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CFL Week 7 Recap
37 Plays2 months ago
The Goal Post is back for it’s 75th episode to recap more CFL Football!
Damien and Patrick start off the show by talking about the Argos heartbreaking loss in Montreal to the Alouettes, and why Montreal will be seriously tested over the next six weeks. Next, they discuss just how impressive the Calgary Stampeders continue to be, while Winnipeg is similarly headed into an uphill battle. The Roughriders keep pace in the West with an impressive win over the Lions, and Hamilton continues its heater after beating up yet again on a dismal Redblacks team.
The Boys then issue another edition of The Goal Post 3 Stars of the Week before doing an update to the CFL power rankings to take into account Week 7 wins and losses, before moving to Week 8.
They quickly preview each game on the Week 8 slate, including moving lines and quick thoughts, before giving out their Week 8 picks - The Podcast is 15-9 to date.
Enjoy!
Intro: 0:00 - 1:36
ALOUETTES 26 ARGOS 25: 1:37 - 13:55
STAMPEDERS 41 BLUE BOMBERS 20: 13:56 - 25:10
ROUGHRIDERS 33 LIONS 27: 25:11 - 36:29
TICATS 30 REDBLACKS 15: 36:30 - 45:48
3 Stars of the Week: 45:49 - 49:46
Power Rankings: 49:47 - 51:58
Week 8 Preview: 51:59 - 1:01:27
Week 8 Picks: 1:01:27 - 1:01:56
Recommended
Transcript
00:00:00
Speaker
Yeah
00:00:30
Speaker
All right, welcome back to another episode of The Goalpost, our 75th episode.
Weekend Games and CFL Season Excitement
00:00:38
Speaker
Coming back after week seven in the CFL. A lot of sevens going on.
00:00:43
Speaker
Beautiful weekend in the CFL. We haven't had bad rain games or bad weather games in a while. We're right in the middle of the summer here. how are we doing, Patrick? Good. Three quarters of a century with you, it appears, with the episodes.
00:00:56
Speaker
um But yeah, it was good. it was ah It was nice to get four games back on the schedule this week. Three... Three, especially when, you know, there was a delay in a doubleheader on Saturday and Sunday. It just didn't feel right. So it was nice to kind of get back in the normal swing of things for the CFL season.
Argos vs Alouettes: First Half Dominance and Second Half Comeback
00:01:12
Speaker
And I mean, the games did not disappoint either. It was it was kind of all over the place. He got, you know, some high scoring, you know, just offensive shootouts. ah Some back and forth games, a collapse, and just another lack of lack of points in the finale once again. So it was kind of a a fun week. It was just nice to get back to normal. And yeah, we're we're back at it again.
00:01:37
Speaker
Yeah, we got to we're going to start back at the start of the week ah with some some real heartbreak. We're going to start back on Thursday. Alouette's 26, Argo's 25. argos twenty five This was a nightmare of a game if you're an Argos fan.
00:01:55
Speaker
um One of the best first halves of the Argos entire season, I would say. like They dominated this first half. They were up eighteen to seven Montreal ran the ball 16 times. at Or sorry, threw the ball 16 times in a row.
00:02:12
Speaker
Did not run it for quite a while in this game. The defense was showing up. Nick Arbuckle and the offense was clicking like everything was going right in the first half of this game. It, it was their best first half of the season.
00:02:26
Speaker
Like, you know, the first quarter was kind of like lackluster. They, they got some points on the board. Obviously, you know, it seems like they start every first quarter with a field goal aside from one game as, as opposed from a touchdown, which you'd like to change, but at least, you know, first team to score once again, and then they got it going a bit in the second quarter, two touchdowns, obviously ah punt single, you know,
00:02:47
Speaker
Coxie, of course, in the corner of the end zone like he always does. So it it was just nice that they kind of were just improving from their first drives of the game, getting better, and then finding their way in the end zone. And like you said, 18-7 at half.
00:03:01
Speaker
And Montreal just kind of looked... you know, as bad as they've looked with Davis Alexander at quarterback this year. And you're saying, okay, the defense has made the adjustments they've needed, especially from the past couple of weeks.
00:03:14
Speaker
And they're, they're just looking like more of a complete team here. And then the second half started and like, it was clear that Montreal made the necessary adjustments in their locker room.
00:03:26
Speaker
And the Argos, like I, it was just, I don't know how to put it into words, but the same team did not show up in the second half as as though as it was in the first half. It was just two ah polar opposite teams in the first half and the second half for the Toronto Argonauts.
00:03:44
Speaker
Yeah, I'm glad you you brought up adjustments because that's really what this game came down to. It seemed like the Argos made absolutely zero adjustments as the second half went on.
00:03:55
Speaker
Montreal obviously had a fixed game plan at halftime, started running the ball. And running the ball well, Davis Alexander got into a groove. It felt like, aside from, they started the third quarter with a touchdown drive.
00:04:10
Speaker
And you go, wow. Like, now we are up 26, or 25 to 7. This game is in the bag if you can just manage to even get field goals on some consecutive drives.
00:04:27
Speaker
The Argos scored zero points after that. After that opening drive touchdown of the third quarter, zero points on the board. Meanwhile, the Alouettes put up a 19-point second half and win this game by a single point.
Argos' Struggles and Leadership Needs
00:04:46
Speaker
It felt like they got 15 yards after the fact. After that first opening drive touchdown, it It was such bad offense, and the defense wasn't much better, but the offense was truly, truly horrific.
00:05:04
Speaker
Yeah, you said it was, you know, a field goal, you know, wins you the game. a rouge gets you to overtime. Like a point, a single point can get you to and a new game, a new opportunity to, you know, win this game.
00:05:19
Speaker
And they, like you said, they went down the field to start the third quarter. It was beautiful to see. it was, oh my God, this offense is clicking, defense is clicking. and And then it just went away. And it, you know, obviously Montreal, like we said, made the adjustments and Cole Spite,
00:05:34
Speaker
Cole Speaker ah had and kind of kicked off their offensive you know onslaught in the the second half, in the third quarter, in the fourth. ah He finished the game with nine receptions, 129 yards, and a touchdown.
00:05:48
Speaker
He kind of was like their guy who stepped up. They were really lacking on the offense. Someone was stepping up. You mentioned ah how much they were throwing the ball in the first half. It was nice to see like their running game, which has been pretty solid to start the year. Like Sean Thomas Arlington has stepped up tight tight to step up. And like, obviously we know what Davis Alexander ah can do with his legs as well.
00:06:11
Speaker
So it's nice that they shut down the running game and they weren't getting much in the passing game. And then they had a weapon step up. And once they finally got that sign of life on the offensive side, they didn't go away from it. Like they were saying, this is how we're going to beat you.
00:06:24
Speaker
We're not going to shy away from it. And we're just going to keep attacking this guy. weak spot, I guess it was because they just kept going to him like nine receptions. And then, you know, Rambo has five as your next receiver. And then like your top guy, like Mac only had three, obviously with 46 yards is pretty good game, but it was, it was cool speaker.
00:06:43
Speaker
And it was just the way that they were just saying, we're going to just use him to beat you. And then they just kept getting yardage, getting yardage. And then it was the Argos when, once you got, got back into the red zone,
00:06:56
Speaker
It was time to make a play, time to make a stop. And, you know, Travis McFadden had a nice interception in this game. He made some plays. He created offense off the interception. One more big p play from the defense, man.
00:07:09
Speaker
Like you ah hold one of these ah drives to a field goal. You look good. And they were so good in the first half. And I'm so impressed with you know yeah how different they looked after a week off. The defense was kind of the catalyst of the first half in a way and allowed the offense to get going.
00:07:26
Speaker
And then when we needed the defense the most, They just broke and they allowed the Alouettes to just win this game with touchdowns, especially late when Davis Alexander, Dave Alexander runs it in with less than two minutes left.
