October 4, 2016

The Weekly Say: A question for every team in Week 16

Johany Jutras/CFL.ca

TORONTO — It’s about that time of year, when teams start to either put it all together or fall out of line.

The Stampeders have some tough decisions to make in the coming weeks as they continue to clinch post-season positioning with plenty of football left to be played. Also in Alberta the Eskimos appear to be finding their game at exactly the right time after back to back wins over West Division opponents.

Finally, in the East, Jacques Chapdelaine’s first career coaching win led to a major shakeup for the Alouettes’ Week 15 opponent after the Argos decided to release four receivers, including two regular starters.

Who will pull it together in time for the post-season? All that and more in The Weekly Say.

Here are nine pressing questions for Week 16:

1. Are the Eskimos peaking at the right time?

Are the Eskimos back to being the Eskimos?

That’s the question heading into Week 16, as the defending Grey Cup Champions are starting to look a lot like champions following back to back wins over West Division opponents.

Both the Lions and Bombers were ahead of Edmonton in the standings going into Week 14 and Week 15 matchups, but the Esks turned up the urgency those weeks and looked like a team that plans on contending the rest of the way. That, of course, wasn’t always present through the first 13 weeks of the 2016 campaign.

With Mike Benevides’ defence showing improvement and the offence continuing to click, are the Eskimos hitting their stride at exactly the right time as the playoffs approach?

Fan Poll
Are the Eskimos peaking at the right time?
Yes
Vote
No
Vote

 

2. Who would you rather start at RB?

The Lions’ ground game is pretty much second to none, yet the Lions’ offensive backfield presents one of the biggest questions in the CFL.

Wally Buono has a two-headed monster at running back, but the Lions are only rolling with one of Anthony Allen and Jeremiah Johnson at a time.

So far this season it hasn’t mattered who’s played — the Lions lead the league heading into Week 16 with 1,396 rushing yards, an average of 107.4 yards on the ground per game.

Johnson ranks fifth in the CFL with 509 rushing yards and a league-leading 6.1 yards per carry. Last week, however, he was spelled by Allen, who’s rushed for 408 yards and a 5.4 average so far this season.

They’ve essentially split carries in 2016 (Johnson has 84 carries while Allen has 76), while Johnson has been slightly more productive. When it comes time for the season to be on the line, who should start for BC?

Fan Poll
Who would you start at RB for the Lions?
Jeremiah Johnson
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Anthony Allen
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 3. Should the Stamps start resting players?

A season for the ages continues in Cowtown.

The Stampeders picked up where they left off in Week 15 with a win over the Ticats, and with four games remaining have a good shot of finishing with the most points in a single season in CFL history (a 16-1-1 record would slightly edge Edmonton’s 16-2 record in 1989).

Still, as impressive as Calgary’s first season under Head Coach Dave Dickenson has been, none of that will mean much if the Stamps can’t finish it with the Grey Cup held high above head come late November.

With that said, is it time for the Stamps to start resting players?

The West isn’t wrapped up but could be soon, while a first-round bye could mean a lengthy absence for players sitting out the last game of the season. When should Dickenson consider resting some of his top players, if at all?

Fan Poll
When should the Stamps start resting some starters?
Now
Vote
As soon as they clinch
Vote
Not until the final game
Vote
Never
Vote

 

4. Is Jeff Fuller a long-term fit for the Riders?

You win some you lose some, at least that’s how it’s gone for Chris Jones so far in 2016.

Not even talking about games here. Jones has spent most of his first season in Riderville juggling his lineup and trying to find the right pieces, and some have worked out while others haven’t.

Kendial Lawrence and John Chiles are two players to didn’t pan out for the veteran head coach, and now Jeff Fuller is on his way in.

While the Riders’ future receiving corps starts to take shape — Naaman Roosevelt, Ricky Collins Jr. and Caleb Holley appear to be long-term pieces — will Fuller join them as permanent fixtures in the Rider offensive huddle?

