White Noise

Introduction | Week 12

Ah, Labour Day. All the big rivalries play, and Ottawa and BC had a game too. This is the second biggest set of games after the Grey Cup, and they were great this year, so I recommend checking them out.

GAME VODS
Ottawa @ BC
Winnipeg @ Saskatchewan
Toronto @ Hamilton
Edmonton @ Calgary

OTTAWA REDBLACKS @ BC LIONS
Played: Saturday August 31
Final Score: OTT 12 – BC 38
Points Breakdown by Quarter: Q1: OTT-0 BC-10 | Q2: OTT-6 BC-21 | Q3: OTT-6 BC-0 | Q4: OTT-0 BC-7

Holy crap, that was a beating. The Redblacks offence could not get anything going, and their defence just could not stop the Lions. Dru Brown was really missing receivers Jaelon Acklin and Bralon Addison who were out with injury. DeVonte Dedmon did his best to give Ottawa’s offence good field position, but they weren’t able to take advantage. Every time they started to get some momentum going, it was crushed under BC’s defence. It certainly didn’t help that this was probably the most undisciplined I’ve seen this Ottawa team this season, as it cost them 144 yards in penalties. This was the Redblacks’ first loss since July, and with Toronto close on their heels in the standings, I’m sure they were hoping BC’s skid was going to continue. The rest of their schedule this season isn’t exactly a cake walk, though I’d be very surprised if they miss the playoffs. They play the Argos next week, so they’ll have a chance to extend their lead in the standings.

There’s the BC Lions I know and love. Nathan Rourke looked very comfortable leading this offence, and they were firing on all cylinders from the jump. Multiple receivers had 70+ yard games, with special mention to running back William Stanback who managed a combined 171 receiving and rushing yards. The offence was doing so well that kicker Sean Whyte only got to attempt 2 field goals all game. The defence looked great as well, especially with last year’s sack leader Matthieu Betts back from the NFL. They completely smothered Ottawa and made them look like a high school team. Just overall a fantastic performance. The Lions must be breathing a sigh of relief after snapping their 5 game losing streak, and doing so at home (well, across the strait from home) on Labour Day just makes it that much better. With every team in the West in striking range of playoff berths, BC will have to fight hard to keep their spot. Unfortunately, they square off against Montreal next week, but a win there would certainly prove this win wasn’t a fluke.

WINNIPEG BLUE BOMBERS @ SASKATCHEWAN ROUGHRIDERS
Played: Sunday September 1
Final Score: WPG 35 – SSK 33
Points Breakdown by Quarter: Q1: WPG-7 SSK-7 | Q2: WPG-22 SSK-7 | Q3: WPG-3 SSK-6 | Q4: WPG-3 SSK-13

Winnipeg continue to look great. They were unstoppable on offence in the first half, racking up 29 points. Unfortunately, that was right around when a nasty hit took quarterback Zach Collaros out of the game. Chris Streveler did a fine job, but he really works best as a short-yardage QB in tandem with someone else. The offence managed to get some points in the second half, but it wasn’t much. The defence were a nightmare for Saskatchewan, and while they couldn’t completely shut them out of the endzone, they showed up when it mattered. Most importantly, they knocked down a 2-point conversion attempt with just seconds left on the clock that would have sent the game to overtime. This was a close win, and a damn exciting game. On top of that, this game puts Winnipeg at 1st place in the West. I would have laughed at you a couple weeks ago if you told me the Bombers would be leading the division at any point this season, but here we are. They travel to Regina next week to rematch Saskatchewan in the Banjo Bowl.

What a heartbreaker for the Riders. They played solid, consistent football, and they just couldn’t get there. Trevor Harris threw for 386 yards, the defence were playing fantastically, and they almost mounted a heroic comeback. If just one Bomber was one foot to the right or left, this could have gone into overtime. Kicker Brett Lauther tried to get the last couple points, but it was 60 yards, and he just couldn’t get the power. Saskatchewan also took their fair share of injuries this game, and had to pull defensive lineman Miles Brown into the o-line because they ran out of offensive centres. Even banged up, they still came within just a couple points of winning. The Riders still looked good, and I’m definitely not counting them out. The last half of this season is going to look very interesting in the West. They rematch Winnipeg next week, and they’ll be out to get revenge.

