Johany Jutras/CFL.ca
TORONTO — Seven years after winning the Grey Cup and becoming the CFL’s Most Outstanding Player, Travis Lulay is re-living his glory days.
The 34-year-old has turned back the clock, entrenching himself as the Lions’ starting pivot and most recently leading them to possibly a season-defining win over the Edmonton Eskimos.
Suddenly, four starts into his return to football, and 10 months after many wondered aloud whether we would ever see him play football again, Lulay is writing the script of a lifetime. He’s got his team in contention in the hotly-contended West while playing the game at a high level.
In 2018, Lulay has averaged 292.8 yards per game and 8.4 yards per attempt, completing 62.4 per cent of his passes to go with five touchdowns and three interceptions. He’s also earned wins against two tough West opponents in Winnipeg and Edmonton.
While Matt Nichols, Trevor Harris and Jeremiah Masoli continue to knock on the door of the CFL’s elite, has Lulay jumped the queue?
More in The Weekly Say.
True or false: Travis Lulay is the third-best QB in the CFL right now.
Travis Lulay has transformed the Lions’ playoff hopes in short order this season (The Canadian Press)
Don Landry: True. And no one should be surprised by this. Feel free to be surprised that he is remaining healthy, that’s fair enough considering his recent history. But since he is healthy, he is the third-best QB in the CFL, right now, and is just really heating up. Lulay’s abilities have never been in question, only his availability.
Chris O’Leary: True. The stats are one thing: He’s throwing for an average of 293 yards in the four games he’s played in this season and is closing in on the top-30 all-time passing, having just gone over the 20,000 mark last week against Edmonton. The most telling thing, though, is the way the Lions are playing since he came into the lineup. It’s been seven years since he won the MOP award so it it’s easy to forget just how good Lulay was. When he’s healthy he’s a difference maker for the Lions.
Marshall Ferguson: False. Super talented and steadying force required in BC but can’t make the plays Masoli, Bo and Mike can right now.
Jim Morris: Hate to this this but I would say false. Lulay has stepped in when the Lions needed him most. In last week’s win he got some help from a defence that finally stepped up and a whole bunch of undisciplined Eskimo penalties. Still, when looking for the third-best quarterback I would look to Masoli in Hamilton or Nichols in Winnipeg.
Matthew Cauz: False. I know he will have some of those lackluster games from a fantasy standpoint but Bo Levi Mitchell, Masoli and Harris have to be ranked ahead of Travis Lulay.
Which team is the best fit for Duron Carter and why?
Star receiver Duron Carter was released Saturday in a shocking move by the Riders (Matt Smith/CFL.ca)
Morris: I would think Toronto. First, it’s a big market and could use some of the hype Carter would bring. I also think Marc Trestman might be the type of coach that could keep Carter focused on football.
Cauz: I’m going to go off the board and say the BC Lions. They are generally a middle of the pack team offensively and Arceneaux and Burnham have not exactly had great starts to the year. The Lions have nothing to lose and I want to see Wally Buono try to get the best out of Carter.
O’Leary: Hamilton? Wherever Carter goes, the risk remains the same. He’s probably more naturally talented than any other player in the league, but his act wears thin the longer he’s with a team. I’d love to see him in June Jones’ offence, but I wonder if he’d fit with a team that’s still trying to find its way. The teams that would be the best fit for him on and off the field – Calgary and Edmonton – have no need for him. Why put your season on the line for one player when you’re already a contender?
Ferguson: Montreal. They need playmaking, he needs a job.
Landry: Montreal is the best fit for Duron Carter, considering his history with the team and city and his apparent love of the place. “I love the city for real,” he told me two years ago when I wrote a story about his return to the CFL. “I love the food, I love the art galleries, the music festival… it’s just a really happening city.” And a 1-7 team is just the one that needs to take a flyer on a talented guy who can be… umm… challenging.
Without Carter, what are the chances the Riders miss the playoffs?
The Riders are entering unfamiliar territory as they move forward without Duron Carter (Jason Halstead/CFL.ca)
Ferguson: 40 per cent. My crystal ball sees a November trip east for Rider Nation.
O’Leary: 50 per cent. This week’s game against Calgary marks a tough stretch in the schedule (BC next week followed by the Banjo Bowl with Winnipeg). The Riders may not miss Duron Carter six days out of the week but he was a big part of what they did on game day. A win over undefeated Calgary would galvanize the team. A blowout could do the opposite. Then there’s the temperament of a fan base that lives and dies with the Riders’ highs and lows. The Riders need to get some wins, quickly.
Landry: About 50 per cent. I’m banking on another crossover from West to East this season and a portion of the Riders’ chances are tied to how successful the BC Lions are in keeping Travis Lulay healthy. Mind you, the Lions could make a go of it with Jonathon Jennings too, the way their defence is rounding into form. Okay, make it 60 per cent.
Cauz: I’m still optimistic about this team despite the crazy/chaotic first couple months of the season. This is a top-three defence and I’m still a Zach Collaros believer. I’m going with 51 per cent.
Morris: Right now, with the way the offence is struggling, I would say about 70 per cent they miss the playoffs.