00:07:39
Speaker
Well, here's my thing with that is that I actually think the defense did make the play because you look at, they go down 25, 20 and Montreal driving and montreal is driving hit speaker again for a huge, huge play.
00:07:56
Speaker
Derek Sluka tracks him down from, it seemed like, halfway across the field and forces a fumble in the end zone that the Argos recover. And then four plays later, Nick Arbuckle takes a bad sack and fumbles it right back into the red zone for the Alouettes, who then, with, you know, two minutes left or or three and a half minutes left,
00:08:19
Speaker
go down, Davis Alexander gets the rushing touchdown, and they go up by one. So, like, it if you don't even, if you can even manage a punt on that drive and make the Alouettes go the entirety of the field for a touchdown because they're down by five, who knows what happens in that game? Like, Derek Sluka made the play.
00:08:38
Speaker
And then Nick Arbuckle, between that and the final interception... Which if you're playing three down ball, you don't have to throw that ball on an all out blitz.
00:08:50
Speaker
That's where you could take a sack between those two mistakes, gives away the ball twice and ends up they end up losing the game. Yeah, that is that is a good way to look at it. And we mentioned before, they scored to start the second half, then there's no more points on the board. So you're right, the offense probably is the one that's got to look in the mirror in this game a bit, because the defense, you know they weren't making plays.
00:09:17
Speaker
I just would have liked to see one more in crunch time, but you're right, like the offense caused the problems in the second half. And then honestly, I think was just kind of looking for someone to blame after this game because this is truly rock bottom for the Toronto Argonauts. I mean, there's there's been ugly games for this team this season.
00:09:36
Speaker
And, you know, the whole year, like they're one in six now, and it just hasn't been pretty all season long. And this is a game where it's, you can steal a game in the East. Like Davis Alexander was the starting quarterback. You weren't going against McLeod. Like it was a fully healthy Montreal team.
00:09:54
Speaker
And you still have Nick Arbuckle starting and you're on the road and you, you started off perfectly. It's a perfect first half. And then it just falls. It just collapses. And you just, you're kind of just staring at someone. You go what happened here?
00:10:08
Speaker
And it's not good for the Argonauts. It's, it's something where i don't know. They just need Chad Kelly. They just need us a boost on this team. Uh, and until Chad kind of comes back, I just, I worry about, you know, the, the morale in this room or like went to McManus. They just need a leader and, uh, just kind of an, an alpha in this room to kind of pick this team up because right now it doesn't get worse than, than where they are at this
Calgary's Commanding Victory and Leadership
00:10:34
Speaker
moment.
00:10:34
Speaker
It really does. And it felt like you know, a rock bottom kind of moment. I think getting McManus back was super noticeable in the first half of this game. Like the fact that Montreal didn't even want to try running the ball because he was in the middle seemed to be super apparent.
00:10:49
Speaker
um We'll get to our week eight preview later in the episode, but it's starting to feel like there are slight signs that i think Dave Naylor tweeted out that depending on how practice goes this week, Chad Kelly could start against the Blue Bombers on Saturday. So that is, you know, Argos fans are hoping and praying for that.
00:11:12
Speaker
they They've just, the the kind of, I'm not blaming, I think it's kind of more so coming out of Chad Kelly and the Argos camp. It's just been weird reporting on this whole Chad Kelly injury. It's, you know, two weeks ago in the bye week, he was rehabbing it in Buffalo. I believe there was some personal ah things going on over there as the reason why he was in Buffalo, but it's kind of just,
00:11:33
Speaker
It just feels like they're adding a week every single week where it's just like, I would rather you kind of under promise over deliver. And they're kind of over promising under delivering right now. And it's just kind of frustrating, but hopefully we can get him back soon or the Argos can get him back soon. And then, I mean, on the flip side, Davis Alexander back on the six game IL list. Like he's, he came in just to screw the Argos and said, I'm out for a bit now. Like that, that's what he just did.
00:11:57
Speaker
Yeah, it was really that last run. Like it was, it seemed apparent throughout the game that, you know, certain hits, certain scrambles, he was starting to like re-aggravate it. And then plant on that last run, you could see he immediately grabs the hamstring, of course, after scoring the game winning touchdown.
00:12:14
Speaker
Um, but yeah, he big night for him. he he tied Danny McManus's record of starting, um, eight 8-0 for consecutive wins to start a CFL career.
00:12:26
Speaker
He's just going to keep on getting chances at that now that he's on the six-game IR. um But it'll be interesting to see how this Montreal team is able to keep their head above water with McLeod now because you had lost two games in a row.
00:12:40
Speaker
Seems like, you know, now with six games in the real heart of the season after we've kind of passed the midway point or about to hit the midway point of the season, um that could be a a serious development here.
00:12:54
Speaker
and it also could mean that the Argos could still be in this race. Like Ottawa keeps losing games. Montreal is going to be without Alexander for six games. Like it is, it's never over in the CFL until really like late August.
00:13:09
Speaker
So if Chad Kelly comes back, who knows, this could be like a tale of two cities for, for the second half of the season for the Argos here. Yeah. And Montreal kind of looks like two very different teams without Davis Alexander. He provides a spark that McLeod cannot bring. And McLeod's a fine backup quarterback, but it's just,
00:13:28
Speaker
Their ah offense is so dangerous with Davis Alexander at quarterback. And yeah, the Argos, while it may look ugly, you're still technically in a playoff spot right now, which is just insane.
00:13:38
Speaker
And they have the red blocks to thank for that. But yeah, we'll we'll get into the red blocks later. they got They got even more problems, I think, than the Argos. Because at least the Argos have the light of the tunnel of like our starting quarterback hasn't played a game this year.
00:13:51
Speaker
So you you'd think they'd be better when Chad Kelly returns. You would. um We'll move to the second game of the week and the definitive statement that the Calgary Stampeders are the head and shoulders best team in the CFL.
00:14:08
Speaker
They walk into Winnipeg and put 21 on the Blue Bombers. 41 to 20 this game came out and they stand absolutely alone on the top of the CFL standings.
00:14:22
Speaker
It They just proved that that gate that week week five win wasn't a fluke. There was no fluke involved. They now move to five and one. They match their win total from last year.
00:14:35
Speaker
And I think some people were on the win total for this season was like six and a half or seven and a half. Maybe they're going to smash that. Vernon Adams looks fantastic again.
00:14:46
Speaker
Three touchdowns. And this is Calgary's first win in Winnipeg since 2017. Bombers first home loss of the season. What another impressive game from Calgary.
00:14:59
Speaker
This is the best story of the season so far. Obviously, you know, we still have more than half of the season to go. But up to this point, this is. i It's not, i guess it is a bit of a surprise, but it's a reward for Calgary for going out and making the changes necessary.
00:15:16
Speaker
ah It starts with the quarterback and then ah also the defense. like The defense was is much improved. We talk about how Edmonton went out and signed so many guys, ah but Calgary like identified the correct you know personnel that they needed to improve this defense. They brought in you know leaders, veterans, guys that can help their locker room.
00:15:38
Speaker
and
00:15:40
Speaker
we we talked in our preview about maybe, you know, firing the coach and like how the coach is kind of starting the hot ah the season on the hot seat. Well, think it was a pretty good move by the Stamps for not overreacting to what was a horrible last season. it It seems like a one-off right now and they made the changes they needed to and to go this three-week stretch of hosting the Blue Bombers, winning by multiple scores, going on the road to the Rough Riders, winning by multiple scores, then going on the road to Winnipeg again and winning by multiple scores is the most impressive stretch run we've seen by a team this season.
00:16:17
Speaker
Yeah, it's hard to to understate how impressive that is. The types of atmospheres you're going in and winning at and And this is what gets asses in seats. Like, this is this is a revival of what is a great CFL city in Calgary. And that is how you truly change around the culture.