TORONTO ARGONAUTS @ HAMILTON TIGER-CATS
Played: Monday September 2
Final Score: TOR 26 – HAM 31
Points Breakdown by Quarter: Q1: TOR-3 HAM-21 | Q2: TOR-12 HAM-6 | Q3: TOR-7 HAM-0 | Q4: TOR-6 HAM-4

This game started going downhill for Toronto fast. An interception on just the second play of the game quickly spiralled out of control into 3 Hamilton touchdowns in just the first quarter. The defence rallied afterwards to keep the Tiger-Cats kicking field goals for the rest of the game, but the damage had been done. Toronto’s offence did fine, but not great, and while they did close the gap and take the lead late, they were unable to stop Hamilton from taking the lead back, and then went two and out to finish the game. If the Argos had managed to right the ship on defence just a little earlier and stop even one of those touchdowns, they probably win this one. The Argos must be getting a little worried, as the playoffs are fast approaching and Calgary and Edmonton are only 2 games behind them. If the Stamps get hot or the Elks stay on their current trajectory, one of them could pass the Argos and cross over. This was supposed to be an easy win, and they blew it. They play Ottawa next week, and they’ll be hungry for that win to shore up their playoff spot.

This Cats team needed a win badly, and to get it on Labour Day against the Argos makes it that much sweeter. Hamilton came out of the gate better than I think I’ve ever seen them in my 7ish years of watching the CFL. A beautiful interception, fast touchdowns, and just generally taking the wind out of Toronto’s sails. Tim White, while he is frustratingly inconsistent, proved why he gets the big bucks with 180 receiving yards. Unfortunately, the good times could not last, and Toronto’s defence just shut them out of the endzone for the rest of the game. Marc Liegghio didn’t miss any of his field goal attempts, but he didn’t even get to make that many. The team held together just long enough to squeak out the win. As pleased as I am with the win, this team still can’t play all 4 quarters. They either start strong and flame out, or bumble through the first half and try to mount a desperate comeback. You can’t expect to compete seriously like that. The Cats have the bye next week, and then face Ottawa.

EDMONTON ELKS @ CALGARY STAMPEDERS
Played: Monday September 2
Final Score: EDM 35 – CGY 20
Points Breakdown by Quarter: Q1: EDM-2 CGY-0 | Q2: EDM-11 CGY-6 | Q3: EDM-7 CGY-7 | Q4: EDM-15 CGY-7

This was a fantastic performance by the Elks. McLeod Bethel-Thompson looked great, and while Tre Ford was dressed Edmonton was happy to let him ride the bench and get another week of rest. MBT put up almost 500 yards, and most of them went to Tevin Jones, who got two touchdowns on top of his 208 yards. The defence were the true stars of the show, though. They ran roughshod over Calgary, harrying their receivers up and down the field and intercepting the ball 4 times. They completely disrupted the Stampeders’ rhythm and dominated the game from start to finish. This is the best the Elks have looked all year, and I can’t imagine they’re going to slow down any time soon. They have a very real chance of making the playoffs, and if they do I wouldn’t write off a Grey Cup appearance. They’ve still got a long way to go before then, though. They rematch Calgary at home next week, and I think another win is in store.

This was a rough one for Calgary fans. There wasn’t any point that the Stamps looked in control. They had their moments, and Reggie Begelton and Jalen Philpot made some spectacular catches, but the Edmonton defence would immediately snatch it away. They would have certainly done better if Jake Maier hadn’t thrown so many interceptions. They couldn’t hang onto the ball, and the Elks took full advantage. The Stamps defence didn’t fair much better, either. They weren’t able to stop throws, and they were only somewhat better at stopping the run. This is only Calgary’s 3rd loss on Labour day in over a decade, and it has to sting. They won’t get a break, though. They rematch the Elks in Edmonton next week, and they desperately need a win if they hope to make the playoffs.

STANDINGS AT THE END OF WEEK 12

EAST
MONTREAL ALOUETTES 10 – 1
OTTAWA REDBLACKS 7 – 3 – 1
TORONTO ARGONAUTS 6 – 5
HAMILTON TIGER-CATS 3 – 9

WEST
WINNIPEG BLUE BOMBERS 6 – 6
BC LIONS 6 – 6
SASKATCHEWAN ROUGHRIDERS 5 – 6 – 1
CALGARY STAMPEDERS 4 – 7
EDMONTON ELKS 4 – 8

NEXT WEEK: WEEK 14

BC @ Montreal – Friday September 6 7:30PM EDT
Toronto @ Ottawa – Saturday September 7 1PM EDT
Saskatchewan @ Winnipeg – Saturday September 7 3PM EDT
Calgary @ Edmonton – Saturday September 7 7PM EDT

Introduction | Week 11 | Week 13

With Labour Day just around the corner, teams start preparing for the big rivalry matchups. The West division is in chaos and the East is ascendant for the first time in decades.

