I can’t believe we have just four weeks left in the regular season and the West Division is a complete toss-up for who will finish where.

Week 17 had statement wins, historic kicks, historic losses and our second ever two-point shootout.

Here are five things we learned from this past weekend.

Related ContentCFL’S INDIGENOUS LOGOS ARE FANTASTIC

From the Winnipeg Blue Bombers star blanket logo to the new CFL Indigenous logo and all the teams in between, I absolutely love the artwork and creative energy that was put into these logos.

I’ve said it before and will say it again, I think these logos are good enough to be the permanent logos of each team.

I know here in Saskatchewan, the logo is a very popular sell for merchandise and I hope there is equal love across the country to support these artists who created them.

WHAT WE LEARNED IS WE DIDN’T

The West Division is fascinating!

The Lions are hot, the Elks are stumbling but keeping their lead, the Riders are sputtering toward the finish line, the Bombers are hot and cold and the Stampeders are in desperation mode.

Guess what?

You may think you know what’s going to happen, but a few weeks ago we all thought the Lions were a lost cause. So don’t believe that what you see today is what you’ll see in five weeks when the playoffs begin.

I do know I can’t wait for this weekend’s game between the Stampeders and the Roughriders with so much on the line between the two, and we know the Bombers and Lions will be watching closely.

PATIENCE IS A VIRTUE!

Let’s just say Vincent Blanchard’s first year in the CFL wasn’t a banner one with a field goal percentage under 80 per cent.

That 80 per cent number can be make-or-break for a kicker in the CFL. Of course, the Elks did put a fourth round pick on Blanchard, and has he ever paid them back.

Blanchard has hammered big kicks but in Week 17, he put his name on the map across the league with a CFL record nine field goals on nine attempts.

Blanchard is now near the top of the league with an impressive 94.3 per cent field goal percentage. The Elks let the young kicker make some mistakes, especially early last season, and he kicked through them.

He’s definitely paid them back.

CHAD KELLY IS A THROWBACK QB – AND I’M HERE FOR IT

If you go back through the history books of the CFL, quarterbacks were WAY MORE willing to test the secondary with dangerous throws or deep prayers.

Ron Lancaster and Danny McManus are the most famous of the quarterbacks who would throw for as many interceptions as they did touchdowns and guess what? Both guys won a lot of football games.

Chad Kelly’s coaches likely disagree with my praise of a quarterback who has thrown 24 interceptions in the 15 games he’s played this season, but he’s also thrown for 5,000 yards and has a league-leading 33 touchdowns.

Maybe the most impressive part of this is his 70 per cent completion percentage.

Kelly is leading the Argonauts in a climb up the standings and while it’s very unlikely they can catch the Alouettes, come playoff time the Argos are going to give the Als a run for their East Division crown.

OTTAWA WON’T QUIT

The Ottawa REDBLACKS were down 35-13 after three quarters. With an 0-14 record, you wouldn’t blame them if they packed it in for the rest of the night. I’ve seen many teams with better records do it.

Ottawa clearly is playing for jobs but also to avoid being on the wrong side of history as the first 0-18 team in the CFL.

McLeod Bethel-Thompson has added a bit of a jolt to the offence since taking over from Jake Maier. A lot of the changes on defence have allowed some newer faces a chance to show the management that they deserve an invite back for the 2027 season.

I think the way they finish this season will be important for the brass to know who they can rely on moving forward, as well as expose players that can’t.

I’m picking them again this week!