00:16:36
Speaker
You talk about changes to the defense. the change it like This DB core is unbelievable. Like, Damon Webb gets his second pick six of the season, second pick six on Zach Laros, or I guess, no, sorry, that Strebler threw the ball, but second pick six on the Blue Bombers.
00:16:55
Speaker
You got a guy like Anthony Johnson who steps in for an injured player, gets his first interception of the season in his first game starting. Like it, it there is gamers up and down this lineup on the defensive side of the ball.
00:17:10
Speaker
and you get wrapped up in how good this defense is that you almost forget how fantastic the offense is. Like Dominique rhymes was unstoppable in this game. Damian Alford gets two more touchdowns on two receptions on two receptions.
00:17:27
Speaker
Phil pot is in like on top of his game as well. Dedrick mills, another 13 rush, 70 yard game. Like it it, it's all up and down this lineup offense defense,
00:17:40
Speaker
And Vernon Adams is slinging the ball like ah bias aside of the MOP bet. Some of these throws that he's making on on second, third reads spinning out of s sacks like and that's truly what broke this game open was that second Damian Alford touchdown because it was a slow first half like it was going into to halftime. This was a very, very close game. It was really anybody's game to win still, um but It was in the second half that they absolutely just broke this game wide open.
00:18:13
Speaker
Yeah, it was it was impressive from the from the stamps and what Vernon Adams Jr. has been able to do this season. um It's really impressive because I think.
00:18:24
Speaker
I don't think people expected him to have the impact on this Calgary team that he has had up to this point, you know, 20 to one to win
Quarterback Performances and Injuries: Adams vs Mitchell
00:18:31
Speaker
the MOP. And now it's now it looks like a two man race would have been a three man race. Maybe if Davis Alexander could have stayed healthy, but I just don't think he's going to have enough games to kind of be in the race at the end of the season. We'll see what happens. Still a long way to go, but it seems like it's VA versus Bo Levi for the MOP this year. And it's been a very fun matchup to watch between the two. And yeah, the most impressive thing for me with VA is just his decision-making is noticeably improved. And every single year, it's kind of got better.
00:18:59
Speaker
He was a bit of a wild card back when he was with Montreal. He really didn't know what you're going to get from him. ah had Improved in his time with BC every single year, and he's still getting better. He's not young. like if This guy's a veteran quarterback, and he's still getting better, which is exactly what you want to see Uh, Adrian green also had a massive interception in the red zone, uh, in this. And to me, it was obviously, you know Vernon Adams jr. Is making plays a big turning point in this game as well was Caleros, you know, out for the game left. I believe it was like just before halftime is midway to late in the second quarter. I believe I don't have my notes on me at at the moment.
00:19:39
Speaker
And then Chris Strebler, who, you know has had some some highs in this league, and you know he's had some lows. I would say this game was one of the lows. It was kind of... you know The offensive line wasn't great for him, but he didn't kind of do them any favors either. It felt like any time there was any sort of pressure, you knew exactly what he was doing, and it was just running out to the right side.
00:20:01
Speaker
Every single time. It was it was just scramble out to the right, scramble out to the right, and you know he ends up throwing two interceptions, and it just... He wasn't making plays at at really at all in this game. And Vernon Adams was, and you know, all the offensive weapons on Calgary were, and it was just kind of it was very noticeable once Stravler came into this game and Calgary didn't let their foot off the gas. Like you said, just the second half, they just kept going, kept going that this was going to be a bit of a runaway game.
00:20:30
Speaker
Still very impressive to only, you don know, not only to, beat them by multiple scores, but put up 41 points on this bo Blue Bombers defense. That was kind of the most impressive part for me.
00:20:41
Speaker
Yeah, it tough hit on Kolaros. Clarence Hicks absolutely knocked his doors off. ah He goes out. They haven't, they've been quite coy with the injury. It seems like they're just classifying it as upper body.
00:20:55
Speaker
um But yeah, sometimes you get Strebler. it Like the best thing about Strebler was that he would step into games and immediately look comfortable. Like yeah there was a certain confidence in how he played and how he really like as soon as he he would get the snap, you were worried about if he was going to take off.
00:21:14
Speaker
Then early in the season, we saw him use his arm really well. ah This, you're right, was not one of those games. He just looked hesitant from the second he really got into that game.
00:21:25
Speaker
ah And a good defense will do that. So it's similar to Montreal. Winnipeg this season has been all over the place for the Blue Bombers. There's been times where they've looked like their normal self, where they've looked dominant.
00:21:39
Speaker
There's been other times even with Kolaros in ah that they really have not. And now you're going to, you know, who knows how long Kolaros is out with this injury. ah He's an old quarterback. I think they treat him with an abundance of caution, ah which they should.
00:21:54
Speaker
But now you have these two teams who have kind of been powerhouses the last two, three years, Winnipeg longer than that. ah in the CFL now going to have to go without their starting quarterback for probably quite a while. So things aren't only up for grab in the East.
00:22:11
Speaker
I'd say playoff spots are going to be up for grab in the West based on how these next five, six weeks go. Yeah. And unfortunately for Winnipeg, the the bottom of the West is not like the bottom of the East. Like BC is starting to put some wins together here. and it's just, it's a four, obviously Edmonton,
00:22:28
Speaker
needs to make something happen. ah Like down the stretch, they need to rip off, you know, four out of five or something to kind of get back into the mix here. But it's a four horse race for three spots. And if Winnipeg and Caleros is out for a while,
00:22:41
Speaker
they're going to need to find a way to win some games ugly. And they're just going to have to find a way to just survive this stretch. If he's out for an extended period of time, like we said, we, we don't exactly know how long it's going to be. i would, I think I'd be surprised if he plays, but I also do not know, you know, a lot. I'm just kind of basing that off ah what we're seeing on the point spread against the Argos this week.
00:23:02
Speaker
And it's not good, but with how, you know, like said, they've been at the top of this league for five, six years now. If any team is going to kind of find a way out of the, that it's not like a dungeon, but just a little bit of a dark period here and just a little bit of a low on their season.
00:23:20
Speaker
The Winnipeg Blue Bombers will find a way out of this. So I kind of will give them the benefit of the doubt there, but it's still not an ideal spot to be. And they're going to need to find a way to make some things happen. And When they play these games against Calgary, Saskatchewan, BC, like those are going to quickly turn into must-win games.
00:23:38
Speaker
When you play a team in the East, you can maybe get away with a loss. But when you're going head-to-head in these kind of four-point matchups against these other West teams, you're gonna have to find a way to win them. And you know the these teams in the West are firing on all cylinders.
00:23:53
Speaker
They appear to be healthy for now. In Winnipeg, You know, you lose, you lose to Calgary, you have a buy Now you get them at home and you lose again and you lose your starting quarterback. They're just not in the best spot going forward, but we'll see if they can kind of find a way and just, you know, just talk. I don't know i don't know what the, I i was going to say something else, but just kind of,
00:24:16
Speaker
you know, find a way to just back against the wall, step up and win some games down the stretch here and just kind of weather the storm and put yourself in a playoff spot for the second half of the season. Yeah, just it could be a a real transformation of how the dynamics of the East and West look in these next two weeks because Winnipeg goes into a home and home with Toronto. So if they come, let's say, you know, they, if they lose both of those games, all of a sudden the West looks massively different and the East looks massively different. So there's a lot on the line, especially if Chad Kelly comes back, ah then those two games already look massively different.
00:24:55
Speaker
um But yeah, overall, You come out super impressed with Calgary from this game, and you come out with a whole
Saskatchewan's Strategy Against BC Lions
00:25:03
Speaker
lot of questions for Winnipeg, not only in how they played with Glaros, but having to play now without him moving forward.
