The Canadian Press
Hello, Davis Sanchez. I saw you there on Friday night, wearing an ascot during your appearance on the TSN panel. I don’t blame you in the least for your attempt to class the joint up a bit. But if you’re not gonna complete the scene by also sporting a monocle, are you really wearing an ascot at all? Let’s see some real commitment next time, Thurston.
Here are this week’s takeaways.
1. GLOVES SHMOVES
I like me a little old-timey football and that’s what Ottawa quarterback Trevor Harris provided during Saturday’s win for the REDBLACKS in Hamilton.
With a stiff wind and peppercorn rain pounding everything and everyone at The Tim, Harris went bare-handed, the way all quarterbacks had to back in the day. And he threw for 235 of his 267 passing yards by the time third quarter had ended, two of those quarters coming into the teeth of the weather. One of those passes was a wind-defying spiral bomb to Diontae Spencer, resulting in a 79-yard back-breaking touchdown late in the third quarter.
So, here we go. Harris has been hungering for the opportunity to slap the faces of his detractors with some big-time autumn football. So far, so good, with two very good efforts in two rather large games. Next up, his opportunity to prove to everyone – maybe even himself – that he can be the man in the biggest games of the year, starting with the Eastern Final. Can he do it?
2. CAMERON MARSHALL WOULD LIKE TO STAY, THANKS
Cameron Marshall runs the ball against the BC Lions (The Canadian Press)
Saskatchewan running back Cameron Marshall is not interested in being pulled from game action again, if you don’t mind.
The second-year Rider played more in 2017 than he has in 2018, but with his performance against BC as evidence, how do you hold him out, even if Tre Mason is healthy enough to play in the playoffs and with Marcus Thigpen also ready to go?
Marshall has had more than enough time on the practice roster in 2018 and his 19 rushes for 134 yards against the Lions showed us a running back who is hungry as hell. And he’s also a load to try to get in front of, when he’s playing the way he has the last couple of games.
Hopefully, the Roughriders will have quarterback Zach Collaros healthy for the playoffs but if they don’t, the ground game will become even more significant for them and Marshall has signalled in rather strong terms that he’d like to be a part of that, s’il vous plait.
3. THE BC LIONS: CLOCK MANAGEMENT OF A DIFFERENT SORT
With the knowledge that they will be the team to travel to Ontario for the playoffs, the BC Lions might want to get their body clocks on Eastern time as soon as they can.
Considering their less than stellar 2018 road record (2-7), and the fact that the Eastern Semi-Final will be played in Hamilton at 1 p.m. (10 a.m. Pacific time), getting used to the shift would be a good thing to do more than a couple of days before kick off.
Historically, the Lions have not fared well when heading East for the playoffs. They lost the 1997 Eastern semi in Montreal by a score of 45-35, and the 2003 semi in Toronto (28-7). In 2009, they won the semi in Hamilton (34-27 in overtime) before being crushed by the Alouettes in the Eastern Final, 56-18. The last time they travelled East for the playoffs, in 2014, they were bounced by Montreal in the Semi, by a score of 50-17.
As well, if they can find a local aeronautics firm where they can practice for a few days in a wind tunnel, that could come in handy in preparations as well. Adding fire hoses to the set-up would be even better.
4. JUST GOT REAL FOR THE CALGARY STAMPEDERS
The cushion is gone, my friends. While the Calgary Stampeders have had their share of physical adversity to deal with in recent weeks, they didn’t actually face a must-win until now, in the final week of the regular season.
Win they must, this Saturday in Vancouver, or their season-long grip on first place in the West will be completely loosened, with the hard-charging Saskatchewan Roughriders finishing on top and earning the bye.
The price for losing that perch won’t be disastrous, as it would still mean a home playoff date, only it’d be a week ahead of what they’d planned for. The bonus? They’d get to host what is – at present – the CFL’s most complete team, the Winnipeg Blue Bombers, in that Semi, rather than having the enjoyable experience of watching the Riders and Bombers beat on each other for the right to get to them a week later.
Do they get a break with the Lions resting some starters in order to be ready for the playoffs or does BC coach Wally Buono demand his team pay a penance for their loss in Regina, ordering all first-teamers on deck to deliver a win in his final home game as their coach?
BONUS TAKEAWAY: I want a Wally Buono bobble head. Doesn’t everyone?
5. ZEBRAS HAVE GOT MOVES TOO, YOU KNOW
Slow clap for line judge Andrew Wakefield, who was seen chatting with Chris Jones during the final moments of the Riders’ win over BC. Well, I don’t know if one merely chats with Chris Jones, actually. More like intensely defends one’s decisions.
That’s beside the point, really. Wakefield showed incredible agility when he spied a water container being held aloft and charging towards the area, a celebratory dunking of the head coach – and anyone unfortunate enough to be caught in the vicinity – an imminent occurrence.
That was some kind of impressive, explosive athleticism that you displayed in extricating yourself from the situation, Andrew.
Hey, you scouts: keep an eye on him. He wears number 27.
AND FINALLY… Sometimes the football Gods deliver an infuriating narrative, with injury or heartbreaking result. But sometimes, they redeem themselves and give you John Bowman ringing up a sack as well as a fumble recovery in what is likely his final home game in Montreal.
