Landry's 5 takeaways from Week 8

Hello, Robert Carter Jr.

How? HOW? HOWWWWW?

And that’s all I have to say about that.

Here are the Week 8 takeaways.

IT’S OVER FOR YOU, ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE. YOU’VE BEEN CRUSHED BY A CFL DEFENSIVE BACK

Okay, I actually have more to say about that.

BC Lions’ rookie defensive back Robert Carter Jr. took seven points away from the Hamilton Ticats with probably the most ridiculous interception I’ve ever seen on a CFL field (I’d say “anywhere,” but Carter declared, during his post-game media conference that the one he made last season while at Robert Morris University was better and having watched it again, I think he’s right).

It was a soaring, lay-it-out, one-handed masterpiece of masterpieces, culminating in an end zone pick as well as a Guinness World Record for the most people exclaiming “OH MY GOD” at exactly the same time.

“See? That’s the kind of CGI animation I’m looking for,” shouted Marvel movie director James Gunn when shown the clip. “It looks so real.”

“Wait, what?”

Carter’s logic-defying interception not only took seven points away from the Ticats, it led to a field goal for the Lions, right before halftime. A 10-point swing is often plenty to provide a team with the edge it needs to win.

But not this time.

Robert Carter Jr. cannot defeat you singlehandedly. But he will try.

BONUS TAKEAWAY: Sure, go ahead and shut down Kenny Lawler. The Ticat offence can live with that. Continue to thrive, actually.

A SPARK. PERCHANCE, A FLAME?

On a rainy Saturday night in Toronto, the Argonauts came up with their best stem to stern effort of the season, and not a moment too soon.

“I think it’s just a load they needed to get off their chest, winning a football game,” said Toronto head coach Ryan Dinwiddie after his team’s 31-17 win over the Winnipeg Blue Bombers.

“Very proud of their effort. Their resolve.”

After letting a big lead slip away the previous week in Montreal, the Argos looked determined, indeed, as though they knew they had reached an important fork in the road.

“We knew we could build off of the things we did well,” said quarterback Nick Arbuckle of a frustrating 26-25 loss to the Alouettes. “We could build confidence.”

Knowing and doing, of course, are two different things.

Dropping to 1-and-6 would have been pretty bleak for the Boatmen. At 2-and-5 things aren’t yet rosy, but they did get a spark or two to fly despite their soggy surroundings.

Now, can they fan it into a flame?

THE PROPHECY IS BEING REALIZED

“I really do think he’s just scratching the surface,” said Saskatchewan head coach Corey Mace, last January.

He was talking, at the winter meetings, about defensive lineman Malik Carney, who’d just signed an extension with the Roughriders.

At those same meetings, general manager Jeremy O’Day said this: “I still believe Malik’s gonna be a top tier defensive end in our league and just needs to put it all together.”

And here we are.

Heading into Week 8, the 29-year-old Carney was among the league leaders in Quarterback Pressures, regularly blowing up the opponent’s best-laid plans with his disruptive play.

Against Edmonton on Friday night, Carney chipped in with four tackles and a couple of sacks. Now, along with being a league leader in pressures he’s up there in sacks as well, with a total of four, just one behind Toronto’s Andrew Chatfield Jr.

Saskatchewan’s sack machine was revved up against the Elks (eight in total) with Carney’s hand on the throttle. Vroom Vroom.

“Happy he’s wearing the green and white,” said Mace back in January.

Wonder how he feels about it now? (Envisions Corey Mace turning cartwheels down the corridor outside his office)

THAT FLEX? EARNED

Jose Maltos called game last night for the Alouettes. 😤#CFL pic.twitter.com/GGstSrM3an

— CFL (@CFL) July 25, 2025

Montreal kicker Jose Maltos Diaz has been celebrating successful field goal attempts with a flex of his bicep for a while now.

I’ve chuckled a bit, a kicker flexing like that.

Well, that’s on me, though.

Blasting a franchise record 58-yard, game-winning field goal — one that would have been good from 63 or 64 — means you get to flex and flex and flex, Jose.

Flex getting on the plane. Flex getting off the plane.

Flex when you walk through the door for practice every day.

Flex when the barista hands you your coffee, and when your credit card is approved at the grocery checkout.

Flex when you put on a jacket you haven’t worn in months and you find a twenty in the pocket. And when you mow the lawn and it looks just freakin’ great.

“I’m always trying to stay hard in my mind,” Maltos Diaz told RDS after the game, giving us context for that flex.

So go ahead, Jose. Flex, flex, flex, flex, flex.

You earned it.

A SPARK. PERCHANCE, A FLAME? (PART II)

CODY FAJARDO ➡️ KAION JULIEN-GRANT 🔥

📅: @GoElks vs. Roughriders LIVE NOW
🇨🇦: TSN⁣
🌎: CFL+ pic.twitter.com/9GGDevYO03

— CFL (@CFL) July 26, 2025

In their fifth loss of the season, the Edmonton Elks can hang a hat on at least a little something when it comes to an offence that has been struggling for most of 2025.

And that is that despite him being under continual pressure from that nasty Sasky front four, quarterback Cody Fajardo kept coming back for more.

And on the way, the 33-year-old went an impressive 26-for-33 for 346 yards and two touchdowns, with a QB rating of 131.6, pulling the Elks back into a game they’d trailed 21-4 when the fourth quarter began.

Asked about his quarterback plans going forward, Edmonton head coach Mark Kilam quickly responded that “Cody’s the starter.”

The fire starter? We’ll see.

AND FINALLY… “His balance through contact is out of this world. He’s like an alien out there, like he has more than two legs.” — Toronto quarterback Nick Arbuckle on receiver Damonte Coxie’s refusal to be tackled easily.

Landry’s 5 takeaways from Week 8

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