CFL Beat: Week 21

The playoff picture is now almost set – save for two final important games that will determine the winner of the West Division, and an always-valuable first-round playoff bye! We have one “meaningless” week of football – but I do hope all the same that it’s mildly entertaining. The final week of the regular season can sometimes be a complete, worthless slog – but at least we do have a couple of intriguing to note in our Western matchups, as previously noted. Not too much on the news this week, but expect to see a few more notes once the regular season officially concludes and we see the dominoes fall for further coach firings and players opting to test free agency.

Onto the games!

WEEK 20 RECAPS

Calgary 20 vs. Hamilton 42: With a season like Bo Levi Mitchell is having this year, it’s somewhat surprising that the Tiger-Cats aren’t playoff-bound, but alas, that’s the nature of what having an abominable defence does to a team. At any rate, BLM had his best game ever in black & gold, and arguably one of the best of his entire CFL career… with 450 passing yards and five touchdowns, he absolutely shredded the lowly Stampeders through the air as the Tiger-Cats wrapped up their home schedule of the 2024 regular season. RB Greg Bell also had 139 rushing yards, and Calgary got absolutely walloped… after their first drive of the game was picked off by Tabbies DB Jonathan Moxey, Calgary folded like a cheap house of cards… the 30-9 halftime score was generous in representing just how badly things went for them. The Stamps haven’t won a game in eleven weeks… and likely soon to be twelve very soon. Ouch.

PICK: Hamilton

Ottawa 31 vs. Toronto 38: Don’t let the final score of this game fool you: this game was all Toronto right up through the fourth quarter; with a 38-6 lead the outcome wasn’t really in doubt. The REDBLACKS looked thoroughly outgunned all game, right up until that fourth quarter, when, surprisingly, they woke up and managed to score two TDs and also recover two(!!) onside kicks to keep possession going… but it was all for naught. Too little, too late – the REDBLACKS lost their fifth straight, and to make matters worse, also allowed the Argos to clinch second place in the East Division and secure the rights to host a home playoff game. Chad Kelly had three pass TDs and a rushing score, while Dru Brown, in his first game in several weeks, threw four TDs returning from an ankle injury… the REDBLACKS will need to show far more fight in the East Semifinal if they want to properly beat these Argos next time… Toronto’s getting hot at exactly the right time of year.

PICK: Toronto

RESULT: Toronto

Montreal 3 vs. BC 27: Vernon Adams, Jr. made his first start for the Lions since Week 9, and the Lions looked like the team they were back in the first half of the year thanks to his return from a knee injury. Against an Alouettes that was resting many starters – though still a formidable opponent – Adams had 393 passing yards and three total TDs, plus two interceptions; moreover, the Lions D, a sore spot over the last few weeks, looked like an absolutely ruthless unit out on the field. Both Cody Fajardo and Davis Alexander couldn’t get anything going against the defence, and Montreal was held off the scoreboard entirely until Jose Maltos kicked a field goal with eleven minutes left in the fourth quarter. While the result was moot for both teams, as each already knew where they were finishing in the standings, it does open some postseason intrigue for BC – and beyond, as well. With two expensive quarterbacks on the roster for 2025, both of whom are certified CFL starters, one of Nathan Rourke and Vernon Adams, Jr. will have to go next year. It really looked as though Rourke was going to be the one to stay when he was signed in August; but with the team’s slide of recent, the onus is now on VA to show that he should be the one to stay and Rourke should be the one to leave. A tough decision looms for the front office.

PICK: Montreal

RESULT: BC

BYE: Edmonton (6-11), Saskatchewan (9-7-1), Winnipeg (10-7)

WEEK 21 PREVIEWS

Hamilton (7-10) vs. Ottawa (8-8-1), Friday, October 25th, 7:00 PM EDT (TSN, CFL+): The REDBLACKS really, really need to right this sinking ship. Going into this game having lost five in a row, things are not looking great for the post-season ahead. While they have, of course, had to deal with a whole rash of injuries as of recent, they’re now getting a number of key contributors back, and so need to close out the regular season with a win in order to try and rid themselves of some of the bad habits and undisciplined play we’ve seen over the last month. I would expect to see most of their starters in order to try and re-establish some chemistry and work on starting much better out of the gate. Hamilton, on the flip side, will close out this year on the outside looking in to the playoff race; despite QB Bo Levi Mitchell having an MOP-calibre season, it just simply wasn’t enough to get the job done. He does have one more year left on his deal; going into his age 35 year, perhaps he does have a little something left to give… but moreover, it’s the defence that needs to be looked at in detail. They made significant strides once Chris Jones came in after getting fired in Edmonton, replacing Mark Washington as DC… but it was too little, too late on that front. Will Jones be willing to stay as a DC? Will some other team be insane enough to give him a shot as a head coach? There will be much soul-searching to do in the Hammer this winter.

