Bleacher Report - Articles by Jonathan Hamelin

Rider Report: Armstead Helps Riders Break Out of Third-Quarter Slump

Jonathan Hamelin — Mon, 23 Nov 2009 10:41:40 -0500

It is official; Jason Armstead has made the most out of the second chance with the Saskatchewan Roughriders.

Armstead played a huge role in the Roughriders’ two third-quarters touchdowns that helped the team defeat the visiting Calgary Stampeders 27-17, sending them to the Grey Cup on Sunday against the Montreal Alouettes.

Tied at 10 going into the second half, Armstead ripped off a 75-yard return that led Saskatchewan to a touchdown. On the next drive, Armstead connected with receiver Robb Bagg for a 42-yard strike on a slot back pass. The Roughriders went on to score a touchdown.

It was sweet justice for Armstead, who had been going through a rough patch in his career before signing with the Roughriders this season.

After coming over to Saskatchewan from the Ottawa Renegades in the 2006 dispersal draft, Armstead failed to live up to his 2005 all-star selection. In 2005, Armstead accumulated over 1,300 yards receiving. In 2006, Armstead gained less than half those receiving yards.

In 2007, Armstead felt he deserved a bigger role with the Roughriders, and was subsequently traded to the Hamilton Tiger Cats for return man Corey Holmes and receiver Chris Getlzaf.

Armstead ended up bouncing around the league, including stops in Montreal and Winnipeg. Finally, mid way through this season, the Roughriders reunited with Armstead. Some questioned the move, but the Roughriders had been lacking a consis10t return man all season long.

Armstead soon found new life with Saskatchewan.

He racked up over 800 yards in kick-off returns and nearly 400 yards in punt returns. For his efforts, Armstead was named the Roughriders special-teams’-player-of-the-year.

Last Sunday’s Western Final only confirmed that acquiring Armstead was a smart move. Armstead played a huge role in helping the Roughriders break out of their third quarter slump with two touchdowns.

And what a time to break out of a third quarter slump.

Up until that point, the Roughriders had been in a dog fight with the Stampeders. Thanks to a Roughriders’ turnover and poor field position in the first quarter, the Stampeders amassed a 10-point lead. The Riders managed to tie the game going into the second half thanks to a solid second quarter.

After an Armstead aided third quarter, the Riders never looked back, outscoring Calgary by 10 points.

Armstead finished the game with over 100 yards in kickoff returns.

It is apparent that Armstead has made the most of his second chance with the Roughriders, and that second chance has led Saskatchewan to their second Grey Cup appearance in three years.

Rider Report: Living the Saskatchewan Roughrider Experience

Jonathan Hamelin — Wed, 11 Nov 2009 00:45:36 -0500

This article also appeared in The Carillon: The University of Regina Newspaper

Husain Aboghodieh recently got his first taste of the Saskatchewan Roughrider experience.

Aboghodieh, a University of Regina student going for a Masters in Public Administration at the Johnson Shoyama School of Public Policy, was in the stands for his first ever Canadian Football League game on October 24th as the British Columbia Lions travelled to Mosaic Stadium to take on the Saskatchewan Roughriders.

“Amazing,” said Aboghodieh, picking one word to describe the experience. “We were sitting in section 28 and it was pretty rowdy and crazy. It was an amazing atmosphere.”

Aboghodieh travelled to the game with friends from residence, some of whom were transfer students. He also went with a few people from Saskatchewan who had also never seen a Roughriders game before.

“I dressed in green,” says Aboghodieh. “We met up with a couple of people at the game. Guys were pretty dressed up. One guy had face paint on and one had a mask on.”

It was only fitting that the first Roughrider’s game Abodhodieh’s attended would be against the BC Lions. The Lions and Roughriders have been bitter rivals over the last couple of seasons, and their games have rarely lacked excitement.

The Lions have pulled off plenty of late demoralizing victories over the Riders, and the Riders responded in 2007 by beating the Lions in BC for the Western Final.

The latest edition of the BC-Saskatchewan rivalry didn’t fail to deliver excitement. There were lead changes, big plays both ways, and even a mini pre-game scrum between some of the Riders players and the Lion players.

“It was an exciting game because it was back and forth,” says Aboghodieh. “The Riders were up and then BC came back so quickly. I was wondering what was going on. I was afraid. It was my first Roughriders game and I wanted them to win. It was a good time.”

The game was tied 30-30 after the fourth quarter and headed into overtime. The Roughriders scored a field goal on their first possession. On the Lions first possession, they marched deep into the Riders end, before safety James Patrick picked off a Casey Printers pass to give the Riders the win. Aboghodieh notes the stadium was electric following the play.

“We were high-fiving everyone, fireworks were going off,” says Aboghodieh.

Roughrider fans have been heralded by some as the greatest fans in the world. They seem to pack the stadium no matter where the team is playing and can be found across Canada and other parts of the world.

According, to Aboghodieh, the Roughrider fans are well deserving of their label.

“I agree completely,” says Aboghodieh. “The noise [in the stadium] was crazy. The atmosphere was electric all the time. Everybody was standing and you had to stand as well. People were standing on the benches. The cheering and chanting was good. Everyone was wearing green.

It was like a "sea of green" all over.

There has been a lot of talk about creating a dome stadium in Regina. After going to the game, Aboghodieh said he enjoyed the atmosphere of an outdoor game.

“I kind of like the atmosphere of an outdoor game,” says Aboghodieh. “I’d never been to outdoor pro game.”

On the other hand, he can see why people may want a new stadium.

“When I saw the stadium, I started to really think, now I know why people want a new stadium,” says Aboghodieh. “The infrastructure is a little old. I thought everybody would have their own seat. Maybe they could just re-vamp the stadium a little bit.”

The Roughrider experience is undoubtedly unlike any other. Fans pack the stadium from all across the province. They all huddle up in often freezing temperatures, cheering loudly and embracing their only professional sports team. Aboghodieh cherished the experience, and would definitely recommend it to anyone else who has not yet seen a Rider game at Mosaic Stadium.

“I think it is important that you go out and see a game. It’s a good experience,” says Aboghodieh. “You should support your team and your province. It was a good experience and I would recommend it to anyone. I am thinking of going again.”

CFL Q & A: Utilizing Jason Clermont

Jonathan Hamelin — Thu, 15 Oct 2009 15:58:26 -0400

Why hasn’t Jason Clermont been more involved in the Saskatchewan Roughriders offence?

It was a fairytale scenario in the offseason for Jason Clermont, the Saskatchewan Roughriders, and their fans.

Clermont, coming off an injury-filled year in British Columbia, had been released by head coach Wally Buono. The Riders didn’t wait long for before contacting Clermont, and eventually a deal was done. For many Rider fans, it was a deal they had been waiting for ever since Clermont entered the Canadian Football League.

With around 6,000 career yards and 37 touchdowns compiled his career, Clermont was expected to help bolster an offense that was already pretty talented, and provide some veteran leadership to the young players on the roster.

While the later point may be true, Clermont’s offensive production has been lackluster. Many have dubbed Clermont’s time with the Roughriders a disappointment.

With only 215 yards a good ways through the season, it is hard to argue with this claim.

So why has Clermont been under utilized in Roughriders offence?

To Continue Reading This Article, Check out The CFL According to Jon, the new ultimate blog about the Canadian Football League.

There's Something About Buck

Jonathan Hamelin — Sat, 10 Oct 2009 18:46:59 -0400

“So it’s a four point game and the Lions will need a touchdown to win this. Twenty-two seconds left. Second and 10 from the 48. Gotta be Geroy Simon time…and he’s got it…And he’s going to go! Geroy Simon shades of Milt Stegall. Touchdown BC!”

-- Chris Cuthbert with the call as Lions quarterback Buck Pierce connects with Geroy Simon for the winning touchdown pass in BC's 34-31 victory over the Edmonton Eskimos

He’s been beaten, battered, and bruised. Two weeks ago he was called out by head coach Wally Buono, who thought he needed to step up his game, and he has had to deal with quarterback competition from Jarious Jackson and Casey Printers. Through it all, BC Lions quarterback Buck Pierce has seemed to come out stronger than ever before, cementing his place as the team’s starting quarterback.

Whether or not you are a fan of the Lions, you’ve got to have a hell of a lot of respect for Pierce.

A star quarterback is not always measured by how many touchdown passes they throw or how many points they put on the field. They are instead measured by how they respond to adversity. When their team is struggling, they take on a leadership role and carry the team on their shoulders.

These are traits that can certainly apply to Pierce lately.

Two weeks ago, the Lions were preparing to face the Saskatchewan Roughriders at home. Their record sat at 5-7. A loss would have been detrimental. The team would have been three games below five hundred, and they would have found themselves in danger of missing the playoffs all together.

Buck Pierce was making his second consecutive start due to Jackson’s injury. Pierce had started the previous game against the Calgary Stampeders, where the team had suffered a loss. To make matters worst, a Saskatchewan Roughriders team riding their momentum of a victory in Edmonton was rolling into town.

Throw in the fact that Pierce was facing the pressure of losing his job, and the cards were certainly not stacked in BC’s favour.

But surprisingly enough, Pierce was not terrible.

Pierce led the Lions on a number of impressive drives early; unfortunately they were not able to capitalize. Pierce was dazzling. He finished the day with 343 yards passing and no interceptions. What made this feat even more impressive was the fact that he was getting hammered from the Roughriders defence, John Chick in particular, all game long.

Despite his play, it was not until the last drive of the game when BC won the game.

After Saskatchewan scored a touchdown to make the game 16-16, things looked bad for the Lions. But then Pierce, who was playing like a fearless leader, led the Lions all the way down the field, where Sean Whyte kicked the game winning field goal.

The win bumped BC’s record to 6-7, keeping them alive in both the West and in the crossover.

The Lions began a three game road swing this week in Edmonton against the Eskimos. Pierce once again got the start for the Lions. Coach Buono was obviously awarding Pierce for his clutch performance in the previous game.

Once again, a loss in this game would have been detrimental to the team. It would have almost guaranteed them a fourth place finish in the West, and they would have had to battle for a crossover.

In a back-and-forth game, Pierce was dazzling once again. He teamed up with slot back Geroy Simon to torch the Eskimos pass defence time and time again.

Pierce finished the day with 301 yards and three touchdown passes.

Yet, the Lions still trailed with under a minute to go thanks to a late Eskimos touchdown.

It was time for Pierce to work some magic.

Pierce made some clutch plays to pick up a couple of first down for the Lions. Then, with under 20 seconds to go, Pierce heaved the ball deep down field, and connected with receiver Geroy Simon.

It looked like the catch would set up the Lions in good field position, but two Eskimos defensive backs in the vicinity failed to take Simon down, and he ran all the way for a touchdown. The Eskimos managed a couple of more plays, but it was too little too late.

Now many people have called that final play lucky, but Pierce was the one who guided the pivotal last drive.

Two crucial wins later and the Lions have new life. The team sits at 7-7, which puts them in third place in the West. The Lions could potentially be in second place if the Saskatchewan Roughriders lose. In fact, first place is not out the realm of possibility for the Lions either.

Pierce seems to have breathed new life into the Lions. The offence is functioning better and the defence has also started stopping the run.

Pretty incredible for a player who was one bad game away from being released.

CFL Q & A: Examining the Defensive Ends in the CFL

Jonathan Hamelin — Sun, 04 Oct 2009 01:18:18 -0400

Which pair of defensive ends are currently the best in the Canadian Football League?

When defensive stud Cameron Wake departed from the Canadian Football League to the National Football League, many fans were left to wonder if they would ever see another dominant defensive end for a while.

A good way through this new CFL season and it is apparent that there is not shortage of excellent pass rushers in the CFL. Not only have there been excellent pass rushers, but many teams have had the privilege of having a pair of solid pash rushers on their team.

The Montreal Alouettes—with Anwar Stewart and John Bowman—the Saskatchewan Roughriders—with John Chick and Stevie Baggs—the BC Lions—with Ricky Foley and Brent Johnson—have all been blessed with two solid pass rushers.

