Unfortunately for the entertainment value of the CFL, the Edmonton Elks and Saskatchewan Roughriders won’t play each other again until Week 21!
In back-to-back weeks they were the highlight of the week, with both games ending in the road team earning a two-point victory.
Meanwhile, the Montreal Alouettes keep extending their lead in the East Division with their impressive 7-1 start to the season.
All four games this week are interdivisional, and so far the West has gotten the best of the East 10 out of 16 times.
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CALGARY AT TORONTO
Thursday, August 6
7:30 p.m. ET
TSN/RDS/CFL+
In Week 5, the Stampeders dropped 58 points on Toronto. Calgary had a short week of preparation for that game as well. Toronto is coming off a bye week for the coaches to take a deeper look at the team, and I’m sure we’ll see some changes, especially on the defensive side, as Toronto has allowed an average of 32 points per game.
Calgary’s defence hasn’t been that much better. The big story with the Stampeders is that Vernon Adams Jr. has avoided throwing an interception all season, and that type of protection of the ball makes life easier for a defence that hasn’t quite found its game this season.
I do think Calgary’s defence will improve, but I’ve been saying that for a few weeks and we haven’t seen it consistently. And let’s be real, this week’s matchup against Chad Kelly is a bigger test than the Tre Ford/Harrison Frost combo they faced last week.
The Calgary Stampeders seem like the smart play. Overall, they’re a better team. But they’re on a short week spent out East, facing a team coming off the bye week with Kelly at quarterback. I’m going with a revenge game for the Argos.
PICK: TORONTO
OTTAWA AT SASKATCHEWAN
Friday, August 7
9:00 p.m. ET
TSN/RDS/CBSSN/CFL+
Something had to change in Ottawa, and the REDBLACKS released veteran receiver Eugene Lewis and relieved defensive coordinator Will Fields of his duties.
Is a week enough to help fix the defence? Probably not. And will the loss of Lewis charge up the offence and make them understand that jobs are on the line if that side of the ball doesn’t turn things around? TBD.
When jobs are on the line, you’ll either see a much more focused REDBLACKS team or one that starts worrying about what’s going on over its shoulder instead of what’s right in front of it.
And right in front of them is a 5-2 Roughriders team coming off an emotional win in Edmonton.
The injury bug continues to bite the Grey Cup champions, as Tevaughn Campbell and Kian Schaffer-Baker both left the game against the Elks with injuries. We’ll see how long-term their injuries when injury reports come out later this week.
Emilus should be ready to go this week after being a game-day scratch against the Elks.
It was the depth of the Roughriders that led them to a championship last year, and we’ll see if they still have it amid the injuries and off-season departures.
The one thing I’m seeing from the Riders that is dangerous for the rest of the league: the newly built defensive line is starting to find its groove. Meanwhile, Ottawa doesn’t provide much pressure, and that’s dangerous against Trevor Harris.
PICK: SASKATCHEWAN
EDMONTON AT MONTREAL
Saturday, August 8
3:00 p.m. ET
TSN/RDS/CTV/CFL+
THE GAME OF THE WEEK!
It’s a rematch of the Alouettes’ only loss of the season, when the Elks beat them at Commonwealth Stadium. Now Davis Alexander and the rest of the crew will seek revenge at home.
Justin Rankin went OFF in that game with 230 yards from scrimmage, including 179 yards on the ground. Rankin has not had a lot of room over the last few weeks, as BC and the Riders have found ways to limit his overall production. But the Elks have been able to keep winning, for the most part.
The Elks are 3-2 in their last five games, while the Alouettes appear to be getting stronger and stronger as the season goes along.
The Alouettes have a perfectly balanced offensive attack, with Travis Theis running aggressively. If opponents take that away, they’re dealing with Alexander looking downfield to Tyson Philpot, who already has over 1,000 receiving yards.
Cody Fajardo heads back to Montreal, where he earned a win last year, but that was one of the games Alexander did not play.
I think it’ll be a different story this time out.
PICK: MONTREAL
HAMILTON AT BC
Saturday, August 8
7:00 p.m. ET
TSN/CBSSN/CFL+
The expectation is that Nathan Rourke will be back soon, if not this week.
Whenever he returns, it’ll be to a team that is starting to find its identity and confidence after wins against the Elks and Bombers.
I know the Lions were everyone’s favourite pick at the start of the season, and we’re all looking silly with them in the basement of the West Division.
But the Lions have only played seven games.
There are 11 left, and when you look at the point differential of this 2-5 team, it’s better than that of the 4-4 Bombers.
It’s the offence that has struggled to score points, and if Zander Horvath has given them life on the ground to help establish a better play-action game for Nathan Rourke, the Lions are not out of this.
Over in Hamilton, until they can figure out their quarterback situation, it’s going to be a long season. Though Kaidon Salter proved you can go out and win regardless of experience or practice reps.
My head and gut tell me we just saw the Lions begin their climb out of the West Division basement with last week’s win in Winnipeg.
(Note: Hamilton has won on its last three trips to Save-on-Foods Field at BC Place).
PICK: BC