00:25:10
Speaker
um We'll move and stay in the West um with Saskatchewan going to BC and having a commanding win. The the score looks a lot closer than this game was.
00:25:23
Speaker
ah There was some cosmetic scoreboard cosmetic surgery here. um But Saskatchewan wins 33 to 27 over the Lions. A lot of weird motion before this game.
00:25:36
Speaker
Like i I took them on the money line because they were favored by one and a half. And it was a minus 120 money line. And by kickoff, it had almost switched entirely. Like I think it closed that like BC minus three Yeah, b BC was favored by at least two points. Obviously, it kind of depends what you're using to bet there. But BC, from when we recorded to when it, you know, the game kicked off, it was at least a three and a half point swing.
00:26:06
Speaker
So a lot of weird movement here. And clearly the the books were wrong on this one. Yeah, no kidding. And it was just it was right from the start. You know, Dante Myers, who's we've talked about some deep threats, you know,
00:26:20
Speaker
Carrick Wheatfield, Damien Alford's obviously in that conversation. Dante Myers is one of the more explosive players in this league. His speed can just make things happen out there. And you saw that with a 50-yard touchdown you're right away.
00:26:34
Speaker
and then, you know, Lother makes a field goal. Very encouraging sign for Saskatchewan. So i would say that's kind of your biggest concern up to this point. You bounce back after a loss, which is like, can our field goal kicker, can we trust him? And then they just get it. It was just, you know, 17 points in the first quarter is a statement on the road.
00:26:53
Speaker
And that's what Saskatchewan was able to do. Trevor Harris and this team kind of just came out and they said, you know, it's, we're coming off our first loss of the year and BC is riding a ah little mini two game winning streak here. And that that was kind of our preview was,
00:27:09
Speaker
what's going to happen here? Like is, Saskatchewan going to be able to bounce back after their first loss this season? Or is BC going be able to kind of ride this momentum? And right off the bat, you saw exactly what we, what, you know, the results of this game was, and it was Saskatchewan is going to bounce back.
00:27:24
Speaker
And they just kind of wanted to send a statement to BC and the rest of the league to say, you know, Calgary may be ahead of us based on like a head to head matchup, but we're still a top dog in the West. And they proved that in this game.
00:27:36
Speaker
Yeah, it was the first off, This was Trevor Harris's best game of the season. Maybe that first game against Ottawa at home. But he was absolutely humming the ball in this game. like same Same with Vernon Adams almost. It's similar performance where second read, third read, he's throwing fakes. He's dialing in balls to his receivers.
00:27:59
Speaker
And getting Emelis back was huge. He finished with 78 yards. ah Had a couple massive catches like that 66-yard catch in the second half. um but he was finding his receivers all over the place. And this was what Saskatchewan's offense looks like when it's at its best because AJ let 72 yards on 15 carries.
00:28:22
Speaker
The running game opens up the passing game. That is why this Rough Riders team is great on ah offense. When they can get their running game going, all of a sudden you're concerned with stopping AJ let, and they burn you through the air with one of their 50 amazing receivers.
00:28:36
Speaker
And that when Trevor Harris is on this offense works really perfectly in that sense, where they have a threat down the middle at running back and then really fast, speedy receivers who can go up and make plays.
00:28:51
Speaker
And it just seemed like B.C. was not ready for that on defense whatsoever, especially considering you go from playing Edmonton to then playing an offense like Saskatchewan. That's a pretty big level up.
00:29:03
Speaker
And then on defense, this was kind of, I would say, the return of like what we know this Rough Riders defense to be. Because although Nathan Rourke waited, I think it was until like the fourth quarter or late third quarter to take his first sack, he was getting pressured the entire game. He was being forced into making some pretty bad throws. He should have had a about...
00:29:24
Speaker
two more interceptions in this game ah that were dropped by by DBs on the Rough Riders. But yeah, this to me in this game, it was this is what Saskatchewan really looks like at their best. And I think they could even look a bit better. Like they didn't score any points in the fourth quarter.
00:29:41
Speaker
um But this is this is them getting back towards their level. Yeah, just then a really impressive response. And like you said, like there was some you there's some makeup on the scoreboard here and I think a lot of makeup on stat lines.
00:29:55
Speaker
what I don't know if you've looked at the stats, but what would you guess Nathan Roark's final stat line? eat Well, I'll just... 337 yards and three touchdowns. it just It doesn't feel that way. a lot of it was probably done in the fourth quarter.
00:30:11
Speaker
I don't know if it was Saskatchewan kind of taking their foot off the gas or it was just... They just go into the prevent, man. and And it's a problem. ah Obviously, it didn't and catch up to them in this game.
00:30:23
Speaker
but it's, it's been something that we've noticed throughout this CFL season that teams get like, it's, it's not even like a three score lead. It's two scores. And in the CFL, you know, you give up that one touchdown, one, one could catastrophic thing happens. And then the team gets the ball back and it's one score game because you felt yeah like you were in a good spot and you didn't want to get beat over the top, but you're just given 10 yards of play down the field and they go get a touchdown, you know,
00:30:53
Speaker
Luckily for them, this didn't happen in this game, but it's just something to watch for for for the season. It's kind of been a bit of a theme. But with the with the ah Rough Riders, the way that they were able to just, and you know, but I mentioned how they got out of the gate offensively and they just stymied Nathan Rourke and their offense right out of the gate.
00:31:13
Speaker
it You know, you're in a good spot when you just BC has to abandon the run game like nine carries for 30 yards for James Butler after we kind of Thought, hey, here comes James Butler after the past couple of games. who You know, he's starting to get his footing again.
00:31:27
Speaker
Just so took him out of the game completely. And then Nathan Rourke was able to kind pad his stats a bit in the second half. But the offense from Saskatchewan, it would just didn't let up until the fourth quarter, which I don't know. That that fourth quarter was really strange. yeah It really was. No points for the Riders and then just eight points for the. It was weird.
00:31:49
Speaker
Yeah. And in I think James Butler got a good chunk of his yards on that last touchdown drive. He had two big carries in that in that last drive ah where they scored, you know, a touchdown and a two point conversion with, I think, 30 seconds left in this game. So it's just a little too too late for B.C. in this game. And you know, BC is, is continues to be this weird team where you're waiting for, for a big, big win from BC.
00:32:16
Speaker
Like they have beat Edmonton twice. They beat a Davis Alexander list Alouettes team. You're waiting for them to get a real statement win where it's weird. Like BC is the team where you would think,
00:32:32
Speaker
you know Nathan Rourke is back. He's got a full offseason under his belt. They would be the team where you would think takes the Calgary step forward in this season.
00:32:43
Speaker
And you're waiting for them to really have a pronounced win over a Western opponent. And it just hasn't happened yet, which is why... i They are the hardest team to get a read on, I would say, in the entirety of the CFL. Like, I can't tell if this team is just streaky, if they're just not very good, or if they've, you know, yet to really reach any of their full potential.
BC Lions' Inconsistency
00:33:08
Speaker
Because it's tough when Nathan Rourke is getting 350 yards a week. You're like, all right, what more can he really do?
00:33:15
Speaker
You're waiting for the rest of this offense and the rest of this team to really step up. And it just hasn't happened. I kind of think they are what they are. They're going to be kind of hovering around 500 the whole season. They're going to be that fourth place team in the West, but they're always going to be like a game or two out of the playoffs, especially, you know, if we mentioned Winnipeg has has a extended period of time without Caleros.
00:33:38
Speaker
um you know Nathan Rourke and this BC offense is able to stay healthy. I think it's just going to be week to week. Win, lose, win, lose. Win two, lose two. really it's just They're going to hover around 500 the whole season. I think we have enough sample size.
00:33:51
Speaker
I agree. like It's going to be kind of for our picks. It's going to tough to, you know, either go against BC or go with them. Cause you're just, you don't know what we're going to get week to week. Uh, it seems like, and and going back to like the streakiness, like we thought this buck Pierce offense was kind of getting going.
