Canadian Crossing

2022 CFL Week 16 preview

Another small week in the CFL where this time most of the West gets to rest while the East gets to shine.

The lone Friday night game has the Hamilton Tiger-Cats in the final meeting with the Montréal Alouettes, this time in La Belle Province.

The winner gets the tiebreaker that may prove rather important. ESPN2, in a rare sighting in the fall, will carry this game in the United States.

Toronto goes east to Ottawa in the Saturday evening opener.

The BC Lions and Calgary Stampeders finish their home-and-home series with a trip to Vancouver in the prime time spot out on the West Coast.

Edmonton, Saskatchewan, and Winnipeg get to rest up on an early fall weekend.

ESPN2

Friday
Hamilton @ Montréal, 7:30p

TSN

Friday
Hamilton @ Montréal, 7:30p
Saturday
Toronto @ Ottawa, 7p
Calgary @ BC, 10p

Bye week: Edmonton, Saskatchewan, Winnipeg

Saskatchewan blew a 10-0 lead yet regained the lead 24-23 with 68 seconds left. The Elks hadn't won in Regina since 2015 in over 2,500 days. Edmonton hadn't defeated a divisional opponent since beating Calgary on the road on Labour Day 2021.

Sergio Castillo kicked a 47-yard field goal to give Edmonton a 26-24 lead with 28 seconds left for the victory.

Despite Edmonton's home woes, the team is now 4-4 on the road in 2022.

The Roughriders are 2 games ahead of the Elks with 4 games left for each team and have the tiebreaker, despite the loss last Friday.

2022 CFL Week 15 preview

Everyone had a good laugh about the Winnipeg Blue Bombers return to Hamilton, site of the 2021 Grey Cup where Winnipeg won its second straight Grey Cup. Sure Dane Evans was back in the starting lineup as the Tiger-Cats quarterback. Winnipeg figured to easily trounce Hamilton.

Evans did throw 25-for-32 for 327 yards and a career-high 5 passing touchdowns. The Tiger-Cats scored 24 points to blow open the game for Hamilton in the second quarter.

The Blue Bombers now have 2 losses this season, both to East Division teams.

2022 CFL Week 14 preview: Revenge games

The BC Lions and Calgary Stampeders are almost certainly headed for a CFL playoff game in 2022. The Lions had a ½ game lead going into last week's tilt in Calgary. Nathan Rourke had led BC to a 1-point victory earlier in Calgary. Vernon Adams Jr. showed why the Lions traded a 1st-round draft pick for him.

Adams went 25-for-32 for 294 passing yards and added 32 rushing yards in his first start in orange.

Jake Maier might wonder if his coach Dave Dickenson will lean toward Bo Levi Mitchell. An overtime loss is still a loss.

The Lions have the tiebreaker over the Stampeders with the final game between the teams Saturday night in Vancouver. BC only has 3 more points than Calgary in the first 2 games. That theoretical West semifinal will be a game to remember.

2022 CFL Week 13 preview: Labour Day weekend

Calgary linebacker Cameron Judge will sit out this week's game in Vancouver after punching BC Lions receiver Lucky Whitehead on the field following the game at McMahon Stadium.

I can’t thank @saraorlesky (aka the 🐐) enough for showing me the ropes of sideline reporting the last few months.🏈To say she will be missed, is an understatement! One of the most beautiful people inside & out! (Only makes sense we end up twinning on our last game together) pic.twitter.com/foAq8i8wgn

— Brit Dort (@britdortCTV) September 5, 2022

Brit Dort essentially took over for Claire Hanna at CTV Regina (Channel 2 CKCK-TV) as Hanna went to Ottawa. Even when Sara Orlesky was still on the TSN staff, we noted the absence of sideline reporters out west for the CFL on TSN.

Ryan Rishaug (Edmonton) has been on other TSN duties. Farhan Lalji is in Vancouver and he has worked extra duty on play by play (only in Vancouver) and in Toronto as host of the CFL on TSN panel.

Dort is new and can only cover so much territory: Winnipeg, Regina, Calgary, and Edmonton is a large beat for just one person. Matthew Scianitti covers Toronto and Hamilton but they are close to each other. Hanna came out from Ottawa to help out this past week in Calgary.

Your humble narrator likes Donnovan Bennett, host of The Waggle official CFL podcast. Yet I haven't listened too much to the podcast of late. Sara Orlesky did make an appearance on The Waggle. If the CFL had a working app, that would be an easy way to listen. 

CanadianCrossing.com CFL coverage

Dustin Nielson and Glen Suitor worked with Brit Dort in Regina on Friday and with Claire Hanna in Calgary on Saturday. Rod Smith and Duane Forde with Matthew Scianitti were at the Hall of Fame Game in Hamilton.

The Canadian Football Hall of Fame has always been in Hamilton since 1972 but moved into Tim Hortons Field in 2016.

logo credit: CFL
Twitter capture: @britdortCTV

2022 CFL Week 15 preview

The week starts out in a game where it is easy to be green as the Edmonton Elks travel to Regina to battle the Saskatchewan Roughriders.

That is the lone Friday night game.

Hamilton has a chance to rest up before hosting the top team from the West in the Winnipeg Blue Bombers. The late afternoon contest starts out the Saturday doubleheader.

The BC Lions start a home-and-home series with the Calgary Stampeders with a trip to Calgary in the later afternoon local start. The Lions took the exciting 41-40 win earlier in the year but that was with Nathan Rourke.

Montréal, Ottawa, and Toronto may swap recipes in lieu of playing football for the upcoming week.

TSN

Friday
Edmonton @ Saskatchewan, 9:30p
Saturday
Winnipeg @ Hamilton, 4p
BC @ Calgary, 7p

Bye week: Montréal, Ottawa, Toronto

The lack of a 2021 preseason and 2020 regular season led to lackluster offence. The CFL in 2022 has improved offence and point totals.

We saw on Saturday where Winnipeg scored 54 points on Saskatchewan in Manitoba and Calgary netted 56 points in Edmonton. The only team that topped that point total was the BC Lions scored 59 points in the opening week on Edmonton at Vancouver.

The Elks might be part of why point totals are up. Edmonton also lost 49-6 to Calgary and 46-14 to BC in 2022.

The Blue Bombers swept the first 2 against the Roughriders. The Stampeders swept the entire 4-game series with the Elks.

2022 CFL Week 14 preview: Revenge games

The Montréal Alouettes scored a win over a West team against the BC Lions at home. The Alouettes now have 3 of their 5 wins outside their division. The West is now 18-6 against the East in 2022.

Antonio Pipkin and Vernon Adams Jr. were not terribly effective for the Lions in their old home at Stade Molson. The Montréal defence got 6 turnovers. Adams gets the start in Calgary for BC.

2022 CFL Week 13 preview: Labour Day weekend

Saskatchewan is a ½ game ahead of 2nd-place Montréal in a potential CFL playoff crossover. The Roughriders have a 2½ game lead over Hamilton and Ottawa for that crossover possibility.

Saskatchewan could eliminate Edmonton from playoff contention with a win at home on Friday. The Roughriders have the tiebreaker edge with the Elks.

The Elks now have a CFL-tying record with 14 consecutive home losses. Their stretch ties the Ottawa Rough Riders during the 1987 and 1988 seasons.

Our hearts are broken for the communities of James Smith Cree Nation and Weldon. pic.twitter.com/1L8mWfYdto

— Saskatchewan Roughriders (@sskroughriders) September 5, 2022

Nice for the Roughriders to weigh in on the tragedy in the province. Hopefully, the inquiry will answer some key questions as to what and why.