GAME VODS
Saskatchewan @ Toronto
Hamilton @ Winnipeg
BC @ Ottawa
Edmonton @ Montreal

SASKATCHEWAN ROUGHRIDERS @ TORONTO ARGONAUTS
Played: Thursday August 22
Final Score: SSK 19 – TOR 20
Points Breakdown by Quarter: Q1: SSK-10 TOR-0 | Q2: SSK-3 TOR-10 | Q3: SSK-3 TOR-0 | Q4: SSK-3 TOR-10

I continue to be in awe of the Riders’ ability to find new and fascinating ways to lose football games this season. We’ve had controversial ref calls, a complete failure from the kicker, and now a walk off missed field goal. They have just had the most abysmal string of bad luck since week 7. I can’t fault the players too much either. Trevor Harris had a bit of an underwhelming night, but the offence made up for it with a solid run game. Brett Lauther redeemed himself after last week’s fiasco and made all 4 of his field goal attempts. The defence played out of their goddamned minds and stopped Toronto at the goal line 3 times, robbing the Argos of what should have been an easy 21 points. And yet, they lost. The offence definitely needs to step it up a bit, but in fairness Trevor Harris just got back from injury not that long ago. Hopefully they find their footing soon, and can stop this skid. They face Winnipeg next week for Labour Day, who are on the opposite trajectory of the Riders, which has to have everyone in Regina a little bit worried.

This probably wasn’t the way Chad Kelly envisioned his first game back after suspension ending. Still, a win’s a win. The Argos offence, despite putting up decent numbers, were bullied by the Saskatchewan defence all night long. Running back Kadeem Carey managed just 35 rushing yards all game, and it’s not like they didn’t try. The Argos had a really hard time in general of finding the endzone. Even on the one-yard line, they failed to punch it in multiple times. Damonte Coxie and David Ungerer III made some fantastic, long range catches, but the Argos just fell apart in short yardage. Lirim Hajrullahu even missed the very make-able 40 yard field goal with no time left on the clock, and only avoided overtime because it went through the endzone. This may have been a win, but it did not do much to inspire confidence in this team for me. They got to Hamilton next week for the Labour Day Classic, and are probably going to notch an easy win against a dismal Ticats team.

HAMILTON TIGER-CATS @ WINNIPEG BLUE BOMBERS
Played: Friday August 23
Final Score: HAM 23 – WPG 26
Points Breakdown by Quarter: Q1: HAM-0 WPG-3 | Q2: HAM-3 WPG-13 | Q3: HAM-17 WPG-3 | Q4: HAM-3 WPG-7

This Tiger-Cats team is so frustrating to watch. When the offence show up, they can do great things, but they only play 30 minutes of a 60 minute game. The Ticats offence in the first half managed a meagre 3 first downs and a single field goal. Sure, they managed to come back, and even take the lead for most of the second half, but if they had managed even one more field goal in the first half they could have taken this to overtime or even won it. Marc Liegghio did miss a field goal, but I find it hard to hold him responsible when the offence only got him close enough to kick once in the first half. The defence, by contrast, played very well, and managed to grab 3 interceptions. Despite my initial misgivings about Chris Jones (yes, the one who got fired from Edmonton) taking over as defensive coordinator, they looked the best they have all season. If the Cats offence can improve, they may be able to salvage some of their dignity in the back half of the season. They play Toronto next week at home, and as much as I want them to win, I don’t think they will.

The Bombers momentum continues, though this one was a little rockier. Collaros threw a worrying number of interceptions, and spent most of the game throwing short passes. That said, Brady Oliveira at running back will forgive a lot of sins. He rushed for 120 yards, picking up over a third of Winnipeg’s total net yards by himself. The defence also did a great job of keeping Hamilton out of the endzone. While they did stumble a little in the third quarter, they got back on top of the Cats and stopped them from extending their lead late so the offence could finish the job. Winnipeg has a real shot at the playoffs this year, which is wild to say after how their first half of the season went. That said, the West has gotten extremely competitive, with all the teams separated by just one or two games, so who knows what will happen. They play Saskatchewan next week, and that could truly be anyone’s game.