00:34:09
Speaker
And then it was nowhere to be seen in this game. And you're just, like said, you're just thinking just what is this team? But I think they are what they are. I think they're the fourth best team in the West up until this point.
00:34:20
Speaker
much like they're they're definitely a ahead of Edmonton but I think they're going to kind of be hovering just outside that playoff line all season long and they're going to kind of need a team to fall back to them as opposed to them going on a streak and get and you know kind of catching them to get into the playoffs and like now is the time with Zach Claros looking to miss some time you go a home and home against Hamilton like that.
00:34:47
Speaker
That is tough sledding. But if you can split that home and home, you then go Montreal, Toronto. Home and home against the Red Blacks like those are four games where you could theoretically go for an oh if you play well enough. So if you can split this tie cat series and in those next couple of weeks with Davis alex Alexander out with Who knows how Winnipeg responds from this? Like this is the real crux of the season for the Lions coming up where you got to do something in this next five or six weeks to kind of take that third place in the West and try and, you know, get a firm grip on it.
00:35:26
Speaker
Yeah, it's it's time to earn our respect, BC, because right now we we don't know what to make of you. You're just kind of a team that's just going to be difficult to read all season. So we we need to see the Lions go out there and earn some respect, win some games.
00:35:42
Speaker
And like said, yeah that's a nice Eastern stretch. Like six games there, a home and home against Ottawa is pretty ideal. No Davis Alexander for the Alouettes. I mean, Who truly knows what is going on like when Chad Kelly will return? So it's not a guarantee that he's playing in that game.
00:35:58
Speaker
So if you can find a way to go four and six on that stretch. you you'll get you'll be seven and You'll be seven and six. You'll be above 500, and that might be enough to put you third place in the West.
00:36:11
Speaker
And then you can kind of control your own destiny from there, whereas it feels like other teams are going to control BC's destiny for the rest of the season
Hamilton's Success and MOP Race
00:36:19
Speaker
going forward. Yeah, it really does. So BC, huge stretch ahead.
00:36:24
Speaker
ah Yeah, it'll be do or die almost like it to to really get a grip on this season. um We'll move to the last game of the weekend. Hamilton continues their absolute heater, ah winning 30 to 15 over a dismal Ottawa red blacks team that just can't seem to get legitimately anything going.
00:36:51
Speaker
Drew Brown goes out early in this game, takes a high hit from Deshaun Amos. We got the grade two roughing the passer call. It's a weird play.
00:37:02
Speaker
it It looked like he almost turned into the hit. They had a nice exchange on Twitter yesterday where Deshaun Amos finally had to come out and said, you know, anybody, I will take critiques for bad form on this hit.
00:37:17
Speaker
I won't take anybody saying that I'm a dirty player or I have intent to injure. That was never my intent on this play. Drew Brown responded and said pretty much the effect of these things happen. It's football. I don't blame you for this.
00:37:32
Speaker
um But from that point onward, it didn't look great with Drew Brown in the game. But after that, they had about a drive where Dustin Crum looked all right. And then the offense in this game looked to be doing the exact same thing every drive from there on out.
00:37:50
Speaker
Hamilton didn't even look fantastic in this game. They just essentially... knocked on the door a thousand times and eventually a couple of them went in. Yeah. They just, they just made more plays in Ottawa at like throughout the entire game. Ottawa was, like you said, it you know, you, you want to say, you know, Dustin Crum came in to different team, but even with Drew Brown, they, had a full quarter,
00:38:15
Speaker
to see it and it hasn't looked the same since it did in week one since he was back and you're just if you're an Ottawa fan you're thinking where is that because that is the potential of this team like they went toe-to-toe with the Rough Riders in week one and and it was just a really fun football game you're thinking this is one of the best all offenses in the league and you know the defense could use some adjustments but what you know, win just win some shootout games.
00:38:42
Speaker
And if you're not good, at least you're a fun team to go watch. Well, not only are they not a good team, but they're maybe the most boring team in the league up until this point. Like it it's, they're a tough watch and you know,
00:38:56
Speaker
Hand up, fool me once, shame on you. Fool me twice, shame on me. I doubled down with the over in this game. And I realized it pretty quickly that I was in trouble. And then the rain came and I just knew like the dust and crumb coming in. It was it was like it was a catastrophe for me in this game. And you're just kind of praying.
00:39:16
Speaker
Had a last second chance there. then, you know, we got another interception out of crumb and it's just, it was all bad. ah But going back to that hit, Yeah, I mean, I understand why it's a flag.
00:39:30
Speaker
Maybe do up your chin strap, Dustin Crump. Maybe your helmet doesn't pop off if you know you have your chin strap fully done up. i again It looked a lot worse than it was because at least it was kind of to his face mask as opposed to like his side of his head, his temple, something like that, where you're...
00:39:45
Speaker
looking at serious head trauma and things like that. So at least it was kind of, was to the head and, you know, it, I um might well talk about what does it take to get kicked out of a CFL game? Cause I don't think like the hit was like the worst thing in the world, but if you're going to call it grade two,
00:40:02
Speaker
I don't think there's a grade three penalty. Maybe I'm wrong. I didn't go into the rule book, but grade two sounds as bad as it gets in this league. And it's just like, yeah, 25 yards, but Hey, you can, you can stay out there and do it, do it again.
00:40:15
Speaker
That's the thing I don't get is if you're going to give a 25 yard penalty for this, then it seems to me that that should go along with an ejection. um It seems like the grade three.
00:40:29
Speaker
Oh, there is grade three. I think so. you might You might have to kill someone to get a grade three out there. I just know i would not i would love to. I need to see a grade three penalty this season. like The grade three is for that new one this season that we talked about in our preview about targeting the knees. And is that an ejection after? Okay.
00:40:50
Speaker
so it's yeah A penalty where a defender makes illegal contact with the quarterback, specifically targeting the knees or below, resulting in and automatic ejection.
00:41:02
Speaker
And if the contact is deemed a non-football action, then that is what goes into it. So that's the thing I don't get, though, is that if it was that dangerous of a hit,
00:41:14
Speaker
Drew Brown's probably concussed the fact that they took him directly out of this game using street clothes 20 minutes later after this hit. um That I think that that probably goes along with an ejection.
00:41:27
Speaker
Like yeah if you take a player out of the game, you should be removed from the game as well. And you called it a grade two. That's it. Especially if somebody gets injured. Like yeah i if Drew Brown gets up, continues to play, it really doesn't.
00:41:40
Speaker
you know, make that much more of a difference. I don't find like that. The 25 yards is enough, but if the quarterback then goes out of the game, then that to me is grounds for an ejection.
00:41:51
Speaker
Like, and it was an immediate injury. It's not like it took a while. Like he was down, immediately got off the field, never came back. That you should probably be sitting down for the rest of the game. yeah There wasn't an immediate flag.
00:42:04
Speaker
Think about that one. they It took a while for that flag to come out. i I don't know for sure because Rod Smith kind of just didn't see the flag on the field at first, but it wasn't an immediate flag. They were saying it may they may have had to like review it first. And then they threw a flag, which is just when you see a quarterback's helmet go flying like that. And looked like he got decapitated. Yeah. And I don't think almost is a dirty player, but he launched on that plan. He launched head first. Oh, well, it happens. It's fast game.
00:42:33
Speaker
Everything there is just like, yes, that's ah that's for sure a penalty. Then we can review it for grade one, grade two, grade three, whatever. But how you just don't immediately throw a flag on that play is is kind of crazy to me.
00:42:43
Speaker
Um, but yeah, it's, it was XFL ask not having that flag immediately on the field. That's a perfect way to put it. Um, but yeah, all in all, this was a, this was a tough watch.