.@saraorlesky thanks @wpg_bluebombers fans for the last time 💙#CFLGameday pic.twitter.com/i9lrBVgzia

— TSN (@TSN_Sports) September 10, 2022

The Banjo Bowl telecast gave us a nice tribute to Sara Orlesky. Had not realised Orlesky had been doing all of this for 14½ years at TSN. Orlesky has also done a marvelous job of hosting the Winnipeg Jets games on TSN3 since the team returned to the NHL.

All those moments in the freezing weather. She was on the sidelines at the infamous 2013 CFL playoff game in Guelph where the wind stopped a Sean Whyte field goal in mid air.

They celebrated her career not because she was nice but also being very good, considerate, and professional to the people she interviewed. A corporate slogan says nobody doesn't like Sara Lee but that really applies to Sara Orlesky.

CanadianCrossing.com CFL coverage

Rod Smith had some flying kilometres with a Friday night in Montréal with Duane Forde and John Lu and late on Saturday in Edmonton with Matt Dunigan and Brit Dort. Marshall Ferguson came off the bench with Forde and Matthew Scianitti on Saturday afternoon in Ottawa. Dustin Nielson and Glen Suitor worked the Banjo Bowl in Winnipeg with the impressive Sara Orlesky.

Dave Naylor sat in for Matt Dunigan on the CFL on TSN panel.

logo credit: CFL
Twitter captures: @sskroughriders; @TSN_Sports

2022 CFL Week 14 preview: Revenge games

The CFL revenge games weekend has 2 revenge games instead of the normal 3 revenge games.

Montréal hosts the BC Lions on Friday night because they have no one else to play. This constitutes the longest road trip heading east in the CFL. Vernon Adams Jr. might play against his old team.

Toronto is at Ottawa after playing Hamilton 4 times in 5 weeks. The Argos get to play the other Ontario team in the nation's capital.

Winnipeg hosts the 2022 Banjo Bowl, the revenge games with the prairie rivalry. This is the middle contest of a Saturday tripleheader.

The 4th and final meeting of the Battle of Alberta is in the late slot in the Alberta capital.

Hamilton gets an unusual rest after playing the Argos 4 times in the last 5 weeks.

TSN

Friday
BC @ Montréal, 7:30p
Saturday
Toronto @ Ottawa, 2p
Saskatchewan @ Winnipeg, 5p
Calgary @ Edmonton, 8p

Bye week: Hamilton

Toronto and Hamilton have a strong rivalry but when the game is on Labour Day, the Tiger-Cats are the dominant team. The Argos hadn't won on Labour Day since 2012, losing 9 of the last 10 contests on the holiday. Hamilton was 7-0 on Labour Day at Tim Hortons Field.

Everything was set up for all of that to crash. Toronto had been playing well against the Tiger-Cats over the last month. Jamie Newman was making his debut as the Hamilton Tiger-Cats starting quarterback.

The lone Hamilton touchdown on Monday came on defence with an interception returned for a touchdown.

The Argos kept the game close before its offence exploded. Toronto takes 3 of 4 from Hamilton and has a 1-game winning streak on Labour Day.

2022 CFL Week 13 preview: Labour Day weekend

Jake Maier kicked the Calgary offence into a new gear in the second half of the Battle of Alberta at McMahon Stadium. Saying the Elks are better on the road is like saying the Tiger-Cats are a better home team. Still, the Elks are now 0-8 in the division in 2022. Edmonton is 3-1 against the East.

The Stampeders are now 9-1 in the last 10 Labour Day Classic games.

2022 CFL Week 12 preview

Saskatchewan used to be the dominant team over Winnipeg in Regina on Labour Day Sunday. The Roughriders have won 14 of the 17 on the day before the holiday but now Saskatchewan has a 2-game losing streak.

The teams played to an exciting first half tie at 17-17. The defences were in prime form with a total of 4 points scored in the 2nd half. The Roughriders took a 18-17 lead off a punt single with 7 minutes left in the game. The Marc Liegghio 55-yard field goal gave the Blue Bombers the margin of victory.

Duke Williams is a valuable receiver for Saskatchewan; an after the whistle penalty on the Saskatchewan sideline hurt his team at a key moment.

Khari Jones got fired as the Montréal head coach in part due to a lack of discipline. Craig Dickenson has been the leader at not being the leader. Williams had one such offence; Garrett Marino was the poster child for undisciplined (more on that below).

The Winnipeg Blue Bombers clinched a playoff spot for the 6th consecutive year.

.@CFL we have enough evidence to kick #GarrettMarino out of the league. So tired of the #cheaphits. @sskroughriders @Wpg_BlueBombers

— Chad Rubel (@canadian_xing) September 5, 2022

The Saskatchewan Roughriders finally did on Tuesday what the rest of the league has been waiting a long time to see. The team finally released Garrett Marino. The master of cheap hits got one late against Winnipeg QB Zach Collaros. No penalty. We tought the league was supposed to be watching out for this behavior against quarterbacks.

Marino had a 4-game suspension for what he did to Ottawa QB Jeremiah Masoli earlier this season. Marino's behaviour got worse, not better. A player injured by Marino could have a very good argument for a lawsuit against Marino, the Saskatchewan Roughriders, and the CFL. Let's hope no other team will sign him.

Our crew on the field surprised me with this for my final game at Mosaic. I’ve loved this job for many reasons, but the people I’ve had the chance to work with will forever top the list 🥹 pic.twitter.com/GzvHvuEzGS

— Sara Orlesky (@saraorlesky) September 4, 2022

Sara Orlesky got a chance to say goodbye to Regina and Calgary, 2 cities she has covered a lot for the CFL on TSN. Sometimes when a person leaves a job, people say nice things and don't always mean them. Orlesky will be genuinely missed by fans, stadium workers, players, and everyone associated with the CFL. 

I think we need to rename this game to the Orlesky Bowl (aka Sara’s Send Off), just for one year. What do you think @CFL @CFLonTSN @Wpg_BlueBombers @sskroughriders?

— Farhan Lalji (@FarhanLaljiTSN) August 17, 2022

The Banjo Bowl marks the swan song for Sara Orlesky on the CFL on TSN. As we noted last month, Orlesky will be working for the Winnipeg Jets on their content team.

She has been with TSN since 2008 and started later that year as a sideline reporter for the CFL on TSN. Orlesky also has been the host of the Winnipeg Jets on TSN3 from the start and the lead reporter in TSN's Winnipeg bureau.

Style, class, grace, and charm: If you were watching a CFL game, you wanted Sara Orlesky to be on the sidelines. We suggested during the height of the pandemic that Orlesky get to do more if she wanted.

CanadianCrossing.com CFL coverage

Dustin Nielson and Glen Suitor (Sara Orlesky) had fun in Regina on Sunday and Labour Day in Calgary. Marshall Ferguson and Duane Forde were with Matthew Scianitti in Montréal on Friday. Rod Smith was with Forde with Scianitti on Labour Day in Hamilton.

The CFL on TSN panel was in Hamilton on Labour Day.

logo credit: CFL
Twitter captures: @canadian_xing; @saraorlesky; @FarhanLaljiTSN

2022 CFL Week 13 preview: Labour Day weekend

The Highway 417 (Autoroute 40) rivalry is in Montréal to start Labour Day weekend on Friday night. Glad to see the CFL make this part of the Labour Day festivities. The league remarkably gave both teams byes on the Labour Day weekend in 2019.

The prairie rivalry gets started in Regina early Sunday evening. Unlike the other major rivalries, Winnipeg and Saskatchewan have not faced each other in 2022. The temperature heats up on and off the field when these teams meet.

