Checking Down: News and notes from Week 3

TORONTO — All eyes will be on Chris Matthews this week, as he makes his anticipated return to the Blue Bombers lineup.

After rushing for just 42 yards in their season-opener, the Stampeders will be looking for more from their run game this week.

Lemar Durant has become the go-to guy for Mike Reilly and will hope to continue that chemistry against Calgary.

Plus, the Alouettes are nursing injuries, including their All-Star safety and starting quarterback.

All that and more in a busy week of Checking Down:

Jump to team:

BC LIONS

– The Lions made a few roster moves this week, including the addition of defensive back Branden Dozier and the release of quarterback Ricky Lloyd (CFL.ca).

– BC also announced the addition of linebacker Khadim Mbaye to the practice roster and the release of linebacker Jerry Iweh from the practice roster (BCLions.com).

– A leg injury suffered during camp has sidelined right tackle Brett Boyko, as the Lions placed him on the one-game injured list (Farhan Lalji, TSN).

– There was plenty of hype of the BC Lions this off-season, but it hasn’t yet translated to victories. Is it too early to be concerned? More in The Weekly Say (CFL.ca).

– Defensive end Mat Boesen‘s journey to a permanent spot on BC’s roster found the first-year Lion driving for Uber after graduation from Texas Christian (Matt Baker, BCLions.com).

– He’s used to being a secondary act but this season receiver Lemar Durant has become the star of the show in BC (Jim Morris, CFL.ca).

EDMONTON ESKIMOS

Can Ellingson and the Esks continue their dominance against the Bombers this week? (Esks.com)

– The Esks announced this week that the team has signed offensive lineman J’Michael Deane to the practice roster and the release of linebacker Korey Jones (CFL.ca).

– He’s a philanthropist, college graduate, his name is on the sign welcoming people to Tifton, Georgia and now linebacker Larry Dean is an Edmonton Eskimo (Terry Jones, Esks.com).

–  A two-touchdown performance helped receiver Greg Ellingson to nab a spot on the Shaw Top Performers of the week list (CFL.ca)

– Special teams are an important part of any football game and kicker Sean Whyte has been almost automatic for the Eskimos over his career in Edmonton (Esks.com).

– Linebacker Jovon Santos-Knox has been moved to the six-game injured list after sitting on the one-game last week (Edmonton Eskimos).

– It seemed like déjà vu last week when Ellingson caught touchdown passes from Trevor Harris, a connection that carried from Ottawa to Edmonton (Gerry Moddejonge, Edmonton Sun).

– Rookie linebacker Vontae Diggs set the tone for the Edmonton Eskimos defence against the BC Lions, recording his first career sack on BC’s opening play of the contest (Gerry Moddejonge, Edmonton Sun).

– Receiver DaVaris Daniels was listed as a backup on the team’s depth chart ahead of the team’s contest against the Bombers and could be a game-time decision after he was scratched in last week’s contest (Esks.com).

CALGARY STAMPEDERS

– Defensive lineman Mike Rose waited for his opportunity and with changes and injures on the Stampeders D-line, his time to shine may be now (George Johnson, Stampeders.com).

– The Stampeders added a pair of players to their practice roster this week, international defensive back Jonathan Moxey and international defensive lineman Azeem Victor (Stampeders.com) 

– Nate Holley played safety for his entire college career and during the years he spent pursuing the NFL but the Stampeders have decided to put him at linebacker and the rookie is more than willing to do whatever the team asks (Danny Austin, Calgary Sun).

– In Week 1, the Stamps combined to rush for 43 yards on 12 attempts, an average of 3.6 yards per carry. The team will be looking for more from their run game against the Lions this week (Danny Austin, Calgary Sun).

SASKATCHEWAN ROUGHRIDERS

The Riders have selected Jake Bennett in the 2019 Supplemental Draft (Colorado State University Athletics)

– The Roughriders have selected offensive lineman Jake Bennett in the 2019 supplemental draft, forfeiting their third round pick in the 2020 draft (CFL.ca).

– Saskatchewan is set to host their home opener on Canada Day and are pulling out all the stops including the largest Canadian flag in sports, a halftime music act and 30,000 rally towels (CFL.ca).

WINNIPEG BLUE BOMBERS

Whitehead will start at slot back for the second game in a row for the Bombers (BlueBombers.com)

– Edmonton’s run-pass-option offence has been effective thus far, but it’s nothing new to Bombers head coach Mike O’Shea as his team prepares for a Week 3 matchup against the Eskimos (CFL.ca).

– It has been over five years since Chris Matthews suited up for the Winnipeg Blue Bombers and now the former Most Outstanding Rookie is finally ready to make his return (Ed Tait, BlueBombers.com).

– Drew Wolitarsky and Matt Nichols have found chemistry together, a connection that started last season according to the receiver, and are hoping it continues as the Bombers return from a bye (Ed Tait, BlueBombers.com).

– As per the team’s depth chart, receiver Kenny Lawler is out of the lineup this week (BlueBombers.com).

– The Winnipeg Blue Bombers return game looks to be in good hands with Charles Nelson and Lucky Whitehead (Ted Wyman, Winnipeg Sun).

– Speaking of Whitehead, the receiver will get the start this week at slot back for the Bombers against Edmonton (BlueBombers.com).

HAMILTON TIGER-CATS

Can Sean Thomas Erlington impress this week against the Montreal Alouettes? (Shannon Vizniowski/CFL.ca)

– Quarterback Jeremiah Masoli carved the Toronto Argonauts secondary in Week 2 and was the week’s most accurate passer (Marshall Ferguson, CFL.ca).

– The Ticats announced on Wednesday that the team has released Canadian receiver Brian Jones (CFL.ca).

– Running back Sean Thomas Erlington was named a top performer after racking up 165 all-purpose yards against the Toronto Argonauts last week (CFL.ca).

– Thomas Erlington has high praise for his offensive line, crediting the unit for his performance, after being named a Top Performer (Ticats.ca).

– After missing Week 2’s contest against the Argonauts, Luke Tasker is still day-to-day but did take part in individual drills at practice earlier this week (Steve Milton, The Hamilton Spectator).

TORONTO ARGONAUTS

Zack Medeiros re-joins the Argonauts on the team’s practice roster (Geoff Robins/CFL.ca)

– Toronto added kicker/punter Zack Medeiros to the team’s practice roster and announced that running back Mercer Timmis has retired (CFL.ca).

– Despite losing by 50 points last week, the Argos aren’t considering a quarterback change and are looking to stay calm heading into Saskatchewan to take on the Riders (Dave Naylor, TSN.ca).

OTTAWA REDBLACKS

– Quarterback Dominique Davis was named a Shaw Top Performer after leading his REDBLACKS to a win in Week 2 (CFL.ca).

– TSN analyst and former quarterback Henry Burris says the REDBLACKS offence tricked the Roughriders defence in the team’s win last week (TSN1200).

MONTREAL ALOUETTES

Marquay McDaniel returns to the CFL as a member of the Alouettes coaching staff (Patrick Doyle/CFL.ca)

– The Alouettes announced on Tuesday that the team has added former CFL receiver Marquay McDaniel to their staff as an offensive assistant coach (CFL.ca).

– After taking over for an injured Antonio Pipkin in the Als opener, Vernon Adams Jr., says he is still fully supporting the team’s starting pivot (TSN690).

– Montreal is dealing with injuries, the most serious being safety Taylor Loffer, as the team prepares for Hamilton this week (Pat Hickey, Montreal Gazette).