Jack Bedell
CFL.ca
RIGHT ON TIME
There haven’t been too many football games I’ve looked forward to more than week 11’s set of tilts. After being out of power for an entire week in the wake of Hurricane Gustav, I was able to watch Friday and Saturday’s games via generator, and then the electricity came back on just in time for the double-header on Sunday.
I can’t even tell you how sweet it was to watch the Alouettes roll and then to catch the Roughriders’ furious comeback with the air conditioner blasting after the week my family had in the heat and mess down here.
To tell the truth, actually, with the AC blowing on me, the four teams could’ve punted out of bounds every play this past Sunday, and I would’ve had a smile plastered on my face watching the games!
Luckily, though, that wasn’t the case, and I was treated to some serious action all weekend.
If there was one thing I learned watching week 11’s games, it’s that the East and West Divisions are going to head down the stretch like night and day. The East couldn’t have more clarity. At 7-3, the Alouettes are entrenched in the division’s driver’s seat, with Toronto, Winnipeg, and Hamilton all going into damage-control mode.
Out West, the Riders are cruising in the top spot at 8-2, but Calgary, Edmonton, and B.C. have all served noticed that they’re ready to ball at high levels. Watching these West teams play, it’s hard to shake the feeling that the playoff seedings won’t be settled until week 19’s games are in the books. And it really looks like it’ll come down to a who’ll-blink-first fight.
Barring another big storm, I’m definitely ready to watch the season unfold in both divisions. Fortunately, I’m a fan of photo finishes and runaways. So I’m saying, “Bring it!”
BETTER LATE THAN NEVER
Down 31-14 in Winnipeg with the home team steamrolling into the fourth quarter, it really looked like Michael Bishop was on his way to another mediocre game as the Roughriders’ starting QB, and rumour has it he was on his way to being pulled to get Gang Green’s offence going.
Through three frames, the Blue Bombers defence did a great job of frustrating Bishop with good pressure off the edge, and with hard hits on the Riders’ receivers. Doug Brown and company also kept Wes Cates from really going off.
Then Bishop pulled out the big gun.
Using his feet to make time for himself, Bishop pushed the ball deep to Weston Dressler and Vincent Marshall. And in no time flat, the Riders slapped 20 unanswered points on the Bombers.
It didn’t help that Kevin Glenn and the Bombers’ offence looked like they were playing in wet cement at the end of the game, but I’m not sure there was much anyone could’ve done to head off the shock and awe of Bishop’s performance.
There’s very little a defence can do against a well-placed deep ball. And if that’s what Michael Bishop is going to bring to Gang Green down the stretch, Saskatchewan is going to be a tough out down the stretch.
I know that one had to be a demoralizing loss for Winnipeg, though, especially with the game well in hand for 45 minutes. But now we get to see how the team gets off the mat after a flash knockout.
HAMMERIN’ HANK
The Stamps rode into Commonwealth Stadium last Friday night after taking one on the chin themselves from the Eskimos in week 10.
With the Esks on a roll coming off a dominating 37-16 win in Calgary, and all three phases of the game clicking for Edmonton, all signs pointed toward a rough ride for the Stamps. But, as they say, that’s why they play the games.
Behind a sharp performance by Henry Burris and a five-sack night from the Stamps’ defence, Calgary eked out a hard-earned W in Edmonton, to pull into a second place tie with the Esks four points off the West’s top spot.
For his part, Burris paced the Stamps’ O on a night where Calgary’s running game had a hard time going downhill against Edmonton’s front seven. Going 19 of 36 for 323 yards and three majors, Hank kept pressure on the Eskimos’ secondary all night.
Most importantly, though, Burris managed to get Jeremaine Copeland involved in Calgary’s second-down offence. And with Ken-yon Rambo and Nik Lewis already producing, that’s going to make a dangerous passing game scary down the stretch.
Mike Labinjo and the Stamps’ aggressive D deserve some serious props for keeping Ricky Ray off balance all game, too, but I’m giving my game ball to Burris for putting the nails in the Esks’ coffin with a solid, error-free night when his team really needed one to keep pace in a tough division.
COSTLY LOSSES
Winnipeg and Edmonton suffered tough losses in week 11, to be sure, but in terms of blunt force trauma, I’ve got to say Hamilton and Toronto were the real losers over the weekend.
Both teams were blown out. The Ticats looked listless getting thumped by B.C. 35-12, and Toronto had no answer for Anthony Calvillo and the Als’ quick passing attack going down 45-19 in a game that was nowhere near as close as the scoreboard looked.
More disconcerting than the point totals, though, was how unprepared and unfocused these two East squads looked is their losses this past weekend. So much so, I’d say, that both teams canned their head coaches to start this week.
Hamilton put the mercy kill on Charlie Taafe’s tenure Monday by replacing him with offensive coordinator Marcel Bellefeuille. It was a hard move that was a long time coming considering the Ticats’ record over the last two years, but one that’ll cause the least damage to the club’s ability to play ball the remainder of this season since the staff will stay in tact.
The Argos pulled the surprise of the year so far by cutting Rich Stubler loose in favour of Don Matthews. With problems on both sides of the ball, Coach Matthews will need to effect some scheme changes as well a culture change without the benefit of having his own people around him to pull off the job.
Losing records aside, both Hamilton and Toronto are in the thick of it for playoff spots in the East, and it’s going to be very interesting to watch how the teams respond to drastic change now that’s it’s been forced on them.
RWB’S PRIMETIME PERFORMERS
1) Henry Burris
2) Mike Labinjo
3) Buck Pierce
4) Cam Wake
5) Anthony Calvillo
6) Ben Cahoon
7) Michael Bishop
8) Wes Dressler
9) A.J. Harris
10) Gavin Walls
WEEK 12 PREDICTIONS DOOMED TO GO WRONG
You’ll have to take my word for it since Hurricane Gustav cancelled my column last week (or you could check out my blog over on thescore.com for the tallies), but I went 3-1 following the old gut in week 11 bringing my record to a slightly respectable 22-18 on the season.
After pulling me back over .500, there’s no reason to abandon the belly this week. Gut says: Toronto, Montreal, Edmonton, and Saskatchewan.
UP NEXT
Check back next week to get my takes on all of week 12’s action. I’ll also take a look at some of the questions still hanging around the CFL going into the back nine of the season.
Until then, take care. It’s almost time to pull out the big coats. Things get serious as soon as a chill hits the air!