The classic Labour Day lineup is set with Toronto in Hamilton for their final battle in 2022 (which is highly unusual) in the early slot. The Tiger-Cats could even the season series with the Argos. The Tiger-Cats can be in play for the tiebreaker with a win but needs to win by 25 or more points for the first tiebreaker.

The Battle of Alberta is in the late slot in Calgary (supper time in the East). The Stampeders won the first 2 games over the Elks this season.

The BC Lions enjoy Labour Day weekend with a barbecue (hopefully) and watching some great football.

ESPN usually carries 1-2 games on this holiday weekend. Alas, the games are on ESPN+.

TSN

Friday
Ottawa @ Montréal, 7:30p
Sunday
Winnipeg @ Saskatchewan, 6p
Monday
Toronto @ Hamilton, 1p
Edmonton @ Calgary, 4:30p

Bye week: BC

The West is now 18-5 against the East in 2022 in the CFL thanks to the Ottawa win over Edmonton. The Elks now have 13 straight home losses. The record is 14 straight home losses for Edmonton. The revenge game with Calgary could tie the record.

Each team ended up winning on the road in what might be the 2 worst teams in the league in 2022.

2022 CFL Week 12 preview

Michael O'Connor wasn't able to do much in his debut as a CFL starter for the BC Lions. O'Connor did become the 28th Canadian QB to start a CFL game since 1950, the 3rd in 2022 (his teammate Nathan Rourke and Edmonton's Tre Ford. This is the first time 3 Canadian quarterbacks have started in a season since 1968.

This also marked the second time in league history that a team started 2 different Canadian quarterbacks in consecutive games. The Calgary Stampeders of the Western Interprovincial Football Union started Bill Stevenson on September 24, 1955 and then halfback Lynn Bottoms started the next game because Stevenson was injured.

The bye comes at a good time for the BC Lions. The Lions acquired quarterback Vernon Adams Jr. from Montréal for BC's 1st-round pick in 2023. Adams had tendinitis in his throwing elbow but that injury is reportedly healed. Antonio Pipkin is also in the quarterback mix in Vancouver.

2022 CFL Week 11 preview

Winnipeg swept Calgary for the first time since 1987. The Stampeders have 4 losses on the season, 3 of them to the Blue Bombers and another one to the then healthy Lions.

Calgary has been in the 3rd spot in the West for a very long time. The Stampeders haven't been consistent in some of those wins. A sweep of Edmonton could change the dynamic.

2022 CFL Week 10 preview

Dane Evans and turnovers have proven to be a painful combination in Hamilton. When Matthew Shiltz came out of the game for the Tiger-Cats in Toronto, Hamilton's chances got a lot more difficult.

Shiltz is expected to be out 4-6 weeks with a wrist injury. 

The Tiger-Cats traditionally play well on Labour Day against the Argonauts. Hamilton is 3-2 at home this season and the only team without a road win at 0-6.

Enjoying some rides at @letsgototheex
Well, some enjoyed it more than others 😌 @BrizzyUL17@royce_metchie @Bonsie24 pic.twitter.com/3bdjdpOhR2

— Toronto Argonauts (@TorontoArgos) August 25, 2022

The CFL schedules the Toronto Argonauts at home during the Canadian National Exhibition to boost Argonauts home attendance. Since BMO Field is located within the confines of the CNE grounds, game admission gets you into the CNE for no additional cost.

Did the CNE dates help? The 2 top attendance marks this season have come in the last 2 home games: Calgary (12,584) and Hamilton (14,963). The Tiger-Cats fans often make the trip to Toronto though their team almost never gets to be a part of the CNE dates.

The home opener with Montréal drew 12,498. Every home game has drawn 5 digits except for the Monday night game with Winnipeg (9,806). The Argos lost a home game in Toronto for Touchdown Atlantic that drew 10,886 in Wolfville, Nova Scotia.

Toronto only has 2 home games remaining: Saturday afternoon contests on October 8 (BC) and October 29 (Montréal).

Toronto Argonauts 2022 home attendance
Opponent	Attendance
Montréal	12,498
Winnipeg	9,806
Saskatchewan*	10,886
Ottawa	10,277
Hamilton	11,623
Calgary	12,584
Hamilton	14,963

* Touchdown Atlantic in Wolfville, NS

2022 CFL Week 9 preview

Montréal Alouettes owner Gary Stern started out 2022 being a bit aggressive. Now Stern is stepping away from day-to-day operations with the club. There are reportedly issues with the estate of his late father-in-law Sid Spiegel. Stern's share is 25% while Spiegel's estate has 75%.

Alouettes ownership had been stable under Robert Wetenhall and his family from 1997-2018. The CFL took over ownership during the transition.

pic.twitter.com/snJFeDB8R1

— New York Jets (@nyjets) August 28, 2022

Former Winnipeg QB Chris Streveler had an excellent preseason for the New York Jets. Yet Streveler is looking for a job after the Jets cut him.

Streveler played for Arizona the last 2 seasons in the NFL. The Jets were the 3rd NFL team for Streveler in 2022. Subsequently, the Jets signed him to the practice squad.

Several CFL teams would love to have Streveler in the quarterback mix. Streveler won the Grey Cup with Winnipeg in 2019.

2022 CFL Week 8 preview

Edmonton is not having a great CFL season at 3-8. Winnipeg is having a great season at 10-1. With a 18-game schedule, we are at the point where a Winnipeg win or an Edmonton loss means the Elks won't win the West this season. That this is true before Labour Day is a show of extremes.

CanadianCrossing.com CFL coverage

Rod Smith and Glen Suitor hung out together in the west in Vancouver (Farhan Lalji) on Friday and in Edmonton (Brit Dort) on Saturday.

Dustin Nielson and Matt Dunigan with Sara Orlesky had the exciting matchup Thursday in Winnipeg. Marshall Ferguson and Duane Forde with Matthew Scianitti could smell the fair food from Toronto early on Friday night.

Dave Naylor filled in for Davis Sanchez on the panel.

logo credit: CFL
Twitter capture: @TorontoArgos; @nyjets

2022 CFL Week 12 preview

The third and final meeting with Calgary and Winnipeg starts out the week on Thursday night. Winnipeg already has the tiebreaker in the season series. This game will be at the Manitoba capital.

This is the third time in 4 weeks that Hamilton will play Toronto, once again at BMO Field. Those with an Argonauts ticket can also get into the Canadian National Exhibition (unless the rules have changed). The final of 4 matchups will be on Labour Day in Hamilton. This game starts out the Friday night doubleheader.

Saskatchewan and BC play yet again, this time in Vancouver, in the late game on Friday. ESPN2 will have this game though you might get the end of the battle of southern Ontario before this game starts.

Ottawa and Edmonton finish up their home-and-home schedule for the year, this time in the Alberta capital on Saturday night. As we noted last week, these were 2 of the 3 teams to miss the playoffs in 2021.

The Elks home game losing streak stands at 12 games.

Montréal gets a well-deserved break to enjoy the late summer in La Belle Province.

ESPN2

Friday
Saskatchewan @ BC, 10:30p

TSN

Thursday
Calgary @ Winnipeg, 8:30p
Friday
Hamilton @ Toronto, 7:30p
Saskatchewan @ BC, 10:30p
Saturday
Ottawa @ Edmonton, 7p

Bye week: Montréal

Lisfranc, as in Lisfranc sprain, might be the words that end Nathan Rourke's amazing CFL season in 2022. The BC Lions quarterback will have surgery for that Lisfranc sprain in his right foot.

Michael O'Connor, fellow Canadian quarterback, takes command of the Lions on offence. We've see more of Antonio Pipkin even before the injury. Rick Campbell has a tough challenge ahead of him as the BC coach.

