Winnipeg plays once again on Thursday, this time traveling to Montréal. The green battle features the Roughriders in Edmonton on Friday Night Football.
The Saturday doubleheader gets a supper break. The BC Lions make their last major east trip going to Ottawa. Then, after supper, Toronto will be in Calgary.
Hamilton draws a much-needed week off.
TSN
Thursday
Winnipeg @ Montréal, 7:30p
Friday
Saskatchewan @ Edmonton, 9:30p
Saturday
BC @ Ottawa, 3:30p
Toronto @ Calgary, 9p
Bye week: Hamilton
We covered the kickoff of the Diversity Is Strength campaign and the accompanying coverage earlier this week. For that story, click here.
CFL kicks up Diversity Is Strength campaign
Edmonton and Hamilton have had opposite streaks to start the season. Winnipeg helped snap the Esks winning streak in great part due to a double double from running back Andrew Harris. Harris had 105 rushing yards and 120 receiving yards in the Blue Bombers win.
Harris is the first member of the 100-100 club since Avon Cobourne for Montréal in 2010. Winnipeg has been using Harris a lot more as a receiver out of the backfield. Hard to imagine Andrew Harris being even more dangerous on the field but that is working out well for the Winnipeg Blue Bombers.
Speaking of the teams in extreme, Hamilton defensive end John Chick has not had a good season. But his situation has significantly improved with a trade to Edmonton. Chick goes along with a 5th-round 2018 pick while the Tiger-Cats get a 2nd-round 2018 pick.
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Just like with BC and Saskatchewan, Montréal and Toronto proved home cooking made a difference in back-to-back weeks. Ricky Ray had a bit to do with that in the battle for first place in the East.
Toronto offers a lot to do in the summer. If you had chosen the Argos game, the ticket could also be used for free admission to the Canadian National Exhibition. What a deal! You could have even stayed just for the 35-0 halftime lead for Toronto.
The time not watching the Alouettes 6-3 second half advantage could have spent on food, exhibits, and rides in the CNE.
The game drew 16,326 people. Of course, the crowd didn't know Toronto would blow out Montréal in the rematch.
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The East teams actually play more games (10) than in their own division (8). The theory is that the East teams can feast on their own later in the season. Toronto has already played 5 of the 8 division games. The Argos are 4-1 in the division, accounting for all their overall wins. Ottawa is 2-2 in the division. Montréal (1-3) has 5 games in the division. Hamilton (0-2) has 6 games left in the East.
Ottawa played itself back into the division race, now (5 points) a point behind the Alouettes for second place. Toronto is on top with 8 points.
The Argos have a Labour Day date at Hamilton, a September 23 home date with Montréal, and another return to Tim Hortons Field on September 30. From October to the end of the season, Toronto only has West opponents.
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Edmonton 5-0; Calgary 3-1-1; Winnipeg 4-0; BC 3-0; Saskatchewan 2-1. The West is a combined 17-2-1 against the East. Montréal has home wins over Saskatchewan and Calgary. Ottawa has the tie with Calgary.
This weekend has 3 of the 4 games as inter-division. Any West team being picked off by a East team will take a big step backward in the tight West race.
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photo and video credit: CFL
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