CFL: The CFL Thread: Part VI

[Holden Caulfield]

I should revise my season predictions moving EDM from 7-11 to about 3-15...

 

[Kyle McMahon]

Early returns suggest a very competitive and balanced season across the board, with the exception of Edmonton.

Hamilton and Sask largely reassemble the clubs they were last year, generally solid with inconsistent offenses. Winnipeg is still the best, but not by the same margin as last year. Calgary might be ready to enter the Jake Maier era and probably should IMO, they'll never be an easy out in any game. Montreal has returned another solid roster, make or break year for VA, who I like and will be pulling for to have that rebound year. Ottawa is hugely improved, could see them making the playoffs. BC not so sure about yet, let's see them against a real opponent, but early confidence boost for Rourke at least. Toronto TBA but shouldn't be particularly good or bad.

Looks to me like we could have eight teams in the 7 to 12 win range, with the Elks struggling to win more than a couple games.

 

[Blitzkrug]

Winnipeg is good but they're already showing the hurt from post championship brain drain. Lack of WRs stalled the offense and their secondary was oddly suspect in the opener against Ottawa.

I still maintain they're the best team in the West, but as you said the door is much more open than it was in comparison to last year.

Edmonton on the other hands...yikes. Undisciplined, lack of talent on either side of the ball and i'd be willing to bet Arbuckle loses the starting job by week 8, unfair or not. BC is improved but it's hard to say how much of that is legit given how bad the Elks were.

 

[robertmac43]

Saturday night's loss had some eery similarities the GC loss last season. Tough L for the Cats.

 

[dukedukowski]

Give me a good cfl phone app....?

 

[tank44]

Give me a good cfl phone app....?

404 - Does not exist

 

[Marc the Habs Fan]

In shock at how easily the Alouettes destroyed the Riders tonight. Granted, the Riders were coming off a short week and had to travel a lot.

 

[Kyle McMahon]

It was a tough spot for the Riders, but I didn't expect a complete ass kicking. It's hard to fathom that Trevor Harris has now taken a firm hold on the Als starting job in Week 3. If I'm Edmonton, the phone call to tire kick on Vernon Adams' availability is getting made if Arbuckle doesn't have a much stronger outing on Saturday.

 

[Holden Caulfield]

In shock at how easily the Alouettes destroyed the Riders tonight. Granted, the Riders were coming off a short week and had to travel a lot.

95% of everyone was choosing the Riders for this game. I definitely thought Montreal would stay in it and possible get that win, but anyone who honestly thought that Als would beat down the Riders like that is lying. What a great game for Montreal in their home opener.

That Sask OL is just not very good. I don't think Als DL/LB are bad per se, but they aren't particularly noteworthy either. But Sask couldn't block to save their lives. And what an undisciplined team. And the ST woah. It's just one game, but they made the Riders look like pretenders. Unless they figure out that OL, Sask is going nowhere this year.

I had the Als winning the East, but I didn't think it would be with Harris at QB and Antwi at RB. But they have probably the best WR in the league, a solid if unspectacular D, and it looks like some confidence on both sides of the ball. They should be 2-1 and way out ahead of in the East if it wasn't for a 21 yard miss from Cote. They are going to be a pretty decent team.

 

[blueandgoldguy]

Bombers defense dominates keeping Evans and the Ticats to less than 100 yards in the second half and less than 270 yards for the entire game. Signs of the 2021 defense right there. Didn't give up any TDs either.

Offense is a work in progress. They should be using Augustine more with some runs outside the hashmarks.

Bombers 3-0 and barring a series of catastrophic injuries I think they will go 14-4 or 15-3 this season.

 

[Kyle McMahon]

Week 3 thoughts...

Nathan Rourke might just be the best QB in this league right now. Really an incredible start to the season. With points at a premium so far, the kid just put up over 100 in two games. This league desperately needs some new star players to emerge at QB (I'd say there's arguably 0 of them right now), it would be huge if a Canadian became that guy.

Toronto coming into yet another season with Bethel-Thompson at QB is already looking like an obvious mistake.

Edmonton's ramshackle roster has hung in there better than expected the last two games. Chris Jones might getting things stabilized, but I don't see a lot of wins in their future.

Montreal and Ottawa might be the two best looking teams in the East. I still think Hamilton's defense keeps them in it long enough for the offense to figure it out though.

Saskatchewan could be in trouble. They're a clear 4th in the west right now to my eye. BC, Winnipeg, and Calgary are the class of the league, Bombers-Lions in Week 5 will be huge.

 

[dukedukowski]

404 - Does not exist

Really?

 

[tank44]

Really?

Yes, I dont think there's a good way to follow the CFL on an app, particulalry for following a game live. The CFL app itself is terrible.

 

[Blitzkrug]

BC is definitely for real. I was a bit skeptical after the Edmonton game because..it's Edmonton. But then hammering Toronto definitely gives them a lot more credibility.

I wouldnt be surprised if the Lions don't roll Winnipeg in week 5 as well. The Bombers certainly aren't a bad team, but they aren't the well oiled machine they've been in years past. Lots of weaknesses, most concern on the o-line

 

[Holden Caulfield]

Tre Ford gonna start. Crazy. Nick Arbuckle has hardly been their biggest problem, IMO. 2 starting Canadian QBs this week, very cool. Tre Ford looked the part of poor mans Lamar Jackson in the Elks pre-season game, will be eventful no matter what.

 

[Umingmak]

If the Argos don’t start Chad Kelly next game, all 10 of us Argos fans should riot.

 

[Holden Caulfield]

Teams Starting Canadian QBs in Week 4: 2-0
Teams Starting American QBs in Week 4: 0-2

Not bad...

 

[Marc the Habs Fan]

The mighty Elks are off the schneid!

Hard to believe Hamilton is 0-4.

 

[Kyle McMahon]

First 25 years watching the CFL: No credible Canadian QB ever wins a game.

This year: Two Canadians are now starters, and they're both undefeated, lol.

Ok Montreal, enough of Harris. If his first read isn't there, nothing good will come of the play. Adams is at least entertaining, if flawed himself. West now 10-1 against the East...lol, some things never change.

 

[HaveKnifeWillButcher]

First 25 years watching the CFL: No credible Canadian QB ever wins a game.

This year: Two Canadians are now starters, and they're both undefeated, lol.

Ok Montreal, enough of Harris. If his first read isn't there, nothing good will come of the play. Adams is at least entertaining, if flawed himself. West now 10-1 against the East...lol, some things never change.

Get ready for a lot more. Unless NFL opportunities arise, Christian Veilleux, Kurtis Rourke, Callum Wither, Drew Viotto and maybe even Jonathan Senecal will all be playing QB in the CFL within the next few years.

 

[IU Hawks fan]

Ottawa is awful defensively.

 

[JimmyApples]

What a loser #92 on the Rough Riders is

 

[keonsbitterness]

What a loser #92 on the Rough Riders is

He should be cut. Same with the Argos and Banks.

 

[These Are The Days]

The East is so bad

 

[HaveKnifeWillButcher]

That may have been Rourke's worst game of the season but that 60* yard ball in the air to Pearson (non wind-aided with mostly sideward momentum) would have done more to impress NFL front offices than anything he did in the first three games. He never displayed that kind of an arm at Ohio.

*66 yard (forgot to solve for the hypotenuse)