00:42:55
Speaker
Um, but Hamilton just continues to kind of ride this heater that they're on. Um, the fact that Kenny Lawler gets another touchdown in this game and he's at eight now, the fact that We have a a true MOP race on our hands here, especially after this week um because Vernon Adams didn't have a ton of yards, but he gets three touchdowns.
00:43:21
Speaker
Bo Levi puts up another 327-yard game, gets a touchdown. They both throw interceptions. like This is becoming neck and neck. The last time I checked, They're both sitting at plus 250.
00:43:33
Speaker
ah This is about as tight as it can get, especially this early in the season. If they both play the full season and they both stay healthy, Bo Levi is going to throw for more yards than VA. a But if Calgary wins the West...
00:43:48
Speaker
It's pretty hard not to give it to him. That's kind of just my opinion right now. And we'll see how the the year goes on. But Bo Levi throws the ball and Hamilton doesn't run the ball. They tried a couple of times in this game just because they knew that they were probably going to win this game no matter what happened out there.
00:44:04
Speaker
But they it's going to be a problem as this weather starts to get a little colder and later in the season. Playoffs come around. You have to run the ball at least a little bit or at least pretend to. And then Yeah, it's just, I think that's going to catch up to Hamilton later in the season. And I mean, if you look at their last four games, they've won four in a row.
00:44:21
Speaker
I don't know what this team is. Obviously they've, they beat up on the Owls without Davis Alexander. They won in a, in a wild shootout with the Argos. That was just an ugly game for, for the Argonauts still without Chad Kelly.
00:44:36
Speaker
Then you go on home and home and you beat the Red Blacks who are the last place team in the East. Good for you for winning the four. you You should have won them all, and you did. Now they go on a little stretch out west. I think this is where we kind of find out if they're for real or not.
00:44:53
Speaker
I know they're not a bad football team, but I just don't know if they're... I'm not ready to crown them as the number one team in the East. Yeah, it's... ah And they go BC, Edmonton, BC.
00:45:05
Speaker
So it's a catch went after that. Like it's a nice Western stretch to just see what this team's made of. Cause they just, they did beat up on some lower level opponents and as they should don't apologize for, you know, who you play, you beat them. And that's what they did. But I'm just, you know, nice heater, but let's just, let's see what you're made of, of this stretch. If you even go two and two, I'll be, I'll be like impressed. And I'll, I'll definitely respect Hamilton. If they go two and two over the next four.
00:45:32
Speaker
Yeah, but yeah, this is ah this is where you make your bones in being a top team is being able to cross over, beat Western teams, and you know beat some of them handily.
00:45:43
Speaker
um But that'll do it for a week seven recap here. lot going on in the league. Three stars now. um I have an idea of who I think stood out the most in this week, um where to me, looking back, you lose your first game of the season.
00:46:02
Speaker
And a tough one at home to be able to bounce back the way that they did and the way that Trevor Harris did. He goes 23 for 30, 395 yards and three touchdowns.
00:46:17
Speaker
To me, looking back on the week, he was the best player. Yeah, and like you said, it may have been his best game of the season, and that's kind of saying something because he's been great. The Rough Riders have been great as a whole.
00:46:28
Speaker
And like you said, just impressive to bounce back because now we kind of know that the Rough Riders are here to stay. It wasn't like they just were riding some early momentum. They bounced back after a loss. ah And NBC's not a layup of a team.
00:46:41
Speaker
And it's just a nice, impressive win, especially on the road. And you kind of punch them in the mouth right off the bat. So yeah, i'm I'm all with that. I'm going to go with the guy who... maybe single-handedly like bailed his team out in a game that they probably didn't have business winning against the Argonauts. And that's Cole Speaker. Yeah. Nine receptions, 129 yards and a touchdown.
00:47:02
Speaker
He was the offensive catalyst. You know, Davis Alexander did have a great game. Don't get me wrong. but they were struggling to find someone to go to ah you know consistently on offense. And once they got that first touchdown to Speaker, the game kind of changed for them offensively, especially in the second half.
00:47:19
Speaker
And I just kind of think that he was their guy. They found something with him. We'll see if this will continue for the rest of the season, but kind of a ah bit of a surprise performance from Cole Speaker. So we're going to give him so a shadow and give him some love as a second star of the week. It's very deserving. He and he had a lot of Like he had the big plays, the big touchdowns in this game, but he had a lot of like eight, nine yard catches to get a first down on a lot of these Al's drives that ended up being really huge to keep momentum. He was fantastic in that game. Like it it was super noticeable.
00:47:54
Speaker
Um, I think that's super deserving three spot here. You could go a bunch of different ways. Um, To me, I think that Dante Myers deserves a spot on this three stars. Like he goes seven for seven for 132 yards and two touchdowns.
00:48:12
Speaker
You know, a week after we talk about that, nobody really stepped up on offense for Saskatchewan in that game against Calgary. That is a huge bounce back performance, even with Samuel Emelis back in the lineup. I think that that stood out for me.
Power Rankings and Team Positions
00:48:29
Speaker
There's a lot of honorable mentions, though. Yeah, there's there's plenty. And I like the Dante Myers shout out because he kind of but like he the 50 yard touchdown right off the bat. It was just like this guy is going to be the one today. And he was and he had it just a great game, you know.
00:48:45
Speaker
I can't. Last week, did we have Damian Alford on our stars of the week? We did. Okay. I was going to say, because I just couldn't exactly remember, but I was just thinking like, we got to give this guy some love because he now has five touchdowns in the past three weeks. And I just don't see that slowing down anytime soon.
00:49:03
Speaker
ah So there's there's kind of ah a weak honorable mention for me. And then just the honorable mention category could just be the MOP race. And we'll just have bo Levi Mitchell stats against Vernon Adams, Vernon Adams Jr. stats.
00:49:17
Speaker
And it's just going to those two head to head because that every single week they could be a star of the week. And I, you know, there's just nothing different. You know, like i said, maybe you would have liked to see more passing yards out of the stamps, but they have a running game.
00:49:32
Speaker
So it's, it's a little bit of different style offense between the Stampeders and the Tiger Cats. Yeah, that's a a good honorable mention. We'll have to do that graphic ah for the MOP race because you're right. They really could be in this at any point.
00:49:45
Speaker
um We'll move to power rankings now. It was Calgary, Saskatchewan, Hamilton at the top. Winnipeg, BC, Montreal as the sandwich.
00:49:57
Speaker
Toronto, Edmonton, Ottawa in that order. So I would say top three stays there. on Unmoved. Calgary, Saskatchewan, and Hamilton all getting wins this week.
00:50:13
Speaker
Now it gets kind of weird. I think Winnipeg and BC, tough week. I think that Montreal probably jumps back up to that four spot.
00:50:27
Speaker
Yeah, that would make sense. But my choice is going weird team because now you've got six games that Davis Alexander, you would think they would, you know, drop eventually throughout the six weeks, but we don't know.
00:50:38
Speaker
You know, maybe they've learned a little bit with having McLeod play a couple games already. Maybe they can make some adjustments out there and find a way to make it work and win some games. But for that comeback, ah yeah, I got no problem. Muncher on the four.
00:50:53
Speaker
you know it's a weird one is like, i mean, BC was below Winnipeg and they both lost. For some reason, I want to put BC ahead of of Winnipeg. i yeah Winnipeg lost their starting quarterback. Yes. And they were playing our number one power ranking team.
00:51:10
Speaker
Yeah. So I think. This is true. I think you can keep them in order, but, you know, be on guard to change that up. Like that. That's like our most, you know, yeah that has the most potential to change next week. Those two teams.
00:51:24
Speaker
I think the bottom stays the same Toronto, Edmonton, Ottawa. Yeah. Yeah. Ottawa has to be last Toronto. Well, You know maybe they hit rock bottom. You can't overreact too much because Montreal did like Davis Alexander hasn't lost the game this year.
