Mark Masters
CFL.ca
Before we get into the Canadian Football League’s tremendous Week #7 lets for a moment just revel in the greatness that is the Battle of Alberta.
Okay, now, let’s dissect what has to be an early favourite for game of the year. If you missed any of this game my colleague at CFL.ca, Matt Cauz, has an excellent blow-by-blow account in his weekly Monday Morning Quarterback column.
The heated rivalry between the Calgary Stampeders and Edmonton Eskimos once again lived up to its billing on Thursday night at Commonwealth Stadium. TSN doesn’t need to have any fancy promos for the Labour Day game they just need to run highlights from this game.
This one hurts for the defending Grey Cup champs. I mean, Henry Burris throws for 479 yards, three touchdowns and no picks in a losing cause? Doesn’t really add up does it?
Ricky Ray counters with 342 yards on 28-for-37 passing and three touchdowns. Also, no interceptions.
This game was just two good teams going at it. So what made the difference?
The Eskimos had the more balanced offence and that carried the day. In a week where Jesse Lumsden had surgery to repair damage from a dislocated shoulder the Green and Gold ran for 174 yards. Arkee Whitlock led the way accounting for 106 of those yards.
The Stampeders could muster only 59 yards on the ground. The team leader was Joffrey Reynolds (33 yards).
The other factor was Tristan Jackson. When the Eskimos need a big play they get it from Mr. Instant Field Position. He averaged 23.8 yards per punt return. The Stamps? They averaged a meager 6.3 yards per punt return.
In a close game field position makes all the difference.
The Eskimos held serve on their home turf and the Stamps will make adjustments for the rematch. Labour Day is going to be fun.
ARGOS OFF BASE(S)
Speaking of Labour Day, the Toronto Argonauts may be making their final stand in 2009 when the annual clash at Ivor Wynne gets underway. The Boatmen dropped a tough one Friday at the Rogers Centre against the BC Lions, a club that may end up fighting the Argos and Winnipeg Blue Bombers for the CFL’s final playoff berth.
If both Toronto and Winnipeg, currently sitting at 2-5, continue to struggle then the crossover rule may once again be in effect with the fourth-place team in the West playing in the East Division playoff draw.
The latest win by BC puts them a game ahead of Toronto along with the Stamps at 3-4. Calgary will face Toronto on August 28 in the Big Smoke. It’s not must-win for Toronto, but it’s getting there.
If Calgary beats Toronto then the Argos will have lost three home games against West Division opponents already this season (Saskatchewan, BC and Calgary).
This seems a likely scenario considering Toronto’s recent play at home. The Double Blue run into more trouble at home then Macaulay Culkin. If only they had as much success dealing with the trouble as did the Home Alone star.
I blame the baseball cutouts that remained on the field during the game. You want proof? The Toronto Blue Jays aren’t doing so great on those bases either.
I was certain Kerry Joseph would get one more shot to prove he could be the man at quarterback even after La Stinker in La Belle Province. But head coach Bart Andrus, who has shown he has the guts to make tough calls and shake things up this season (see: Bruce, Arland), decided to go with Cody Pickett.
Two statistics prove this was likely the right decision. For one, the goose egg was removed from the points total and inserted into the interceptions column. Pickett ensured the guys catching balls wore blue.
The other important statistic: two, as in the number of sacks the Lions ended up with. A marked improvement from the Sack Attack that befell Joseph in Montreal.
Andrus now has two weeks to get Pickett ready to prove he is the man to lead this football team. For the Argos their season may be riding on it.
HALF THE TEAM THEY WERE
The Hamilton Tiger-Cats earned a moral victory in coming back from 23-0 to make a game of it in Saskatchewan on Sunday night.
At one point after halftime TSN flashed a statistic showing the disparity between how the two clubs played in the third quarter, which is when the Tabbies started their march back into the contest.
Saskatchewan has been outscored a bewildering 71-6 in the third quarter this season, including 16-0 by Hamilton on Sunday. What the heck is coach Ken Miller telling his troops at the half?
The Green Riders are starting to make a habit out of being unable to hold onto big leads at home. Remember that 22-0 edge that vanished against Edmonton a few weeks back. This can’t keep happening if Saskatchewan is going to come out on top in the ultra competitive West Division.
TWEETS OF THE WEEK
The Hamilton Tiger-Cats held a charity golf tournament last week and it almost led to serious injury for Scott McNaughton, the team’s manager of media relations.
@TicatsPR Dylan Barker just drove a ball five feet from my skull. Going to keep my head up from now on.
The tournament was a fundraiser for the Big Brothers and Big Sisters of Hamilton and Burlington.
Meanwhile, Argos super fan Lori Bursey sums up the sentiments of many CFL fans in Week 7 …
@ArgoDiva Ahhhhhh, there’s no better weekend than one that includes 4 consecutive days of CFL games. Two of 3 so far have been dandies!
Week 7 was a scary one for the Roughriders, who nearly squandered their second huge home lead of the season. Some fans were so rattled they forgot their home field is now Mosaic Stadium.
@cflweekend Wouldn’t be a day at Taylor Field without a heart attack or two. 🙂 Yay Riders!
Do I smell a possible Defibrillator Day promotion in Regina?
