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News August 2, 2023

Checking Down: News and notes from Week 9

MontrealAlouettes.com

TORONTO — Week 9 starts on Thursday with a battle between the top-two teams in the West. The Winnipeg Blue Bombers (5-2) are coming off a bye week as they host a BC Lions (6-1) that pitched a shutout against the Edmonton Elks in Week 8.

Friday features the undefeated Toronto Argonauts (6-0) traveling to Calgary to face the Stampeders (2-5). The Argos are coming off a win in this year’s Touchdown Atlantic against the Saskatchewan Roughriders while the Stamps lost a close game on the road against Montreal.

The Alouettes (3-3) meanwhile travel to Hamilton to face the Tiger-Cats (3-4) in a battle for second place in the East Division on Saturday. The weekend wraps up Week 9 action with the Ottawa REDBLACKS (3-4) looking to rebound from their loss to the Ticats against an equally hungry Roughriders’ (3-4) team.

As teams prepare to kick off Week 9, we’re checking down with news and notes from across the league:

Jump to team:

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

BC LIONS

 

– Dane Evans and the BC Lions’ offensive line have made the grade for Week 8 in the Canadian Football League (CFL) Honour Roll powered by Pro Football Focus (CFL.ca).

– The Lions will have wide receiver Dominique Rhymes (knee) available for Thursday’s game. The team has listed quarterback Vernon Adams Jr. (knee) as available, but head coach Rick Campbell told reporters on Monday that Dane Evans will get the start at quarterback again this week (CFL.ca).

– The BC Lions travel to Winnipeg to face the Blue Bombers on Thursday in a battle between first and second place in the West Division. Matt Baker brings you his Game Preview, including four Lions to watch in the matchup and players’ quotes (BCLions.com).

CALGARY STAMPEDERS 

Begelton was listed as a ‘start’ in fantasy for this week CFL.ca’s Start vs. Sit (Brett Holmes/CFL.ca)

– Wide receiver Reggie Begelton talks to Stampeders.com’s Makayla Berze about the philosophy going into Week 9 as the Stampeders prepare to face the Toronto Argonauts in Calgary on Friday, Aug. 4 (Stampeders.com).

– The Stamps are ready to face the Argos on Friday as they look to bounce back from two close losses to the Ottawa REDBLACKS and Montreal Alouettes, writes Daniel Austin (The Calgary Sun).

EDMONTON ELKS

Jackson will handle offensive coordinator and quarterback coaching duties in Edmonton (GoElks.com)

– The Edmonton Elks announced changes to their coaching staff on Monday, as they promoted Jarious Jackson to the role of offensive coordinator. A Grey Cup champion coach with Edmonton during the team’s 2015 CFL championship run, Jackson has been the Elks’ pass game coordinator and quarterbacks coach since the start of the 2022 season (CFL.ca).

– Farhan Lalji explains why the Elks had to make a change as the team continues to look for answers amidst an 0-8 start (TSN.ca).

– Head coach and general manager Chris Jones and new offensive coordinator Jarious Jackson addressed the media on Tuesday after changes to the coaching staff (GoElks.com).

SASKATCHEWAN ROUGHRIDERS

Shawn Bane Jr. was part of a Roughriders passing offence that tallied 402 yards on Saturday (John Morris/CFL.ca)

– Shawn Bane Jr. has just become the first Saskatchewan Roughrider since the year he was born to register 10 or more receptions in back-to-back games, writes Rob Vanstone (Riderville.com).

– Offensive lineman Jordan Tucker returns to the Roughriders after recovering from an injury he sustained at 2023 Training Camp. Prior to joining the Riders, Tucker signed with the Pittsburgh Steelers as an undrafted free agent following the 2022 NFL Draft and attended training camp with the team (Riderville.com).

WINNIPEG BLUE BOMBERS

Collaros is featured in this week CFL.ca’s Blitz Picks (Chris Tanouye/CFL.ca)

– The Bombers host the Lions looking to climb into a tie for first place in the West Division as Week 9 gets going with Thursday Night Football. Ed Tait brings you everything you need to know about the matchup from Winnipeg’s point of view (BlueBombers.com).

– Will Zach Collaros throw for more than 299.5 yards in the game against BC? Answer that and more questions in this week’s CFL.ca’s Blitz Picks!

– Collaros will have to do it against the best defence in the CFL in 2023 in the Lions as they battle at IG Field. Winnipeg’s defence meanwhile faces a familiar face in quarterback Dane Evans, writes Paul Friesen (Winnipeg Sun).

HAMILTON TIGER-CATS

 

– The Hamilton Tiger-Cats have avoided a season-ending injury with quarterback Bo Levi Mitchell. The team announced on Saturday that Mitchell suffered an injury to his lower right leg Friday night in Ottawa and he has been placed on the six-game injured list (CFL.ca).

– The Hamilton Tiger-Cats have signed a pair of linebackers, including National Enoch Penney-Laryea and American Chris Kolarevic, the team announced on Tuesday (CFL.ca).

– Head coach Orlondo Steinauer spoke to the media about Mitchell’s injury, backup Taylor Powell’s performance in practice, the team’s win against the REDBLACKS in Week 8 and more (Ticats.ca).

TORONTO ARGONAUTS

 

– Andrew Harris became the fifth all-time leader in CFL rushing yards and the Toronto Argonauts hit a milestone they haven’t seen in 87 years on Saturday in the Argos’ 31-13 win over the Saskatchewan at Touchdown Atlantic (CFL.ca).

– Quarterback Chad Kelly is project to score 22.6 fantasy points in the game against the Stampeders on Friday. Check out all Fantasy Projections for Week 9. (CFL.ca).

– The Toronto Argonauts have released wide receiver Markeith Ambles, the team announced on Wednesday (CFL.ca).

OTTAWA REDBLACKS

WR Bralon Addison is close to making his debut with the REDBLACKS (Kevin Sousa/CFL.ca)

– The Ottawa REDBLACKS announced on Wednesday that they’ve added wide receiver Maurice Ffrench to their practice roster (CFL.ca).

– The REDBLACKS have activated wide receiver Bralon Addison from the six-game injured list, the team announced on Tuesday. Addison signed with Ottawa in May after being released by the Hamilton Tiger-Cats and was moved to the six-game injured list just before the start of training camp.

MONTREAL ALOUETTES

 

– The Alouettes are looking to build on momentum coming off a 25-18 win over the Stampeders as they take on the Tiger-Cats in Hamilton (TSN.ca).

– Montreal’s defence put on an excellent performance in the win and netted the highest coverage grade in Week 8 according to PFF. They were led by defensive back Kabion Ento with the highest individual defensive grade around the league.

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