The Lions host Saskatchewan before a bye over the Labour Day weekend.

There is a shot of a return for Rourke. Unlike a possible return for Jeremiah Masoli with Ottawa, there should be a higher need for Rourke given the Lions success to date.

2022 CFL Week 11 preview

Craig Dickenson had been reluctant to give field time to Mason Fine, backup QB to Cody Fajardo, even in blowouts. Finally, he went with Fine in for Fajardo in the first half. Fine did lead Saskatchewan to its only touchdown against the BC Lions but the team didn't score in the second half.

The Roughriders have a better shot this week against the BC Lions. Saskatchewan needs to take advantage of those opportunities.

2022 CFL Week 10 preview

Montréal won a barn burner over Hamilton, pulling within ½ game of the Toronto Argonauts. David Cote made the last-second field goal to give the win over the Tiger-Cats.

The Alouettes have a 2-game winning streak. Bad time for a bye.

Both teams have a win against the other team; the tiebreaker game will be on September 23. Both teams also want to be in the CFL playoffs though Saskatchewan, as the standings are now, want to be that crossover team.

Calgary had a nice comeback to edge out Toronto. Jake Maier came in for Bo Levi Mitchell in running the Calgary offence. Maier gets the start in Winnipeg. Starting to look like 2019, the true year of the backup QB.

2022 CFL Week 9 preview

The Ottawa RedBlacks let the Edmonton Elks stay close in the first half. The Elks responded with 3 long touchdown drives in the second half in their first 3 possessions. 

The RedBlacks struggled to get the ball in the second half and when they get the ball on offence. The Elks still have the longest consecutive home game losing streak though the RedBlacks are 1-20 in their last 21 home games.

Nick Arbuckle, the ex-Elk, gets the start at quarterback for Ottawa. Arbuckle replaces Caleb Evans.

2022 CFL Week 6 preview: Touchdown Atlantic comes to Wolfville, NS

.@CFL should be careful as long as #GarrettMarino is still playing. @CFLonTSN panel had some good observations on not learning lessons on #cheaphits. CFL is better than this. @sskroughriders

— Chad Rubel (@canadian_xing) August 20, 2022

The CFL on TSN panel put together 3 plays in the first half where Garrett Marino clearly has not learned anything from the 4 games of suspensions.

Opponents are supposed to be afraid of a defensive rush, not from cheap hits. The talk is the "longest suspension" for a CFL player but that is for on-field activities. Jacob Ruby was banned from the league for the rest of the 2021 season for faking results on whether he was vaccinated.

The CFL fined Marino an undisclosed amount for unnecessary roughness (cheap hit) against BC Lions offensive lineman Peter Godber. This was one of the plays cited by the panel. Marino was not penalized during the game.

The league should do something similar to Ruby to Marino or another offensive player playing the Roughriders will pay the price.

🏈 Football & 🎢 @PNE_Playland!

Buy a ticket to our game THIS FRIDAY vs Saskatchewan & get a FREE weekday admission to the PNE FAIR! 🙌🏾

PNE is open until Sept 5th! ➡️ https://t.co/l2bSLMu455

Already bought your 🎟? Check your email for your redemption code! pic.twitter.com/3dMOaYY6Qz

— BC LIONS (@BCLions) August 23, 2022

We'll have more on the impact of the CNE on Toronto next week. The difference in Vancouver is that the Pacific National Exhibition (PNE) is not near BC Place. When BC Place was being remodeled, the temporary Empire Stadium was located on the PNE grounds east of BC Place. Still the association of football and the CNE or PNE is a rather awesome tradition.

CanadianCrossing.com CFL coverage

Rod Smith and Duane Forde matched up with Claire Hanna in Ottawa on Friday and John Lu in Montréal on Saturday. Dustin Nielson and Glen Suitor stayed out west with Sara Orlesky in Regina late on Friday.

Marshall Ferguson and Matt Dunigan with Matthew Scianitti were near CNE fairgoers in Toronto on Saturday night.

Dave Naylor got comfortable in the studio for Dunigan.

logo credit: CFL
Twitter capture: @canadian_xing; @BCLions

2022 CFL Week 11 preview

The CFL starts out this week on a Friday, the only time before Labour Day where the week doesn't start on Thursday. After Labour Day, Friday is the start of the CFL week until the playoffs.

The CFL is focused in the East this weekend with Regina as the exception. The Elks travel to Ottawa to start a Friday Night Football doubleheader. These were 2 of the 3 teams to miss the playoffs in 2021.

The BC Lions travel to Regina for a true night game in the prairies with a local kickoff just after 8 pm.

Hamilton is in La Belle Province to face the Montréal Alouettes in a late Saturday afternoon contest. Each team is 3-6, a win behind Toronto.

The Toronto Argonauts will show that there something to do on a Saturday night in the country's largest city as the Calgary Stampeders. The CNE is back in business. The tradition has been that an Argonauts ticket also gets you into the CNE fair.

All the games are on TSN and ESPN+.

Winnipeg finally gets to enjoy a week off, hopefully with some Saskatoon berries. The Blue Bombers are nursing a rare 1-game losing streak.

TSN

Friday
Edmonton @ Ottawa, 7p
BC @ Saskatchewan, 10p
Saturday
Hamilton @ Montréal, 4p
Calgary @ Toronto, 7p

Bye week: Winnipeg

The Winnipeg Blue Bombers had won 12 straight home games at IG Field. You had to go back to September 27, 2019 with a 33-13 loss to Hamilton to find the last time the Blue Bombers lost at home. The streak had been longer than Edmonton's home losing streak.

The 9-0 streak to start the season came to an end. What a way to break a number of streaks.

Montréal kicker David Cote made his 43-yard field goal attempt in overtime. Winnipeg kicker Marc Liegghio’s 37-yard field goal try missed. Liegghio had missed a FG try late in regulation that would have ended the game in regulation.

This might be good news for Winnipeg in that they tasted defeat in an odd and close fashion and didn't get blown out. The team also needs to ask about bringing in a kicker for competition.

The West is now 16-4 against the East in 2022 in the CFL.

2022 CFL Week 10 preview

20-3. 30-17. The BC Lions were down to Calgary for much of the game. The Stampeders are usually very good at home. The Lions did not give up.

Nathan Rourke completed a 53-yard TD pass to Bryan Burnham. With the extra point, Calgary was up 33-31. Peyton Logan ran back a kickoff for 99 yards for a touchdown; the Stampeders went up 40-31. The Lions didn't give up.

Rourke went 39-for-52 for 488 passing yards compared to 209 passing yards for Bo Levi Mitchell. Rourke feels like a CFL quarterback from the high powered 1990s offences.

The point difference in the game came on a punt single aka rouge from BC punter Stefan Flintoft.

ESPN in the States did not have this game on its original schedule. A good pickup on their part.

2022 CFL Week 9 preview

Hamilton and Toronto shook their usual images last week. The Tiger-Cats were the comeback team while the Argonauts blew a lead.

Toronto running back Andrew Harris came out of the game in the first quarter with a injury. Harris was expected to be out 4-6 weeks with a torn pectoral muscle. The team announced yesterday that Harris will require surgery and will be out for the season.

That would be a huge loss for the Argos, 1½ games ahead of Hamilton and Montréal.

2022 CFL Week 8 preview

Saskatchewan and Edmonton dazzled at the end of the first half. The teams scored 20 points, 10 for each team, in the final 3 minutes of the first half. Edmonton's Taylor Cornelius added his second rushing touchdown. Saskatchewan's Mario Alford ran back a 97-yard TD return.