An honourable mention goes out to the Edmonton Eskimos and Winnipeg Blue Bombers, who have also had some solid play from their defensive ends, but their duos are not quite up there with Montreal, Saskatchewan and BC.

Let's take a closer look at Montreal, Saskatchewan, and BC's pass rushers to determine which duo is the most dominant.

The Montreal Alouettes: Anwar Stewart and John Bowman

Anwar Stewart's resurgence this season, along with John Bowman's fine play, has been a major reason for the Alouettes improved play on defence.

Stewart only had four sacks last season. This season, he has already doubled that with eight. That is an unbelievable turn around especially since Stewart is an aging veteran. He sure hasn't played like one this season.

Stewart has also been flying around the field this season, as he has recorded 30 tackles and one interception. It is in this way Stewart has proven to be a well-rounded defensive end.

Bowman has been a perfect compliment to Stewart. Bowman is currently tied for the lead league in sacks with nine, and his playing style has been reminiscent of Anwar Stewart's. And, similarly to Stewart, Bowman has recorded 25 tackles.

This fierce duo has given the opposition yet one more reason to fear the Alouettes.

The BC Lions: Ricky Foley and Brent Johnson

Everyone knew that Brent Johnson was a stud at defensive end, but it was anyone’s guess if Ricky Foley could fill in for the departed Cameron Wake.

Ricky Foley has definitely developed into one of the league’s premium pass rushers this season.

Foley is tied for the league lead with nine sacks and recently had a three sack game against the Toronto Argonauts. Foley has also added 32 tackles.

After a slow start, Brent Johnson has also been on a torrid pace. Johnson has recorded six sacks and 32 tackles. The pressure put on by these two defensive ends has been a huge reason for BC climbing back into the West race.

The Saskatchewan Roughriders: Stevie Baggs and John Chick

Heading into training camp, the Riders weren’t sure how John Chick would recover from his injury, or who the other defensive end would be. Those questions have been answered for the better.

Though he didn’t start off hot, Chick has been a force to be reckoned with. Chick has flirted with the league lead in sacks and currently has eight. He also has 15 tackles and 2 forced fumbles. Chick has returned to his 2007 form.

Stevie Baggs, a virtually unknown commodity heading into the season, also has eight sacks on the season. He has also picked up 33 tackles.

What has made Baggs so impressive is the fact that he flies around the field making tackles. He has played a role for the Riders similar to Fred Perry. He will make the big sack, but he will also tackle a receiver 20 yards down field.

The Verdict: Stevie Baggs and John Chick

In this first version of CFL Q and A, Stevie Baggs and John Chick earn the honours as the best pair of defensive ends in the CFL. It was a close call to make.

In my opinion, Brent Johnson and Ricky Foley finish in third among the three teams. Johnson and Foley both started off slow, and while they have turned it around now, they still have problems dealing with the run game. They are more pure pass rushers, unlike Montreal and Saskatchewan’s defensive ends, who are better rounded.

Montreal and Saskatchewan’s pairs of defensive ends are very close. They can both rush the passer and are always excellent at stopping the run. I believe that John Chick and Stevie Baggs have been more dynamic than Anwar Stewart and John Bowman.

Saskatchewan’s defence has been impressive this season. They have rarely allowed a one hundred yard rusher, and this speaks volumes for how well John Chick and Stevie Baggs have helped stop the run.

Do you have a question for CFL Q & A, send me an email at roughriderfreek@hotmail.com

Newest Issue Of Fans Of The CFL Released

Jonathan Hamelin — Sat, 03 Oct 2009 14:55:28 -0400

I am pleased to announce that the third issue of "Fans of the CFL" has been released. Some of the highlights from this issue include:

The Great Moncton Debate: Should the CFL award a franchise to Moncton?

The Rise and Fall of Casey Printers: A look at Printers career

The Great Calgary Airlift: A look at the month that was for the Calgary Stampeders

And much more...

Check it out at:

http://fansofthecflarticles.webs.com/Volume1Issue3final.pdf

And for a look at past issues check out:

http://fansofthecfl.blogspot.com/

Arland Bruce: The Knight in Steel Armour For the Hamilton Tiger-Cats

Jonathan Hamelin — Sun, 20 Sep 2009 14:02:50 -0400

The score between Hamilton and Calgary is 17-17; Hamilton is driving the ball with less than five minutes to go in the ball game. The Tiger Cats face a third and inch in Calgary territory. Back-up pivot Adam Trafalis comes in to the game for the sneak. But then, Tafralis fakes the sneak, drops back to pass, and throws a touchdown pass to Arland Bruce."

The game-winning touchdown catch was Bruce’s second touchdown of the game, putting him over 100 yards in the game, but perhaps more importantly, improving the Tiger Cats record to 6-5—a record that is signifying that Hamilton has finally found the star player they’ve been looking for.

Arland Bruce suiting up for the Hamilton Tiger Cats? It is something no one could have predicting heading into the season.

However, after disputes earlier in the season with Toronto Argonauts head coach Bart Andrus, who though Bruce’s attitude was detrimental to the team, the Argos shipped Bruce off to the Hamilton Tiger Cats.

While Hamilton was undoubtedly acquiring the services of a top notch receiver in the trade, fans wondered if Bruce’s attitude would be detrimental to the Tiger Cats, who were currently riding a two game winning streak.

Bruce didn’t immediately help the Tiger Cats offence, as he spent the first game returning kicks, but he soon began to emerge as a star in Hamilton’s offence.

In only his second start with the team, Bruce racked up a team-high 78 yards against the Edmonton Eskimos in the win. The Tiger Cats lost the next week in a valiant comeback effort against the Saskatchewan Roughriders, a comeback helped by Arland Bruce. Bruce had four catches for 98 yards and one touchdown catch that helped spark the failed comeback.

Bruce had 119 yards and two touchdowns two weeks later against the Edmonton Eskimos. In the Labour Day home and home series against the Toronto Argonauts, Bruce had games of 115 yards, and 48 yards with a touchdown.

Arland Bruce’s numbers have been impressive to say the least. He has around 600 yards since joining Hamilton and has finally given the team a solid receiving threat to compliment Prechae Rodriquez.

But, what has been most impressive about Arland Bruce in Hamilton has been his attitude.

Bruce was basically called out in Toronto for being a horrible team player. Then, Bruce was traded to a Tiger Cats team that had been historically bad for some years in a row. Many thought Bruce would be a poor team player in Hamilton as well.

But Arland Bruce has checked his attitude at the door ever since he has arrived in Steeltown. He was willing at first to have a limited role with the team until he got more accustomed to the offence and he has not caused any notable controversies among his team-mates.

Hamilton currently sits at 6-5, putting them at second place in the East. With Toronto and Winnipeg both struggling, Hamilton looks poised to claim a home playoff game. In their recent success, they have leaned on Arland Bruce.

For a Hamilton Tiger Cats team that has been struggling for several seasons, Bruce may just be the knight in shining armour the team has been looking for.

Third and Inches: Examining The Art Of Short Yardage in The CFL

Jonathan Hamelin — Tue, 15 Sep 2009 20:03:58 -0400

It’s third down and inches to go, the back-up quarterback comes in to take the snap and the hoggies come in from the sideline to load up the line of scrimmage. The quarterback takes the snap and plunges forward… a simple play right? In the Canadian Football League short yardage plays are often taken for granted. Usually, a team can usually easily earn the few inches for a first down, but when the team fails to execute, it can be detrimental to the team…

In the three down game of the CFL, short yardage plays never fail to entertain.

With the defensive lineman having to line-up one yard off of the ball, teams in the CFL are much more likely to gamble on plays like third and inches, third and one, and sometimes even third and two. This differs from the NFL for example, where teams are usually hesitant to gamble when there is a yard to go.

On the surface, short yardage plays seem like they would be easy, especially with the defensive lineman one-yard off the ball. Yet, if short yardage plays are indeed easy, then why do we often hear about goal line stands, or teams stuffing their opponents when they only need one yard?

It is because short yardage plays can be like a work of art or a disaster.

In a short yardage masterpiece, the snap from the center to the quarterback will be clean, the quarterback will plunge forward or give the ball to his running back, and the offensive line will dig in and the team will pick up the first down.

In a short yardage disaster, there will often be problems with the snap, or the offensive lineman will fail to get a push or even let a defensive lineman through free to break up the play in the backfield.

To further understand short yardage in the Canadian Football League, let’s take a look at the team that executes arguably the best short yardage offensive in the league: the Montreal Alouettes.

Led by back-up quarterback Adrian McPherson, who comes in for Anthony Calvillo on short yardage plays, the Als have been nearly flawless in their execution. The Als have gotten a good push from their offensive line, but it has been McPherson’s ability to run that has made Montreal’s defence truly spectacular.

While most quarterbacks choose to plunge straight ahead on third down plays, McPherson quickly reads the defence, looking for any hole along the defensive line, and then sprints in that direction. This has usually resulted in a first down for the Alouettes, and McPherson usually pulls off five yards or more on these third down scrambles. A few times, McPherson has been one broken tackle away from going all the way to the house.

McPherson has probably become the first ever short yardage specialist in the CFL.

While the Montreal Alouettes have found success in the short yardage game with Adrian McPherson, other teams who don’t have such a playmaker have had some struggles.

These teams sometimes struggle in short yardage offence do so for one of three reasons: 1) They have trouble taking care of the ball. 2) They don’t get a good push from their offensive line. 3) They are too predictable.

The first point is really self explanatory. Teams who have trouble with the snap, or have trouble holding onto the ball in short yardage situations, will struggle to execute the short yardage offensive. Short yardage plays usually happen very quickly, so if there is a problem with the snap for example, the play will take too long to develop and likely be shut down.

The second point is also self-explanatory. Without a solid push from the offensive line, the play is doomed. The defensive lineman will stack up the line and the quarterback or running back will have nowhere to go.

The third point is one a bit more complicated. We have seen so far this year that teams that are too predictable in their short yardage offence will face difficulties. Teams in the CFL seem to love bringing in a lot of big lineman on short yardage running plays and then running straight up the middle. Rarely do these teams try and run to the outside or throw the ball.

So, what is the best way the best way to run an affective short yardage offence in the CFL?

A lot of it relates to predictability.

I never have understood why teams always stack the line on short yardage plays, especially on the goal-line. The team was able to march down the field with their normal offence on in the first place, so why change it up. Besides, if you are running the ball up the middle, you don’t need to bring extra lineman in on the outside.

When offences stack the line on short yardage plays, defences will stack the middle of their line, making it hard to run the ball up the middle.

By keeping their regular offence on the field, teams will find that their short yardage offence is much less predictable.

Another way to make it less predictable is to be more creative.

Instead of settling for a dive up the middle, trying pitching the ball out the running back, throw a short pass out of the backfield or a lob in the endzone, have the quarterback roll out and run the option play. All of these plays would keep the defence on its heels and give the offence a better chance to score consistently.

In the past couple of seasons in the CFL, short yardage plays have proven to play pivotal roles in games.

During last season for example, in a game featuring the BC Lions and the Montreal Alouettes, the Alouettes had three chances in the fourth quarter to score from the one yard line. The team was stopped all three times and lost the game.

Short yardage in the CFL is most certainly an art in that it not always easily perfected. Teams who master the art by being creative will easily pick up the yardage necessary for a first down, but those who settle for dives up the middle will find themselves shut down every now and then.

Since short yardage plays can keep drives going, possibly leading to a touchdown, it sure makes those couple of inches seem very valuable indeed.

CFL Insider Report: Week 10 Review

Jonathan Hamelin — Tue, 08 Sep 2009 22:38:41 -0400

“Worth Switching to Bleacher Report For”

After not posting any real article on the CFL for two weeks, I am back with a new column: CFL Insider Report. This column will give fans a look back at the week that was, the player’s reactions to the games, and some personal observations.

