Costabile: 4 storylines to watch in Week 16

Kristina Costabile

CFL.ca

@kcostabile1

With two upsets and a tie last week, we were all reminded that you never really know what’s going to happen each week in the CFL.

And that’s just the way we like it.

With Week 16 on the horizon, there’s plenty of storylines to follow, even if you can’t decide who to choose in your CFL Pick ‘Em presented by Old Dutch picks.

Hamilton and Toronto kick things off on Friday night at BMO Field where the Tiger-Cats offensive line is looking to stop the best defensive line at getting after quarterbacks in the CFL.

Then later on Friday night, the Calgary Stampeders host the Saskatchewan Roughriders as two teams on winless skids look to turn things around.

Saturday’s doubleheader begins in the nation’s capital where the Ottawa REDBLACKS, who have yet to lose at TD Place, host the Montreal Alouettes, who have yet to lose on the road.

And finally, Week 16 wraps up in Edmonton as the Tre Ford-led Elks take on the surging Blue Bombers.

Here is one storyline to watch in each game to get you set for the week.

BATTLE IN THE TRENCHES

Hamilton at Toronto | Friday, September 20 | 7:00 p.m. ET

They say football games are won and lost in the trenches and in Week 16’s opener, that could be the case.

Hamilton’s offensive line has done its job protecting Bo Levi Mitchell this season, allowing a league-low 18 sacks. They kept him clean last week against the Ottawa REDBLACKS, allowing no sacks on the day.

Toronto, on the other side, have been terrorizing opposing quarterbacks all year. Through Week 15, the Argos have collected a league-leading 34 quarterback takedowns. And last week? They had seven (yes, seven!) against the BC Lions. Ralph Holley had a trio while Robbie Smith collected two and Derek Parish and Jake Ceresna had one each.

Who wins the battle in the trenches this time around?

It’s worth noting that in the Labour Day Weekend game between these rivals, Toronto was able to get through the offensive line to Mitchell four times. The Tiger-Cats, who had two sacks on the day, did win that game.

With Hamilton also winning their first matchup in Week 7, where each team gave up a pair of sacks, can they make it a season sweep in their third and final meeting?

TWO POINTS

Saskatchewan at Calgary | Friday, September 20 | 9:30 p.m. ET

Two points. That’s all that separates the Calgary Stampeders and the Saskatchewan Roughriders in the West Division right now.

The Riders sit in third with 11 points. The Stamps are fifth with nine.

Each are on their own winless skid – Calgary is winless in their last four, including a tie last week against the defending Grey Cup Champion Montreal Alouettes. The Riders haven’t won in their last seven, also with a tie in there as well against the REDBLACKS.

With the West Division so close, only five points separates first from fifth, both Jake Maier and Trevor Harris will want to get a win against their divisional opponents.

HOME IS WHERE THE HEART IS…OR IS IT?

Montreal at Ottawa | Saturday, September 21 | 3:00 p.m. ET

There’s nothing like the comfort of your own home. It’s familiar, cozy, and peaceful. That has to be how the Ottawa REDBLACKS are feeling at TD Place this year, minus the peaceful part (REDBLACKS fans, I see you getting crazy in the stands!)

Ottawa’s home field advantage has been alive and well in 2024, with the team yet to lose a game this season at TD Place. They’re 6-0-1 at home and are the only team in the CFL to remain loss-less in their own building.

The Montreal Alouettes, who are heading into Ottawa this weekend, will want to change that. Montreal has an undefeated record on the road this year. In a stadium not named Percival Molson Stadium, the East-leading Als are 5-0-1, the only team in the league that hasn’t lost an away game.

Saturday’s game on CTV between the top two teams in the East will break the undefeated streak for one of these two clubs.

The stakes are high in this game with playoff implications for each team. If Ottawa wins, they clinch a playoff berth. If Montreal wins, combined with a Toronto loss, the Alouettes clinch a home playoff date. Sounds like must-see TV, if you ask me.

RUN, ELKS, RUN

Winnipeg at Edmonton | Saturday, September 21 | 7:00 p.m. ET

The Edmonton Elks have won five of their last six games, including most recently two-in-a-row against Calgary, and are returning from their bye week looking to improve that streak to three.

A major part of their turn around from their early oh-fer season has been the emergence of the run game. They currently sit first in the CFL in yards per game (117.3) and yards per rush (5.6), and have scored the most touchdowns on the ground (18).

The trio of Javon Leake, Justin Rankin and Kevin Brown have been excellent, with all three getting touches at points this season. All three were involved in their Labour Day Weekend rematch against Calgary; Brown had 91 yards on 12 attempts, Leake had 55 yards on 10 attempts and Rankin had a touchdown to go along with 34 yards on four carries.

And now enter: Tre Ford.

Before heading on their bye week, the Elks decided they’d be going back to Ford at quarterback. That adds yet another wrinkle to the Elks run game, as Ford is ever-dangerous with his legs. Ford’s carried the rock 12 times for 83 yards so far this year.

Can Winnipeg stop Edmonton’s run game? Find out in the Week 16 finale.

Honourable mention: The Ford twins are going head-to-head in this game with Tre on the Elks side and Tyrell at cornerback on the Bombers side.

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