The Roughriders opened up the gap between them and the Elks.

2022 CFL Week 7 preview

Vancouver Canucks fans know the saga of Brian Burke trading to get to pick Henrik Sedin and Daniel Sedin. There were twin football players in the 2022 CFL Draft. Jalen Philpot went at #5 for Calgary while Tyson Philpot went at #9 for Montréal.

Thanks to the bizarre unbalanced CFL schedule, the brothers met in Week 1 in Calgary but not in Montréal. Jalen Philpot finally got some significant action last week. Tyson Philpot had 5 punt returns and 2 kickoff returns in the season opener.

They are sons of former CFL running back Cory Philpot.

2022 CFL Week 6 preview: Touchdown Atlantic comes to Wolfville, NS

Garrett Marino has served his suspensions and is eligible to return for the Saskatchewan Roughriders. You might recall the 4 games of suspension for Marino around the cheap hit and racial taunting of Ottawa QB Jeremiah Masoli.

We could launch in for a tirade about why Marino is back relatively soon. This 3 Down Nation headline says more than we could: Riders' DL would 'love to' personally apologize to Redblacks' Jeremiah Masoli but still has not done so.

That would seem an obvious event to have before Marino dresses for the Roughriders.

CanadianCrossing.com CFL coverage

For our American readers enjoying the CFL on ESPN cable channels, this is the time of year that we point out the few remaining telecasts. There are no telecasts this upcoming weekend.

As of press time, there are 4 telecasts left on the cable TV schedule.

August 26 Saskatchewan @ BC, 10:30p ESPN2
September 23 Hamilton @ Montréal, 7:30p ESPN2
September 30 Ottawa @ BC, 10:30p ESPN2
October 10 Ottawa @ Montréal, 1p ESPN2

No Labour Day weekend or revenge weekend games. The U.S. audience does get the Canadian Thanksgiving game.

The schedules are subject to change. Games won't be added but substitutions could happen.

ESPN+ is your option to watch the other games. The price did go up recently. Hopefully, you have had a subscription for awhile.

I’m excited to share some big career news!
Very much looking forward to working with the Jets, but it will also be bittersweet to say goodbye to TSN and,of course, the CFL. Happy that I will still get to work the sidelines for a bit with my final game being the Banjo Bowl! https://t.co/2uoNIXd6d9

— Sara Orlesky (@saraorlesky) August 16, 2022

There was another prominent woman who left Bell Media this week. Unlike the Lisa LaFlamme "departure", Sara Orlesky is leaving on her own accord, taking a job as a senior host and producer with the Winnipeg Jets content team.

December 5, 2021 was that milestone day for Orlesky where she covered the sidelines for the CFL West Division final and then hosted the Jets telecast with the Toronto Maple Leafs.

Orlesky has been bouncing around the CFL prairies this season with Ryan Rishaug in Edmonton not being used and a lone appearance by CTV's Brit Dort in Regina. 

Orlesky does explain in her tweet that she will work the sidelines for TSN through the Banjo Bowl.

The Jets will need a new play-by-play person to replace Dennis Beyak and a new host on TSN3. Orlesky will appear on the Jets telecasts with content, a modern buzzword.

As for the CFL, Orlesky's departure leaves holes in quantity and quality. TSN and the CFL will be lesser without Orlesky.

TSN split up its teams over the weekend. Dustin Nielson and Glen Suitor with Sara Orlesky watched the Blue Bombers get their first loss. Rod Smith and Matt Dunigan with Matthew Scianitti were in Hamilton on Friday night.

Nielson then worked with Duane Forde with Orlesky in Calgary on Saturday. Smith and Suitor were on the call in Edmonton in the late game. Smith did the player interviews from the booth.

Farhan Lalji was in for Kate Beirness on Thursday. Dave Naylor was in for Dunigan on Thursday and Friday.

TSN never replaced Claire Hanna, who moved from Regina to Ottawa. Now the network has to figure out who will work in the West Division outside Vancouver.

logo credit: CFL
Twitter capture: @saraorlesky

2022 CFL Week 10 preview

Editor's note: The U.S. TV for Saturday's game switched from ESPN2 to ESPNews.

Montréal travels to Winnipeg to complete the home-and-home series, the revenge game. The Alouettes were close for 3 quarters at home but playing in Winnipeg is a different matter. The teams play on Thursday night once again.

The southern Ontario battle gets a revenge game with the Toronto Argonauts in Hamilton for Friday Night Football.

The BC Lions play in the late afternoon in Calgary on Saturday. This game was not originally on the ESPN schedule but replaced an earlier cancellation. ESPNews will carry the TSN feed.

Saskatchewan is at Edmonton to conclude the Saturday night doubleheader. This game was originally scheduled for Sunday. There will be a lot of green at Commonwealth Stadium.

The Elks have an 11-game home losing streak, stretching back to 2019.

Ottawa gets to heal for a week.

ESPNews

Saturday
BC @ Calgary, 7p

TSN

Thursday
Montréal @ Winnipeg, 8:30p
Friday
Toronto @ Hamilton, 7:30p
Saturday
BC @ Calgary, 7p
Saskatchewan @ Edmonton, 10p

Bye week: Ottawa

Here’s my call. We’re about to go 4 wins in a row (vs BC,SK,OTTx2). That takes us to 6-5 with 7 games left. #GoElks @corn_maze pic.twitter.com/DaeZVWOO2f

— Victor Cui (@victorcui) August 5, 2022

Victor Cui is setting a new tone in Edmonton. A bit of hubris is a bit of a surprise given the Elks current 11-game losing streak. Edmonton could win 3 of those 4 games, just not in Vancouver. The BC Lions had a 44-point win margin in the first meeting in Vancouver and a 32-point win last week in Vancouver. 76 point difference in 2 games. The teams will play in Edmonton in the next to last week of the season.

The Lions took their foot off the gas in the second half. Nathan Rourke went 23-for-26 for 386 yards and 5 TDs in the first half. Rourke went 11-for-11 for 91 yards in the second half for 477 overall; Matt Dunigan's 713 passing yards record for a game is safe. Michael O'Connor, fellow Canadian QB, finished the game for the Lions under 4 minutes left in the 4th quarter.

The CFL on TSN panel, which almost never mocks anything or anybody, took off on Chris Jones heavily rotating players in and out of the roster. No chemistry or communication at times. Edmonton will likely finish last in the West Division but should build something toward 2023. Cui might want to look into that for the Elks.

2022 CFL Week 9 preview

The Montréal Alouettes had several opportunities early and did not take advantage against a more talented Winnipeg Blue Bombers squad. Montréal managed to start the 4th quarter in a 14-14 tie. That is when the hare took over and ran away, leaving the tortoise wondering what happened.

The teams meet again this week, this time in Winnipeg. We will see if the Alouettes can be this scrappy on the road.

2022 CFL Week 8 preview

Calgary coach Dave Dickenson gave over the reins of the Stampeders to special teams coordinator Mark Kilam to serve as the acting head coach due to COVID-19 protocols. The Stampeders had a low-key game in the Calgary win. The Stampeders scored on a defence touchdown as Titus Wall returned an interception for a 46-yard touchdown.

Ottawa didn't score until the last half of the fourth quarter. Caleb Evans gave way to former Calgary QB Nick Arbuckle.

Calgary snapped a 2-game losing skid while Ottawa saw its 1-game winning streak come to an end.

2022 CFL Week 7 preview

Hamilton knows how to start; Toronto knows how to finish. The Tiger-Cats had a 13-0 lead to start the game. The Argos finally took the lead on a special teams touchdown. Toronto's Trevor Hoyte came clean through and blocked the punt; Benoit Marion recovered the ball and returned it 24 yards for the touchdown.

