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Peter Power \/ THE CANADIAN PRESS FILES<\/p>\n
A massive part of the Hamilton Tiger-Cats\u2019 resurgence in the East Division is owing to quarterback Bo Levi Mitchell, who\u2019s playing at an MOP-calibre level.<\/p>\n
These fan bases are predictably on edge given the position\u2019s importance to their team\u2019s overall success. And they\u2019re hardly alone.<\/p>\n
In Toronto, Chad Kelly has yet to dress for a game with the Argonauts since breaking his leg in the playoffs last year. In Saskatchewan, Trevor Harris has battled through various ailments, while Ottawa\u2019s Dru Brown has also been sidelined, leading to a revolving door under centre for the Redblacks. Davis Alexander of the Montreal Alouettes remains on the six-game injured list after re-aggravating his hamstring in Week 7.<\/p>\n
In total, seven of the nine team\u2019s starters have missed time this year. This is more than just bad luck, and it\u2019s starting to heavily impact the on-field product.<\/p>\n
Ask anyone, and football is a game of rhythm and timing, and nowhere is that more important than between a quarterback and the offence. The chemistry built over weeks of practice and games, the unspoken understanding between receivers, the ability to read and react to a defence \u2014 all of it is severely challenged when a starting pivot goes down.<\/p>\n
As a result, we\u2019re seeing more inconsistent offences, fewer explosive plays and a noticeable dip in the high-flying action that defines the CFL.<\/p>\n
What\u2019s more, the constant shuffling of quarterbacks force coaching staffs to simplify playbooks, rely more heavily on the run game or ask backups to perform beyond their capabilities. This can often lead to lower scoring games and the higher likelihood of it being a dud.<\/p>\n
While credit belongs to the backups who do step into these big shoes and perform, the reality is that the consistent absence of the league\u2019s best quarterbacks is raising questions about player protection, turf conditions and the sheer violence of the game. For a league that relies on its star power to attract and keep viewers, it\u2019s a genuine concern for the health and appeal of the CFL.<\/p>\n
There\u2019s no quick and easy fix. But at the pace we\u2019re seeing players go down, if I\u2019m a general manager with a healthy quarterback, I\u2019m figuring out a way to wrap him in bubble wrap before kickoff. Maybe even during play time.<\/p>\n
Now, let\u2019s dive into what else has caught my attention over the last week in the latest edition of CFL Rundown.<\/p>\n
1. It\u2019s time to admit the Hamilton Tiger-Cats look for real. Riding an impressive five-game win streak, the Ticats are absolutely rolling, currently tied with the Alouettes for first place in the East Division.<\/p>\n
A massive part of their resurgence is owing to Bo Levi Mitchell, who\u2019s playing at an MOP-calibre level, leading an offence dotted with dangerous weapons.<\/p>\n
Equally important has been the transformation of the defence, a unit that had struggled for years but has stepped up big time.<\/p>\n
There\u2019s still a lot of football left, and things can change fast in this league, but after missing the playoffs the last couple of years, it\u2019s awesome to see the Ticats back in the mix and looking like true contenders.<\/p>\n
Their last Grey Cup win was way back in 1999, so it\u2019s been a long wait for the fanbase.<\/p>\n
With this year\u2019s Grey Cup in Winnipeg, how fitting would it be for the Ticats to finally get their revenge from 2021, when the Bombers defeated Hamilton on the club\u2019s home turf to claim back-to-back championships.<\/p>\n
2. With the Alouettes and Ticats sitting comfortably atop the East, the Toronto Argonauts (2-5) and Ottawa Redblacks (1-6) are struggling to get themselves out of the basement.<\/p>\n
Of the two, though, Toronto seems more likely to salvage its season. Ryan Dinwiddie is a brilliant head coach who has been without the services of Kelly, whose leg injury has been called both day-to-day and week-to-week in recent interviews.<\/p>\n
In other words, the Argos poor start is largely injury-related and help appears on the way.<\/p>\n
Meanwhile, Redblacks head coach Bob Dyce can only hope Brown remains healthy; at 1-6, his job will likely depend on it. Without significant improvement, and fast, Dyce\u2019s seat will only get hotter.<\/p>\n
3. In the wild, wild West Division, the Saskatchewan Roughriders and Calgary Stampeders have separated themselves from the pack, boasting a 6-1 and 5-2 record, respectively.<\/p>\n
While both have had strong starts to the season, the Riders\u2019 success seems more sustainable due to their quarterback depth.<\/p>\n
Harris and Jake Maier have allowed Saskatchewan to weather injuries far better than Calgary, whose reliance on P.J. Walker behind Adams is problematic, to say the least.<\/p>\n
