Well, the CFL got themselves probably one of the best opening weeks in recent memory – scoring was up, the pace was quick, and excitement – particularly in Vancouver – was palpable. After a week filled with excitement and sizzle, Week 2 has a lot to live up to. I remain optimistic all the same.

In league news this week:

• TSN announced Tuesday that TV ratings for Week 1 games were down 15% compared to the previous two seasons; while this is certainly concerning to me at first glance, the earlier start to the season, particularly when coupled with a crowded sports landscape featuring the NHL and NBA playoffs and a good year for Blue Jays baseball, might give some better context for these figures. We should also probably consider that these figures don’t take into account the streaming numbers from TSN’s online subscription service, nor those numbers from RDS, the network’s French-language affiliate.
• With all-star running back William Stanback on the shelf for the next while thanks to a broken ankle suffered last week, Montreal trade their sixth-round pick to Edmonton for RB Walter Fletcher; he’ll back up Jeshrun Antwi in the backfield until Stanback returns later this year. Last year for Edmonton, Fletcher played in 11 games, racking up 67 carries for 302 yards and 22 catches for 177 yards.
• Montreal also signed RB Shane Simpson to fill out their backfield; Simpson spent four years at Towson and one at Virginia, with 1925 all-purpose yards and 13 touchdowns in 35 games with the Tigers and 600 all-purpose yards and three scores for the Cavaliers in 2020. Simpson will likely start on the practise squad, but Montreal’s RB depth chart may end up looking quite different very soon.
• Edmonton made a few other transactions in the wake of last week’s stinker of a loss to the BC Lions, releasing OL Antonio Garcia and WR Caleb Holley; they also signed DB Ethan Makonzo and QB Mike Beaudry. Makonzo is the older brother of DB Enock Makonza, who was the Elks’ first-round pick in this year’s CFL Draft, while Beaudry was a late cut by the Elks in training camp, where he spent the majority of his offensive reps playing fullback.
• After being a surprise training camp cut last week by Ottawa, the Calgary Stampeders signed DB Trumaine Washington, who led the league in interceptions last year. With a few people banged up on D, he’ll have the chance to make an immediate impact for Calgary.
• Ti-Cats’ LB Simoni Lawrence was fined yet again for – you guessed it – another late, high hit on a QB, this time against Cody Fajardo. Lawrence himself has said repeatedly, even after multiple fines and suspensions for a series of late, and often high, hits to QBs, that he has no intentions of changing how he plays the game. BS talk from a guy who almost ended Zach Collaros’ career a few years ago… Calgary DB Raheem Wilson and Ottawa DB Sherrod Baltimore were also fined for high hits in their respective Week 1 matchups.

Onto the games!

WEEK 1 RECAPS

Montreal 27 vs. Calgary 30: This game was an offensive slugfest that unfortunately cost the Als their top running back in William Stanback, who’s sidelined with a broken ankle for at least the next six games… the only damper on a game that was a fantastic welcome back for Canadian football this year. Before his injury, Stanback had a touchdown on a nice draw play in the red zone, but his replacement Jeshrun Antwi, playing in his hometown, had a very solid night as the Alouettes’ new #1 rusher, with 98 yards on seven carries. Calgary’s Ka’Deem Carey had himself a great night as well, with 90 total yards and two majors on the ground. With numerous lead changes throughout the night, Calgary’s Rene Paredes kicked his third field goal of the game from 38 yards out, which sealed the deal for the Stamps; a final Hail Mary attempt from Vernon Adams, Jr. was unsuccessful for Montreal.

PICK: Calgary

RESULT: Calgary

Ottawa 17 vs. Winnipeg 19: In a surprising and rare occurrence, the defending Grey Cup champs did not deserve to win this game. But they find themselves having closed out a home victory thanks to the Ottawa REDBLACKS not being able to capitalize on dominant field position and possession time. New QB Jeremiah Masoli had a few deep shots that put Ottawa in good position, but they just couldn’t quite turn them all into touchdowns. The REDBLACKS had a nice kick from Lewis Ward that put them up 17-16 with 1:46 left on the clock; with Bombers starter Zach Collaros sidelined late due to a high hit, backup Dru Brown marched Winnipeg down the field to muster the game-winning kick with just a second left on the clock. A disappointing end for Ottawa fans, but after a performance like this one, there’s infinitely more hope for the 2022 season than there was for either of the previous two.

PICK: Winnipeg

RESULT: Winnipeg

Hamilton 13 vs. Saskatchewan 30: This game started slowly before the Roughriders cracked it wide open in the fourth quarter. With both teams only kicking field goals through the first three frames, Hamilton scored the first TD of the game when Dane Evans connected with Steven Dunbar for a 71-yard bomb that he took to the house… but that was all they’d get. Saskatchewan was already up by 9 before the major, and the Tiger-Cats crumbled shortly afterwards. Cody Fajardo found Kian Schaffer-Baker on a red zone series, and the Riders’ D helped turn a Dane Evans interception into another Saskatchewan TD by giving Fajardo a short field to work with, where he called his own number and punched it in himself for his second major of the night. Not the start that Hamilton wanted, but there’s a lot of season left – and even with a less potent secondary than last season, Saskatchewan’s D remains a force to be reckoned with.