The Tiger-Cats suffered a number of key injuries with receiver Bralon Addison the most significant injury. Matthew Shiltz will likely start at QB for Hamilton.

The southern Ontario rivalry only has 3 games to go. Hamilton needs to energize the home field advantage this week. The Argonauts aren't as good on the road.

Touchdown Atlantic 2022 showcased Nova Scotia and its love for the CFL

2022 CFL Week 6 preview: Touchdown Atlantic comes to Wolfville, NS

The 2005 BC Lions are the only CFL team in the 21st century to post a remarkable start (11-0). That may not be the best example for Winnipeg. Despite the 11-0 start, the Lions lost 6 of the last 7 games and the West final.

CanadianCrossing.com Balance of Food coverage

Purolator sponsors food drives with the CFL to tackle hunger. The drive will be in each CFL city over a 9-week period starting last week in Vancouver. Here is the upcoming schedule. Food insecurity is a reality in Canada. Every little bit helps. Do what you can. Please.

Date	City
August 6	Vancouver
August 13	Calgary
August 19	Regina
August 25	Winnipeg
September 5	Hamilton
September 23	Montréal
October 1	Edmonton
October 8	Toronto
October 14	Ottawa

 

We get the irony of mentioning the $90 poutine while food insecurity is a major issue in Canada. Such are the pitfalls of society where some have more than enough to eat while others struggle.

CanadianCrossing.com CFL coverage

Rod Smith and Duane Forde were filmed with the l'Alouette poutine but did not touch it. Smith and Forde with John Lu were in Montréal on a humid Thursday night.

Marshall Ferguson and Matt Dunigan with Claire Hanna made an appearance in Ottawa on Friday night.

Smith and Forde were with Matthew Scianitti on Saturday in Toronto. Dustin Nielson and Glen Suitor were with Farhan Lalji in Vancouver in the late game on Saturday.

Dave Naylor filled in on the panel on Thursday and Friday.

logo credit: CFL
Twitter capture: @victorcui

2022 CFL Week 9 preview

Winnipeg works its way east to Montréal to start the CFL week Thursday night. This is only the 3rd home game for the Alouettes with 5 road games.

Calgary gets a break in not playing Winnipeg. The Stampeders are in Ottawa for Friday Night Football. The RedBlacks are on a 1-game winning streak.

The southern Ontario battle gets a jump start with Hamilton at BMO Field in Toronto. Should have plenty of Tiger-Cats fans on hand in Toronto. The teams play each other 4 times in the next 5 weeks.

The Edmonton-BC game has a lot of potential. The Elks play better on the road and the Lions are much better at home.

ESPN2 carries both Saturday night games like a Hockey Night in Canada doubleheader.

After losing 3 games in a row, Saskatchewan really needs to take it easy this week.

ESPN2

Saturday
Hamilton @ Toronto, 7p
Edmonton @ BC, 10p

TSN

Thursday
Winnipeg @ Montréal, 7:30p
Friday
Calgary @ Ottawa, 7:30p
Saturday
Hamilton @ Toronto, 7p
Edmonton @ BC, 10p

Bye week: Saskatchewan

Calgary had a week to prepare for the revenge game while Winnipeg didn't play its best game in Edmonton. The Blue Bombers had touchdowns while the Stampeders had field goals. 

Nic Demski returned to the Winnipeg lineup with 7 receptions for 69 yards and 2 touchdowns. Brady Oliveira ran with purpose with 15 carries and a season-high 110 yards. This is the first time Winnipeg has started 8-0 as well as winning 5 consecutive road games since 1960.

Imagine if the Blue Bombers had Nic Demski and Greg Ellingson, out with an injury, in the lineup at the same time.

Winnipeg now has the tiebreaker if there is a tie with Calgary.

2022 CFL Week 8 preview

Montréal scored the final 11 points of the game in Hamilton, knocking a 18-point deficit down to 7. The Tiger-Cats scored 14 points in the 3rd quarter to 0 for the Alouettes. Games in Hamilton can have that variance based on the wind in Tim Hortons Field.

Trevor Harris got pulled for a possible concussion before the final play of the game. Vernon Adams Jr. was on the injured list so Dominique Davis came in and threw a game-ending interception.

Hamilton seems committed to Dane Evans with Matthew Shiltz in certain spots. Hamilton has won 2 of the last 3 games. Montréal and Hamilton are both 2-5 and tied for second place in the East Division.

2022 CFL Week 7 preview

Saskatchewan looked good with a 17-4 lead at home against the BC Lions. Cody Fajardo was off to a good start, smiling on the bench.

The Lions got a rare safety in which a running back was tackled in the end zone. Just 2 points. Turns out that was the start of 28 straight points in the BC win.

The Saskatchewan Roughriders looked very tired. Fortunately, the team finally gets a break with a bye week, The defence doesn't look tired; just the offence. The Lions had lost the previous 8 games to the Roughriders.

Sean Whyte became the last CFL kicker to miss a field goal. In fact, Whyte missed 2 field goals, though the first miss led to the safety.

Game started on ESPNU in the States.

Touchdown Atlantic 2022 showcased Nova Scotia and its love for the CFL

2022 CFL Week 6 preview: Touchdown Atlantic comes to Wolfville, NS

While the undefeated team remained undefeated, the winless team got a win. The Ottawa RedBlacks scored the only points (10) in the second half in Toronto on Sunday.

Ottawa receiver Jaelon Acklin had 144 receiving yards and a touchdown. Quarterback Caleb Evans went 24 for 29 for 286 yards with 2 touchdowns.

CanadianCrossing.com CFL coverage

The new ALOUETTE poutine that will be served in a football helmet will be waiting for you on Thursday night at the stadium 🤤 Split it with your friends, your family, or try eating it all yourself 💪 More info → https://t.co/TY7aG2HUn4 pic.twitter.com/fPyV7clN8K

— Alouettes de Montréal (@MTLAlouettes) August 1, 2022

Plenty of great places in Montréal to get a wonderful poutine. The newest version at Molson Stadium as of tonight is l’Alouette.

The l’Alouette is served in a football helmet that you can take home and wash it out. There are 4 servings to this dish: 1.2 kg (2.64 lb.).

The list of ingredients exceeds a classic poutine: "red peel potatoes, cheese curds, pork lard and pulled pork from Quebec, caramel popcorn, fried onions, and Avril's signature maple and Amaretto sauce." No, we've never seen caramel popcorn on a poutine.

The cost for poutine l’Alouette? $90 (taxes included).

Our suggestion: walk about 2 km (1.2 miles) east after the game to La Banquise at 994 Rue Rachel East. Order the poutine of your choice (lots of choices) and save about $70.

Don’t look for me on the @CFLonTSN sidelines this week: I tested positive for Covid again. Very mild symptoms. FaceTime interviews 📱 Be back soon 🙏 Mask-up indoors 😷 Get boosted 💉 pic.twitter.com/nL6TLWKgpl

— Matthew Scianitti (@TSNScianitti) July 27, 2022

Rod Smith and Duane Forde with Jermain Franklin (in for Matthew Scianitti) were in Hamilton on Thursday and Toronto on Sunday.

Dustin Nielson and Glen Suitor with Sara Orlesky in Regina on Friday and Calgary on Saturday.

logo credit: CFL
Twitter captures: @MTLAlouettes; @TSNScianitti

2022 CFL Week 8 preview

Division games. Nothing but division games.

Montréal stays east and on the road with a trip to Hamilton to start the CFL week Thursday night.