BC LIONS @ OTTAWA REDBLACKS
Played: Saturday August 24
Final Score: BC 27 – OTT 34
Points Breakdown by Quarter: Q1: BC-10 OTT-3 | Q2: BC-7 OTT-9 | Q3: BC-7 OTT-15 | Q4: BC-3 OTT-7

Well, that may not have been a win, but it was a much better performance than last week for BC. Nathan Rourke looked much more comfortable, and was starting to look like his old self. William Stanback also had an excellent night, putting up 99 rushing yards. Overall the offence looked great, which has to be a huge relief to Lions fans after the last couple games. The defence did a decent job of containing Ottawa, but ultimately they still gave up a touchdown almost every quarter. Though, again, it’s been a better performance than the last few games. Overall, this is the best BC has looked since they started their backslide, and though they didn’t get the win tonight, it was a competitive loss against one of the best teams in the league. As Rourke settles into the BC offence again, I wouldn’t be surprised if this is a turning point. They rematch Ottawa next week in a rare double-away game at Touchdown Pacific in Victoria, BC.

I don’t like that I have to start talking about an injury again, but fortunately Redblacks receiver Jaelon Acklin is fine after being taken off the field in an ambulance. He’s been discharged and is back in the lineup, but it’s scary to see this happen two weeks in a row. Regardless, Ottawa looked great in this game. Dru Brown was back at quarterback and continues to put up fantastic numbers. Receiver Nick Mardner also had a fantastic night, picking up95 receiving yards and the first 2 touchdowns in his CFL career. Not a bad night for the rookie from Oakville, ON. The defence also did an excellent job of harrying BC’s offence. Nathan Rourke is a tough man to pin down, and they managed to sack him multiple times. They even managed to break BC kicker Sean Whyte’s field goal streak. The Redblacks continue to look great, and I think they’re a real contender for the Grey Cup. They rematch BC in Victoria next week, and I think it’s going to be a very exciting game.

EDMONTON ELKS @ MONTREAL ALOUETTES
Played: Sunday August 25
Final Score: EDM 17 – MTL 21
Points Breakdown by Quarter: Q1: EDM-7 MTL-3 | Q2: EDM-10 MTL-3 | Q3: EDM-0 MTL-12 | Q4: EDM-0 MTL-3

The Elks started this game out pretty strong. They managed to break through Montreal’s defence with a strong running game, and had an 11 point lead at the half. While they were definitely missing Tre Ford at quarterback, they were productive, and their defence managed to hold a full strength Alouettes offence to just 6 points. Unfortunately, they had a much harder time containing Montreal in the second half, and the offence went cold. Poor Boris Bede missed a field goal in the 4th quarter that would have cut Montreal’s lead to 1, which meant that Edmonton had to play for the touchdown in the final seconds when they were in easy field goal range. Still, this was a very competitive game against the best team in the league, so I think they’ll still come out of this one feeling alright. With the changing fortunes in the West division, the Elks are still definitely in the playoff race. Edmonton plays Calgary next week in the Battle of Alberta, and I think the Stamps should be very nervous.

The Montreal Alouettes notch another win, bringing their total to 10 on the season and putting their streak to 5. Cody Fajardo was back in the driver’s seat, and looked very comfortable. This game was also the return of beloved receiver Austin Mack from his excursion in the NFL. Though the stars of the show this game were Cole Spieker and Charleston Rambo, with 107 and 95 receiving yards respectively and some spectacular catches. The first half was rocky, but they came out blazing after halftime for a come from behind victory. The Als continue to cement their position as the best team in the league, with only Ottawa in a position to challenge them. It’s weird to me for the East to be the dominant division, but it’s a nice change of pace. Montreal get the bye on Labour Day, and come back to face BC in week 14.

STANDINGS AT THE END OF WEEK 12

EAST
MONTREAL ALOUETTES 10 – 1
OTTAWA REDBLACKS 7 – 2 – 1
TORONTO ARGONAUTS 6 – 4
HAMILTON TIGER-CATS 2 – 9

WEST
SASKATCHEWAN ROUGHRIDERS 5 – 5 – 1
WINNIPEG BLUE BOMBERS 5 – 6
BC LIONS 5 – 6
CALGARY STAMPEDERS 4 – 6
EDMONTON ELKS 3 – 8

NEXT WEEK: WEEK 13

Ottawa @ BC – Saturday August 31 7PM EDT
Winnipeg @ Saskatchewan – Sunday September 1 7PM EDT
Toronto @ Hamilton – Monday September 2 2:30PM EDT
Edmonton @ Calgary – Monday September 2 6PM EDT

Introduction | Week 10 | Week 12

Another week of football in the books, and some interesting developments, particularly in the West division.