Ah Labour Day Weekend in the Canadian Football League. A time when good sportsmanship is displayed between each team and camaraderie is shown between opposing fans…

And if you believe that, I have a bridge to sell you.

The Labour Day Weekend lived up to its billing. There was a couple of fights, some intense games, and a bit of controversy as well.

At the beginning of this week 10 review, let’s start by going…

Around the League: The week started witth a game under the lights, as the 7-1 Montreal Alouettes traveled into BC to take on the struggling 3-4 Lions. The Alouettes were looking to win in a stadium they always seemed to struggle in, and this looked promising as the Lions had recently been blown-out at home to the Winnipeg Blue.

The Alouettes continued their struggles in BC, putting up only 12 points in a 19-12 loss to the BC Lions. The game was ultimately decided by a controversial play, as the Alouettes scored a game-tying touchdown late in the game, only to have it be called back because enough time had not been added to the game clock.

Here’s what Als team president Larry Smith said to the Montreal Gazette, ““In our minds, an error was made in terms of understanding the rules.”…

The classic Labour Day Saskatchewan vs. Winnipeg match up had plenty of headlines leading up to it, Michael Bishop’s return to Saskatchewan, Mike Kelly’s comments in the off-season about Regina, and of course Fred Reid coming into town after posting 260 yards in his last game.

The Riders managed to defeat the Bombers 29-14 and the biggest storyline coming out of the game was Saskatchewan’s ability to shut down Fred Reid, as they limited him to 41 yards. The Riders also shut him down on the goaline to end the Bomber’s drive at the end of the first half.

John Chick was a force for the Rider defense, recording two sacks and Darian Durant did enough on offense to win the game.

Despite the loss, Bomber’s quarterback Michael Bishop was confident about the rematch next week. "We turned the ball over and they stopped us down on the goal

line," Bishop continued.

"If we punch that in then the momentum changes and we go in at half feeling good. But they stepped up and made plays. But

we're going to whoop their *** next week. Put that in there,” Bishop said to TSN…

Hamilton was looking for revenge against the Toronto Argonauts for their loss at home early in the season as the first half of the Monday Double Header. The Tiger Cats did get their revenge, thanks to some help from the former Argo Arland Bruce. The receiver caught 6 passes for 115 yards in a 34-15 win over the Argos.

The Argos failed to get much going on offence, as kicker Justin Medlock was called upon four times in the ball game. After the game, Arland Bruce talked to the Globe and Mail about his release from Toronto. “I think that was probably the worst decision in football that's ever been made, CFL…wherever football's been played."

In the last game of week 10, the Edmonton Eskimos traveled to Calgary to take on their hated rivals. Edmonon had defeated Calgary earlier in the year but Calgary got the last laugh this week, beating Edmonton 32-8. It was a lacklustre showing from the Edmonton Eskimos, who had been first in the West leading up to the game.

Calgary was lead by Joffrey Reynolds, who exploded for 116 yards. Quarterback Henry Burris commented to the Canadian Press on the Stamps crucial win. “"You've got to expect to win the game at home and do whatever it takes to make that happen and we did," Calgary quarterback Henry Burris said. "In order for us to be in first place, we had to get this one.”

CFL Insider’s Top Three Performers of the Week: Every week, the CFL Insider’s Report will name the top three performers. It won’t necessarily be the top offensive performers who claim the awards. Also, being a former offensive lineman myself, one of the three awards will go to an offensive lineman.

1) Arland Bruce: For Arland Bruce, a receiver disgraced and released from the Toronto Argonauts, this game was sweet irony. Bruce torched the Argos secondary, racking up 115 yards as Bruce helped Hamilton defeat his former team.

2) John Chick: Simply put, John Chick was a monster against the Winnipeg Blue Bombers. Chick had two sacks and four tackles, as he constantly put pressure on Michael Bishop.

3) Gene Makowsky: As promised, one award each week will go to an offensive lineman. This week it goes to the ageless veteran Gene Makowksy. Makowsky moved one again to the tackle position, and performed brilliantly, helping to give Darian Durant protection all day long.

CFL Insider’s Play of the Week: This week’s play of the week comes courtesy of Calgary Stampeders receiver Jermaine Copeland, who made an amazing one handed catch for a touchdown against the Edmonton Eskimos. But don’t take my word on it, check out the video.

(Note, the catch is about 2:41 in)

CFL Insider’s Quotables: To finish of this week review, we take a look at the most interesting quote from week 10. This week’s quote comes from Michael Bishop, whose Bomber’s were defeated 29-14 by the Saskatchewan Roughriders:

"We turned the ball over and they stopped us down on the goal line," Bishop continued. "If we punch that in then the momentum changes and we go in at half feeling good. But they stepped up and made plays. But we're going to whoop their *** next week. Put that in there,” Bishop said to TSN.

Soon after the loss Bishop guaranteed a win in the Banjo Bowl rematch next week in Winnipeg. Despite the loss, and the lower record, Bishop seems to feel that the Bombers are the better team. This seemed to be feelings shared by the entire team, as many of them were quoted saying they were the better team even in the loss.

To me, this is strikingly similar to the Grey Cup in 2007, when the Riders defeated the Bombers. Many of the Bombers players felt they were the better team even though they lost. This quote should definitely make for an interesting rematch.

Second Issue of "Fans of the CFL" Has Been Released

Jonathan Hamelin — Wed, 02 Sep 2009 13:00:54 -0400

I am pleased to announce the release of the second ever issue of Fans of the CFL. Fans of the CFL is a free, monthly online Canadian Football League Magazine. The magazine aims to give fans a unique perspective on the Canadian Football League.

You can check out newest issue here: http://fansofthecflarticles.webs.com/Volume1Issue2final.pdf

Also, for news about the magazine and links to subscribe, check out our homepage: http://fansofthecfl.blogspot.com/

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CFL Preview Week Eight: The Bye Week Part 1

Jonathan Hamelin — Fri, 21 Aug 2009 16:17:58 -0400

In week eight in the CFL, four teams have a bye. The Edmonton Eskimos, Calgary Stampeders, Toronto Argonauts, and Hamilton Tiger Cats will all have to endure the grueling bye week that no one ever enjoys!

But, though it may be a bye week for some teams, it most certainly won’t mean a bye for my weekly predictions!

The more I think about it, I like the idea of this bye week. My record isn’t the best in the world, and maybe I just need fewer games to pick.

Friday August 21^stDoubleheader

Game One: Saskatchewan Roughriders at Montreal Alouettes

The Roughriders will look to exact revenge on the Montreal Alouettes in Montreal this week. Montreal embarrassed Saskatchewan at home earlier in the year, so it should be an intense game.

The Riders have been anything but consistent this season, but they are getting players back from injury slowly. Their offensive line has improved, and Wes Cates has finally found his game.

If Wes Cates can get going against the Montreal Alouettes, it could take the pressure off of Darian Durant.

Montreal is a tough match for any team. They can hurt you on offence in multiple ways and their defence has been stingy.

Montreal is always a tough place to win at, and the Saskatchewan Roughriders have had their share of struggles there. Yet you can never count out the Roughriders, who win when they are not expected to and lose when they are favoured.

Yet, beating a red hot Alouette team at home may be too much to ask.

My Pick: Montreal

Game Two: Winnipeg Blue Bombers at BC Lions

In BC, it will be a battle of two gunslingers, as Lion’s pivot Jarious Jackson faces off against Bomber’s pivot Michael Bishop.

Both sitting in their respective division basements, both teams will look to move up the standings.

The Lions have been doing just enough to win ball games recently, winning two in a row. They will hand the ball to Jarious Jackson in this game. Jackson has impressed with the deep ball, but has also been inconsistent. While he will likely test the Bombers defence deep, he also needs throw the intermediate routes as well.

Look for rookie running back Martel Mallet to continue his success.

The Bombers on the other hand are in a lot of trouble. Michael Bishop has been inconsistent, and the team doesn’t have any proven stars on offence except for Fred Reid and Terrance Edwards.

Luckily for the Bombers, BC’s run defence is pretty bad, so Fred Reid could have a huge game. If the Bombers can get Fred Reid going, and their defence plays well like it has in the past, they may have a chance to pull off the upset.

My Pick: Winnipeg

My Record: 13-15 (46%)

CFL Race To MOP: Issue Two

Jonathan Hamelin — Tue, 18 Aug 2009 15:54:17 -0400

We’ve all heard a star player say, “It’s not about me, it’s all about the team.” This is all good and well, but who doesn’t strive to be the best? Whether it is the best at knitting, ballroom dancing, or fantasy football, there is the drive in everyone to become the best.

In the Canadian Football League, the Most Outstanding Player award is the most prestigious award a player can win. Race to MOP will evaluate the top players in the league and look at who is winning the race to be named the next Most Outstanding Player. It will also take a look at who is the top contenders who the other awards.

Since the first issue of: CFL Race to Most Outstanding Player, things haven’t really changed in the Canadian Football League. The Montreal Alouettes are still the top dogs in the league, whereas the Winnipeg Blue Bombers and Toronto Argonauts are bringin up the rear.. After that, it is still really a mystery.

Some players on the other hand, have been stepping up since the last issue. My pick to win the award, Paris Jackson, got off to a slow start this season. After a couple of good games, he is now second in receiving yardage. The rookie Martel Mallett of the BC Lions is making a name for himself as well. He is currently third in rushing yardage.

Let’s take a closer look at how is winning the race so far to be named the CFL Most Outstanding Player.

1) Anthony Calvillo: Quarterback for the Montreal Alouettes

Calvillo is making a strong case to repeat as the Most Outstanding Player this season. Despite a loss to the Eskimos earlier, the Alouettes still sit comfortably atop the standings at 6-1. They hold a two game lead over the Hamilton Tiger Cats in the East. Cavillo leads the league in passing yardage with 2160, is tied for the lead in touchdowns with 11, and has the best passer rating among starting quarterbacks at 108.0. Under the guidance of head coach Marc Trestman, Calvillo has been leading an effective Alouette offence to a lot of points.

2) Fred Reid: Running back for the Winnipeg Blue Bombers

The Blue Bombers may be in a funk this season, but Fred Reid certainly isn’t. Taking over from the legendary Charles Roberts this season, Reid has already rushed 535 yards through seven weeks and has three touchdowns. His average of 6.0 is also very impressive. Currently leading the league in rushing, Fred Reid has played a crucial role in any success the Bombers have this season. Recently, he rushed for 176 yards against the Calgary Stampeders.

3) Kerry Watkins: Receiver for the Montreal Aloeuttes

You could really insert any of the Alouettes’ offensive stars here, as they have all been having career years. Watkins however has been one of Montreal’s most dominant receivers. Watkins leads the league in receiving with 577 yards and 4 touchdowns. Being a potent deep threat, Watkins has averaged 16.0 yards a catch so far with a 71 yard catch already. Watkins has been a favourite target of quarterback Anthony Calvillo.

Honourable Mentions

Avon Cobourne: The talented Montreal Alouettes’ running back is definitely right up there in the race to be named the Most Outstanding Player. Cobourne is currently second in rushing yardage with 534 yards. He also has seven touchdowns.

Henry Burris: Much like the Stampeders, Henry Burris got off to a slow start this season. He has since rebounded and has already thrown for 2064 yards and 11 touchdowns.

Stevie Baggs: Baggs has been flying around the field all year. Baggs is tied for second with 5 sacks and also has an interception. Stevie Baggs has also been the heart and soul of the Riders defence, often making tackles twenty yards down field.

Paris Jackson: With Geroy Simon struggling somewhat, Paris Jackson has picked up the slack. Jackson moved into the important slot back position this year to replace Jason Clermont, and has 540 yards receiving with 5 touchdowns.

The Other Awards

Outstanding Defensive Player: Stevie Baggs (Defensive end for the Saskatchewan Roughriders)

Baggs has been flying around the field all year. Baggs is tied for second with five sacks and also has an interception. Stevie Baggs has also been the heart and soul of the Riders defence, often making tackles twenty yards down field.