PICK: Ottawa

Toronto (10-7) vs. Edmonton (6-11), Friday, October 25th, 9:30 PM EDT (TSN, CFL+): As the season winds down for the Elks, there are two significant questions that lie ahead for the offseason; who will take over on a permanent basis as the team’s head coach, and what fate befalls Tre Ford as a starting quarterback in the CFL. Jarious Jackson is 6-6 in his tenure as the interim guy following a brutal start by his predecessor, Chris Jones; but I am curious to see how much input new team owner Larry Thompson will choose to have with his football ops staff, particularly since the role of GM will also need to be filled as well. Secondly, under Chris Jones, Ford was oftentimes neglected, and seemingly only played under duress from fan pressure amidst some truly gut-wrenchingly football by the rest of the team. Tre Ford, while admittedly having had to deal with a few injuries this year, has mostly looked excellent again in the games he’s had a chance to start. While still young and continuing to develop skill in reading defences at the line of scrimmage, his running agility and speed and ability to improvise in and out of the pocket makes him a truly unique player. I still feel he absolutely deserves a chance to start somewhere; maybe under a new football ops regime he would consider re-signing with the Elks, but that’s hard to say. At any rate, he’s supposed to start this one, and it may be the last chance we get to see him in green and gold; hopefully, even with playoffs now impossible, that he can put on a show for the home fans. Toronto, meanwhile, just needs to stay healthy for the playoff drive about to begin. It wouldn’t shock me to see them sit just about everybody, but we’ll see soon whether or not the first-team offence will get to play at least a half.

PICK: Toronto

Winnipeg (10-7) vs. Montreal (12-4-1), Saturday, October 26th, 3:00 PM EDT (CTV, CFL+): If the Bombers win, they win the West; it’s as simple as that. I would expect them to play all of their starters to make this happen, as that first-round bye is such a valuable asset after such a long season of football. If the Bombers lose, they’ll also need Saskatchewan to lose in order to win the West; considering how terrible Calgary has looked in the second half of the year, it seems pretty likely that Saskatchewan will win; as such Winnipeg is going to be fighting like hell to keep their fate in their own hands. Montreal continues to be in that weird limbo of trying to balance rest versus rust, having clinched the East weeks ago; they opted to play some starters last week against BC, but really didn’t look great against a determined Lions squad. Hard to say if it’s a focus or energy issue or the sign of something more concerning at play… but it sure would give fans a chance to feel better about going into the playoffs, where anything can, and does, happen in the CFL.

PICK: Winnipeg

Calgary (4-12-1) vs. Saskatchewan (9-7-1), Saturday, October 26th, 7:00 PM EDT (TSN, CFL+)You can bet the Riders’ coaching staff will be glued to the TV to see the outcome of the Winnipeg game earlier in the afternoon; if the Bombers win, no sense playing the starters in what then becomes an ultimately meaningless game. This has been the best Saskatchewan season in many years, so while a division title sure would be nice, I’m confident that fans will also settle for a deep playoff run as a consolation prize. This is also almost certainly the end of the Dave Dickenson era in Calgary; while it has been a very successful tenure under his leadership, with seven straight playoff appearances, three division titles, three Grey Cup appearances, and one championship, all good things must come to an end. Maybe there’s an outside chance of one last win in red and black before DD shuffles off into the sunset.

PICK: Saskatchewan

BYE: BC (12-6), Edmonton (4-14), Saskatchewan (6-12)

STANDINGS AND STATS

East Division Standings

Team Games Wins Losses Ties Points For Points Against
y-Montreal 17 12 4 1 428 376
x-Toronto 17 10 7 0 485 448
x-Ottawa 17 8 8 1 406 457
e-Hamilton 17 7 10 0 464 520

West Division Standings

Team Games Wins Losses Ties Points For Points Against
x-Winnipeg 17 10 7 0 419 339
x-Saskatchewan 17 9 7 1 466 407
x-BC 18 9 9 0 448 439
e-Edmonton 17 6 11 0 473 470
e-Calgary 17 4 12 1 383 415

x – clinched playoff spot
y – clinched division
e – eliminated from playoff contention