00:51:38
Speaker
So, you know, it is what it is. And you lose a one point game on the road. Edmonton didn't play. So I think he, i yeah, not a, not a ton of movement this week. No, no. Calgary, Saskatchewan, Hamilton at the top, Montreal, Winnipeg, BC in the middle in Toronto, Edmonton, Ottawa to round out the week in the power rankings.
Week 8 Predictions and Analysis
00:51:59
Speaker
We'll move into week eight. Some quick thoughts here, some quick lines, ah starting with it would have been a great game if Davis Alexander was in this game. Like not saying it's not going to be, um but we got Montreal going out west to Calgary. Calgary is a five and a half point favorite, um which to me in this game, Calgary, if you are what we think you are, you win this game and you cover the spread.
00:52:24
Speaker
Oh yeah. At home. yeah Like you said, Montreal's got that kind of emotional letdown of losing their starting quarterback again. ah Sean Lemon's back. That's something that we kind of like, you know, we touched on it last year.
00:52:38
Speaker
Kind of was just like going on in the background and reinstated and signs with the Alouettes. So like I, did he didn't, did he play against here? No. So he might make his return. He might need a little bit more time of conditioning and practice to get back into lineup, but keep an eye for that. That's a storyline in this game, but you'd like to think that VA and the stamps handle business. But like I said before, maybe Montreal has kind of learned what what works with McLeod and what doesn't work with McLeod. And maybe we'll see that.
00:53:09
Speaker
Maybe we'll see those adjustments come to fruition this week. So we can't get too ahead of ourselves because we've seen some crazy stuff happen in this league already. So I don't want to get too excited, but Could definitely be one of our picks coming up.
00:53:23
Speaker
Yeah, I'd like to see McLeod have a good game in this. I expect a bit more out of him based on his you know tenure in the CFL, what he has under his belt.
00:53:34
Speaker
it Really, that that game against Hamilton left a bad taste in my mouth for him, and and I'd like him to kind of bounce back. Yeah, he's a good guy. He's a veteran. He's won in this league.
00:53:45
Speaker
And he's you know there's still game there. You know what i mean? It's not like he's 40. He's not 40. You're not seeing him being like, he's over the hill. I don't even know why he's still in this league. like You know why he's still in this league.
00:53:58
Speaker
And this is why Montreal brought you in, man. Because... they they're going to need some help here. And you're going have to find a way to weather the storm over these next six games. You'd like to see them go two and four at worst, find a way to go 500 and just kind of, if you go 500, I think you'll still be top in the East with how that, that tough West stretch for Hamilton coming up.
00:54:20
Speaker
So find a way to weather the storm from a cloud in Montreal. And it starts Thursday night. Like it's a pretty short turnaround for them. Yeah, it is. um Yeah, it'll be this an interesting game in terms of how each team kind of responds.
00:54:33
Speaker
ah One riding a high one kind of being dealt a blow. um We'll move into the West with Edmonton coming off their bye week going to Saskatchewan. Saskatchewan favored by nine and a half points in this game.
00:54:48
Speaker
Not the return from the bye week that you're looking for from the Elks. The big news out of Edmonton is that Trey Ford and Cody Fajardo were both splitting first team reps.
00:55:00
Speaker
Mark Killam really was noncommittal about who will start this game. It seems like this week in practice is going to determine who starts this game in a bit of a quarterback, starting quarterback battle here.
00:55:13
Speaker
i don't know if it matters much. I like if Cody Fajardo, we'll get to our picks in a bit, but if Cody Fajardo starts this game and you get Edmonton at nine and a half today, I don't hate it.
00:55:26
Speaker
I think the line moves in Edmonton's direction if Fajardo starts. yeah i'm not They're not going be favored. yeah not No chance. And I don't know if they win this game like you said either. But Cody Fajardo gives you a better chance to stay in this game.
00:55:40
Speaker
And you know maybe maybe it's a one-score game to start the fourth quarter. And it just gets weird and wacky in the CFL like it always does. But, I mean, Saskatchewan heading back home. But Edmonton is off the bye week. I'm surprised this is kind of just coming out now. cause like We were talking about that last week ah about how we don't know who's going to starting quarterback. It's definitely going to be an open competition and now it's coming out. So I guess they didn't get enough over that, you know, prior week and they got to see some more. So,
00:56:12
Speaker
you know, maybe we see some Trey Ford in like these packages, right? You know, these run, these like kind of like the NFL sell little RPO action. Maybe, maybe you see Trey Ford as like a receiver as a running back, catching the ball, throwing it. Maybe we see some trick plays at Edmonton, but they're going to kind of have to pull everything out of their bag of tricks to find a way to win this game.
00:56:32
Speaker
Yeah. And, and again, if you're Saskatchewan here, You get a big win over BC, and I think you're going back home. Things are much the same here. i expect a pretty dominant performance out of Saskatchewan in this game.
00:56:47
Speaker
Who knows? Yeah, we were wrong about Montreal. yeah I thought Montreal was going to beat the Brakes off the Argos. They probably shouldn't have won that game. At least they did find a way to win it for them. But, you know, anything can happen in this league. Yep, that's very true. um Moving out east, we have Winnipeg coming down to Toronto.
00:57:06
Speaker
They are favored by two and a half points in this game. Weird spread, but it's because um that pretty much that Dave Naylor tweet, evaluation from this week's Tuesday and Wednesday Toronto Argos practices.
00:57:18
Speaker
will go a long way to determining if Chad Kelly returns versus the Blue Bombers on Saturday at BMO. Kolaros out, Chad Kelly possibly back in It's a weird game to predict because you don't know who's really starting on both sides of the ball here, um but it seems like things are lining up. like This should be the game where if things go the right way,
00:57:47
Speaker
Toronto gets a big win here, you know? Yeah. And I think if news comes out that Chad Kelly is playing, I think they could be favored in this game. I think it could go down to a pick them and it might be like minus one, 10 minus one, 10.
00:58:01
Speaker
Uh, this would be a huge game for Chad to return. Cause like we said, Caleros out Strebler didn't look great, but you know, with a week of practice, you assume he will look a little bit better, uh, coming in.
00:58:13
Speaker
at home for the Argos. like you You want to find a way to win this game. Send a message back to the league with Chad and just say, we're back. you know Bad start, but you can just toss out those six games.
00:58:25
Speaker
um like they They never happened, and this is a new team, and our season starts now. um if If Chad comes back and you lose to Strebler, not great for the vibes after a rock-bottom loss that they just had last week. so um yeah and I don't know if the line moves...
00:58:43
Speaker
in winnipeg's direction if it comes out the chad's not playing i think it kind of stays like what what do you think of ah of that yeah i tend to agree with you there if if it's our buckle and i think it's more it moved probably because of kolaros to begin with and then stayed there because of of the chad kelly news and yeah if anything i think If Chad is in, it moves towards Toronto. If he's not in, it probably stays right around two and a half.
00:59:12
Speaker
Yeah. Yeah. my i It might even move towards Winnipeg. Maybe I'm being a bit of a homer here, but I just i think ah a backup quarterback battle, we've seen a couple of them this year. It's been a bit of a theme in the CFL.
00:59:25
Speaker
Those can go either way. so So I don't think you know they're going to go more of a field goal. Yeah. And wrapping up the week, Probably the most interesting spread of the week. oh Hamilton going out West all the way to BC to take on the Lions. BC is favored by three and a half points in this game where it's a bit of a head scratch. It a bit of a rat line. and And like we said earlier in the year, I don't know if if books truly do rat lines in the CFL, but this one screams
00:59:57
Speaker
Yeah, I think some of this has to do with Hamilton having to go all the way out to BC. I think that has to play that has to be at least a point in this. in this because For it to be more than a field goal...