The BC Lions make their way to Regina for Friday Night Football. ESPN2 will show the Friday night game.

Calgary comes off the bye with a home game. The bad news is that the Stampeders have to deal with Winnipeg. Revenge, perhaps, for Calgary's lone loss of the season. ESPN2 carries this game on Saturday night.

The Toronto-Ottawa battle is renewed in a rare Sunday game in the late afternoon at BMO Field. Though this is the second straight Sunday game for the Argos because of the COVID-19 delay in Regina.

Edmonton gets to sit out for the week.

ESPN2

Friday
BC @ Saskatchewan, 9p
Saturday
Winnipeg @ Calgary, 7p

TSN

Thursday
Montréal @ Hamilton, 7:30p
Friday
BC @ Saskatchewan, 9p
Saturday
Winnipeg @ Calgary, 7p
Sunday
Ottawa @ Toronto, 5p

Bye week: Edmonton

The first 🇨🇦 to rush for 10,000 yards 👏

Congratulations to @andrewharris33 on a remarkable milestone!

MORE: https://t.co/rWiXoY8c3F#CFLGameday | @TorontoArgos @Wpg_BlueBombers @BCLions pic.twitter.com/TaupRFiMkf

— CFL (@CFL) July 24, 2022

Andrew Harris is the first Canadian running back to hit the 10,000 yards mark. Harris needed 75 yards on the ground in Regina and ended up with 143 rushing yards.

Mike Pringle (16,425) leads the way followed by George Reed (16,115), Damon Allen (11,920), Johnny Bright (10,909), and Charles Roberts (10,285). Roberts was someone Harris followed as a boy growing up in Winnipeg. The Damon Allen totals are remarkable since he was a quarterback (yes, Marcus Allen's brother).

Seeing Harris in the double blue may be a bit odd after his time in Vancouver and Winnipeg but he hasn't lost a step. His yardage on the ground and through the air was crucial in the Argonauts win over Saskatchewan.

2022 CFL Week 7 preview

The BC nailbiter over Hamilton gave the West win #14 in head-to-head competition. The Argos swept the season series against Saskatchewan. The Roughriders also lost in Montréal. The West is now 14-3 against the East in 2022 in the CFL.

Touchdown Atlantic 2022 showcased Nova Scotia and its love for the CFL

2022 CFL Week 6 preview: Touchdown Atlantic comes to Wolfville, NS

Jake Dolegala did better than expected as the Saskatchewan quarterback. Mason Fine was the backup while Cody Fajardo got to rest his knee. COVID-19 did its number on the Roughriders that might have been tied to their time in Wolfville, Nova Scotia.

Toronto played well enough to win, taking advantage of some Saskatchewan stumbles. The Roughriders lost a couple of points trying for 2-point conversions. Charleston Hughes could have kicked the fumbled ball and scored a touchdown; touching it meant no touchdown.

24 seconds. The power went out at Mosaic Stadium in Regina. TSN and ESPNews both bailed out with the power out. It's the old joke about how you can't say we're off the air if you are off the air.

CFL finally puts a regular season game in Nova Scotia

Blue Bombers QB Zach Collaros completed 7 passes in the Winnipeg win in Edmonton. The Elks home losing streak is at 11. Nigel Tufnel loved 11 but Edmonton fans are almost looking forward to the road games.  

Collaros made good use of those passes. The Alberta road trip's next stop is in Calgary, where the performance will need to be much better.

2022 CFL Week 5 preview

The Ottawa RedBlacks are a really good CFL team that happens to be winless. 0-6 sounds bad though only 3 wins away from Toronto in the East Division. The team doesn't get blown out; the RedBlacks have been within a touchdown in 5 of their 6 losses. The Alouettes have won 5 of the last 6 against Ottawa; the teams have 3 more games against each other.

Caleb Evans shows prowess in the air and on the ground as the Ottawa QB. Nick Arbuckle finally got into a play for Ottawa, throwing a 47-yard pass on a fake short run play. Antoine Pruneau had a most excellent tackle for a safety.

With the 7-point Montréal win, the Alouettes are the only East team with a positive point differential at 174-169.

2022 CFL Week 4 preview

The BC Lions, when a decent team, has a mystique with home games, especially against the East. The Hamilton Tiger-Cats could have pulled off this game late in the 4th quarter but came up empty.

The Tiger-Cats had trouble in the red zone yet are only a game out, win wise, in the East Division. Their red zone playoff calling needs a dose of creativity.

Nathan Rourke had a solid game for BC but knows this wasn't a great game for the Lions.

This might have been the only CFL game without a single 4th quarter point.

TRANSACTIONS | The Elks have acquired 🇨🇦 Jon Ryan (P) from the Hamilton Tiger-Cats in exchange for a conditional 2023 8th round pick. #GoElks #CFL

DETAILS | https://t.co/VQEg5j5hAi pic.twitter.com/Gt6WelKahD

— Edmonton Elks (@GoElks) July 26, 2022

If you thought Jon Ryan being in the East Division was odd, you might be happy to know Ryan is back in the West Division. The Tiger-Cats, a team that needs a strong punter at home, was eager enough to trade Ryan to Edmonton.

Ryan started his CFL career with the Winnipeg Blue Bombers (2004-2005) before his NFL career. Ryan was in Saskatchewan, a different colour green in 2019 and 2021. Ryan's tenure in Hamilton lasted all of 16 days with no time spent on the field.

CanadianCrossing.com CFL coverage

Dane Evans and Matthew Shiltz were involved in a creative play for the Tiger-Cats. Glen Suitor pointed out that this year, 2 quarterbacks could be involved in the same play. Didn't realize you couldn't do that before. Flea flickers usually involve wide receivers and even running backs throwing passes.

Pope Francis I arrives in Canada on Sunday for an expected apology on residential schools

Commonwealth Stadium was in the news this week even with the Elks having the week off. The stadium was used for a mass with Pope Francis I on Tuesday.

You could make a remark about how the stadium had a lot more people for the mass than for the Elks game. Then again, the team has gone over 1,000 days without a home win.

Random appreciation tweet: In the last 48-hours my man Duane just went TOR ➡️ OTT ➡️ TNF ➡️ TOR ➡️ CGY ➡️ EDM ➡️ FNF ➡️ OTT ➡️ TOR.

All while cracking up our crew & providing elite #CFL analysis. Dude is great & does everything possible to make your @CFLonTSN experience better. pic.twitter.com/ySxwSyRTz4

— 🇨🇦 Marshall Ferguson 🏈 (@TSN_Marsh) July 23, 2022

Even in the pre-pandemic era, going Ottawa to Edmonton in back-to-back nights wasn't easy. There seem to be a few extra stops in Duane Forde's itinerary, according to Marshall Ferguson. Having to fly from Ottawa to Edmonton through Toronto and Calgary seems a bit excessive, even for Canadian airplanes in 2022. The return trip to Ottawa also feels odd.

Glen Suitor ended up in Vancouver on Thursday and Regina on Sunday, though the latter game was scheduled for Saturday.

Marshall Ferguson with Claire Hanna were with Forde in Ottawa on Thursday. Farhan Lalji and Suitor with Blake Price hung out in Vancouver on Thursday.

Dustin Nielson was with Forde with Sara Orlesky in Edmonton on Friday. Rod Smith had a single game with Suitor with Brit Dort (from CTV Regina) in Regina on Sunday. All 4 play by play people were on this past weekend.

Dave Naylor was in for Milt Stegall on the panel on Sunday.

logo credit: CFL
Twitter captures: @CFL; @GoElks; @TSN_Marsh

2022 CFL Week 7 preview

Editor's note: This story has been updated with the switch of the Toronto game at Saskatchewan from Saturday to Sunday. The move is tied to COVID-19 test results from Roughriders players and staff.

