Timothy Matwey/CFL.ca
We have officially reached the double-digit weeks portion of the 2026 CFL journey.
With Most Outstanding Player candidates becoming clearer, and team storylines starting to refine, we had a rematch of the Week 8 Thursday Night Football barnburner, an East division underdog trying to play spoiler, the front end of a Stampeders Ontario ‘double’ against the upstart Tiger-Cats, and the BC Lions showing they’ve got more fight than previous years, even without their best player.
Here are five things we learned from the August long weekend!
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THERE’S SOMETHING THERE…
Tennessee, Liberty, Colorado, BC? That’s the path for quarterback Kaidon Salter, who showed the hype was real as he delivered on the expected scouting report of athleticism, quickness, and – for the most part – avoided turnovers.
As for Hamilton, Tre Ford took a seat for Harrison Frost, who showed a snappy release, which was an accuracy upgrade from Ford’s first half, and managed the game very well, despite seeing the Stamps defence take control.
Here’s the takeaway for both: there is something there with which to work and these coaching staffs know their depth quarterbacks better than we ever could as a result of scouting before signing, let alone training camp or scout team reps. In a league that always needs the next quarterback lined up for liftoff, these two have shown promise.
ED HERVEY FOR MOST OUTSTANDING INTERVIEW
From the honesty to the message, the plan is clear in Ed Hervey’s mind as he attempts to play a significant role in Edmonton’s revival.
So far so good and while they could have done without the lightning delay and loss to Saskatchewan last week, the reality is the moment that will define that game for many is Hervey on national television laying the blueprint for an Edmonton revolution and I loved it.
THE ALOUETTES ARE THAT GOOD
Give them a millimetre and they’ll take a kilometre. The Montreal Alouettes are one of those true tried and tested model teams who know exactly how to take advantage of the slightest gap from opponents and pounce. While Ottawa continues searching for answers in their winless start, the other bench calmly sat back, waited and attacked as soon as the chance came (mostly on defence inside their own end of the field).
This week we have a Saturday afternoon tilt of the Elks coming to Montreal for what should be an absolutely electric showdown between Mark Kilam’s and Jason Maas’ squads. I could only fit five takeaways in here, but my favourite moment of the whole week was Maas with his son on the sideline. No x’s and o’s breakdown on that one, just love.
BIG PLAY VA WATCHES DEFENCE MAKE PLAY AFTER PLAY
We already know the Stampeders can score in bunches with a healthy Vernon Adams Jr., but now they’re taking the football away at a rapid rate, which is helping their special teams gain momentum. All of a sudden you have an elite, three-sided sword to contend with anytime Calgary pops up on your schedule.
With BC battling uphill from a slow start, Winnipeg taking tough home losses, and Edmonton running up front in the West, we have no choice but to start turning attention towards a certain OK Tire Labour Day matchup for the ages in one short month. The Battle of Alberta could be a Western Final preview, based on how things are trending.
HE DID WHAT?!
I wrapped up the Hamilton-Calgary game Saturday afternoon and headed for home. Once there, I threw the big Edmonton-Saskatchewan matchup on as background noise while tidying up and resetting for a crazy week that includes riding a Honda Africa twin to two games and a weekend race track assignment.
We’ve all been there, right where the game is floating along somewhere in earshot and all of a sudden a great blue whale bursts through the surface to blow your mind? That whale was Quali Conley, who completed the ultra rare reverse hurdle against Edmonton with the kind of highlight I’ll watch for the rest of my life and never understand how it was physically possible.
I tried it at the beach with my son on Sunday night and nearly tore everything in my lower legs. It was special stuff and perhaps foreshadowing more highlight-worthy snaps to come.
