CFL Week 7 Review

Article by Duncan Gray

 

If I previously suggested that there was any clear leader emerging in the CFL then clearly I was wrong. This week saw three out of four games go to the wire while BC put an end to Edmonton's winning run. There are now five teams with a share of the two Division leads and I'm not going to make predictions anytime soon.

 

Edmonton Eskimos  23 - 26 BC Lions

The Eskimos unbeaten run came to an end on Thursday night as BC Lions' turned their form around and produced the sort of comeback that other sides have been producing against them. As they tend to do, BC started the game well and then faded. Their first drive featured a 33 yard run by Andrew Harris and a 46 yard touchdown pass from Travis Lulay to Emmanuel Arceneaux. That was the first TD the Edmonton defence had conceded in three games. The top rated Edmonton defence tightened up as the Lions lost their momentum and Matt Nichols threw touchdown passes to Chad Simpson and Kenny Stafford as they built up a 23-10 lead by half time. This was where things changed as the Lions got their momentum back. Without first choice receiver Adarius Bowman who had injured picked up an injury, Edmonton didn't managed to score another point. The BC comeback started with an Andrew Harris touchdown on the first drive after the break and was completed with an Andrew Harris touchdown with seventy one seconds left. The Eskimos had a chance to tie the scores on their last drive but Nichols was intercepted as they bravely (or stupidly) attempted a 3rd and 4 conversion rather than a 48 yard field goal.

 

 

 

 

Montreal Alouettes 23 - 26 Ottawa Redblacks
Before kick off everyone agreed that this was a hard one to predict. They got that right. Ottawa started the game in a way they haven't all season, by scoring. A ten play drive was finished by Ernest Jackson catching a 7 yard touchdown pass from Henry Burris. They didn't manage to add to that score in the first half though and Montreal came through to take a 12-7 lead thanks to Rakeem Cato scoring on a 19 yard quarterback scramble in the second quarter. After the break Ottawa came out  playing a high tempo, no huddle offence which the highly rated Montreal defence struggled to control. A field goal and a Henry Burris pass to Patrick Lavoie gave the Redblacks the lead and, after a Samuel Giguere TD pass had put the Al's back in front,  Burris himself ran in the winning score from 1 yard. For the veteran Burris it was his best game of the season, while his rookie opposite number Cato threw a pair of interceptions which stopped promising drives and ultimately cost Montreal a chance of winning.

The much publicised Michael Sam finally made his debut for the Alouettes in this game, playing as part of the defensive line rotation. He appeared on 13 plays but failed to register a tackle or anything else of note.

 

Saskatchewan Roughriders 26 - 30 Toronto Argonauts
The Argos, finally getting to play their first game of the season in Toronto on Saturday night, were pushed all the way by the now 0 & 7 Roughriders. Having had such a hard game in Hamilton only five nights previously it was always going to be difficult for Toronto. It took fourth quarter touchdown receptions by Vidal Hazelton and Diontae Spencer and then a 'Riders pass batted down in the endzone on the last play of the game to secure the win. For Saskatchewan it was their seventh defeat of the season and once again they lost a lead in the fourth quarter. One sign of hope for them was the improved performance of their third string quarterback Brett Smith. As well as throwing two touchdowns he had another two called back for penalties. Penalties were a big feature of the game, there were 43 flags thrown in total which was almost a CFL record. Both teams will need to clean up their act, but especially the Roughriders if they're to get their first win.

 

 

 

 

Winnipeg Blue Bombers 8 – 38 Hamilton Tiger-Cats

While the weekend's other three games were close, this one was decided very early. Halfway through the first quarter Hamilton were already 21 points up, through touchdowns from with a pick six by Emanuel Davis and then Zach Collaros passes to Bakari Grant and Ryan Bomben. The score was 31-0 at half time, another TD having come on a Collaros pass to Terrence Toliver. The intensity of the Ti-Cats offence faded in the second half and Winnipeg managed a score on a Drew Willy pass to Justin Veltung before Emanuel Davis finished the game with his second pick six. Once again Drew Willy suffered an injury, a knee this time, and had to come off the field. Running back Paris Cotton was a casualty too, so it will be another worrying week in Winnipeg. About the only bit of good news for them is that they don't have to face the Tiger-Cats again this season.