GAME VODS
Ottawa @ Calgary
Montreal @ Saskatchewan
Edmonton @ Hamilton
Winnipeg @ BC

OTTAWA REDBLACKS @ CALGARY STAMPEDERS
Played: Thursday August 15
Final Score: OTT 31 – CGY 29
Points Breakdown by Quarter: Q1: OTT-13 CGY-14 | Q2: OTT-8 CGY-2 | Q3: OTT-7 CGY-3 | Q4: OTT-3 CGY-10

This was a great performance from Ottawa. Jeremiah Masoli started at quarterback for the first time in over a year and looked great, throwing for 254 yards. Running back Ryquell Armstead also had a fantastic game, rushing for 120 yards. The Redblacks relied pretty heavily on the run, taking advantage of Calgary’s poor rushing defence, and it paid off big. The defence also did a good job keeping on top of Calgary’s offence. Between this week and last week’s overtime tie against Saskatchewan, I have to imagine Ottawa fans are getting a little sick of these nail-biter endings. Still, the Redblacks haven’t lost in their last 5 games, so I don’t think they can complain too loudly. I’m really amazed at how this team has performed given that they only won 4 games last season. They play BC next week, and with the Lions backslide over the last couple weeks I think it’s Ottawa’s game to lose.

The Stamps played well today, but unfortunately it wasn’t enough. Their defence put in a valiant effort, but they just couldn’t contain Ottawa’s running back. Other than that, the team played well. The offence put up solid numbers, the defence made life hard for Ottawa’s receivers, and they generally looked like a good football team. That doesn’t make the loss sting any less, especially since this was Calgary’s first loss at home this season. Calgary’s position in the standings is also a lot shakier than it was, and they’ve actually been jumped by Winnipeg. Winnipeg and Edmonton have both been making waves, and BC and Saskatchewan have stumbled. If the Stampeders can really show up in the back half of this season, they may be able to win the division. They still have both their bye weeks, and mostly face other West teams. They have next week off, and then face the rival Elks in the Battle of Alberta on Labour Day.

MONTREAL ALOUETTES @ SASKATCHEWAN ROUGHRIDERS
Played: Friday August 16
Final Score: MTL 27 – SSK 24
Points Breakdown by Quarter: Q1: MTL-0 SSK-1 | Q2: MTL-10 SSK-6 | Q3: MTL-3 SSK-10 | Q4: MTL-14 SSK-7

This one really came down to the wire. The Als played well, but they certainly didn’t have a perfect game. Saskatchewan completely stuffed their rushing offence, to the point that quarterback Davis Alexander led the team in rushing yards. They also gave up a fumble and spent most of the game trailing. While their passing offence did well, they didn’t put up particularly remarkable numbers. That said, they managed to pull together some great drives, and just barely pulled into the lead at the very end of the game with a rushing touchdown by Alexander. The Alouettes certainly benefited from some bad luck on Saskatchewan’s part, but they still played well. Montreal registers their fourth win in a row and ninth of the season. They are still the team to beat in the league. They face Edmonton next week, and we’ll see if they can stop the resurgent Elks.

Oh, Riders fans are mad. Another win stripped away by a controversial command centre ruling. That said, the Riders had lots of opportunities to put this away, and they didn’t. In particular, kicker Brett Lauther left 12 points on the table, missing 4 field goals. They were definitely in his range too, and the last came with no time on the clock that could have sent the game into overtime. This could have easily been a 36-27 Saskatchewan win, if not for one player’s bad night. That’s football for you. The Riders barely hold on to their top position in the West by virtue of last week’s tie with Ottawa, and they haven’t won any of their last four games. With Winnipeg and Edmonton both on win streaks, the Riders have to be nervous. They play Toronto next week, and assuming they don’t have more bad luck and Lauther gets over his yips, they have a chance to stop the skid.