Outstanding Canadian: Paris Jackson (Slot back for the BC Lions)

Paris Jackson has taken over Jason Clermont’s open spot quite nicely this season. He has 540 yards and five touchdowns on the season.

Outstanding Offensive Lineman: Bryan Chiu (Center for the Montreal Alouettes)

You could almost pick any Alouettes offensive lineman to win this award as they have all been excellent. Chiu however has been a solid leader on the offensive line and has provided great protection for Anthony Calvillo.

Outstanding Rookie: Martell Mallet (Running back for the BC Lions)

Mallett is currently the thid leading rusher in the Canadian Football League. He has rushed for 492 yards and two touchdowns this season and filled in nicely for the departed Stefan Logan.

Outstanding Special Teams Player: Tristan Jackson (Returner for the Edmonton Eskimos)

Tristan Jackson has been lighting it up in the return game this year. The talented returner is leading the league in punt returns and already has one touchdown.

Do you want a new look at the Canadian Football League? Check out Fans of the CFL. Fans of the CFL is an online CFL magazine written for by a group of die-hard fans. This magazine hopes to give fans a unique perspective on the game. If you would like a free subscription to Fans of the CFL, send me an email at roughriderfreek@hotmail.com. Also, visit our site at http://fansofthecfl.blogspot.com/.

CFL Preview Week Seven: The Wild West

Jonathan Hamelin — Thu, 13 Aug 2009 13:42:21 -0400

Could the real contender in the Wild Western Division please stand up?

Six weeks through the CFL season and there are few certainties.

The Montreal Alouettes and Hamilton Tiger Cats seem to be firm contenders in the East, but not one team in the West has stood up. Through a series of missed opportunities, we are still uncertain who the powerhouse in the West is.

Three of the teams currently sit at 3-3 while the BC Lions pulled to 2-4 last week by beating the Saskatchewan Roughriders.

Speaking of that game, it contributed to my two incorrect picks last week. In the other, I picked Winnipeg to upset Calgary, which almost did happen. After going 2-2, I am still below .500 with my picks.

Prediction Time

Disagree with my picks. Tell me your picks down below.

Thursday Aug. 13th

Game One: Calgary Stampeders at Edmonton Eskimos

The Calgary Stampeders fought back last week to get back to .500, whereas the Edmonton Eskimos missed a glorious opportunity to sit atop the West by losing to the Hamilton Tiger Cats. In this years first installment of the "Battle of Alberta," tempers should be high.

Ricky Ray continued his inconsistent play last week. He threw for a lot of yardage, but also tossed two interceptions. Still, Ray looks to be regaining his solid form slowly. Throw in the fact that Edmonton now has somewhat of a running game, and their offense suddenly isn’t looking so anemic.

Look for the Eskimos to attack Calgary’s inexperienced secondary with Kamau Peterson, Maurice Mann, and Fred Stamps.

Calgary, on the other hand, is still of course without star receiver Keynon Rambo. Luckily, players like Jermaine Copeland have stepped up.

Edmonton has a stingy front seven, so running the ball with Joffrey Reynolds may be tough. If Calgary can establish him, however, they could open up the passing game and terrorize Edmonton’s defense.

With two teams that look to be fairly equally matched, this game could come down to who can run the ball and control the line of scrimmage the best. This game will likely be a close contest, but Edmonton is playing at home. Their natural grass is still one of the toughest turfs to play on, and that may be the advantage they need.

My Pick: Edmonton

Friday August 14^th

Game One: BC Lions at Toronto Argonauts

Things are starting to look up for the BC Lions. They got an ugly win against the Saskatchewan Roughriders last week and are facing one of the most struggling teams in the CFL, the Toronto Argonauts. Fresh off a shut-out loss against the Montreal Alouettes, the Argonauts are desperate for a win.

For the game, the Argos have benched former MOP Kerry Joseph in favour of back-up pivot Cody Picket. The news was a bit shocking, seeing as Toronto has a lot of other problems than just the quarterback position. Still, a change was perhaps necessary. Pickett will look to rejuvenate a struggling Argos offense.

To do this, it would be smart to get Jamal Robertson involved. BC’s run defense is one of the worst in the league and they could get a big game out of Jamal Robertson.

Similarly, the Lions need to establish the run with rookie sensation Martel Mallet. Mallet is a hard runner which is good because Toronto has a tough front seven. Buck Pierce didn’t have an amazing game last week, but he did a little better job of taking care of the ball. This will be crucial against an Argos team that will be looking for any break they can get.

Upon first glance, it would appear that the Lions will win this game. They are coming off of a victory and Toronto is struggling. The game is in Toronto, however, and road games are never a sure thing. Toronto will likely get a good running game going against the Lions, which will help Cody Pickett settle down. If Pickett has any success at all, look for Toronto’s stingy defense to take care of the rest.

My Pick: Toronto

Saturday August 15th

Game One: Montreal Alouettes at Winnipeg Blue Bombers

They have beaten the Toronto Argonauts and the Hamilton Tiger Cats, and now it is time for the Montreal Alouettes to prove they are indeed top dogs in the East by beating Winnipeg. In fact, Winnipeg has also beaten Toronto and Hamilton, but I’m pretty sure no one thinks they're top dogs in anything.

Winnipeg has recently seen new life with quarterback Michael Bishop added into the line-up. Bishop has been an immediate upgrade over Stefan Lefors and almost led the Bombers to victory over the Stampeders.

But the big reason for the improvement in Winnipeg’s offense is Fred Reid. Reid rushed for 176 yards against Calgary last week, and he will be the player to watch on Saturday. Winnipeg should look to get Reid involved in the run game and the passing game. The Bombers can also look to their other big gun on offense, Terrance Edwards.

The Montreal Alouettes, on the other hand, have a balanced offensive attack. They can hurt you on the ground with Avon Cobourne, or go to the air with Ben Cahoon, Jamal Richardson, and Kerry Watkins. Winnipeg’s defense has been better as of late, but it is a big task shutting down the Als offense.

Fans in Winnipeg have new faith since Michael Bishop arrived. But as a Roughriders fan all I can say is, give it a few weeks. Sure, Bishop looks good at times, but he will ultimately choke when the pressure is on. Montreal is likely going to key on Fred Reid all game, forcing Michael Bishop to throw the ball a lot and likely turn the ball over. On the other side, Anthony Calvillo should do enough to get an important road win.

My Pick: Montreal

Sunday August 16th

Game One: Hamilton Tiger Cats at Saskatchewan Roughriders

The Hamilton Tiger Cats are 4-2? Is this the same team who has been so bad for so long? Every game so far, fans have been saying, “This is the real test for Hamilton.” Well so far, they have passed most of those tests. They have swept the BC Lions in two games and beaten the Edmonton Eskimos, proving they are indeed for real. Still, they will get another test this week against the Saskatchewan Roughriders.

The Riders have been so inconsistent this year. They look good one week against a tough opponent, and then falter the next week against an easy one. Ken Miller doesn’t seem to be inspiring the Riders to do well, and it has surely shown in their play.

Luckily, the team will be getting back defensive end John Chick, who should help stabilize the defensive line. Unluckily, however, the team will be without star middle linebacker Renauld Williams for some time. This isn’t good when DeAndra Cobb is coming into town.

Cobb has been the story of the year so far. He is tearing it up in the ground game and should pose a problem to a weak Riders run defense. Gary Etcheverry’s defense, which is good at creating turnovers, will have to also focus on shutting down Cobb. Without a running game, Quinton Porter will have to throw the ball to beat the Riders. This could only bode well for the Riders.

On offense, the Riders need to get the ball to their playmakers. With Wes Cates in the backfield and receivers like Jason Clermont and Weston Dressler, the Riders have no shortage of talent. The offensive line also needs to do a much better job giving Darian Durant protection.

Finally returning home after a two game road trip, the Riders will be playing in front of a loud home crowd. But will they give them anything to cheer about? I never thought I would pick Hamilton to win in Regina, but they have DeAndra Cobb on their side. Without Renauld Williams in the middle, I’m not sure Saskatchewan can stop the run this week.

My Pick: Hamilton

My Record: 11-13 (46%)

CFL Recap Week Six: The Call

Jonathan Hamelin — Mon, 10 Aug 2009 16:26:14 -0400

Fans that happened to tune in to the Friday tilt featuring the BC Lions and Saskatchewan Roughriders were likely surprised about two things.

Firstly, the Riders played so poorly after beating the Calgary Stampeders the week before. And secondly, a crucial call was missed in the first half that may have changed the momentum of the game.

The call happened near the end of the second quarter. Sean Whyte had just punted the ball and Gerran Walker had attempted to catch the short punt in the air. Walker fumbled the football, and a crazy series of events pursued.

The Lions' James Dennis failed to pick up the fumble, and then rookie linebacker James Yurichuk of the Lions kicked the ball forward. As the ball was bouncing toward Saskatchewan’s end, Jason Arakgi tried and failed to pick up the pigskin. Eventually, O’Neil Wilson picked up the football and scored a 14-yard touchdown.

So what was wrong with the play?

Well, according to CFL rules, a player is allowed to dribble the ball forward, but it has to be recovered by an onside player. Jason Arakgi, the first Lion to touch the ball after the kick, was offside. The ball should have returned to the Saskatchewan Roughriders.

Head official Tom Higgins said, "It was wrong, we made a mistake, and this is too big not to 'fess up to.'" It's hard because the official who is watching has to watch the football. How can he tell if someone is onside or offside when he's watching the football?

This was a huge momentum changer in the game. Saskatchewan could have had time left in the half to increase their 14-12 lead, but instead they went into the half down 19-14, on a touchdown that should not have even counted.

BC went on to outscore the Riders 16-10 in the second half and won the game 35-20.

Of course, the bad call isn’t taking anything away from the Lions' performance. The Lions were on a mission and took advantage of a sloppy Roughriders squad. However, that non-call still had a huge impact on the game.

The Riders basically lost by one touchdown, as the Lions scored one late. Instead of giving up a touchdown late in the first half, the Riders may have increased their lead. Needless to say, the officials will need to do a better job on these crucial plays.

While Ken Miller and the Riders should have challenged the call, the officials also could have as well, especially on such a pivotal play.

Other Notes from Week Six:

The CFL—Where Shutouts Happen:

The Toronto Argonauts fell to the Montreal Alouettes 25-0 on Friday, failing to register a point for the first time in 17 years. Though offensive struggles have been nothing new to the Toronto Argonauts, a shutout is a new low for the team.

Both Argo pivots, Cody Pickett and Kerry Joseph, were sacked a combined total of seven times, and neither threw over a hundred yards. Jamal Robertson’s struggles continued as he only rushed for 20 yards.

On the other side of the ball, the defense struggled to contain Anthony Calvillo and Ben Cahoon. Calvillo threw for 380 yards and Cahoon had over 100 yards.

Do or Die For the Lions:

In the Lions aforementioned victory over the Saskatchewan Roughriders, the Lions' big guns finally stepped up. Buck Pierce was 26/34 with 215 yards and a touchdown.

Martell Mallet rushed for 99 yards and Paris Jackson had 92 yards receiving. New middle linebacker seemed to fit in well for the Lions. The win was crucial for the Lions, who would have fallen to 1-5 with a loss.

Glatt’s Got the Riders Number:

Lions' linebacker Javier Glatt, who has currently been demoted with the signing of Jojuan Armour, registered an interception against the Saskatchewan Roughriders. Glatt has two interceptions on the season, both against the Riders.

Hamilton Makes A Statement:

The Tiger Cats beat the Eskimos 28-21 this week, in what was one of the most exciting games of the season so far.

The Tiger Cats faced adversity throughout the game, but their defense stepped up big-time. They held the Eskimos to three points in the second half. Meanwhile, the offense did enough to get the job done.

DeAndra Cobb tore it up on the ground, pulling off a huge run near the end of the game that set up the game-winning touchdown. Many doubted Hamilton heading into the season, but they are succeeding where a lot of other supposed contenders are failing.