Passing Yards

  1. Mitchell, HAM – 5026
  2. Collaros, WPG – 4005
  3. Bethel-Thompson, EDM – 3748

Passing TDs

  1. Mitchell, HAM – 31
  2. Bethel-Thompson, EDM – 24
  3. Harris, SSK – 20

Rushing Yards

  1. Oliveira, WPG – 1318
  2. Stanback, BC – 1175
  3. Carey, TOR – 1060

Receiving Yards

  1. McInnis, BC – 1469
  2. Hardy, OTT – 1343
  3. White, HAM – 1126

Defensive Tackles

  1. Beverette, MTL – 107
  2. Anderson, EDM – 106
  3. Morgan, EDM – 103

Sacks

  1. Ceresna, TOR– 8
  2. Wakefield, OTT – 8
  3. Holley, TOR – 8

Interceptions

  1. Milligan, SSK – 8
  2. Ford, WPG – 7
  3. Bynum, EDM – 5

Field Goals

  1. Ward, OTT – 53
  2. Hajrullahu, TOR – 52
  3. Lauther, SSK – 51

PICK POOL

Well, once again, I boffed it on entering my picks, so I’m officially out of the running for this year’s pool prize. At 47 points, it’s going to take a miracle for anybody to beat Balls this year. In one week’s time, we’ll know the results of our 2024 regular season!

Remember to submit your picks here! https://www.pooltracker.com/join.asp?poolid=231808

Rank Total Points Weekly Score Win Percentage
Ballsofsteelandfury 47 2-1 61.04%
SonOfSpam 44 3-0 57.14%
WCS 41 1-2 53.25%
The Maestro 41 0-3 53.25%
BC Dick 40 3-0 51.95%
Gumbygirl 3 3-0 48.05%
Game Time Decision 35 1-2 46.75%
Don T 34 1-2 46.75%
The Right Reverend Electric Mayhem 5 0-3 6.49%

Enjoy the games, everyone.

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The Maestro
The Maestro is a mystical Canadian internet user and New England Patriots fan; when the weather is cooperative and the TV signal at his igloo is strong enough, he enjoys watching the NFL, the Ottawa Senators & REDBLACKS, and yelling into the abyss on Twitter. He is somehow allowed to teach music to high school students when he isn't in a blind rage about sports, and is also a known connoisseur of cheap beers across the Great White North.
https://www.doorfliesopen.com/index.php/author/the-maestro/
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SonOfSpam
yeah right

Fucking wonderful. Had an employee abandon their job while I was off yesterday so now I’m running in circles with the immediate termination, notifying Security, sourcing for new hire etc. I have a prospective new hire in background check right now for another position.

Just goddamn wonderful.

Last edited 27 days ago by yeah right
King Hippo

aim one of them thar Jewish Space Lasers at ’em

Doktor Zymm

Bummer 🙁
Hope everything gets sorted out quickly

Gumbygirl

That’s rough. I hope you can join us tonight to watch your Vikes, and forget about the real world for a little bit.!

yeah right

I’ll be there for that!

SonOfSpam

Based on the commercials I’ve been seeing, he didn’t abandon the job, he was killed by an immigrant who was let out of prison early by a liberal DA, after transitioning to a different gender on our tax dollars.

WCS

While raising taxes and manufacturing meth and fentanyl and subverting the 2020 election in the year 2024 in Benghazi with Hillary’s emails!

Redshirt

While Democrat Senators forcibly gave school age boys gender reassignment surgery in order to give government-mandated abortions to feed the fetuses to dogs who are fed to illegal immigrants.

WCS

And put tampon dispensers in women’s restrooms!

Did you Tim Walz spends his free time hanging around kids, and telling them what to do?! SOSHLIST GROOMER!!1!

Redshirt

I still don’t get abandoning a job. Why pass off an opportunity to cuss out the people who pissed you off?

Doktor Zymm

Do they eat Uncrustables in the CFL too? Do they even have them in the Hat?
See shared article for full chart
https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/5854102/2024/10/24/uncrustables-nfl?source=user-shared-article

Screenshot_20241024-114827.png
Game Time Decision

they are up here too but havenae tried one.
/had to google it

King Hippo

I am a very strange mammal. But for the life of me, NEVAR understood what anyone’s problem would or could be with bread crusts.

Doktor Zymm

They’re actually healthier for you than the rest of the bread as the maillard reaction creates some antioxidents or something.

I was a weird kid in that I never liked pb&j and still don’t. I got bologna sandwiches instead, then moved on to turkey and cheese

Gumbygirl

It always amazed me that people would buy these. How fucking lazy are you that it’s too much work to make a pbj? Not to mention that these frozen frisbees of sadness are waaaaaaaaay more expensive than just slapping a sammy together!q

Gumbygirl

It’s the return of the Random Q!