EDMONTON ELKS @ HAMILTON TIGER-CATS
Played: Saturday August 17
Final Score: EDM 47 – HAM 22
Points Breakdown by Quarter: Q1: EDM-7 HAM-0 | Q2: EDM-25 HAM-3 | Q3: EDM-0 HAM-13 | Q4: EDM-15 HAM-6

Well, this one wasn’t even close. There really isn’t any doubt about Hamilton being the worst team in the league anymore. Even without Tre Ford, the Elks just ran roughshod over Hamilton, despite having nearly 100 fewer yards of net offence. They played well, didn’t take many penalties, and let the Tiger-Cats do the hard work for them. The Elks are finally finding their stride, and completely routed a Hamilton team they just barely lost to weeks ago. If they keep playing like this, the post-season may not be off the table. They have eight games left to play, and while they do have to square off with Montreal, the rest of those games are definitely winnable. It’s wild to say given how the season started, but Edmonton could swing to post an even record, or possibly a winning one. If they can at least put up a good fight against Montreal next week, they could be in great shape.

This was a bloodbath for the Ticats. It started on the opening kickoff, with poor Luther Hakunavahnu getting rocked so hard he had to be taken off the field in an ambulance. Fortunately, he appears to be fine with no serious long term damage, but it was still the scariest hit I’ve seen in the CFL. Taylor Powell started at quarterback, and was promptly injured and pulled from the game. Hamilton players were just dropping like flies, and when they weren’t getting injured, they weren’t playing well either. The offence put up good numbers, but also lost 100 yards to penalties. The defence put up about as much resistance as a wet paper bag against both the pass and the run. I don’t understand how this offence can put up these huge numbers and then lose by 25 points. I think the season is done for the Ticats, and now they’re just playing for pride. In one last gift from the Elks, Hamilton fired their defensive coordinator Mark Washington and replaced him with former Edmonton head coach Chris Jones. Hamilton plays Winnipeg next week, and I’m not optimistic about their odds.

WINNIPEG BLUE BOMBERS @ BC LIONS
Played: Sunday August 18
Final Score: WPG 20 – BC 11
Points Breakdown by Quarter: Q1: WPG-7 BC-0 | Q2: WPG-3 BC-0 | Q3: WPG-7 BC-0 | Q4: WPG-3 BC-11

Well, I wasn’t expecting that outcome. First game back for the Bombers after their bye is the rematch against BC, and they win it convincingly. They didn’t manage to shut them out again, but it was still a very dominant performance. Winnipeg’s defence completely smothered BC’s offence, snatching the ball away and not letting them get anything going for three whole quarters. The offence was looking pretty solid too, especially considering some of their more lacklustre performances earlier in the season. As it turns out, if you score points every quarter and stop the other team from doing the same, you’re in a pretty good position to win. I think the Bombers have finally turned the corner on the season. They have some tough games ahead of them, but if they keep playing like this I think they have a chance, especially considering how the top teams in the West have suddenly stalled out. They play Hamilton next week, and I’m expecting their win streak is only going to get longer.

What a disappointing return for Nathan Rourke. He made just 8 of his 25 attempted passes for 126 yards, and didn’t even get points on the board until the fourth quarter. He had real trouble connecting with his receivers, and even if they got their hands on the ball they couldn’t always hold on to it. He threw interceptions, his receivers dropped the ball, and he got pressured hard by the Winnipeg defence. In Rourke’s defence, he hasn’t played a full game of football in almost two years, and has had to learn five different offensive schemes in the last year as he’s bounced around NFL practice rosters and then finally home to the Lions. I’m sure he’ll get back into the swing of things, but he needs to do it quick. This was BC’s fourth loss in a row, and with the bottom teams in the West kicking into high gear, they need to start winning if they want to keep their position in the standings. Unfortunately, they play Ottawa next week, so the Lions are going to have to work for that win.

STANDINGS AT THE END OF WEEK 11

EAST
MONTREAL ALOUETTES 9 – 1
OTTAWA REDBLACKS 6 – 2 – 1
TORONTO ARGONAUTS 5 – 4
HAMILTON TIGER-CATS 2 – 8

WEST
SASKATCHEWAN ROUGHRIDERS 5 – 4 – 1
BC LIONS 5 – 5
WINNIPEG BLUE BOMBERS 4 – 6
CALGARY STAMPEDERS 4 – 6
EDMONTON ELKS 3 – 7

NEXT WEEK: WEEK 12

Saskatchewan @ Toronto – Thursday August 22 7:30PM EDT
Hamilton @ Winnipeg – Friday August 23 8:30PM EDT
BC @ Ottawa – Saturday August 24 7PM EDT
Edmonton @ Montreal – Sunday August 18 7PM EDT

Introduction | Week 8 | Week 10

Well that was a very interesting week of football. Some major upsets happened; could this be a sign of changing fortunes?