Bruce All Mighty:

Tiger Cats receiver Arland Bruce, who was traded from the Argonauts because of his poor attitude, has been making a great impression on his new team. Bruce has been a much better tea player in Hamilton, and he has started contributing to the offense. Bruce had 78 yards for the Tiger Cats against the Eskimos.

Shoot-Out in Calgary:

The Blue Bombers have been struggling a lot on offense recently, but they did much better this week against Calgary. Winnipeg nearly pulled off the upset, losing 31-23. The exciting Michael Bishop threw for 209 yards and Fred Reid tore it up on the ground, running for 167 yards and two touchdowns. Yet, when all was said and done, the Stampeders got the job done.

Players of the Week: Week Six

Offensive: Anthony Calvillo

In the Als route of the Argonauts, Calvillo threw for 380 yards. That is never easy against a usually stingy Argonauts defense.

Defensive: Brent Johnson

All year, the Lions have been lacking a solid pass rush with the loss of Cameron Wake. Brent Johnson finally stepped up against the Riders. He recorded three sacks and a forced fumble.

Special Teams: Sean Whyte

Whyte was 4-4 in the kicking department this week. He nailed four crucial field goals in the Lions' victory over the Roughriders.

Goodbye Schultzy: Remembering Scott Schultz

Jonathan Hamelin — Tue, 04 Aug 2009 21:27:11 -0400

It’s official, Saskatchewan Roughrider’s defensive tackle and fan favourite Scott Schultz has retired from the Canadian Football League. Unexpected and sort of untimely, the announcement is definitely surprising and saddening for the "Rider Nation."

A retirement during the beginning of the season is rare, but Scott Schultz is apparently pursuing a promising career opportunity in the insurance business.

Though Scott Schultz is still young, the 31-year-old Moose Jaw native has had a lasting impact on the Saskatchewan Roughriders organization.

In college, Scott Schultz spent his entire career with the North Dakota Fighting Soux. The gritty nose tackle was a team captain in 2000, and had 146 career tackles and 11.5 sacks. Schultz definitely had a successful career in college and was named first team all-NCC in 1999 and 2000.

Scott Schultz was then selected with the first overall pick in the 2001 Canadian Football League College Draft. Schultz didn’t make an immediate impact for the Riders, as he also spent time with the San Diego Chargers and Pittsburgh Steelers during his first two years.

2003 was the beginning of great things for the Moose Jaw boy. In 2003, Schultz had six sacks and 32 defensive tackles. He also started in both the Western Semi-Final and Western Final, where he recorded one sack. The next season, Schultz finished with 27 tackles and eight quarterback sacks.

Scott Schultz continued his success over the next couple of seasons, and he was named a CFL all-star in 2005.

Throughout his career, Schultz perhaps had the most success when he was teamed up with fellow defensive tackle Nate Davis. Davis and Schultz created a deadly combo at the tackle position, helping form a tough defense for the Riders. Schultz and Davis also forged a solid friendship.

But the crowning moment in Schultz’s career, along with many of the long-time Saskatchewan Roughriders involved, was the Grey Cup victory in 2007. Schultz was a integral part of the Saskatchewan Roughriders Cinderella run to the Grey Cup finals, where they beat the rival Winnipeg Blue Bombers to claim the Grey Cup.

Schultz shared in the glory of the victory. He was able to lift the cup high and proud, as he helped deliver glory to a province that had been long starved of the Grey Cup.

Scott Schultz meant so much to the Riders, more than the stats could ever tell.

He was a consummate pro and a leader on the Saskatchewan Roughriders team. Anyone who has been to a Rider game has seen Scott Schultz right in the middle of team huddles, pumping up the team and the crowd. Schultz always brought a level of emotion to the game that made him a fun player to watch.

Schultz also meant a lot to the community. He did and still works in Regina, and has always taken time to give back to Regina. He has been running a football camp for some time now, giving advice to players who share the same dream that he did.

Always friendly with the media, Scott Schultz always came up with the most interesting one-liners He was always willing to take time out for the fans.

Being a former high-school defensive tackle in Saskatchewan, I know that Scott Schultz was always a player you aspired to be. A player who always gave it his all and was always a tough match for any offensive lineman. I still remember meeting Scott Schultz for the first time and getting his autograph. It was a great experience.

Whether it was signing an autograph, taking time to talk to the media, or bringing the crowd to its feet with an amazing tackle, Scott Schultz represented what it meant to be a Saskatchewan Roughrider.

On behalf of the Rider nation I’ve got to say: congratulations on your retirement and a great career Scott Schultz, and we will miss watching you creating havoc in the backfield.

The First Ever Issue Of Fans Of the CFL Has Arrived!

Jonathan Hamelin — Sun, 02 Aug 2009 18:36:50 -0400

It was my great privilege to present the first ever issue of "Fans of the CFL".

What is "Fans of the CFL" you ask?

"Fans of the CFL" is a Canadian Football League online magazine that comes out once a month. "Fans of the CFL" aims to give readers a unique perspective on the Canadian Football League.

The first issue can be found at: http://fansofthecflarticles.webs.com/Volume1Issue1.pdf. Every issue can be found on our magazines website: http://fansofthecfl.blogspot.com/.

I started this magazine because I have an unwavering passion for the Canadian Football League, and during my time at Bleacher Report, I have had the privilege of meeting other dedicated fans and writers of the CFL.

Though I did create the magazine, I could never have hoped to fill it without the help of these talented journalists:

Mike Burse

Josh Dhani

Scott Fitzsimmions

Giants27

Brandon Marsdin

Avry Lewis-McDougall

Chase Ruttig

Steve Thompson

TJ Zwarych

As you can see we have a lot of talented writers on board, but we are always looking for more. If you would like to write for "Fans of the CFL", send an email to roughriderfreek@hotmail.com

I would like to thank all the writers who submitted an article to this first issue.

If you would like a free subscription, or have any comments or questions about "Fans of the CFL", send me an email at roughriderfreek@hotmail.com

Toronto Sends Arland Bruce To Hamilton

Jonathan Hamelin — Wed, 29 Jul 2009 12:47:00 -0400

Apparently enough is enough for the Toronto Argonauts when it comes to receiver Arland Bruce.

The Argos have sent the disgruntled wide receiver to the Hamilton Tiger Cats, in exchange for defensive lineman Corey Mace, a third round draft pick in 2010 and a conditional pick in 2011.

The move, which was not really a matter of "if" but "when", is sort of a suprising one. Bruce has been one of the main stars on Toronto's offensive for the last several seasons, most recently deveolping a great chemistry on the field with Kerry Joseph.

But, the wide receivers antics became too much for the Argonauts to handle. Bruce has been in a lot of hot water during his CFL tenure. Whether it was getting fined for a touchdown dance, missing team meetings or misplacing his playbook, Arland Bruce has not nessecarily been the best team player.

Attitude problems aside, the Tiger Cats are getting a prime time player in Arland Bruce. Bruce has nearly 7,000 receiving yards in his career and 59 touchdowns. Bruce has great hands, and can strech opposing defenses deep, something Hamilton has been greatly lacking.

Bruce also brings something to the table Hamilton really doesn't have, star power. Bruce should help push a Tiger Cats team that has already improved this season even higher.

When all is said and done, Hamilton picked up a hot commodity in the trade, and Toronto picked up an intriquing prospect and some draft picks.

Bruce's attitude problems were too much for coach Bart Andrus, who has stressed team discipline, to handle.

As for Arland Bruce, Toronto doesn't have to deal with him any longer, he's Hamilton's problem now. I guess we'll see if that's a good thing or bad thing.

Wally Buono's Mistake

Jonathan Hamelin — Fri, 24 Jul 2009 21:23:32 -0400

Buck Pierce or Jarious Jackson? That is the question for Wally Buono and the BC Lions

If you thought that the BC Lions quarterback controversy had ended when both Casey Printers and Dave Dickenson left, you don’t know the Lions, and you don’t know Wally Buono.

Whether Buono will admit it or not, the Lions are in the middle of a heated quarterback controversy.

The reason for this controversy? The recent play of backup quarterback Jarious Jackson.

In the BC Lions' recent game against the Edmonton Eskimos, Buck Pierce suffered a concussion early in the game and Jarious Jackson was forced into action.

Amazing, spectacular, fantastic, use any adjective you want but it is undeniable that Jackson was the star of the game. BC ended up winning the game 40-22 and Jarious Jackson threw for 362 yards including four touchdown passes.

So the situation for Friday’s tilt against the Calgary Stampeders appeared obvious. Don’t risk injuring Pierce any further, and go with the hot hand in Jarious Jackson. If Jackson maintains his high level of play, then he just may be the quarterback the Lions need to start.

So what does Buono do? He goes out and names Pierce the undisputed No. 1 starter.

“At the end of the day, I believe Buck is more proficient,” Buono said to reporters. “If everything is 100 percent, Buck will [start Friday against Calgary]. Right now, it’s got nothing necessarily to do with the performance. It’s got to do with what allows this team to function best.”

Well, at least Pierce doesn’t need to worry about playing bad, he has no competition.

Think about it, if Jackson comes into a game and throws for four touchdowns passes in not even a full game (compared to Pierce’s four all season), and is not even considered to start the next week, it just proves that Pierce has no one pushing him for the starting job no matter how bad he plays.

Back to Buono’s comments for a second. Buono says that the decision to start Pierce isn’t based on the performance, but it is a move that will help the team function the best. But if the quarterback performs well, doesn’t that mean the team will in turn function effectively?

Now Buono’s resume in the CFL is unsurpassed, but this move doesn’t make a lot of sense to me. I understand that a quarterback shouldn’t lose his job due to injury, but Pierce wasn’t playing consistently well when he was healthy. The Lions were 0-2 on the season and Pierce had already thrown four interceptions.

With Pierce, you know what to expect. He won’t always make a ton of mistakes, but he won’t usually make a lot of huge plays. If anything, Pierce’s level of play has dropped over the years.

Jarious Jackson on the other hand, has the ability to break off a big play at any time in the ball game.

With deep threats like Geroy Simon and Paris Jackson, the Lions need a quarterback who can spread the field.

When it comes down to it, I don’t think Pierce is the future for the Lions at quarterback. Buono should end this quarterback controversy before it even starts, and give the ball to Jarious Jackson.

This, however, doesn’t seem likely, as Buono always seems to draw out these quarterback controversies. In 2004, the Lions suffered through a quarterback controversy between Dave Dickenson and Casey Printers.

Printers stepped in after Dickenson was injured and had an amazing season. He was named the Most Outstanding Player and led the Lions to the Grey Cup game. Then in the Grey Cup Game, Buono decided to go with the healthy Dave Dickenson over Casey Printers. The Lions lost the game, and Casey Printers never got a chance to play.

This quarterback controversy reminds me a lot of the Printer-Dickenson debacle. Buono seems to be set on Pierce as a starter, and therefore it will likely take a lot to change his mind.

When it came to naming Pierce the undisputed No. 1 starter this week, Wally Buono was indisputably wrong.

CFL Preview Week Four: It's Time to Regroup

Jonathan Hamelin — Thu, 23 Jul 2009 16:06:03 -0400

I’m not going to sugarcoat it, I got almost all of my picks wrong last week.

It was ugly.

After going 1-3 last week, my record now stands at 6-6.

In fairness, the picks were rather difficult to make last week and there were definitely some surprising results.

For the first time all year, I picked the Calgary Stampeders to lose in their game against the Toronto Argonauts.

The reason?

Toronto was on fire even though they had lost to Saskatchewan and Calgary had let me down for two week in a row. So naturally, Calgary goes out and plays amazing, blowing out the Argos.

In my other wrong pick, I thought Winnipeg would beat the Hamilton. After a 6-6 first half score and an interception return for a touchdown by Winnipeg, this looked very possible. Then Winnipeg reject Kevin Glenn comes in against his former team and lights it up! Definitely an unpredictable week three.

I think many teams in the CFL were sharing my disappointment when it came to week three.