The East division gets a showcase in a rare Thursday night doubleheader.

The Highway 417 (Autoroute 40) series debuts in 2022 in the nation's capital. The rivalry with the Alouettes and RedBlacks is relatively young but the cities have more than just football between them.

Hamilton makes the long pass trip to Vancouver in the nightcap.

Winnipeg hopes its trip to Edmonton will be more of a funk for the Elks and their suffering fans. Edmonton has a 10-game home losing streak, a club record stretching back to 2019. ESPN2 will show the Friday night game.

Toronto and Saskatchewan complete the somewhat home-and-home going from Wolfville, Nova Scotia, to Regina, Saskatchewan on Sunday night. ESPNews makes a cable appearance for this game.

Calgary gets to rest after the Calgary Stampede came through the city.

ESPN2

Friday
Winnipeg @ Edmonton, 9p

ESPNews

Sunday
Toronto @ Saskatchewan, 7p

TSN

Thursday
Montréal @ Ottawa, 7p
Hamilton @ BC, 10p
Friday
Winnipeg @ Edmonton, 9p
Sunday
Toronto @ Saskatchewan, 7p

Bye week: Calgary

Touchdown Atlantic 2022 showcased Nova Scotia and its love for the CFL

We covered the pageantry, the game, and the pathetic ESPN+ behaviour. The cover-up is worse than what happened. The game is still missing.

The teams meet up this week in Regina. A bit of skirmish from teams that only meet twice a season.

2022 CFL Week 6 preview: Touchdown Atlantic comes to Wolfville, NS

The Edmonton comeback and late Toronto win now means the West is now 13-2 against the East in 2022 in the CFL. Saskatchewan has suffered both losses against the East in Montréal and Wolfville.

CFL finally puts a regular season game in Nova Scotia

The Danny Maciocia era in Montréal was off to a fine start. A 19-point lead early in the second half at home at Molson Stadium. The Elks were considered one of the worst teams in the league and starting their 3rd quarterback in 6 games.

The undisciplined play Maciocia cited in firing Khari Jones proved costly with 3 major pass interference penalties. Elks quarterback Taylor Cornelius' strong arm helped force those penalties. Turnovers, such as a fumble recovery from Scott Hutter and Ed Gainey's first interception as an Elk, did not help.

The Elks now have 2 road wins, still winless at home since 2019.

2022 CFL Week 5 preview

How close was the final battle of the undefeated teams? Kamar Jorden caught the ball in the end zone for Calgary, a touchdown that could have tied the game in the final minute. Jorden's arms hit the turf and the ball popped up into the arms of Demerio Houston of Winnipeg for the interception.

Dustin Nielson's "What is happening?" call was beautiful. Hope Rod Black is enjoying his retirement. His call on that play would have been one for the ages and not in a good way.

Calgary left crucial points on the table in the second half. 2 drives inside the Winnipeg 5 netted 3 points. Marc Liegghio missed a key extra point, leaving the Winnipeg lead at 7 points, setting up a potential Calgary tying touchdown.

Winnipeg didn't need another tall, impressive receiving target but got one in Carlton Agudosi, who caught 2 TDs in his CFL debut.

We don't normally suggest going back and watching the videos, but that finish is worth watching, whether you've seen it once or 10 times. The fans who were there (and some who weren't) will tell that story for decades.

The Stampeders host Winnipeg next week after a bye. Perhaps a different result at McMahon Stadium.

2022 CFL Week 4 preview

The Hamilton Tiger-Cats won a home game. That used to be an automatic statement but this has been a rough start for the Tiger-Cats and Ottawa RedBlacks.

Hamilton switched from Dane Evans, after another key fumble, to Matthew Shiltz. The QB shift wasn't bad but the play calling had the fogginess of someone who had a COVID-19 booster shot. The Tiger-Cats won despite this drive.

The relative good news for both teams is this was the first division game for both teams. Each East team plays 10 division games, which will likely decide the 2 (maybe 3) East playoff teams.

A boost for Hamilton at a sacrifice to the TSN panel: former Montréal head coach Khari Jones has joined the Tiger-Cats as a consultant.

2022 CFL Week 3 preview

Mason Fine is the Saskatchewan backup quarterback. You might remember Isaac Harker in this role. Fine is invisible since Saskatchewan doesn't like to take Cody Fajardo out of the game. Could be a blowout and 90 seconds left; Craig Dickenson has Fajardo in the game.

Fajardo's knee injury is clearly bothering him. The low blow he took on Saturday was a roughing the quarterback call that should have been called, Even Glen Suitor thought it was a penalty. Fajardo leads the league by far in roughing the quarterback calls that don't get called.

The Roughriders have to decide whether to rest Fajardo to help that left knee. The team hasn't had a bye so far and won't have one until the first week of August.

📻 Proud to announce our partnership with @cfweradio & @cjweradio on the first Indigenous language broadcast in @CFL history!

Our July 22 game vs. @Wpg_BlueBombers will be radio broadcast in nêhiyawêwin (Cree) across Alberta.

DETAILS | https://t.co/UIDRyFi3mb#GoElks #CFL pic.twitter.com/YRu0vWWAuG

— Edmonton Elks (@GoElks) July 8, 2022

The Edmonton Elks will be the first CFL team to broadcast in an Indigenous language. Tomorrow night's game with Winnipeg in Edmonton will be available in Cree on Windspeaker Media's CFWE (98.5 FM in Edmonton) and CJWE (88.1 FM in Calgary). Wayne Jackson, Darcy Houle, and Edwin Thomas will call the game.

Edmonton Elks president and chief executive officer Victor Cui announced other related events for the game. The Canadian national anthem will be performed in both Cree and English. An Indigenous performance will be held at halftime. Grand Chief of Treaty 6 First Nations George Arcand Jr. will handle the pre-game coin toss.

Given the previous nickname for the Edmonton franchise, this is an especially nice gesture. Hope some of those elements end up on TSN and ESPN2.

Pope Francis I will have a papal mass at Commonwealth Stadium on Tuesday as part of his Canada trip.

We have just acquired the rights to offensive lineman Laurent Duvernay-Tardif! If he plays in the CFL, he’ll be doing so in his own backyard! 👉https://t.co/6zeMGO75xL pic.twitter.com/Vxqs8Q7f5P

— Alouettes de Montréal (@MTLAlouettes) July 15, 2022

Montréal acquired the CFL rights to offensive lineman Laurent Duvernay-Tardif from Calgary. The Alouettes will send a 2nd round pick to Calgary in whatever year the McGill alum signs with any CFL team. Calgary also has the option of switching 1st round picks in the subsequent draft.

Danny Maciocia may have chosen the timing to boost interest in the Alouettes with the coaching change. Jon Ryan was an exception where a NFL star came to play in the CFL.

Your humble narrator would not have known who owned Duvernay-Tardif's CFL rights before the deal. Would be fun to see him plays for Les Alouettes.

CanadianCrossing.com CFL coverage

Rod Smith and Glen Suitor worked their way east with a stop in Montréal on Thursday before eating a lot of seafood in and around Wolfville on Saturday. John Lu was in Montréal with Matthew Scianitti in Wolfville.

Dustin Nielson and Matt Dunigan with Sara Orlesky witnessed the final battle of the undefeateds in Winnipeg on Friday night.

Marshall Ferguson and Duane Forde with Claire Hanna had their lone game of the week in Hamilton.

logo credit: CFL
Twitter captures: @GoElks; @MTLAlouettes