I can’t do heat. Never have been able to handle it. There’s a good reason why NFL football only begins in September; climate change is making some of these early season games just absolutely unbearable from an in-person perspective. When thinking about the old nugget of conventional CFL wisdom in that “the season doesn’t really begin until Labour Day”, I’d like to imagine that half of that truism comes from the fact that so many casual fans just can’t handle mid-afternoon sun for three hours in July. I guess that means I’m getting soft, but I’m also fortunate to have reached that life stage where I no longer need to care.

In league news this week:

• Toronto released RB Kevin Brown for the second time this season; he started as the Argos’ leading rusher in the team’s game against Hamilton two weeks ago and scored a touchdown, but Deonte McMahon and Miyan Williams are both off the injured list and returning to game action this week, pushing him off the roster once again. Based on his strong 2023 campaign one has to wonder if he’ll get a look again, but after being cut three times in less than a year by Edmonton and Toronto, and knowing that RB careers are short, that clock may be ticking very quickly now.
• Star Argos OL Ryan Hunter will be out 6-8 weeks after he was hit by a car while riding an electric scooter on the way to practise on Tuesday; the winner of last season’s Most Outstanding Offensive Lineman award, that’s a huge loss up front for Toronto.
• The CFL officially reinstated DL Shawn Lemon, with a list of very strict conditions on his reinstatement to the league that need to be followed. Lemon was suspended indefinitely last season following a league investigation confirming that he gambled on CFL games in which he played in during the 2021 campaign; with his successful reinstatement, he’ll still need to serve a two-game PED suspension before joining whichever team signs him; he was most recently a Montreal Alouette and chatter is they are close to re-signing him once more.

Onto the games!

WEEK 6 RECAPS

Calgary 24 vs. Saskatchewan 10: That’s two straight weeks that the Stamps have beaten a division title favourite, and once again, it’s full credit to the defence for making it happen, forcing two key fumbles and keeping pressure on Trevor Harris all game. Vernon Adams, Jr. went over 400 yards passing for the first time as a Stamp, and also threw three TDs on the night, including the 100th of his CFL career. Rookie receiver Damien Alford had two TD catches for Calgary, while receiver Joe Robustelli had a big night for Saskatchewan with 150 receiving yards and a TD grab of his own.

PICK: Saskatchewan

RESULT: Calgary

Ottawa 20 vs. Hamilton 23: It wouldn’t be a REDBLACKS game without them finding new ways to disappoint me; the team led until partway through the third quarter, when the Tiger-Cats scored a touchdown off a great catch from Kenny Lawler to tie things up; after trading field goals, Ottawa would go ahead again thanks to a William Stanback rushing score, but the Tabbies’ D picked off Dru Brown with 10 minutes to play and scored a field goal on the ensuing drive. As time wound down, QB Bo Levi Mitchell found Lawler for the game-winning TD – his second score of the night – and then the D responded by forcing a turnover on downs to kill the clock and secure the win.

PICK: Hamilton

RESULT: Hamilton

BC 32 vs. Edmonton 14: Nathan Rourke went 26-30 for 345 yards, two TDs, and an interception off a tipped pass, while RB James Butler racked up 33 touches for 207 total yards. The Lions’ Canadian quarterback is now 5-0 in his career against Edmonton and have secured victory in the season series by winning the first two of three total games. The Elks’ secondary got worked again, but of more concern was the lack of protection the O-line gave to Tre Ford, who went 4-12 passing on the night for just 34 yards and an interception. Cody Fajardo entered the game in the fourth quarter and put up two TDs for the Elks, but the game was already well out of reach by that point.