The Edmonton Eskimos were lit up by Jarious Jackson and the Lions at home, allowing passing touchdown after passing touchdown.

Saskatchewan also felt Edmonton’s pain, as they fumbled and bumbled to an agonizing loss to the Montreal Alouettes.

And the Argos lost badly to the Toronto Argonauts, making fans wonder if the team is for real after all.

The best thing for these teams to do in week four is forget, but learn from the past. Focus on the basics, such as taking care of the football, establishing a productive offense, and avoiding key mistakes.

Prediction Time
Every week I will predict the winners of each game. Disagree with my picks? Comment down below with your picks and see if you can do better

Thursday July 23
Game One: Montreal Alouettes vs. Hamilton Tiger-Cats

Montreal’s first game against the East this year sees them hosting the underdog Hamilton Tiger-Cats. In a supposed battle of the titans last week against the Riders, Montreal proved they are the top dogs in the league.

Hamilton on the other hand, continued their impressive early start to the season by beating the Winnipeg Blue Bombers. Pride and first place will be on the line in this bitter Eastern battle.

Montreal’s Keys to the Game

AC Throw and AC Run: Really two of the biggest threats for the Alouettes may in fact be league leading running back Avon Cobourne and Anthony Calvillo. We saw last week how effective Cobourne really is running the ball, and Montreal should continue to call his number last week. If Cobourne struggles, Anthony Calvillo will have to set the offense back on course.

Take Care of the Ball: One of the big reasons that Montreal struggled against Saskatchewan in the first half was that they didn’t take care of the ball. Careless fumbles led to a lot of missed opportunities. Hamilton is known to pounce on your mistakes this season, and they will be eager to get a momentum changing turnover.

Put the Pressure On: Whether it be Kevin Glenn, or Quinton Porter behind center, pressure will be the key to stopping Hamilton’s offense. Hamilton has developed a good receiving core this year with Chris Davis, Prechae Rodriquez and Dave Stala, so it will be key to not allow Hamilton’s quarterback time to get the ball to these playmakers.

Hamilton’s Keys to the Game

Run Cobb Run: Montreal loves to put the pressure on opposing offenses, so Hamilton should go to DeAndra Cobb early and often. Running is a great way to counter the blitz, and if it successful, it will open up the passing game where stars like Rodriquez and Davis can take over.

Minimize Mistakes: Whether it be a missed tackle that leads to a long gain, or a turnover that leads to points, Hamilton can’t afford any mistakes against Montreal. Montreal is so good that if you give them a chance, they will bury you.

Don’t Sit Back: Since Anthony Calvillo and Montreal’s offense can hurt a team in so many, it might be tempting to sit back and not let any big plays go down. Hamilton however needs to be aggressive, blitzing and attacking Anthony Calvillo. If Calvillo has time, he will pick Hamilton apart.

Both Hamilton and Montreal have proven to be very good football teams this year. Montreal has been pretty dominate in every game, though they showed some weakness against the Rides.

Hamilton is riding a high following two straight wins, and they will play hard for a chance at first place. Montreal however is just to good. If Hamilton is indeed the Cinderella team this year, then Montreal is the big ogre who will stomp on Cinderella.

My Pick: Montreal

Friday July 24
Game One: Winnipeg Blue Bombers vs. Toronto Argonauts

In another heated eastern rivalry, the Argos and Bombers will look to shake off last weeks losses and come up with a huge win. Winnipeg lost against the Hamilton Tiger-Cats thanks to their old friend Kevin Glenn, and Toronto got stamped by Calgary.

Winnipeg’s Keys to the Game

Put up Points: As obvious as it sounds, Winnipeg needs to score points to win the game. Winnipeg only put up 13 points last season, six of those on an interception return for a touchdown. Mike Kelly needs to prepare a better game plan, and Stefan LeFors needs to be sharper.

Run it Down Their Throats: Giles and Reid form one of the best running back combos in the league. Reid has a lot of explosiveness and Giles is very shifty. Toronto has some holes in their defense, and Winnipeg needs to wear them out with the running game.

Shut Down Robertson: We saw what happened last week when Jamal Robertson was shut down. Toronto became one dimensional. Winnipeg has a good front seven and they will need to focus on stopping Toronto’s running game, forcing Kerry Joseph to throw the ball.

Toronto’s Keys to the Game

Protect Joseph: Kerry Joseph is a very mobile quarterback, but he needs protection from his offensive line. Calgary got a lot of pressure on Joseph which forced him off his game. Joseph is best when he has time to set his feet and get in to his throw.

Establish a Running Game: When Jamal Robertson gets going, Toronto is usually very successful on offense. Rob Murphy, Dominic Picard and the rest of the line need to get a good push and spring holes for Jamal Robertson.

Stop the Run, Win the Game: So far, Winnipeg hasn’t had a ton of success throwing the ball. They have relied a lot on the run to win football games, and if Toronto could contain Fred Reid, they could win the game.

Winnipeg is always a better team at home. Stefan LeFors plays better and the crowd is behind them. Toronto has benched Arland Bruce for the game, taking away a big playmaker for their team. It is hard to have much faith in the Argos, especially with a big playmaker like Bruce out of the lineup. Winnipeg might not have the advantage of knowing Toronto’s plays in advance, but they should still do well.

My Pick: Winnipeg

*Game of the Week*

*Game Two: BC Lions vs. Calgary Stampeders*

Two western teams fresh off big victories will square off in British Columbia, as the Lions host the Calgary Stampeders.

Jarious Jackson was the story for the Lions in week three, as he was came in for the injured Buck Pierce and helped romp the Eskimos. Calgary finally got back to their winning ways against the Argonauts.

Always a bitter rivalry, this game should prove to be one of the best this week.

BC’s Keys to the Game

Air it Out: BC needs to continue to air the ball out this week. With talented receivers such as Paris Jackson and Geroy Simon, the Lions have all the talent they need. Calgary’s secondary is still young and inexperienced, and BC could get some big plays.

Change it Up: As mentioned, Calgary’s defense is young and the Lions should take advantage of this. BC should use a lot of misdirection plays that could catch Calgary off guard and spring BC for some big gains.

Make Calgary Settle for Short Gains: Calgary went to the short passing game against Toronto last week and it worked effectively. Still, BC would be smart to let Calgary settle for these short plays because the more they do, the more chance there will be for them to make a mistake. If BC plays to close to Calgary’s receivers, players like Ken-Yon Rambo could burn them deep.

Calgary’s Keys to the Game

Run with Reynolds: Joffrey Reynolds still hasn’t got going this season, but there is always a possibility he can take over a game. Reynolds has had success against the BC Lions before, and Calgary should try to get him going.

Avoid Turnovers: BC has a ball hawking secondary who loves to get interceptions. Burris needs to make smart throws and avoid turning the ball over.

Keep on Eye on BC’s Big Guns: Paris Jackson and Geroy Simon are both talented receivers, and they both killed the Eskimos last week. If Calgary loses track of either of these receivers in coverage, they could burn them for a big play.

Both Calgary and BC are coming of big wins. However, it appears that Jarious Jackson, the man who orchestrated the win for BC won’t be starting. Instead inconsistent Buck Pierce will get the start. I think this is a mistake personally, and it will swing things in Calgary’s favour.

My Pick: Calgary

Saturday July 25

Game One: Saskatchewan Roughriders vs. Edmonton Eskimos

It is a homecoming party in the prairies. Former Rider Maurice Lloyd, Kitwana Jones and defensive coordinator Richie Hall are all returning to Saskatchewan to face the Riders. After leaving the Riders to coach the Eskimos this season, Hall has struggled so far. The Riders on the other hand started the season strong with two straight wins, and then faltered with a blow-out loss against the Alouettes.

Saskatchewan’s Keys to the Game

Give Cates the Ball: Wes Cates returned last week but he was a bit rusty. With another week of practice in, Cates should be ready to go and the Riders should give him the ball. Cates always has success against the Eskimos.

Take Care of the Ball: The Riders cannot turn the ball over! It seems that the Riders have been very successful this season except for when they turn the ball over. The thing is, most of these turnovers have been fumbles, which shouldn’t be happening.

Where’s Clermont: The Rider have neglected to use Jason Clermont this season. Clermont is perfect for catching short passes and turning them into big gainers.

Edmonton’s Keys to the Game

Protect Ray: Rick Ray has struggled during the season, but he hasn’t gotten any help from the offensive line. The O-line needs to give Ricky Ray time to get the ball out to his playmakers.

Run the Ball: The Eskimos have failed to run the ball at all this season. Saskatchewan is a bit weak against the running game, and Edmonton could have success in the game if they develop a running game.

Put Pressure on Durant: We all saw last week that Darian Durant isn’t good when he pressure on him. Edmonton’s defensive line has been there bright spot this season, and they should try to create as much pressure as they can against the Riders.

With plenty of former Riders returning to Mosaic Stadium, it should be a heated atmosphere. The Riders crowd is always loud and should cause problems for the Eskimos on offense. Ricky Ray always has the potential to have a big game, but the Eskimos are struggling a lot right now, and the Riders are still playing very well this season.

My Pick: Saskatchewan

My Record 6-6 (50 percent)

CFL Race to MOP: Issue 1

Jonathan Hamelin — Tue, 21 Jul 2009 17:04:18 -0400

Their have already been a lot of great individual performances early in the CFL season. There are plenty of players who are in contention to win the Most Outstanding Player Award, an award which was won last season by Anthony Calvillo.

The award usually seems to go to quarterbacks, but there are some players from other positions, not just on the offense, that are having success.

Here is a look at the top three players in contention for the MOP Award so far:

1) Anthony Calvillo: Quarterback from the Montreal Alouettes
Last year’s MOP is maintaining his high level of play. The Alouettes have come into the season with a chip on their shoulder and are playing great. Anthony Calvillo has been leading the charge. Calvillo has 879 yards on the season and five touchdown passes, not to mention a stellar 112.3 passer rating. Anthony Calvillo has also been cool and collected, providing leadership as the Alouettes have already beaten three teams from the West Division.

2) Fred Reid: Running back from the Winnipeg Blue Bombers
Reid isn’t the leading rusher so far, but he is close. Reid’s 261 are the second highest in the league so far. Fred Reid has been so valuable to the Winnipeg Blue Bombers, who have struggled to find a lot of offense. Teamed up with Lavereus Giles, Fred Reid has helped the Bombers have one of the best running games.

3) Stevie Baggs: Defensive end for the Saskatchewan Roughriders.
Now, I don’t know how likely it is for a defensive player to win the award, especially since Cameron Wake didn’t win last season. Baggs has not only been the most exciting player for the Riders, he has been one of the most exciting players in the league. Baggs has six tackles on the season and three sacks. He also has an interception and has forced two fumbles.

Honourable Mention:

Avon Cobourne: Avon Cobourne has always been underappreciated in his career, but the Alouettes running back is tearing it up. The leading running back in the league has 317 yards and four touchdowns.

Jamal Robertson: Robertson has had a lot of success early in the season, but has experienced a bit of a drop off. He has 240 yards two touchdowns.

Weston Dressler: Dressler hasn’t experienced any “sophomore slump” this season. He has 260 yards already.

Kerry Watkins: Kerry Watkins has been a big part of the Alouettes success. Watkins has 261 yards and three touchdowns already.

Paris Jackson: Jackson was my pick to win the award this season, and has recently stepped up his play. Jackson has 227 yards and two touchdowns.

For another look at the CFL, check out my new column, "Three Downs With Jonathan Hamelin" exculsively on Reservation For Six.

CFL Recap Week Three: Ray Can't Do It Himself

Jonathan Hamelin — Sun, 19 Jul 2009 13:50:25 -0400

In perhaps one of the more shocking outcomes in week three, the Edmonton Eskimos were humiliated 40-22 at home by the BC Lions.

A few things have become evident about the Edmonton Eskimos after their latest defeat: Their secondary needs some improvement, and their offense hasn’t been able to engineer much of anything through the first three weeks.