Fan Poll
Is Jeff Fuller a long-term fit for the Riders?
Yes
Vote
No
Vote

 

 5. Who will benefit most from additional playing time in Toronto?

The Argos shocked everyone this week when they released Tori Gurley, Vidal Hazelton, Kevin Elliott and Phil Bates.

Yet while everyone focuses on where those four second-year pass catchers could end up, life goes on for the Argos and Head Coach Scott Milanovich.

In other words, someone’s gotta catch passes from Drew Willy, and just as fast as the ‘big three’ became major contributors, someone else will rise up.

Kenny Shaw and Diontae Spencer are players who already made an impact on offence and will continue to do so — but who else could pay dividends from the Argos’ recent moves?

Fan Poll
Who will benefit most from more playing time in Toronto?
Anthony Coombs
Vote
Brian Jones
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Llevi Noel
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Devon Wylie
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Other
Vote

 

 6. Should the Ticats move in on recently-released Argos?

 

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» ‘Big 3’ released in surprise move by Argos
» Argos move forward with present and future in mind

Tori Gurley, Vidal Hazelton, Kevin Elliott — those are some big names hitting the market at a time when teams should feel pretty comfortable with what they’ve got.

One team could probably use some help, and that’s the Hamilton Tiger-Cats — a team that’s been hit hard by the injury bug in recent weeks.

Could one of Gurley, Hazelton or Elliott be a fit for Kent Austin’s offence? It wouldn’t be the first time we’ve seen an ex-Argo go to Hamilton and find success.

Zach Collaros and Jeremiah Masoli could use some help at receiver and either of those three could be a game-changer.

Fan Poll
Which recently-released Argo do you see landing in Hamilton?
Tori Gurley
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Vidal Hazelton
Vote
Kevin Elliott
Vote
None of them
Vote

 

 7. Should Rakeem Cato be a starter for the rest of the season?

When Rakeem Cato became the starter and Kevin Glenn was traded, Cato’s leash might have seen like a short one.

Perhaps that’s no-longer the case, as Cato looks like a changed man under recently-hired Jacques Chapdelaine.

We all know the 24-year-old has the tools based on his brief but explosive summer at the helm of the Alouettes’ offence as a rookie in 2015. But while Vernon Adams Jr. looms, has Cato earned a much closer look?

That question will loom even larger should the Alouettes fade from playoff contention in the coming weeks.

Fan Poll
Should Rakeem Cato be starting the rest of the season in Montreal?
Yes
Vote
No
Vote

 

8. What do the REDBLACKS need to improve most?

Trevor Harris had a game for the ages and the REDBLACKS’ offence looked much like it did early in the season when it was the envy of the league. Yet for a variety of reasons, the REDBLACKS once again fell short of two points, this time in a loss to the BC Lions.

Still leading the East, there’s a very good chance Ottawa represents that division in the Grey Cup this season in Toronto. But with losses in six of their last nine games, what is it that’s holding the REDBLACKS back?

There are a few contributing factors — penalties, turnovers, a lack of finish on drives, the inability to generate takeaways. If there’s one thing the REDBLACKS need to fix in order to take the next step, what is it?

Fan Poll
What do the REDBLACKS need to improve most this year?
Discipline
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Protecting the football
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Finishing drives
Vote
Generating turnovers
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9. Is there reason to worry about the Bombers?

Should two losses be enough to make Bombers fans worry?

At first glance, no — a seven-game winning streak put Mike O’Shea’s Bombers in a great position to make the playoffs and even potentially host a playoff game.

Still, as well as the Bombers have played, there have been some alarm bells. For starters, history suggests their current rate of 3.2 turnovers per game will be difficult to sustain. Others, meanwhile, will point to their strength of schedule throughout the seven-game winning streak that put them in a playoff position.

We’ll find out soon enough, but in the mean time is there reason to worry about the Bombers?

Fan Poll
Is there cause for concern with the Bombers?
Yes
Vote
No
Vote