Hello, Week 21.<\/p>\n
Bet that when the season started, you were figuring on being a bit of an afterthought. Overlooked. A bunch of run-out-the-schedule games with a slew of rested starters; The clich\u00e9, nerdy, rom-com bookworm of weeks.<\/p>\n
RELATED Well, take your glasses off and flirtatiously run a hand through your hair, Week 21. It turns out everyone now knows you\u2019re da bomb, my friend.<\/p>\n Here are the Week 20 takeaways.<\/p>\n ALL THAT AND SPEED TOO<\/p>\n \u00a0<\/p>\n When you think you\u2019ve seen all you can from BC quarterback Nathan Rourke<\/a>, there is still room for surprise.<\/p>\n In helping lead the Lions to a fifth straight victory in Week 20, Rourke showed off some blazing speed to go along with everything else we already knew he had.<\/p>\n His 70-yard touchdown run against the Edmonton Elks began with what we\u2019re all accustomed to seeing by now and that is a nifty escape from the pocket by Rourke.<\/p>\n It was the inability of Edmonton corner Tyrell Ford<\/a> \u2014 a pretty fast guy, we can all agree \u2014 to close in on Rourke has he chased him that really popped on the play.<\/p>\n \u201cThe way that he\u2019s always looking to extend plays is awesome,\u201d said head coach Buck Pierce of Rourke after his team\u2019s 37-24 win.<\/p>\n \u201cHe just makes great plays all the time.\u201d<\/p>\n BONUS TAKEAWAY: Just six weeks ago, we were all asking why the BC defence looked so soft. That seems weird now.<\/p>\n HE\u2019LL WALK THE WALK IF HE\u2019S GONNA TALK THE TALK<\/p>\n \u00a0<\/p>\n Calgary coach Dave Dickenson threw a challenge flag on a Toronto completion with 1:19 left on the clock and his team up by a score of 44-7.<\/p>\n A tad unnecessary at that point, one might argue, but for a coach who continually preaches the virtues of full effort and execution at all times, it seems on brand.<\/p>\n If he\u2019s asking his players to give it all \u2014 all the way through \u2014 it seems Dave Dickenson is ready to do that himself.<\/p>\n He won that challenge, by the way, and Jake Herslow<\/a>\u2019s catch was taken off the board.<\/p>\n BONUS TAKEAWAY: A happy, dancing Vernon is a good sign for the Stampeders. A limping Vernon, not so good.<\/p>\n THAT GUY\u2019S HEATING UP AT THE RIGHT TIME<\/p>\n \u00a0<\/p>\n The Montreal Alouettes seem to be in a good place as the playoffs draw closer and Austin Mack looks like he is parade marshal for that feeling.<\/p>\n After making five catches for 87 yards and a TD last week in a win over Ottawa \u2014 including a spectacular, lay-out-for-it reception \u2014 Montreal\u2019s gamebreaking receiver followed up with eight catches for 108 yards in Week 20, with another tuddy and another magnificent exteeeeeeennnnding reception.<\/p>\n With Tyler Snead continuing his sparkling campaign including two, 100-plus yard performances in his last three games, adding a red hot Mack to the mix is quite a boon to the Montreal offence.<\/p>\n Now, can they get Tyson Philpot<\/a> going again?<\/p>\n BONUS TAKEAWAY: Stevie Scott III is becoming a thing.<\/p>\n IT\u2019S NOT EXACTLY A PYRRHIC VICTORY BUT IT AIN\u2019T ALL SUNSHINE AND ROSES NEITHER<\/p>\n \u00a0<\/p>\n A win is a win, they say, but Winnipeg\u2019s scratchy 17-16 victory over a weakened (due to resting a few starters) Saskatchewan Roughriders\u2019 roster left little room for unbridled confidence going forward.<\/p>\n At least when it comes to the offence, that is.<\/p>\n \u201cI didn\u2019t like anything,\u201d said an obviously frustrated quarterback Zach Collaros<\/a>, rocking back and forth during his post-game media scrum. \u201cWe didn\u2019t do anything well.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cThat\u2019s why we got three phases,\u201d offered head coach Mike O\u2019Shea afterward.<\/p>\n Can\u2019t say it seems like the Winnipeg Blue Bombers are feeling in the groove as the final week of the regular season approaches.<\/p>\n But they are still in the running to host the Western Semi-Final and have one more game to get their offensive mojo back.<\/p>\n \u201cWe\u2019ve got another week to roll,\u201d answered O\u2019Shea when asked about hitting the playoffs with momentum.<\/p>\n Is one week enough? he was asked.<\/p>\n \u201cIf everybody feels good,\u201d he replied after a laugh which may or may not have been of the nervous variety.<\/p>\n HE MADE A PRETTY STRONG CASE FOR SOME POST-SEASON SNAPS<\/p>\n Mitch Picton makes the catch for a big gain!#CFLGameday<\/a> \u2014 CFL (@CFL) October 18, 2025<\/a><\/p>\n Saskatchewan receiver Mitch Picton hadn\u2019t had a catch since Week 6 but when he was given an opportunity to show his stuff in Friday\u2019s game against Winnipeg he did just that.<\/p>\n With five catches for 71 yards, Picton\u2019s night included two second-down conversion catches and a couple of stunners; a toe-drag beauty on the sideline as well as a musclebound, fight-for-it catch against Winnipeg\u2019s Jamal Parker, who was on him like a rain poncho.<\/p>\n The \u2018Riders are deep in receivers and Mitchell Picton<\/a> reminded us that they are even deeper than we may have thought.<\/p>\n BONUS TAKEAWAY: The SAM position seems to really agree with Antoine Brooks Jr.<\/p>\n AND FINALLY: We don\u2019t talk enough about Kordell Jackson.<\/p>\n
\u00bb 3 stats that defined Calgary\u2019s Week 20 win over Toronto<\/a>
\u00bb 3 stats that defined Montreal\u2019s Week 20 win over Ottawa<\/a>
\u00bb\u00a03 stats that defined BC\u2019s Week 20 win over Edmonton<\/a>
\u00bb 3 stats that defined Winnipeg\u2019s Week 20 win over Saskatchewan<\/a><\/p>\n
\ud83d\udcc5: @sskroughriders<\/a> vs. Blue Bombers LIVE NOW
\ud83c\udde8\ud83c\udde6: TSN
\ud83c\udf0e: CFL+ pic.twitter.com\/1ziu3lNeE7<\/a><\/p>\n