The most surprising thing about the loss in my opinion was the blame that was placed on quarterback Ricky Ray following the loss.

Fans booed Ricky Ray during the contest, criticized him after the game, and a few sportswriters and fans have even suggested it is time for a change at the quarterback position.

What Edmonton fans needs to realize is the fact that Ricky Ray’s play isn’t the Eskimos problem right now, it is the rest of the team.

Ricky Ray is undeniably a great quarterback, but he still needs to have some talent around him to succeed. There has been added pressure on Ricky Ray all season thanks to the lack of a running game in Edmonton. In the first two weeks of the season the Eskimos failed to develop any sort of a running game. The Eskimos never really tried to develop a running game against the BC Lions.

And then there is the offensive line. Not only has the line struggled in the run game, but they have failed to provide protection to Rick Ray in the pass game. Teams are averaging three sacks a game against the Edmonton Eskimos, which means that a lot of pressure is being placed on Ricky Ray.

Then there is the receiving core. I have said it before, but the loss of Kelly Campbell has really affected the Edmonton Eskimos. Campbell was the deep threat that complimented a bunch of mid-range threats the Eskimos had. Without him, the Eskimos have been very conservative in the passing game.

Maurice Mann has been having a surprisingly good season. Unfortunately, Kamau Peterson and Andrew Nowacki have been failing to stretch the defense vertically. Fred Stamps has had a disappointing season so far as well.

Throw in the recent struggles of the Eskimos defensive secondary, and it really goes to show that Ricky Ray perhaps shouldn’t be the man taking the heat.

Ray has definitely made some mistakes this season. However, the man who has thrown for a career 28,218 yards and 156 touchdown passes while leading the Eskimos to two Grey Cup victories, doesn’t deserve the heat he has been taking. Ray can only do so much himself.

Ray is a prime time player, and almost every fan of the CFL would like Ricky Ray on their team. If Eskimos fans would rather go to veteran quarterback Jason Maas, then they can go ahead. I for one, would welcome Ricky Ray on to my team with open arms.

Other News and Notes From Week Three:

We’re Going to Jackson: The situation appeared dire for the BC Lions. Buck Pierce had been injured after taking a nasty hit. The outlook quickly brightened for Lions fans, as Jarious Jackson entered the game, and on his first pass hit Geroy Simon on a deep pass that set the Lions up for an easy touchdown. Jackson had a masterful night, finishing with 362 yards and four touchdown passes. Jackson had help from his star receivers, as Geroy Simon had two touchdowns and 122 yards receiving and Paris Jackson had one touchdown catch and 126 yards receiving.

That’s More Like It: In Calgary’s 44-9 spanking over the Toronto Argonauts, fans kind of got a feeling that things were back to normal. The Argonauts struggled like they were expected to this season, and Calgary played well like they did in last season’s Grey Cup run. Calgary didn’t really develop a solid running game, but Henry Burris threw for 348 yards. Kerry Joseph had 306 yards for the Argonauts, but had two interceptions. Jamal Robertson didn’t get anything going for Toronto.

On Top of the World: Following their 43-10 victory over the Saskatchewan Roughriders, the Montreal Alouettes cemented themselves as the best team in the league right now. It wasn’t a pretty game from start to finish, but Montreal took advantage of a lot of timely Saskatchewan turnovers and penalties. Avon Cobourne had a great game rushing for 145 yards and two touchdowns.

Milestones in Saskatchewan: There were a few milestones in the Saskatchewan-Montreal affair. Roughrider receiver Andy Fantuz breached the 2,000 yard mark for his career early in the contest. But the bigger news came from Alouettes quarterback Anthony Calvillo. Calvillo’s two touchdown passes moved him up to 333 and into a tie with Ron Lancaster for second on the all-time list. Congratulations are due to both Anthony Calvillo and Andy Fantuz on their accomplishments.

Glenn Get His Revenge: The CFL has been all about revenge this season. The latest incident saw former Bomber’s quarterback Kevin Glenn lead the Hamilton Tiger Cats over the Winnipeg Blue Bombers 25-13. Glenn came in to replace Quinton Porter in the second half and threw two crucial touchdown passes. Glenn had some help from receiver Chris Davis, who had 122 yards receiving and one touchdown pass.

Ouch: Stefan Lefors only threw for ninety nine yards in Winnipeg’s loss to the Hamilton Tiger Cats. Lefors appeared to be a bit injured in the game and was replaced by Bryan Randall with six minutes left in the game.

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Power Rankings: Week Three
Check back every week to see who sits where in the power rankings

1) Montreal Alouettes 3-0 (LW:1)
A no-brainer here. Montreal proved their dominance again this week by crushing the Saskatchewan Roughriders at home. Avon Cobourne was finally given a lot of carries and responded by rushing for well over 100 yards.

2) Saskatchewan Roughriders 2-1 (LW:2)
Yes, the Saskatchewan Roughriders did suffer an ugly loss to the Montreal Alouettes, but the game wasn’t as one-sided as it appeared. Saskatchewan was leading the game for a lot of the first half, before they imploded with turnovers and penalties. Montreal is a tough team, however, and losing to them is no shame.

3) Hamilton Tiger Cats 2-1 (LW:5)
Hamilton is on the move once again. The Tiger Cats are showing early on they have what it takes to win ball games. Their impressive defense has been improving each game, and they have the right blend of players on offense to get the job done. The Tabbies seem to have temporarily shaken off their losing ways.

4) BC Lions 1-2 (LW:8)
BC experiences a huge jump in week three. The Lions, who had lost two close contest leading up to this week, responded by blowing out the Edmonton Eskimos. Jarious Jackson looked solid throwing the football and Geroy Simon and Paris Jackson finally stood up for the Lions. If Jarious Jackson keeps this play up, the Lions could be a dangerous team.

5) Winnipeg Blue Bombers 1-2 (LW:4)
A tough loss to the Hamilton Tiger Cats in week three sees the Bombers drop in the power rankings. The Bombers defense was solid for the most part and the Bombers got good rushes out of Fred Reid, but Stefan Lefors struggled once again. If Lefors becomes more consistent, things could turn around in a hurry for Winnipeg.

6) Calgary Stampeders 1-2 (LW:7)
The Sampeders looked much better this week. Burris threw the ball better and they young Stampeders defense stepped up. A loss against the Argos at home would have been tough to take, but Calgary came to play. As the weeks progress we will soon learn if this performance by Calgary was a fluke or not.

7) Toronto Argonauts 1-2 (LW:3)
Toronto has devolved as the season has progressed. They stared off solidly against the Hamilton Tiger Cats, cooled down against the Saskatchewan Roughriders, and collapsed against the Calgary Stampeders. Toronto’s defense has been struggling in recent weeks and their offense has been inconsistent. I guess we’ll have to wait an see if Toronto’s early success was a fluke or not.

8) Edmonton Eskimos (LW:6)
Plug your noses Eskimo fans, because that loss stank. It wasn’t the score in Edmonton’s loss to BC that was so disheartening, it was how easy BC was able to march the ball. Time and time again BC was able to pass the ball deep against the Eskimos. Edmonton’s offense has also continued its struggles and it will be interesting to see how they respond in the coming weeks.

Biggest Rise: BC +4
Biggest Drop: Toronto -4

Check back twice a week for preview and recaps from the CFL. Also, check back every couple of weeks for a look at who is winning the race for the MOP award.

Wes Cates Is Back and Ready For Action

Jonathan Hamelin — Fri, 17 Jul 2009 22:08:47 -0400

Defenses beware, Wes Cates is back!

Cates, the starting running back for the Saskatchewan Roughriders, had missed the first two games of the seasons due to a shoulder injury. There was much skepticism to when Cates would return to the lineup, but it appears he is ready to go.

“I’m ready.” Cates said to Mitchell Blair of Riderville.com. “If they need me on the field for every play, I’m ready and I’ll be able to handle it. The team’s been doing great in my absence, now I get to join in on the fun and start contributing.

The return of Wes Cates is very timely, considering the Riders are welcoming the powerhouse Montreal Alouettes into town. Hugh Charles, the replacement for Wes Cates in the first two weeks, performed admirably in Cates' absence.

However, Wes Cates just brings so much to the table.

Ever since he was traded over from the Calgary Stampeders, Wes Cates has excelled as a starter. Finally getting a chance to become a full time starter, Cates rushed for 866 yards in his first season with the Roughriders. The next season he rushed for 1,229 yards and had 12 touchdowns while battling injuries.

The stats don't quite paint a clear enough picture. They don't say just how valuable Wes Cates has been to the Riders.

Cates played injured during the Riders 2007 Grey Cup Grey Cup Run and made some timely plays. He was the Riders best player in their 6-0 start to the 2008 season.

Wes Cates has great vision on the field. He is patient as he picks his way through opposing defenses with a blend of speed and power. Cates also has solid hands and has been a reliable receiver out of the backfield.

In fact, Wes Cates could very well have a rushing title under his belt if he had not suffered through injuries. The whole Rider nation is undoubetly hoping Wes Cates' return is a permanent one.

The return of "The Green Machine" may just be the spark the Riders need against the Montreal Alouettes and the rest of the league.

CFL Preview Week Three: Expect the Unexpected

Jonathan Hamelin — Tue, 14 Jul 2009 00:49:06 -0400

There were a few sure things fans of the CFL were expecting heading into the season.

They were expecting the Montreal Alouettes to be one of the dominant teams in the Eastern Division. Teams like Hamilton and Winnipeg were expected to struggle greatly, and even the BC Lions were expected to enter a rebuilding year.

In week one of the 2009 season, the script was followed nicely. Montreal handled the defending Grey Cup champions easily, Hamilton and Winnipeg both struggled and the BC Lions also lost.

In week two, there were a few surprises. Fans were expecting Montreal to beat the Eskimos, but the fact that Montreal put up 50 points was shocking.

In a pair of upsets, the Hamilton Tiger Cats outlasted the BC Lions and the Winnipeg Blue Bombers handled the Calgary Stampeders.

If week two taught us anything, it is that we should expect the unexpected. There are a number of intriguing match-ups this week, that shou bvld make for some difficult picks.

Prediction Time
Every week I will predict the winners of each game. Disagree with my picks? Comment down below with your picks and see if you can do better

Thursday July 16th
Game One: Edmonton Eskimos vs. BC Lions

In a battle of two struggling teams, the beleaguered Lions will stagger into Edmonton to take on the Eskimos. The 0-2 Lions have already lost two games they could have potentially won this season, and will look to take out their anger on the Eskimos.

Edmonton on the other hand is 1-1, but is likely still reeling from their 50-16 defeat at the hands of the Alouettes.

Edmonton has been having a lot of problems on the offensive side of the ball, and they will need to be more productive if they hope to beat the Lions. The running game can be an important part of the offense, and Edmonton’s has struggled all year long.

Whether it be Arkee Whitlock or Calvin McCarty, the Eskimos offensive line needs to do a better job blocking.

In the passing game, Edmonton needs to try and go deep. They tried to stretch the Alouettes defense on a few plays, but struggled. Unfortunately for Edmonton they are playing against a solid secondary.

On defense, Edmonton needs to try and throw Buck Pierce off of his game by applying pressure. When Pierce to throw the ball he can make good reads. But when he is pressured he struggles.

BC should also look to utilize the running game. Martel Mallet has improved each game, and if BC can get him going their offense could have success.

More importantly, Buck Pierce and the rest of the offense need to make smart decisions and take care of the football.

On defense, the Lions should put the pressure on Ricky Ray. The “immortal” Ray has struggled this year at times, largely due to pressure from the opposing defense.

It is always hard to win in Edmonton, but the Eskimos are struggling a lot right now. Though the Lions are 0-2, they have played decently in their first two games. Edmonton is doing alright on defense, but they are struggling greatly on offense.

If Edmonton can’t score a lot of points, Buck Pierce, Geroy Simon and the rest of the Lions just may steal the show.

