\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t
![\"John](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/3476826_web1_25556766_FBO-ESKIMOS-BLUE-BLOMBERS-20180614.jpg\")
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/a><\/p>\n
John Woods \/ THE CANADIAN PRESS FILES<\/p>\n
Two lightning delays \u2014 in back-to-back games on Saturday \u2014 and an air quality watch dominated the CFL headlines in Week 9.<\/p>\n<\/p>\n
Earlier this season, in a Week 6 matchup between the Saskatchewan Roughriders and Calgary Stampeders, there was a four-hour kick-off delay followed by a postponement due to heavy wildfire smoke in Regina. It was a frustrating and confusing night for players and fans, who were left in limbo while the league worked with its independent meteorologist system to determine a path forward.<\/p>\n
This isn\u2019t an easy problem to solve for a league with significantly fewer resources than the NFL. The CFL\u2019s primary focus will always be on player safety and the financial bottom line, which means fans might not get the kind of heads-up they\u2019d prefer.<\/p>\n
The league has protocols in place for both lightning and air quality but, as we\u2019ve learned, the situation can change by the minute. It\u2019s a delicate balance between providing a safe environment and delivering on a schedule that has a direct impact on revenue.<\/p>\n
As wildfires become more common and weather patterns more unpredictable, the CFL is going to have to get used to putting player safety first, even if it means delays and postponements become a regular occurrence. The CFL Players\u2019 Association is also a major stakeholder in these discussions.<\/p>\n
Indeed, the union is heavily involved in ensuring the league makes the right call and has a joint health and safety committee to review and update policies as needed. With players\u2019 well-being on the line, the CFLPA is a leading voice in advocating for caution, making sure that a safe playing environment is always the goal.<\/p>\n
The weather may be stealing some headlines, but there\u2019s still plenty happening on the field. So, let\u2019s dive into what else has caught my attention this past week in the latest edition of CFL Rundown.<\/p>\n
1) After stumbling through the first half of the season, the Ottawa Redblacks desperately needed a win. Facing mounting pressure at 1-6, head coach Bob Dyce\u2019s team responded with a decisive 31-11 victory over the Stampeders. While Dru Brown was solid in his return, throwing for 225 yards and two touchdowns, the defence was the real story. They suffocated the Calgary offence, forcing three interceptions and holding the Stamps to just 11 points. The game-sealing moment came in the fourth quarter when Alijah McGhee returned an interception for a touchdown, bringing the team\u2019s total turnover count to four on the night.<\/p>\n
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t Sean Kilpatrick \/ THE CANADIAN PRESS<\/p>\n Redblacks wide receiver Geno Lewis (front right) put up 100 yards on the Calgary Stampeders Thursday as Ottawa got a much-needed win.<\/p>\n<\/p>\n The Redblacks\u2019 record of 2-6 is still far from ideal, but this win stops the bleeding and gives them something to build on.<\/p>\n 2) In his first CFL start, P.J. Walker showcased both the good and the bad of his game. While his stat line \u2014 273 yards, one touchdown, and three interceptions \u2014 won\u2019t turn many heads, it doesn\u2019t tell the whole story. Walker was down a few top-end receivers, but the ones that did play dropped several catchable passes that would have easily pushed him over the 300-yard mark and made the game a lot closer. Walker showed flashes of his dual-threat ability and a strong arm, giving Stampeder fans a glimpse of his potential. With Vernon Adams Jr. expected back from his concussion, Walker will return to a backup role, but his performance created an intrigue for more.<\/p>\n 3) It looks like the Blue Bombers have finally found their next elite returner in Trey Vaval. Since letting Janarian Grant walk a couple of years ago, the team has struggled to find a consistent threat on special teams. But in a rematch with the Toronto Argonauts, Vaval delivered a breakout performance that will have highlight reels busy for weeks. He scored two return touchdowns \u2014 a 93-yard kickoff and a 97-yard punt. Vaval seemed more relieved than anything in the locker room after the game. It was a rare but refreshing display of honesty that called to mind Jerry Rice\u2019s Hall of Fame speech, where he admitted the pressure of the game made him miserable. Vaval has now proven he belongs, and it will be exciting to see how he builds on this standout effort.<\/p>\n 4) In another milestone moment for a future Hall of Famer, Bo Levi Mitchell surpassed Doug Flutie for ninth place on the CFL\u2019s all-time passing yards list. It was fitting that Mitchell did it in a vintage performance, engineering a late-game comeback that culminated in a third passing touchdown with under two minutes to play. The Hamilton Tiger-Cats\u2019 28-24 victory wouldn\u2019t have been possible without some crucial mistakes from the Edmonton Elks, including a Cody Fajardo interception and a costly dropped pass by Kaion Julien-Grant in the end zone. The loss was a devastating blow for the Elks, who needed a win in the worst way. At 1-6, they may already be looking ahead to next year, while the Ticats, improving to 6-2, take sole possession of first place in the East.<\/p>\n 5) Following the win, Mitchell had some high praise for Fajardo in his post-game address, saying the Elks pivot has been \u201cworking his ass off\u201d and is \u201cone of, probably, the most disrespected quarterbacks in the last couple of years.\u201d It\u2019s a sentiment that rings true as Fajardo has long faced criticism, even after silencing his doubters with a Grey Cup win with Montreal in \u201923. While the Elks have fallen just short in both of his starts, Fajardo has undoubtedly injected life into the struggling club. It\u2019s easy to say now, but you can\u2019t help but wonder where the Elks would be right now if they had started the season with Fajardo as their number one option behind centre. His play has shown that he still has plenty of gas left in the tank.<\/p>\n 6) It may be a bitter pill for some to swallow in these parts, but it\u2019s time to admit the Roughriders are the best team in the CFL. At 7-1, following a convincing road victory over the Montreal Alouettes, the Riders have proven their talent and depth across all three phases of the game. With the Stampeders losing again, Saskatchewan has created some much-needed breathing room atop the West Division.<\/p>\n \n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t Graham Hughes \/ THE CANADIAN PRESS<\/p>\n Saskatchewan Roughriders wide receiver Tommy Nield (left) celebrates his touchdown against the Montreal Alouettes on Saturday with his teammate Joe Robustelli.<\/p>\n<\/p>\n The Riders now head into a bye week, but a daunting schedule awaits them. They will face the Tiger-Cats and the Stamps again before the annual home-and-home series against the rival Bombers. It will be a truest test of their mettle but, so far, they\u2019ve been up to the challenge.<\/p>\n 7) The Alouettes are back to being in a tough spot with McLeod Bethel-Thompson at the helm. After taking a shot at the CFL on TSN panel following a decent performance the week prior, Bethel-Thompson and the Als\u2019 offence laid a massive egg at home against the Roughriders. To illustrate how bad things were, the Als got no further into enemy territory than the Riders\u2019 46-yard line. Saskatchewan\u2019s defence was absolutely dominant, holding Montreal to a dismal 169 yards of net offence \u2014 the lowest total by a Saskatchewan opponent since 2017. Montreal\u2019s only points came from two long field goals of 56 and 54 yards. With Davis Alexander still sidelined for a few more weeks, the Als are lucky to have built up a winning record, as it might not last long if this offensive production continues.<\/p>\n Jeff.Hamilton@freepress.mb.ca<\/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
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/a><\/p>\n
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/a><\/p>\n<\/p>\n
Multimedia producer
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/a>
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n