By Sean Millington,
CFL.ca
Just past its halfway point, the 2006 season has been its usual roller coaster self. Hamilton started the season with much fanfare and expectation only to stumble coming out of the gate, and very shortly thereafter fall flat on its face. Head coach Greg Marshall paid the price for the poor start and most recently offensive coordinator Joe Paopao and offensive line coach Kani Kauahi were both given their walking papers. In addition, general manager Rob Katz stepped down to make room for former Alouette assistant GM Marcel Desjardins. The question remains, however, as to whether these changes will be enough to right the badly sinking Ticat ship.
The Argos started the season with an injury to veteran quarterback Damon Allen and consequently spiraled down the drain. Even the much publicized addition of running back Ricky Williams wasn’t enough to stem the tide. With Williams suffering a broken arm and John Avery experiencing success, many have said that the signing was a bust. With the return of Allen and Avery, the Argos are experiencing a resurgence, having won their last three games. Arland Bruce III is continuing to have an all-star year as well. Look for the Argos to get stronger as the year goes on, as a healthy Allen is the key.
Oh how the mighty have fallen after getting off to their accustomed fast start the Alouettes have now dropped four straight and their lock on first place is growing ever more tenuous. The fall from grace shouldn’t be that surprising. If one stands teetering on the edge of a cliff long enough, sooner or later you fall over the edge. All season long pundits have been surprised at Montreal’s record as they won game after game in which they admittedly didn’t play their best football. Such inconsistency finally caught up with them, however, and now the just deserts of their efforts are coming their way. Despite this meltdown, if history repeats itself, as it has so far with their fast start and subsequent slide, look for the Als to regroup and make a strong run down the stretch.
One team that no one expected to be in the running is the Winnipeg Blue Bombers, who by now I’m sure are tired of hearing that. In defiance of almost all pre-season predictions, the Bombers have been contenders thus far. Their climb up the standings took them in sight of first place before injuries to Kevin Glenn and Milt Stegall sent the team into a downward spiral. Without these two stars, the Bombers have looked a lot more like the team that everyone expected them to be prior to the start of the season. The good news is both will be back in the next few weeks and their return should spark a return to the winning ways the team was previously enjoying.
Perhaps it’s only fitting that a team in the middle of the country is traditionally right in the middle of things being neither great nor horrible but swinging back and forth between the two. Of course I’m talking about the Saskatchewan Roughriders whose solution for this inconsistency has been to fire their GM Roy Shivers and hire my ex-colleague Eric Tillman. Two dominant victories in their last two games,(albeit over the hapless Ticats) make the timing of the move look even more questionable. Despite the change I look for the Riders to continue their pendulum swinging ways down the stretch.
The Calgary Stampeders thus far this season have resembled a race car with engine trouble that got fixed in a pit stop. Initially they were moving in fits and spurts teasing us with what they could potentially achieve. Now the engine appears to be working smoothly and the Stamps are picking up speed. Henry Burris has looked good throwing the football and has managed to avoid his trademark, drive killing, mental errors. Continued good play from Burris supported by the defence should make Calgary the team to watch down the stretch.
Edmonton thus far has been a study in contradictions. How can Ricky Ray lead the league’s quarterbacks in yards yet have his team occupy the West Division cellar? How can the Eskimos follow a Grey Cup winning year with one that is so lacking in inspiration? Picked by many to be contenders again this year, all too often they have been anything but. Look for Edmonton to continue to search for its identity in the last half of the season, and consequently continue to struggle.
The one team that is doing just about what you would expect of them is the B.C. Lions. Despite losing Dave Dickenson they have continued to win and currently sit atop the standings. Understudy Buck Pierce has put in solid days at the office and has been supported by the continued all-star performance of Geroy Simon and the surprise move up the running back ranks made by Joe Smith. Having rediscovered the run game, the Lions are playing balanced football. Look for them to remain strong down the stretch.
All in all, the CFL has given us exactly what we expected, which is the unexpected. Fall is upon us and with it comes the games that will determine playoff positions. Expect more of the unexpected.
Sean Millington played 13 years in the CFL with the Edmonton Eskimos, Winnipeg Blue Bombers, B.C. Lions and Toronto Argonauts and has been a panelist on the CFL on CBC since 2003.
(The opinions expressed are those of the author and not necessarily of the Canadian Football League)
