CFL Week One review

Article by Duncan Gray

 

Some say that the preseason in the CFL usually lasts until Week 4 and it's only after then that teams are settled in their line ups and ready to play. Was this reflected in this year's Week 1 games? Certainly they were unpredictable. Only one of the teams which started as favourites won, and that was on the last play of their game. As for rosters, serious injuries to starting players have already thrown several teams plans into disarray.

Montreal had the honour of hosting the opening game of season and things started well for them as they powered down the field and scored their first touchdown on the opening drive. However rookie kicker Boris Bede promptly recorded a miss on the first ever of the new 32 yard extra point attempts. By the second half injuries had reduced the Alouettes to their third string quarterback Brandon Bridge, another rookie. He became the first Canadian to play at QB in the league since 2010. Down the stretch he threw two interceptions in the decisive period that saw Ottawa take their first lead and go on to win. Let's not blame Bridge for the loss though. After all, the ultra-experienced Redblack Henry Burris threw three interceptions, one returned for a touchdown.
It was a great opening result for Ottawa. They showed plenty enterprise and hard hitting and must surely be in for a better second season than their first. Meantime Montreal have lost QB Dan LeFevour for the season.

 

Another quarterback also throwing three interceptions, one for a pick six, was the man who has been rated as the best player in the league, Calgary Stampeders' Levi Bo Mitchell. The rematch of last years Grey Cup match with Hamilton was, incredibly, even closer than the big game itself. This game demonstrated how the CFL rules  make it difficult for teams to run out the clock and set up thrilling finishes.
Despite the number of players they have out injured, the Tiger-Cats had a lead for much of the game but they couldn't hold on as, when it came to the desperate last 44 seconds final drive for the Stampeders, it was Mitchell who showed why he's number one. He completed three passes in the drive, including one on 3rd and 17, to set up the fifty yard field goal which gave Calgary their one point victory. Hamilton were very unlucky to lose and there was nothing to suggest they shouldn't be favourites to take the East Division again. At least there wasn't until Toronto put up their fine performance. 

 

 

Another team to lose their quarterback to injury was Edmonton Eskimos. Mike Reilly, who has a history of leg problems, suffered a left knee injury in the fourth quarter of their game at Fort McMurray and has been listed as 'out indefinitely'. By the time that happened the Eskimos were already heading towards defeat by Toronto, themselves without their first choice quarterback Ricky Ray but nevertheless showing strengths on both sides of the ball. Trevor Harris proved to be a worthy stand in for Ray as he passed for 347 yards and 3 touchdowns from 24 of 27 passes. If he keeps up that standard there will be an interesting decision to be made in Toronto when Ray gets back to full fitness.

 

The most devastating quarterback injury of the weekend was still to come though. Darian Durant, making his comeback for Saskatchewan Roughriders after being out since last September, went down following a seemingly innocuous contact with a Winnipeg lineman. A ruptured Achilles tendon has been diagnosed and he'll be out for the rest of the season. Losing at home to their great rivals was a bad day for the Riders and the sympathy for Durant which has come from around the country won't be much consolation to them.
Meantime it was an encouraging start to the season for the Winnipeg Blue Bombers who achieved their win through the performance of their running backs Paris Cotton and Cameron Marshall. If quarterbacks keep going down at this rate maybe the running game will be the key to success this year.