GAME VODS
BC @ Winnipeg
Montreal @ Hamilton
Edmonton @ Saskatchewan
Toronto @ Calgary

BC LIONS @ WINNIPEG BLUE BOMBERS
Played: Thursday August 1
Final Score: BC 0 – WPG 25
Points Breakdown by Quarter: Q1: BC-0 WPG-3 | Q2: BC-0 WPG-10 | Q3: BC-0 WPG-6 | Q4: BC-0 WPG-6

What on Earth happened here? 129 yards of total offence, and only 74 yards from Vernon Adams Jr. This has been the most productive offence in the league this season, and they didn’t score a single point. I’m flabbergasted. The Lions got 15 second downs all game, and couldn’t even get in field goal range. This wasn’t just a loss, it was a complete and utter rout. The defence did their best, and managed a couple pretty heroic stops, but they kept getting worn down spending so much time on the field. To make matters even worse, Adams injured his leg in the 4th quarter. He hasn’t been moved to the injured list, but I imagine the Lions will be a little careful with him next week. I would have normally said they’ve got an easy week against Edmonton coming up, but the Elks finally woke up this week and are out for blood.

The Bombers have to be feeling great after such a dominant win in their own house. Their defence completely smothered BC in a way that I haven’t seen in a while. They had complete control the whole game, and were well rested since they only ended up being on the field for 18 minutes. Sergio Castillo also proved his lacklustre performance last game was a fluke by landing 6 field goals, the longest of which got his name in the record books as the only kicker in CFL history to have two 60+ yard field goals in a single season. Yet, even when they win, I come back to criticize the offence. They had the ball for over 40 minutes and scored a single touchdown. That is a cause for concern, though when your kicker is having a great night and your defence is playing out of their minds, you can get away with it. The Bombers needed a win, and by god they got one. Winnipeg has the bye next week, which gives them a much needed break to let their rapidly dwindling receiving corps get some rest.

MONTREAL ALOUETTES @ HAMILTON TIGER-CATS
Played: Friday August 2
Final Score: MTL 33 – HAM 16
Points Breakdown by Quarter: Q1: MTL-0 HAM-0 | Q2: MTL-10 HAM-7 | Q3: MTL-7 HAM-1 | Q4: MTL-16 HAM-8

Montreal did pretty well on this one, though I can’t say I’m surprised. They struggled a little against Hamilton’s defence early, and then it was off to the races. Davis Alexander continues to prove that he can steer the ship while Cody Fajardo is out injured, and it certainly helps that he has a great receiving corps around him. The Als defence continues to be a nightmare; dominating Hamilton’s offence and not letting them get anything going. Honestly, there’s not a whole lot else to say. Montreal played well, but the Ticats didn’t put up much of a fight. Alexander missed a third of his targets, but that’s hardly surprising in his first start. They play Hamilton again next week, and I would be surprised if they didn’t pick that win up as well.

I didn’t expect this Tiger-Cats team to win against the best team in the league, but I expected them to put up more of a fight. The most glaring problem all game was, unfortunately, one that they are unable or unwilling to fix. Quarterback Bo Levi Mitchell looked like a deer in headlights. There were multiple times where a receiver would be wide open, waving his arms over his head, and Mitchell would instead throw the ball into double coverage. I’m honestly amazed he was allowed to play the whole game and wasn’t subbed out for Taylor Powell. His receivers did everything they could to make it work, but it was nowhere near enough to make a difference. The defence also had a rough night, and had a very difficult time containing Montreal even without their starting quarterback. I’d hoped for more from the Cats after a couple of wins, but Toronto and Edmonton aren’t exactly top contenders, so I shouldn’t be surprised. Hamilton rematches Montreal next week, and I’m not optimistic about their chances.

