ESPN2 has the last scheduled CFL game on U.S. TV until September 30. The U.S. channel features the Montréal trip to Edmonton as the late game in the Saturday split doubleheader.
The CFL is taking a break from Thursday Night Football; Friday starts out with Winnipeg hosting Ottawa. The Argos play their usual Saturday afternoon home game welcoming the BC Lions.
Calgary travels to Saskatchewan for a rare Sunday night game.
The Hamilton Tiger-Cats draw some extra free time in the August heat.
ESPN2
Saturday
Montréal @ Edmonton, 9p
TSN
Friday
Ottawa @ Winnipeg, 8:30p
Saturday
BC @ Toronto, 4p
Montréal @ Edmonton, 9p
Sunday
Calgary @ Saskatchewan, 7p
Bye week: Hamilton
I’m told #Alouettes #Argos #BCLions #TiCats have all reached out to Duron Carter. Some have made contract offers. I don’t expect the other 4 teams to reach out. Carter hopes to make a decision in the next couple of days. @CFLonTSN @cfl @TSN_Sports @TSN1040
— Farhan Lalji (@FarhanLaljiTSN) August 12, 2018
With 9 teams in a league, if 4 teams jump out and offer an option to a released veteran, that player must be pretty special. The timing of the release of Duron Carter was as bizarre as the act itself, one of a few things that could top Johnny Manziel 2.0.
Carter's offence numbers are down this year because Chris Jones asked Carter to play defence due to injuries. Carter wasn't great in that role but did have his moments.
"… we made the decision that we were going to go in a different direction from Duron. … We released a very good player who I think will end up landing on his feet." said Saskatchewan head coach Chris Jones.
The list of 4 is down to 2 as the Lions and Alouettes ultimately said no. Hamilton has the bye this week and could wait to sign Carter though their receivers are doing well. Toronto is a good place for multiple reasons but we've heard nothing as of press time.
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Travis Lulay has quietly brought back the Lions to respectability. A 3-4 record needs more help. At this point, BC and Saskatchewan are tied for 4th with only one possible team advancing to the playoffs.
The BC Lions may not be the best in the West and might not even get a playoff spot. The Lions have proven so far to be invincible at home. BC and Calgary are the only undefeated teams at home while Montréal hasn't won at home in 2018.
The only team that seems to be completely out of the picture is Montréal.
Johnny Manziel did look better but he was less exciting. This was before the huge hit on Manziel on the play of Montréal's only offensive touchdown. Manziel missed practice on Tuesday and Wednesday. Manziel finally was placed on concussion protocol on Wednesday.
The Alouettes have very few options at the QB slot with more injured QBs than active QBs. The combination of Antonio Pipkin and Matthew Shiltz is most likely in Edmonton.
Meanwhile, Ottawa's Trevor Harris passed for 487 yards against the Als.
CanadianCrossing.com CFL coverage
If you are going to be in Toronto on Saturday, purchasing a ticket to the Argos game also gets you into the Canadian National Exhibition. You can't find too many better deals for a lot of entertainment. The CNE is a really nice time and you get a free football game. This is the only Argonauts home game during the 2018 CNE. If I were in Toronto, I would do both.
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The CFL announcers can often have a tough flight after a game. They don't usually go from Vancouver to Toronto as Rod Smith had to do on Friday to be back in the studio.
Davis Sanchez filled the #2 spot on the panel on Friday and Saturday while Jim Barker was in that chair on Thursday.
Chris Cuthbert and Duane Forde got their first chance to call a Johnny Manziel game Saturday in Ottawa.
Twitter capture: @FarhanLaljiTSN
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