01:00:10
Speaker
Maybe they kind of think what I was saying. Like maybe Hamilton's just beating up on some weaker opponents here. BC's been tested a little bit more. But like I said, like BC hasn't shown signs of being this this team that you can trust. And at home, they just got the beaks the brakes beaten off of them at home.
01:00:30
Speaker
little tongue twister there. But I just don't know. i can't trust either of these teams at the moment. We'll see. um But man, it's... ah This would be a nice win for either team, right? Like it's one of those games where they're, you know, Hamilton can, if they can win this game, there'll be a game up on Montreal for first in the East.
01:00:52
Speaker
If BC wins this game, they're another game closer to a playoff spot in the West. And then I kind of think whoever loses this game, you might be just the fraud team in the CFL not one season, just fraud watches. I just can't trust this team.
01:01:06
Speaker
If you lose this one. Yeah. Yeah, no, this is it. I love putting a fraud watch label on a game. You know that. You know that about me. i got yeah We might have to, especially if it's a pathetic performance from one side, that then we're certainly on fraud. yeah Yeah, no,
Week 8 Picks, Tips, and Future Schedules
01:01:21
Speaker
I like that. So that'll be our fraud watch game of the week.
01:01:24
Speaker
ah That'll do it for our week eight preview. ah We'll go into our week eight picks. We were 12 and seven. We went two and two.
01:01:36
Speaker
We're now 14 and nine. yeah think we were 13 and 7 because we went one and 13 we had a 13 yes and now we are 15 9 uh not the greatest week but we kept our head above water you know i'm i'm not taking if i take ottawa red blocks over damien i don't care who they're playing slap me slap me we're not allowed to do that i'm banned from taking red blocks overs yeah yeah that's really it um All right. There's a lot I like on the board this week, which hasn't been really the case in the past couple weeks. makes one of That makes one of us. There's one game I like. We've kind of touched on it a bit.
01:02:18
Speaker
um I don't know if you're thinking the same thing in the Thursday nighter. Yeah. Yeah. it's ah It's Calgary five and a half. Yeah, I just think Montreal looks like a very different team without Davis Alexander at quarterback.
01:02:34
Speaker
Yeah, yeah, they do. That'd an argument for MOP. But, you know, it's just a completely different team without Davis Alexander. I guess there is a difference between MOP and MVP. yeah People kind of forget that sometimes. But if it was MVP, there's a case to be made with like if Montreal wins, just goes winless without Davis Alexander and win all their games with Davis Alexander. Like he is the most valuable player in this league. But yeah, it is outstanding.
01:03:03
Speaker
I get that. um OK, I I will go. out on a limb here and take Hamilton three and a half.
01:03:15
Speaker
I think it's a, I love the hook on it. If it was yeah three, I'd be a lot more wary to take Hamilton there. I love the hook on three and a half. I think that it's an interesting line and, and BC hasn't sold me enough to believe in them in this game. I went against them last week in Saskatchewan ah and it paid off.
01:03:35
Speaker
going to go against them again here and take Hamilton as underdogs. Yeah, I mean, I don't mind it. I just didn't have a feel for that game. So you could have said BC and I probably would have had the exact same answer for you.
01:03:48
Speaker
um But it's it's kind of just ah like you said, who who's going to find a way to win this one and just, you know, cement themselves as as a contender in the CFL this season. Where do I go here?
01:04:00
Speaker
um kind of want to stay in that game just because, you know, we know Hamilton was going to put up points. We know that. It's going to be in a dome, so I don't have to deal with weather, ah which was a bit of a problem last week.
01:04:17
Speaker
BC has put up some points, but they're kind of like the the Elks where they're a backdoor team, kind of, and they don't always get off to the hot start. like There's just nothing else jumping at me.
01:04:28
Speaker
And maybe you take the Elks with nine and a half and just pray that Cody Fajardo starts and they lose by seven.
01:04:37
Speaker
but i'm just We got burned on that Elks game against BC too, though. Yeah, um um but I've been getting burned a lot this year. After after a pretty decent start, I'm i'm cold. i'm I'm currently cold over the past two weeks.
01:04:50
Speaker
So maybe, no, I shouldn't fail. I'm going to go. um A Hamilton over will hit. The Red Blacks aren't playing, so I don't have to worry about that. we have Weather will not be implied. I'm going over 54.5, Ticats, BC Lions.
01:05:02
Speaker
tie catts bc lions I think that's a lot more of a confident pick or or something that you can be confident in than having the Red Blacks. Like Nathan Rourke's going to get 390 yards. I was to say it's Nathan Rourke versus Drew Brown. Who are you taking in that? and And then it's Nathan Rourke versus Bo Levi Mitchell.
01:05:21
Speaker
That is points. that That screams points to me. Yeah. And the fact that they were able to put 27 up against Saskatchewan on deep like ah Saskatchewan's defense. 30-27. Yeah. Ticats cover.
01:05:33
Speaker
It goes over. Yeah. Perfect. um Last pick of the week. Oh, man. This one's a tough one. I am going to try and get ahead of it here.
01:05:47
Speaker
I'm going to take Toronto plus two and a half. Please, Chad Kelly. Yeah. Please. Even though, like, even I'm not catatonic if Chad Kelly doesn't play in this game because I think that the way the that the offense played in the first half last last week, Winnipeg's offense or defense has looked really all over the place this year.
01:06:11
Speaker
And I think that with it's more about Strebler. Like, I think that this defense showed strides last week. I don't really buy Strebler lighting this game up.
01:06:23
Speaker
And I think that if Chad Kelly comes back and we have it at plus two and a half, I'm a happy man. Oh yeah. And I mean, let's face it. Argos might own the Winnipeg blue bombers, a couple of cups in their back pocket. You know, it's it the the mental, especially winning with Nick Arbuckle next year. If Chad, and sorry, last year, if Chad doesn't start this week,
01:06:46
Speaker
You know, so it's not a bad thing to have in the back of your mind. So I definitely, I'm fine. I'm more than fine with pick like that. And like said, if Chad doesn't start two and a half points, you don't have to win. Find a way to keep it close.
01:06:58
Speaker
I think they swept the season series against Winnipeg last year, didn't they? They've dominated Winnipeg the past couple of years. It's been nice to nice to see. So those are our picks. Calgary five and a half. Hamilton plus three and a half. Hamilton BC over 54 and a half. And Toronto plus two and a half.
01:07:16
Speaker
Another winning week in the books, hopefully. um You're still up six units if you've been betting with us all along. Heard a little birdie over the weekend. Not going to name them. Said that they started fading us off of our week one picks.
01:07:30
Speaker
They got about three weeks in and they stopped doing that.
01:07:35
Speaker
At least they've learned their lesson. If they're going the whole season, and um maybe if they started two weeks ago, we could talk that they'd be up some money. But, you know, it's a long season. We go through ups and highs and lows. it's It's the course of the season. And our overall record is what you got to look at here. And hopefully I can kind of get off this cold streak and get us back on the right foot here.
01:07:56
Speaker
Hopefully. But that'll do us this week at the goalpost. Might be a bit of an interesting schedule going ah over the next bit here. Patrick's going on a European vacation.
01:08:08
Speaker
Shout out Andrew Dorvinas. Congrats. Congratulations on the wedding in Greece. um But yeah, that's I'll be in Greece until i ah i might be gone one week and then I'll definitely be back for the next Tuesday, I believe.
01:08:22
Speaker
Beautiful. Who knows? Maybe I'll do a solo show. That'd be fun. yeah A guest host. Who wants it? Who wants it? Yeah, if you want to guest host the Goalpost next week, please reach out. But that'll do it for us this week at the Goalpost. Get out there, watch some CFL football.
01:08:37
Speaker
Until next week, Patrick, or the week after. I'll see you. See Damien.