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FANDUEL CANADA DAY WEEKEND\u00bb\u00a0Taylor Elgersma leads Bombers\u2019 comeback win over Ticats<\/a>
\u00bb Adams Jr.\u2019s seven TDs power Stamps over Argos<\/a>
\u00bb Vernon Adams Jr. makes history on FanDuel Canada Day Weekend<\/a>
\u00bb James Butler delivers for first Lions first victory of 2026<\/a>
\u00bb Mathew Sexton\u2019s return TD lifts Roughriders past REDBLACKS<\/a><\/p>\n
IT\u2019S A LOT TO OVERCOME<\/p>\n
First things first.<\/p>\n
As well as Bo Levi Mitchell<\/a> has played over the course of his career, I don\u2019t think he\u2019s ever been as good as he has been to start this season.<\/p>\n And so, in the wake of him being carted off the field and taken away in an ambulance on Sunday night, I say something to the football gods that I have said previously under similar circumstances: Bite me.<\/p>\n We don\u2019t have official word on Mitchell\u2019s injury as I write this, but it is not hard to imagine that he will be out long-term, quite a blow to the Ticats.<\/p>\n \u201cIt\u2019s too much to have to overcome.\u201d<\/p>\n THE VERDICT: Too soon to tell. Much to soon.<\/p>\n A number of things need to be kept in mind as the Ticats try to move forward after Mitchell\u2019s injury.<\/p>\n One, Hamilton head coach Scott Milanovich is a fabulous sculptor of quarterbacks, we all know that. And he has a couple of experienced pivots to work with in Tre Ford<\/a> and Jake Dolegala.<\/p>\n Two, the Ticats have a very deep and talented roster beyond their franchise quarterback. On both sides of the ball.<\/p>\n Let\u2019s wait and see.<\/p>\n HE\u2019S ENTERED THE MOP CONVO<\/p>\n \u00a0<\/p>\n Calgary quarterback Vernon Adams Jr. lit up the Toronto defence on Thursday night, throwing for 405 yards and six touchdowns, running in another himself.<\/p>\n In his last two games, Adams has thrown nine touchdown passes and in this last game, he bumped up his already excellent efficiency rating (113.3 heading into the game) with a 158.3 against Toronto. That\u2019s on the heels of a 133.1 rating the previous week against the BC Lions.<\/p>\n \u201cVernon Adams Jr. is now the front-runner for MOP.\u201d<\/p>\n THE VERDICT: Fair. At least in the West.<\/p>\n Montreal receiver Tyson Philpot<\/a> is currently tracking towards an historic receiving campaign so I\u2019d have to nod in his direction in the East but you can make a case for the smooth-operating Adams in the West, right along side BC quarterback Nathan Rourke<\/a>, Saskatchewan pivot Trevor Harris<\/a>, and Edmonton running back Justin Rankin.<\/p>\n And even above them if you\u2019d like, I wouldn\u2019t balk at that.<\/p>\n IT\u2019S ALL BEEN STRAIGHTENED OUT<\/p>\n \u00a0<\/p>\n Almost every defence in the CFL has been a target of concern as the offences go all action hero so far in 2026.<\/p>\n The BC Lions\u2019 defence, particularly, had faced a whole whack of less than complimentary scrutiny.<\/p>\n But, in Kelowna on Saturday, the Lions\u2019 defence showed up and showed out against Edmonton, picking three passes and forcing a fumble, with three of those turnovers coming in the second half.<\/p>\n \u201cThe Lions have gotten their D struggles sorted out.\u201d<\/p>\n THE VERDICT: Too soon to tell.<\/p>\n That BC defence improved leaps and bounds in a win over Edmonton on Saturday and that has got to have them breathing a sigh of relief.<\/p>\n But the unit came into Week 4 ranked last in the CFL so, just like one bad outing doesn\u2019t necessarily define a team\u2019s personality, one good one doesn\u2019t necessarily mean that troubles are now misty, water-colour memories of the way they were.<\/p>\n However. Last year, the Lions\u2019 defence faced the same kind of struggles and when they turned the corner on those troubles down the stretch, they never looked back.<\/p>\n I GUESS HE\u2019S HUMAN AFTER ALL<\/p>\n Part of that impressive BC defensive performance came in holding Edmonton running back Justin Rankin to 19 yards on seven carries, forcing a fumble on one of the seven.<\/p>\n \u201cOh, so you CAN hold Justin Rankin in check, eh?\u201d<\/p>\n THE VERDICT: Overreaction.<\/p>\n He caught 10 passes for 100 yards.<\/p>\n NO DOUBT, WE\u2019RE IN QUICKSAND<\/p>\n \u00a0<\/p>\n For a second straight week, the Ottawa REDBLACKS looked like they might topple a league power.<\/p>\n Instead, they lost a close one, 27-22 to the Saskatchewan Roughriders, giving up the ball at the Riders\u2019 16-yard line, failing on a third-and-one attempt with less than three minutes remaining in the game.<\/p>\n It was the last of a few mistakes the REDBLACKS would have liked to have back.<\/p>\n \u201cThe REDBLACKS have to get out of their own way.\u201d<\/p>\n THE VERDICT: Fair.<\/p>\n That\u2019s a paraphrased version of Ottawa head coach Ryan Dinwiddie\u2019s verdict, by the way, so I think we ought to go with that.<\/p>\n