September 11, 2019

Checking Down: News and notes from Week 14

OttawaREDBLACKS.com

TORONTO — The Ottawa REDBLACKS could be missing their starting safety, Antoine Pruneau, for the rest of the season.

The Hamilton Tiger-Cats have added a veteran running back to their practice roster in Tyrell Sutton.

Plus, Montreal will likely be without tailback Jeremiah Johnson this week.

The latest news and notes from Week 14 in this week’s Checking Down:

Jump to team:

BC | Calgary | Edmonton | Saskatchewan | Winnipeg | Hamilton | Toronto | Ottawa | Montreal

BC LIONS

 

– In roster news, the BC Lions added five players to their practice roster on Monday, including former first overall pick Josiah St. John (CFL.ca).

– On Wednesday, the Lions added American receiver Cameron Echols-Luper and American defensive lineman Ty Roberts to the practice roster (BCLions.com).

– With Kelly Bates now in charge of the Lions offensive line, the team is hoping a more detailed approach will help them in the second half of the season (Jim Morris, CFL.ca).

EDMONTON ESKIMOS

The Esks inked defensive lineman Mathieu Betts this week (Yan Doublet/Laval)

– The Edmonton Eskimos signed top draft pick Mathieu Betts on Monday (CFL.ca).

– In other transactions, the Esks released National defensive back Bryce Bartlett and American wide receiver Josh Stangby from the team’s practice roster (Esks.com). 

CALGARY STAMPEDERS

 

Bo Levi Mitchell became the winningest quarterback in Calgary Stampeders history with the team’s win over the Eskimos last week (CFL.ca).

Reggie Begelton has emerged as the Stampeders top receiver over the last few weeks and he’s showing no sign of slowing down (George Johnson, Stampeders.com).

Tre Roberson‘s impressive season for the Stampeders has inspired the rest of his defensive back teammates to beat him in their internal locker room race for the most interceptions (Danny Austin, Calgary Sun).

– Defensive back Jamar Wall was missing from Tuesday’s practice to witness the birth of his second child (Danny Austin, Calgary Sun).

– In roster news, the Stamps added American defensive lineman Sterling Sheffield to the team’s practice roster (Stampeders.com).

– Stamps receiver Markeith Ambles was not practicing on Wednesday (Danny Austin, Calgary Sun)

SASKATCHEWAN ROUGHRIDERS

Jordan Williams-Lambert has returned to Riderville (Steve Hiscock/CFL.ca)

Jordan Williams-Lambert makes his return to the CFL, signing a contract extension with the Roughriders on Tuesday (CFL.ca).

– Adding Williams-Lambert to an already dangerous receiving corps has the Riders excited about the depth he adds to their squad (Murray McCormick, Regina Leader-Post).

– With the Montreal Alouettes on tap this weekend, Cody Fajardo and the Roughriders know they have a tough task ahead of them (Riderville.com).

– After the Banjo Bowl, head coach Craig Dickenson say that his team’s tackling was “terrible” and will be an area of focus heading into Week 14 (Murray McCormick, Regina Leader-Post).

WINNIPEG BLUE BOMBERS

Chris Streveler was named the CFL’s Top Performer after Week 13 (Trevor Hagan/CFL.ca)

– The Bombers are tied for the most wins in the CFL but sit dead last in passing yards per game. How is this possible? TSN’s Davis Sanchez and Dave Naylor discuss (TSN.ca).

– Quarterback Chris Streveler and defensive end Willie Jefferson were both named Shaw Top Performers after Week 13 (CFL.ca).

HAMILTON TIGER-CATS

 

– Despite having the CFL’s top record, the Ticats rank third in the Nissan Titan Power Rankings. Fair, or injustice? The writers weigh in (CFL.ca).

– When the Hamilton Tiger-Cats head West to face the Calgary Stampeders on Saturday, they’ll be looking to keep improving on their run game (CFL.ca)

– Speaking of the run game, the Ticats added veteran running back Tyrell Sutton to the practice roster on Monday (CFL.ca).

– The next three games will be the ultimate test for the Ticats as they head out on a Western road swing agaisnt the Stampeders, Eskimos and Bombers (Steve Milton, The Hamilton Spectator).

– He was drafted as a defensive back but Jackson Bennett has shown his versatility this season, suiting up at running back and enjoyed a career-best game last week  (Steve Milton, The Hamilton Spectator).

– Defensive tackle Ted Laurent was back at practice for the Ticats on Monday (Kyle Melo, TSN1150).

– Despite returning to practice on Monday, receiver Luke Tasker was absent on Tuesday (Kyle Melo, TSN1150).

TORONTO ARGONAUTS

James Wilder Jr. scored three touchdowns in his team’s win before heading out on a Week 14 bye (The Canadian Press)

Take a look behind the scenes as the Toronto Argonauts pick up a win before their bye week against the Ottawa REDBLACKS (Argonauts.ca).

– With his team on a bye, offensive lineman Jamal Campbell helped out at a football practice at his former high school in Toronto (CWJ Football, Twitter). 

– James Wilder Jr. joined Davis Sanchez and Donnovan Bennett on The Waggle podcast to discuss his big outing last week and what he’s up to on the bye week (The Waggle, CFL.ca).

OTTAWA REDBLACKS

The REDBLACKS could be without Antoine Pruneau for the rest of the season (Patrick Doyle/CFL.ca)

Jonathon Jennings was Week 13’s most accurate passer, despite walking away with a loss to the BC Lions (Marshall Ferguson, CFL.ca).

– The REDBLACKS with be without safety Antoine Pruneau, who could possibly miss the rest of the 2019 season with a lower-body injury (CFL.ca).

– For defensive end J.R. Tavai, it’s his younger brother that’s inspiring him and giving him the drive to put his best foot forward on the field (Tim Baines, Ottawa Sun).

– In roster news, the REDBLACKS added American running back Isaiah Johsnon and American receiver Shannon Smith to the team’s practice roster on Monday (OttawaREDBLACKS.com). 

– The team also inked National defensive lineman Cameron Walker to the practice roster on Tuesday (OttawaREDBLACKS.com).

MONTREAL ALOUETTES

Vernon Adams Jr. has won six of his last eight starts with the Alouettes (Dominick Gravel/Montreal Alouettes)

– With wins in six of his eight starts, Vernon Adams Jr. continues his rise among the CFL’s top signal-callers (CFL.ca).

– After tallying five tackles, two sacks and a forced fumble, veteran defensive lineman John Bowman was named Shaw Top Performer after Week 13 (CFL.ca).

– Bowman continues to play a demanding position with grace at an age when most of his peers have long been retired (Herb Zurkowsky, Montreal Gazette).

– The Alouettes will likey be without running back Jeremiah Johnson this weekend when they head to Saskatchewan (TSN.ca).

– Montreal added American defensive end JaVon Rollan-Jones and American running back Jarveon Williams to the team’s practice roster and also released American defensive end Chad Geter (MontrealAlouettes.com).