Kicker Brett Lauther is Saskatchewan\u2019s only glaring weakness right now; his field goal percentage is shockingly low, worse than Harris\u2019s completion percentage. Outside of that, life is good in Riderville.<\/p>\n
\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t Heywood Yu \/ THE CANADIAN PRESS<\/p>\n Edmonton Elks head coach Mark Kilam confirmed shortly after the club\u2019s defeat to the Saskatchewan Roughriders on Friday night that quarterback Cody Fajardo (left) will be the team\u2019s No. 1 moving forward. <\/p>\n 4. A mushy middle has formed in the West, occupied by the Bombers (3-3) and B.C. Lions (3-5).<\/p>\n While both teams have a good chance of making the playoffs, especially with the Redblacks and Argonauts floundering in the East, they aren\u2019t quite keeping pace with the top tier in their own division.<\/p>\n Both clubs rely heavily on the health and consistency of their No. 1 quarterbacks, meaning any prolonged absence or dip in play could prove catastrophic.<\/p>\n Both could also desperately use a little more help on defence.<\/p>\n Consistently getting stops and limiting an opponent\u2019s time of possession will be crucial if they hope to contend for top spot in the West. Neither unit is getting it done right now.<\/p>\n 5. The Bombers have struggled mightily with ball protection, giving up an eye-popping 17 turnovers in the last three games, including seven against the Argos last week.<\/p>\n That\u2019s had the biggest impact on Winnipeg\u2019s three-game losing skid and why the Bombers are sitting at .500, looking nowhere near the team that went to the last five Grey Cups.<\/p>\n 6. The Edmonton Elks made the correct decision in starting Cody Fajardo over Tre Ford despite another loss.<\/p>\n Fajardo\u2019s performance, throwing for 346 yards and two touchdowns, was more than enough to earn him another game.<\/p>\n In case there was any doubt, head coach Mark Kilam confirmed shortly after the defeat to the Riders that Fajardo is their No. 1 quarterback moving forward.<\/p>\n Fajardo\u2019s numbers are particularly impressive given the horrific performance by the Elks\u2019 offensive line, which surrendered eight sacks.<\/p>\n Elks offensive co-ordinator Jordan Maksymic also owns some of this, as scheme and play-calling can greatly impact line protection.<\/p>\n Life doesn\u2019t get any easier for Edmonton this week, as they welcome the red-hot Ticats to town.<\/p>\n Despite a lot of hope heading into the season, 2025 is already starting to feel like a lost campaign in the City of Champions.<\/p>\n \n\t\tWinnipeg Free Press | Newsletter\n\t<\/p>\n \t\t 7. I don\u2019t usually gush over an individual play, but we need to talk about Robert Carter Jr.\u2019s interception against Mitchell.<\/p>\n While the Hamilton quarterback delivered a perfectly thrown ball, the sheer athleticism from the Lions defensive back to lay out and make that one-handed grab was insane<\/a>.<\/p>\n Carter had a similar highlight-reel interception<\/a> while at Robert Morris University in a game against Utah State just last year.<\/p>\n When asked to compare them, Carter gave the edge to his pick in college, revealing he made that one with a broken hand.<\/p>\n Jeff.Hamilton@freepress.mb.ca<\/p>\n \t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tWeek 8 Results<\/p>\n Montreal Alouettes 23 vs. Calgary Stampeders 21<\/p>\n Edmonton Elks 18 vs. Saskatchewan Roughriders 21<\/p>\n Winnipeg Blue Bombers 17 vs. Toronto Argonauts 31<\/p>\n Hamilton Tiger-Cats 37 vs. B.C. Lions 33<\/p>\n Week 9 Schedule<\/p>\n Thursday, July 31: Calgary Stampeders @ Ottawa Redblacks (6:30 p.m. CT)<\/p>\n Friday, August 1: Toronto Argonauts @ Winnipeg Blue Bombers (7:30 p.m. CT)<\/p>\n Saturday, August 2: Hamilton Tiger-Cats @ Edmonton Elks (2 p.m. CT)<\/p>\n Saturday, August 2: Saskatchewan Roughriders @ Montreal Alouettes (6 p.m. CT)<\/p>\n CFL Standings<\/p>\n East Division<\/p>\n Hamilton Tiger-Cats 5-2<\/p>\n Montreal Alouettes 5-2<\/p>\n Toronto Argonauts 2-5<\/p>\n Ottawa Redblacks 1-6<\/p>\n West Division<\/p>\n Saskatchewan Roughriders 6-1<\/p>\n Calgary Stampeders 5-2<\/p>\n Winnipeg Blue Bombers 3-3<\/p>\n B.C. Lions 3-5<\/p>\n Edmonton Elks 1-5<\/p>\n \t\t\t\t Jeff Hamilton Jeff Hamilton is a sports and investigative reporter. Jeff joined the Free Press newsroom in April 2015, and has been covering the local sports scene since graduating from Carleton University\u2019s journalism program in 2012. Read more about Jeff<\/a>.<\/p>\n Every piece of reporting Jeff produces is reviewed by an editing team before it is posted online or published in print \u2014 part of the Free Press\u2018s tradition, since 1872, of producing reliable independent journalism. Read more about Free Press\u2019s history and mandate<\/a>, and learn how our newsroom operates<\/a>.<\/p>\n
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