TORONTO — Chad Kelly is having fun again playing football.
Kelly is a big reason why Toronto (4-0) is the CFL's only unbeaten team. On Friday night, the former Ole Miss star was a tidy 21-of-25 passing for 351 yards and three touchdowns while rushing for another in the Argonauts' exciting 35-27 road win over the Montreal Alouettes.
"I'm having the most fun I've had since I was in Little League football, really," Kelly said following Toronto's practice Tuesday. "After the game (versus Montreal) I got into the locker room and it just felt like I was a little kid again outside playing football.
"Obviously, college was fun but to actually feel like your body was feeling good, everything was just meshing together and you were having fun, it was like (being) a kid. It (Canadian football) is an amazing game to play, it really is . . . with great coaches and great players, it makes my job (with Argos) a lot easier."
Toronto last opened a season with four straight wins in 1983, the year the franchise ended a dismal 31-year Grey Cup drought.
Not since his final season at Ole Miss (2016) has Kelly been a starting quarterback. Following his college career, Kelly spent time in the NFL with the Denver Broncos (2017-18) and Indianapolis Colts (2019-20) before joining the Argos last year.
Kelly appeared in one game with Denver in 2018 but didn't attempt a pass.
Kelly served as Toronto's backup behind veteran McLeod Bethel-Thompson, making his first CFL start in the club's regular-season finale versus Montreal. But Kelly came up huge for the Argos in their upset 24-23 Grey Cup win over the Winnipeg Blue Bombers.
Replacing an injured Bethel-Thompson (dislocated right thumb) in the fourth quarter, Kelly completed four-of-six passes for 43 yards. But it was Kelly’s crucial 20-yard run on second-and-15 that set up A.J. Ouellette’s game-winning five-yard rushing TD.
Kelly became Toronto's full-time starter when Bethel-Thompson signed with the USFL's New Orleans Breakers in the off-season.
Kelly, the nephew of former Buffalo Bills star Jim Kelly, has completed 71-of-100 passes this season for 1,102 yards with five TDs and three interceptions. He has also run 15 times for 87 yards and four touchdowns.
"Obviously three picks, we want to clean that up," Kelly said. "I think the biggest thing is just getting more comfortable each and every game . . . the more you play the more comfortable you get, for sure.
"I think as a group we're jelling together, but it's still early in the season. There's a lot more work to be done but at least every day everybody is coming out with an attitude and will to want to get better."
With Kelly under centre, Toronto leads the CFL in offensive points (34 per game), net offence (401 yards) and rushing (134 yards) while standing second in offensive TDs (15). The Argos are ranked fourth in passing (275.5 yards per game) but first overall in average gain per pass (10.9 yards) and passing efficiency (110.3).
"The fact we've been balanced and haven't been in second-and-long a lot, we've been able to dictate some of the coverages we want in our passing game," said Ryan Dinwiddie, Toronto's head coach and offensive co-ordinator. "It always starts with the run and once we get that going we'll add some more passes.
"Last week we really had to rely on Chad and he answered."
Part of the message Dinwiddie — a former CFL quarterback — has preached to Kelly is Toronto's offence doesn't need him to throw for over 300 yards each game to be successful.
"Just make the routine plays," Dinwiddie said. "You don't have to make every throw but when we need to call upon you like last week, let's make those throws.
"As a young quarterback you're going to have some mistakes. You just have to learn from them."
Toronto has done a solid job of protecting Kelly, having surrendered a league-low four sacks. The Argos have also committed a league-low five turnovers and lead the CFL in turnover ratio (plus-11).
For Kelly, everything on offence begins up front.
"The O-line is setting a physicality each and every snap that we need," he said. "We want to run the ball and then pass when we have to."
Toronto was efficient on second down last week, converting 12-of-21 attempts. But the Argos were flagged 15 times for 137 yards and lead the CFL in offensive penalties (24).
"It (penalties) is always an emphasis for us," Dinwiddie said. "It was a big emphasis last week and we didn't execute it so that falls on me.
"We've got to clean up the penalties. The first two weeks we were pretty good, the last two weeks we were sloppy . . . it's a learning process for us throughout the week."
This report by The Canadian Press was first published July 18, 2023.
Dan Ralph, The Canadian Press