PICK: Edmonton

RESULT: BC

BYE: Toronto (1-4), Montreal (3-2), Winnipeg (3-1)

WEEK 7 PREVIEWS

Toronto (1-4) vs. Montreal (3-2), Thursday, July 17th, 7:30 PM EDT (TSN, CCBSSN, FL+): The Alouettes will have both #1 QB Davis Alexander and #1 WR Austin Mack back healthy for this contest, while the Argos are still missing Sex Pest Chad Kelly under centre. Maybe this especially heinous start to the year for the Double Blue is just karmic balance for his wretched actions in 2023. Maybe I’m just thinking too wishfully here. Still feels hard to bet against a rested Als side, at home, coming off a bye at full strength.

PICK: Montreal

Calgary (4-1) vs. Winnipeg (3-1), Friday, July 18th, 8:30 PM EDT (TSN, CBSSN, CFL+): I have been greatly impressed with the Stamps thus far this year. Defensively they’ve looked like an entirely different team than 2024 in the most positive of all ways. They’ve beaten division faves Winnipeg and Saskatchewan in consecutive weeks… if they can do it on the road in Winnipeg this week then I am absolutely sold on them being considered a Grey Cup contender. Winnipeg has been fortunate to have two bye weeks early in their schedule; things are going to get a lot tougher moving forward. Health is going to be everything.

PICK: Winnipeg

Saskatchewan (4-1) vs. BC (3-3), Saturday, July 19th, 7:00 PM EDT (TSN, CTV, CBSSN, CFL+): Nathan Rourke looked great last week, and the Lions will need him to be truly great once again if they want to beat the Riders. Saskatchewan won the previous matchup three weeks ago, when Rourke was sidelined and Jeremiah Masoli threw three picks… with the Lions back home and with Rourke healthy I would imagine this one goes differently. Important to note, however, that Saskatchewan was also missing Trevor Harris with a concussion that week, so perhaps we end up seeing more of a shootout than before.

PICK: Saskatchewan

Hamilton (3-2) vs. Ottawa (1-5), Sunday, July 20th, 7:00 PM EDT (TSN, CFL+): If the REDBLACKS lose this game – and considering they continue to find new ways to snatch defeat from the jaws of victory – I truly don’t see how you can keep Bob Dyce on as head coach. I understand that the coaching salary cap makes it difficult to do much other than promote coordinators when doing in-season firings, but something needs to give. I was of the opinion, in fact, that Dyce should have been fired in the offseason after such a bad second half – and awful playoff defeat – from last year, but too little, too late now. Perhaps Kenny Lawler ripping a new one in the Ottawa defence might make the business ops people finally not so conservative and cowardly and do what needs to be done. This fanbase is going to disappear if they can’t stay competitive.

PICK: Hamilton

BYE: Edmonton (1-4)

STANDINGS AND STATS

East Division Standings

West Division Standings

Passing Yards

1. Mitchell, HAM – 1485
2. Adams, Jr., CGY – 1453
3. Arbuckle, TOR – 1449

Passing TDs

1. Mitchell, HAM – 11
2. Arbuckle, TOR – 7
3. Rourke, BC – 7

Rushing Yards

1. Butler, BC – 474
2. Mills, CGY – 396
3. Ouellette, SSK – 356

Receiving Yards

1. Lawler, HAM – 578
2. Hatcher, BC – 516
3. Lewis, OTT – 422

Defensive Tackles

1. Awe, BC – 46
2. Anderson, EDM – 39
3. Pickett, OTT – 36

Sacks

1. Chatfield, TOR – 5
2. Kendricks, HAM  – 4
3. Hendrix, BC – 3

Interceptions

1. Peters, HAM – 3
2. Campbell, SSK – 2
3. Bridges, WPG – 2

Field Goals

1. Maltos, MTL – 16
2. Ward, OTT – 14
3. Liegghio, HAM – 12

PICK POOL

I’m under the 50% correct mark on my picks past Week 1 of the season for the first time since I can remember. This has really not been my year thus far. We’re going to need to see a bunch of injury recoveries to try and salvage this for me, as this has been an ugly first third of the season.

Remember to submit your picks here! https://www.pooltracker.com/join.asp?poolid=243178

Enjoy the games, everyone.