The Thursday doubleheader starts out with the Winnipeg Blue Bombers in Toronto as ESPN2 returns with a CFL telecast. The quick turnaround for the second half of the doubleheader has Hamilton in Regina against the Roughriders. Simoni Lawrence won't play thanks to the second of a 2-game suspension for his horrible hit on Zach Collaros in the CFL opener.
The CFL's newest rivalry is in the spotlight Friday night as Ottawa travels 200 km east to Montréal. A rare August peek into the Battle of Alberta is on deck on Saturday in Calgary. Both teams are 4-2, good for second in the West, a game behind Winnipeg at 5-1.
The BC Lions get extra time to forget their troubles and enjoy the long weekend.
ESPN2
Thursday
Winnipeg @ Toronto, 7p
TSN
Thursday
Winnipeg @ Toronto, 7p
Hamilton @ Saskatchewan, 9:30p
Friday
Ottawa @ Montréal, 7p
Saturday
Edmonton @ Calgary, 7p
Bye week: BC
Unlike the numerous injured CFL starting quarterbacks, Jeremiah Masoli is out for the rest of the 2019 CFL season with a torn anterior cruciate ligament in his left knee. Bo Levi Mitchell, Zach Collaros, Antonio Pipkin, James Franklin, and Dominique Davis all may return; all but Davis went on the 6-game injured list.
Dane Evans is ready for the Hamilton Tiger-Cats and did well enough off the bench in the win. The Hamilton defence was a very good reason why Winnipeg has a loss: 3 interceptions and 2 fumble recoveries. Hamilton signed quarterback David Watford, who played for Saskatchewan last season.
The question for several weeks was whether Winnipeg would lose before Toronto won. The consensus was that the Blue Bombers would no longer be undefeated before the Argos won.
The critique of the Blue Bombers has been that other QBs have better stats. Matt Nichols had 261 passing yards, more than Jeremiah Masoli and Dane Evans combined. The second half had minimal scoring as each team added a field goal in the 3rd and 4th quarters.
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CFL teams will often concede the safety even though the opponent gets 2 points. Ottawa opted for the safety late against Calgary, cutting the RedBlacks lead from 4 points to 2 points. The Stampeders hadn't scored a touchdown to that point in the game. By getting the safety, Calgary only needed a FG from Rene Paredes to win and the Stamps pulled out the 1-point win.
Ottawa Coach Rick Campbell figured that Calgary would need to advance the ball about 30 yards under either decision.
Calgary looked like it was headed for its only TD when Richie Sindani was on the path when Corey Tindal forced a fumble that was recovered by Sherrod Baltimore.
Jonathon Jennings almost led Ottawa to a win with only 125 passing yards.
CanadianCrossing.com CFL coverage
CFL shutouts are rare. Toronto was the first team to get shutout in 2019. The last time Toronto was shutout in a CFL game was August 7, 2009 in Montréal. I remember that day well since that was the only CFL shutout I've witnessed in person.
The last CFL shutout was a whitewash by Winnipeg over Saskatchewan in 2018.
Zach Collaros can help Toronto eventually. Saskatchewan dealt the injured Collaros to Toronto, where his CFL career started, for a conditional 4th-round pick.
Canadian quarterback Brandon Bridge is now available to help out Toronto, Hamilton, Ottawa, or BC after Montréal released Bridge.
Ok internet, we agree. This new Gainer guy it pretty creepy.
— BC LIONS (@BCLions) July 21, 2019
Even without the contacts.
CC: @peta pic.twitter.com/IOErzMK5nR
Gainer got in trouble by grabbing a stuffed lion by the crotch when BC was at Saskatchewan. He was reportedly not invited on the return trip when Saskatchewan was in Vancouver.
We don't normally take positions in our CFL coverage, but we want the old Gainer back.
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Ryan Lankford started the 2019 CFL season with Ottawa. Lankford suffered a brain cramp when he let a punt go against Winnipeg and Justin Medlock made an awesome play to get the ball back for the Blue Bombers.
Ottawa released Lankford after the move. Lankford signed with the BC Lions. Lions fans have little to cheer about, though Lankford is an exception. Lankford returned a missed field goal for a 118-yard return for the major and an 89-yard kickoff TD return against Saskatchewan in Vancouver
Lankford isn't as bad as the screwup in Ottawa. The BC Lions hope Lankford has more of what they saw last week.
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The CFL schedule is often kind to teams traveling long distances. The Toronto Argonauts stayed in Alberta in between games in Calgary and Edmonton. The Argonauts were somewhat competitive in Calgary but regressed in Edmonton. The Argos are only 0-1 against the East versus 0-5 against the West. The Argos have 5 more games against the West thanks to the unbalanced divisions. Toronto's next East opponent is Montréal for the 2019 Touchdown Atlantic in Moncton.
Winnipeg is staying in southern Ontario after playing in Hamilton and tonight in Toronto.
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Rod Black and Duane Forde covered the big game in Hamilton this week. The Thursday Night Football pattern is giving Rod Black some rest as Rod Smith and Duane Forde were together in Ottawa. Chris Cuthbert and Glen Suitor once again were out west in Edmonton and Vancouver.
Twitter capture: @BCLions
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