Eskimos rout Argos behind stellar showing from James Franklin

The Toronto Argonauts had no solution for quarterback James Franklin, who led his Edmonton Eskimos to a 38-15 point victory on Friday.

The Eskimos jumped on the Argonauts from the get-go, scoring a touchdown on their first drive of the game. Franklin was surgical in his passing, tossing for gains of 15, 14, 16, 10, and nine yards before capping the 13-play drive with an 18-yard rushing touchdown.

With Franklin supplying the offense, the Eskimos' defense went to work. They held Toronto's second-ranked offense to just 14 first downs and 218 total yards.

Franklin finished the night with 335 passing yards and 51 rushing along with two touchdowns. Under his guidance, the Eskimos secured 23 first downs and dominated the majority of possessions. Eskimos wide receiver Derel Walker led the way with 164 yards on seven receptions.

Not to be overlooked, the Eskimos' special teams units also factored into the victory. With the Argos narrowing the gap to start the fourth quarter, Kendial Lawrence returned a punt 64 yards to keep Toronto at bay. Lawrence's effort highlighted a dominant 21-0 final frame for Edmonton.

The win pushes Edmonton to 6-3 on the season, while the Argos slip back into a tie with the Hamilton Tiger-Cats for a tie atop the East with a record of 6-3.