles in 12 games last season, left the game with an upper-body injury and is out for the foreseeable future while defensive end Tristan Okpalaugo missed the fourth quarter with an undisclosed knock and is doubtful for the clash against his former team.

EXTRA POINTS

1. Ray leads the CFL in passing yards (1,199).

2. Winnipeg K Justin Medlock has made 24 straight field goals dating back to last season.

3. Blue Bombers DB T.J. Heath tops the league in interceptions (three) after registering a CFL-best seven in 2016.

PREDICTION: Blue Bombers 28, Argonauts 22