SonOfSpam
blaxabbath

Look at my photo skills. They call me Brett Meathook.

comment image

LemonJello

“No, no one has ever called you Brett Meathook.” *heavy sigh*

-Deanna Favre

Game Time Decision

I thought that you were surrounded by mountains on all 4 sides of your house.

Brick Meathook

https://ibb.co/gzKm9zx

Brick Meathook
Self Portrait at Fallingwater
2023

Doktor Zymm

Is that a frank lloyd wright house?

Gumbygirl

It is. I grew up literally a half hour away from it, and I’ve never been there. I used to go skiing very close to it.

Gumbygirl

That’s a nice yard you got, if you can keep it.

Rikki-Tikki-Deadly

“It’d be a shame if something were to happen to it…” – the sun

Horatio Cornblower

There’s a pretty good forest fire going on in central CT. As you can imagine, we don’t deal with these very much, and we’ve had the National Guard deployed and some specialists from Maine have come down.

There’s a guy on the news giving updates right now. He is probably a good firefighter but he is very clearly not a public speaker and seems like he would very much face down a 40′ high wall of fire than talk for 4 more minutes.

And as I type that last sentence he turned it over to someone else and literally ran away from the camera.

Go fight that fire, chief.

blaxabbath

Rake your damn forest floors!

Redshirt

I see we’ve entered the Pandering Lightning Round of the 2024 US Elections:

Harris: “I have faith! I pray every day; sometimes twice!”
Trump: “That’s nothing! I have an abortions three times daily!”

Horatio Cornblower

That reminds me, it’s almost time for my semi-annual donation of the average price of an abortion to Planned Parenthood. Each year I donate in honor of someone who richly deserves to have been aborted the honor. Previous honorees have included Justices Alito and Kavanaugh.

I am open to suggestions this year. Justice Thomas seems both too obvious and also too likely to try to cash the check himself, since his name would be on it.

King Hippo

I do this every Christmas.

SonOfSpam

Future Attorney General Ailenn Cannon?

Horatio Cornblower

-shudder-

Doktor Zymm

JD Vance’s couch probably should get an abortion, just in case

Rikki-Tikki-Deadly

“No, no, we could use a matching ottoman.” – Usha Vance, who has been looking the other way for almost fifteen years now

LemonJello

JD’s favorite piece of Usha’s lingerie:

comment image

Rikki-Tikki-Deadly

Thanks for the reminder, let’s see if I can get this to the front page…

https://www.reddit.com/r/pics/comments/1gbbd9b/usha_vance_spices_up_this_years_halloween_with_a/

Redshirt

Trump. His neurosis will force him to post the thank you note from Planned Parenthood on his NotTwitter.

Doktor Zymm

That’s way too coherent for Trump “Abortions? Twenty years they’ve said I had the best abortions, better even, abortions, best, no Biden he might have no abortions, Kamala! KA-MA-LA-NA-BA, best abortions”

Last edited 27 days ago by Doktor Zymm
2Pack

The Al’s must have been resting starters.

ballsofsteelandfury

One more week. One more week and I get my Fleshlight!!

2Pack

Just remember… when you do get it…

ws9irims3vgnnfkiivj5.png
Horatio Cornblower

How’d that work out for Amelia, anyway?

2Pack

I trust it kept her happy until the end.

Horatio Cornblower

I see they may have found her plane under 15,000’+ of water.

Doesn’t bode well for Amelia being found alive.

Rikki-Tikki-Deadly

Elon Musk should build his own submersible and go down to check it out personally. And ignore any structural noises he hears on the way down; those are just pressure cracks. They make the vessel descend faster.

Horatio Cornblower

“Only a libtard pussy wouldn’t make a deep sea submersible out of Legos, Elon. You’re not a libtard pussy, Elon, are you?”

Rikki-Tikki-Deadly

I mean if his aborted plan to fight Mark Zuckerberg is any indication, he’s absolutely a pussy. Big enough of one to feed a Haitian family for a whole week.

Last edited 27 days ago by Rikki-Tikki-Deadly
2Pack

As vast as the Pacific is this makes more sense than any, they hit some secluded island theory.
Then again there were probably other Japanese and Allies twin engine planes lost as well.
5k underwater is unmanned submersible territory only.

2Pack

Just had to look this up… the Titanic is sitting at 3.8k under.

Gumbygirl

She’d be 127. Just a pup!

SonOfSpam

She’s in better shape than the Titan passengers

Rikki-Tikki-Deadly

I was under the impression that the Titan passengers could be sculpted like mashed potatoes into whatever shape one desired.

Last edited 27 days ago by Rikki-Tikki-Deadly