PICK: Saskatchewan

RESULT: Saskatchewan

Edmonton 15 vs. BC 59: Good lord, what a beatdown from the Lions. QB Nathan Rourke and RB James Butler – two sophomore CFLers – had themselves career nights in the season opener. Rourke went 26-29 for 282 yards, three TDs, and no picks, while adding seven carries for 78 yards on the ground and two rushing majors, while Butler had 17 carries for 108 rush yards and two scores, plus six catches for 33 yards and two receiving TDs. The Lions scored 42 in the first half alone – the most in team history – and set the tone on both sides of the ball over the entire game. The Elks used a rotating cast at QB due to their lack of any offensive consistency and strong pressure from BC’s D, as Nick Arbuckle, Kai Locksley, and Tre Ford all taking snaps under centre, racking up a combined four interceptions. We knew Edmonton was going to be bad – but I don’t think anybody saw them being this bad.

PICK: BC

RESULT: BC

BYE: Toronto

WEEK 2 PREVIEWS

Montreal (0-1) vs. Toronto (0-0), Thursday, June 16th, 7:30 PM EDT (TSN, ESPN2): It’s the Argos’ home opener, and Alouettes’ owner Gary Stern made some headlines earlier in the week where he explicitly stated they were going to “kill” Toronto out there at BMO Field. By sheer default, Toronto leads the East right now – but there are some notable questions that remain about this year’s team. Most notably, can McLeod Bethel-Thompson find the next level in his game and display the #1 QB potential of guys like Vernon Adams, Jr., Zach Collaros or Jeremiah Masoli? For Montreal, can they weather the storm of an extended William Stanback absence?

PICK: Montreal

Winnipeg (1-0) vs. Ottawa (0-1), Friday, June 17th, 7:30 PM EDT (TSN, ESPN2): It’s a rematch of last week’s season opener, and Ottawa is out for revenge. The REDBLACKS may have #1 tailback William Powell back ready to go for this game, potentially adding another unique look on offence, but they are down starting safety Justin Howell for likely the next six games. Winnipeg was lucky to get a win last week – if the REDBLACKS can turn some of those sustained drives into touchdowns, rather than the ill-timed drops they saw last week, this team is going to be a serious threat this year.

PICK: Ottawa

Calgary (1-0) vs. Hamilton (0-1), Saturday, June 18th, 6:30 PM EDT (TSN, ESPN+): Bo Levi Mitchell was injured just before the fourth quarter last week against Montreal, so sophomore Jake Maier stepped in to lead the comeback for the Stampeders; Mitchell had a walking boot on earlier in the week, but it’s apparently come off in practice and he seems to be likely to start again on Saturday. That’s good news for Calgary, who will need a lot from their offence to deal with Hamilton; the Ti-Cats were mostly locked down by Saskatchewan, and Calgary lacks the same playmakers that the Riders sport on the defensive side of the ball. If we see another back-and-forth game, that wouldn’t be the worst thing in the world, now, would it?

PICK: Hamilton

Saskatchewan (1-0) vs. Edmonton (0-1), Saturday, June 18th, 9:30 PM EDT (TSN, ESPNews): Last week was about the worst-case scenario for the Elks; I think it unlikely they repeat such a uniquely inept performance. Nick Arbuckle is apparently going to start again, though if last week’s performance was any indication, he’ll likely be on a short leash once more. If the Riders’ D plays like it did last week – heck, even if they don’t play quite up to that level – they’ll have to chance to feast on their division rivals.

PICK: Saskatchewan

BYE: BC (1-0)

STANDINGS AND STATS

East Division Standings

West Division Standings

Passing Yards

1. Masoli, OTT – 380
2. Fajardo, SSK – 311
3. Rourke, BC – 282

Passing TDs

1. Rourke, BC – 3
2. Evans, HAM – 1
3. Fajardo, SSK – 1

Rushing Yards

1. Butler, BC – 108
2. Antwi, MTL – 98
3. Rourke, BC – 78

Receiving Yards

1. Acklin, OTT – 143
2. Lewis, MTL – 112
3. Whitehead, BC – 110

Sacks

1. Teuhema, BC – 3
2. Robertson, SSK – 2
3. Adeyemi-Berglund, CGY – 1

Interceptions

1. Lee, BC – 2
2. Marshall, SSK – 1
3. Pickett, MTL – 1

Field Goals

1. Lauther, SSK – 5
2. Ward, OTT – 3
3. Castillo, EDM – 3

PICK POOL

Week 1 of picking is always a crapshoot. Last year saw lots of people wrong to start things off… looks like we’re the exact opposite this year. At least things tend to stay pretty tight until about Week 7 or 8 – and if you still haven’t joined the pool, it’s definitely not too late! A one-point lead is hardly insurmountable.

Remember to submit your picks here! https://www.pooltracker.com/join.asp?poolid=205786

Enjoy the games, everyone.