EDMONTON ELKS @ SASKATCHEWAN ROUGHRIDERS
Played: Saturday August 3
Final Score: EDM 42 14 – SSK 31
Points Breakdown by Quarter: Q1: EDM-13 SSK-8 | Q2: EDM-7 SSK-7 | Q3: EDM-0 SSK-6 | Q4: EDM-22 SSK-10

Holy crap, that was a completely different Elks team out there this game. Tre Ford is such an electric quarterback, and his strengths go a long way to evening out Edmonton’s weaknesses. He can scramble out of the pocket to extend plays when the o-line collapses, and can run 15 yards backwards and still circle around and get a 5+ yard gain on his feet. I would be remiss if I didn’t also mention the outstanding performance by Javon Leake, who got 169 rushing yards against the best rush defence in the league. The defence played great as well, managing to rob the Riders of more than one touchdown pass. The Elks won this in convincing fashion, and against a serious contender. They have to be feeling good, and all the fans who have been chanting “we want Ford” since he brought home Edmonton’s last win almost a year ago are very much vindicated. Unfortunately, this team has to face the Lions next week, and I wouldn’t count on them putting up a goose egg two games in a row. I’m looking forward to finally seeing two of the most exciting quarterbacks in the CFL finally clash.

While it’s a rough time being the first team to lose to the winless Elks, these Riders still put up a hell of a fight. Mario Alford started off strong with a kick-six on the opening kickoff and gave the offence great position all game. The Saskatchewan receivers were also in fine form, fighting for catches and keeping the Riders in the game until the end. Their passing defence was fine, but I’m shocked at how well the Elks were able to run the ball. Yes, having a mobile quarterback like Ford makes blocking the run harder, but this is the most yards the Riders have allowed on the ground all season. I can give them a pass though, as most quarterbacks in the league right now are much more stationary, and they maybe need time to adjust. I still think the Riders are the team to beat in the West, though BC are close behind them. They face Ottawa next week, and are going to be hungry after losing two in a row.

TORONTO ARGONAUTS @ CALGARY STAMPEDERS
Played: Sunday August 4
Final Score: TOR 23 – CGY 27
Points Breakdown by Quarter: Q1: TOR-8 CGY-0 | Q2: TOR-14 CGY-6 | Q3: TOR-1 CGY-0 | Q4: TOR-0 CGY-21

Well, this game was going great for the Argos right up until it wasn’t. They held Calgary to just 6 points for three whole quarters. Their offence was very productive for the first half, and their defence was playing great football. Then they lost. The fourth quarter came and they suddenly couldn’t contain Calgary’s offence anymore. Worse, their offence completely lost steam. Despite a strong start, they only managed 177 passing yards all game. While Cameron Dukes did run for an impressive 95 yards, you don’t really want your leading rusher to be your quarterback. Though he had to be quick on his feet this game as his o-line fell apart and he got sacked 6 times. Toronto rematch Calgary next week at home, and they’ll be looking to even the score. Though the big question is if Toronto will choose to start noted dirtbag Chad Kelly now that his suspension’s up, or if they’ll wait a week to give him more practice time with the team.

This season cannot be good for the collective cardiac health of the Stamps fanbase. Though I must say they’ve graduated from “will they show up this game” to “will they show up this quarter”, which is improvement. They stalled out for the first three quarters, then came out firing on all cylinders. I particular, Cam Echols deserves a shoutout for realizing he was not, in fact, down by contact after a long catch in the fourth quarter, scrambling to his feet, and launching himself into the endzone to put the Stamps just 2 points behind Toronto. If this Stamps team can play like this for 4 quarters (or heck, at least 2), they could turn this season around. It was good enough for a win today, but that’s not going to get you to the Grey Cup. They rematch Toronto next week, so we’ll see if this win was a fluke or not.

STANDINGS AT THE END OF WEEK 9

EAST
MONTREAL ALOUETTES 7 – 1
OTTAWA REDBLACKS 5 – 2
TORONTO ARGONAUTS 4 – 4
HAMILTON TIGER-CATS 2 – 6

WEST
BC LIONS 5 – 3
SASKATCHEWAN ROUGHRIDERS 5 – 3
CALGARY STAMPEDERS 4 – 4
WINNIPEG BLUE BOMBERS 3 – 6
EDMONTON ELKS 1 – 7

NEXT WEEK: WEEK 9

Saskatchewan @ Ottawa – Thursday August 8 7:30PM EDT
Calgary @ Toronto – Friday August 9 7:30PM EDT
Hamilton @ Montreal – Saturday August 10 7PM EDT
BC @ Edmonton – Sunday August 11 7PM EDT