My Pick: BC

Friday July 17th
Game One: Calgary Stampeders vs. Toronto Argonauts

Both the Toronto Argonauts and Calgary Stampeders are coming off losses, but these two teams are heading in opposite directions. The defending champs are 0-2 on the season, and have looked nothing like the team who won the Grey Cup.

The Argos on the other hand, have looked solid like a team on the rise. Under the guidance of Bart Andrus, the Argos currently hold a 1-1 record.

Calgary will have a chance at home this week to turn their season around as the welcome Toronto into town.

Calgary has been struggling in all phases of the game.

For the Stampeders to improve, they will need to go back to the basics. On offense, they need to work at establishing the run with Joffrey Reynolds. Last year, Reynolds led the league in rushing and the Stamps had one of the best records in the league. In both games this year they have failed to get him going.

Henry Burris also needs to play better if Calgary hopes to best Toronto. Burris threw three more interceptions last week. Burris needs to go back to what worked for him last season and start living up to his contract.

On defense, the Stampeders will need to focus on stopping the run. Jamal Robertson has been nearly unstoppable for the Argonauts this season. When Saskatchewan started to shut down Robertson, the Argos offense struggled.

If Toronto wants to get a tough win on the road, they will need to continue their tough play. Expect a healthy dose of Jamal Robertson and Kerry Joseph on the ground, as the Argonauts will try to wear out the Stampeders defense. Toronto shouldn’t be afraid to test the Stamps pass defense, as their secondary has struggled.

On defense, Toronto need to be aggressive, but not take bad penalties like they did against the Riders.

If Toronto can shut down Joffrey Reynolds, it will make the Stampeders one dimensional on offense.

Calgary has failed to live up to expectations so far this season. If I had looked at the schedule before the season had started, I would have never picked Toronto to win this game. But this isn’t the Calgary team that won the Grey Cup, and this isn’t the Toronto team that only won four games last season.

My Pick: Toronto

Saturday July 18th
*Game of the Week*
*Game One: Saskatchewan Roughriders vs. Montreal Alouettes*

In a battle of the titans, the 2-0 Saskatchewan Roughriders will face the 2-0 Montreal Alouettes. Montreal is averaging 45 points a game this season, and Saskatchewan broke out for 46 points last week.

Both Montreal and Saskatchewan are playing well on offense, defense, special teams, and are well coached. What a matchup!

Darian Durant cut down on the turnovers against Toronto, and the Rider offense was effective. Avoiding turnovers will be crucial against the Montreal Alouettes, as they will pounce on any mistake.

Saskatchewan should try to develop the run with running back Hugh Charles, who had a pair of touchdown and showed a wicked back-flip against the Toronto Argonauts. The Riders should also look to big time targets Andy Fantuz and Weston Dressler.

On defense, the Riders need to try and disrupt Anthony Calvillo.

Calvillo isn’t often sacked, but if the Riders can get some pressure on him, it could put him off his game. If not, Calvillo could torch the Riders defense all night long. Luckily, Gary Eteceverry is known for bringing new defense to the game. Stevie Baggs should be a force to reckon with.

Montreal will likely use a balanced attack on offense like they’ve been doing so far. Calvillo will spread the ball around to multiple players and use Avon Coburne when they need to,

The best way to stop Sasktchewan is to put pressure on Darian Durant, but the young offensive line has been giving him a lot of protection. Montreal will also need to key on slot backs Andy Fantuz and Weston Dressler.

This game is also really hard to call. Montreal has been the hottest team so far, but Saskatchewan hasn’t been bad themselves. They have played aggressively on defense and Darian Durant is coming into his zone.

Anthony Calvillo is always solid, but he is going into a hostile Mosaic Stadium where the fans will be loud and proud. If this game was in Montreal I would definitely pick Montreal, but you can’t count the Riders out at home.

My Pick: Saskatchewan (Tough Call)

Game Two: Hamilton Tiger Cats vs. Winnipeg Blue Bombers

Fan or not, you had to be happy for the Hamilton Tiger Cats last week, as they not only won a game, they won a game on the road in a different time zone. Winnipeg also has something to cheer about, as they dethroned the defending Grey Cup Champions on the road.

Both teams will look to continue their success and the winner will move up in the Eastern Division.

Hamilton got a much better effort out of Quinton Porter in week two, and new running back DeAndra Cobbs. They will need a continued effort from both of these players in week three.

Hamilton needs to utilize their stars on offense. Quinton Porter needs to manage the game for Hamilton. Also expect a healthy dose of DeAndra Cobbs and Prechae Rodriquez.

On defense, Hamilton needs to focus first most on the running game. Fred Reid and Lavaerus Giles have been solid on the ground for the Bombers, and shutting them down will put pressure on Stefan Lefors.

Winnipeg on the other hand, will try to use the running game as much as they can. Terrance Edwards should also be a go to guy for the Bombers, as he stepped up last week with Derrick Armstrong’s absence.

On defense, Winnipeg needs to continue to be aggressive. They need to flow to the ball prevent the Tiger Cats from getting a big play.

This is really a hard game to predict, as both teams were so bad in week one and good in week two. There will definitely be a lot on the line as both teams play in the East. The game really could go anyway, but I am always hesitant to pick the Tiger Cats.

My Pick: Winnipeg (Another Tough Call)

My Record: 5-3 (63%)

CFL Recap Week Two: The East Strikes Back!

Jonathan Hamelin — Sat, 11 Jul 2009 18:40:55 -0400

A long time ago in a galaxy far, far away, the Western Division reigned supreme over the weaklings in the East Division. For four years in a row, teams from the West claimed the coveted Grey Cup over the East and teams from the West were so good they often crossed over to the East.

However, this week, things were different, things swung in the favor of the East. The East struck back this week.

Teams from the East won three out of the four games against the West this week. What made these victories all the more impressive was the fact that two of these victories really weren’t expected.

Though no one was surprised when the Montreal Alouettes beat the Edmonton Eskimos, I’m sure no one was expecting them to score 50 points. In a 50-16 victory over the Edmonton Eskimos, the Montreal Alouettes achieved their second straight win over a Western Team. Montreal was a dominant team last year, but did struggle against the West.

Then there were the lowly Winnipeg Blue Bombers and Hamilton Tiger Cats, who no one really expected to win their respective games.

Winnipeg started off strong against the Calgary Stampeders. They outscored the Stamps 21-4 in the first half and maintained their solid play in the second half. The final score was 42-30 for the Winnipeg Blue Bombers. The Bombers handed the defending Grey Cup Champs their second consecutive loss.

Hamilton didn’t dominate BC in their 31-28 victory, but they got the big plays on both sides of the ball. Quinton Porter was very efficient on offense, and Geoff Tisdale got an interception return for a touchdown that sparked the Tiger Cats to victory.

The only blemish in the ‘Week of the East’ was Saskatchewan’s 46-36 victory over the Toronto Argonauts.

Other News and Notes From Week Two

Jamal Who:
Jamal Richardson did not play in Montreal’s victory against the Eskimos, but they didn’t miss him. Replacement S.J. Green caught five passes for 113 yards, and one touchdown. Green dominated the middle of the field, much like Jamal Richardson did last season. In fact, Green reminded me a lot of Jamal Richardson with his solid play.

The Debut From Hell:
The Edmonton Eskimos were confident even without Jesse Lumsden going into their game against the Alouettes. The reason? Arkee Whitlock. Whitlock was said to be the answer at running back. After seeing his performance against the Alouettes, it might be time to find a new answer. Whitlock rushed 29-yards on twelve carries with a fumble. He also dropped two passes in the end zone. To Whitlock’s credit, he had no help from his offensive line.

Quarterback Controversy in Calgary:
Henry Burris threw three interceptions against the Winnipeg Blue Bombers with no touchdowns. Back-up Barrick Nealy came into the ball game and threw two touchdown passes in nine throws. While it may be premature to suggest a quarterback controversy, Burris has been struggling early in the year.

The Revenge of Otis Floyd:
Otis Floyd was one of the many players released from the BC Lions in the off-season because he was, "too old". Floyd got the best kind of revenge against his former team. Floyd got an interception that sealed the victory for the Hamilton Tiger Cats. Former Lion Jamall Johnson also made a statement against his former team, making eleven tackles.

Thumbelina Shines for Saskatchewan:
Darian Durant was questionable to start against the Toronto Argonauts after injuring his thumb in practice. Durant did get the start and besides a few throws, played excellent football. Durant threw three touchdown passes and took much better control of the football.

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Power Rankings: Week Two
Check back every week to see who sits where in the power rankings

1) Montreal Alouettes 2-0 (LW:1)
Montreal continued their dominance by crushing the Edmonton Eskimos 50-16. Monreal is playing well in all phases of the game, and should be a tough draw for any team.

2) Saskatchewan Roughriders 2-0 (LW:3)
Saskatchewan leapfrogs the Toronto Argonauts after an impressive 46-36 victory in Toronto. The Riders cut down on their turnovers and had another solid effort from their defense. Two of Toronto’s touchdowns came late in the game.

3) Toronto Argonauts 1-1 (LW:2)
Toronto stared off hot against the Saskatchewan Roughriders, but sizzled down as the game progressed. Still, with Bart Andrus calling the shots, the Argonauts looked like a much improved team.

4) Winnipeg Blue Bombers 1-1 (LW:6)
Winnipeg jumps up two spots to the number four in the power rankings. Winnipeg responded from a loss in week one by pounding the Calgary Stampeders.

5) Hamilton Tiger Cats 1-1 (LW:8)
Just when you thought Hamilton was bound for mediocrity, they come out with a huge W over the BC Lions. Hamilton got a big effort from Quinton Porter and their new running back DeAndra Cobb.

6) Edmonton Eskimos 1-1 (LW:5)
Edmonton was once again shaky on offense as they feel 50-16 to the Montreal Alouettes. Edmonton is struggling to find their identity and will get a chance against the struggling BC Lions.

7) Calgary Stampeders 0-2 (LW:4)
How far the mighty have fallen. Everyone expected Calgary to possibly repeat for a Grey Cup this season after they won it last year. Maybe they should focus on getting a win first.

8) BC Lions 0-2 (LW:7)
Everyone though BC would be in a rebuilding mode this year, but a loss to the Tiger Cats at home! BC has a lot of work to do early in the season.

Biggest Rise: Hamilton +3
Biggest Drop: Calgary -3

Check back twice a week for preview and recaps from the CFL. Also, check back every couple of weeks for a look at who is winning the race for the MOP award.

CFL Preview Week Two: Forging an Identity

Jonathan Hamelin — Wed, 08 Jul 2009 17:54:15 -0400

Week one of the CFL season has come and gone, and with it, we have begun to learn a bit more about each team.

In the pre-season, we only see a mere glimpse of what each team has to offer. This often leads to a few surprises in the first week. I also found it made some games a bit harder to predict because we hadn’t seen any team in action yet.

Some teams are happy with the first impressive they’ve made so far.

Others are hoping they just had opening day jitters.

Take the Hamilton Tiger Cats, for example. They opened the season with yet another disappointing loss, this one at the hands of the Toronto Argonauts. Hamilton needs to win this week to show fans that they aren’t the same Tiger Cats of old.

On the flip side, there are teams like the Toronto Argonauts and Saskatchewan Roughriders, out to prove that their week one wins weren’t flukes. A win in week two would make a strong case for either of these teams.

When week two comes to a close, we may get a better idea about how each team will fare in the upcoming season. Games this early in the season are crucial for teams looking to build a strong identity.

Some teams will fall in a hole early at 0-2, some will strike even at 1-1, and others will sit on their throne at 2-0.

Last week, I went 3-1 with my predictions, and this week I feel more confident. In fact, I would go so far as to guarantee I will be flawless this week.

Prediction Time
Every week I will predict the winners of each game. Disagree with my picks? Comment down below with your picks and see if you can do better.

Thursday July 9th
Game One: Montreal Alouettes vs. Edmonton Eskimos

In a battle of two 1-0 clubs, the winner of this game may sit alone atop the standings in their division.

Moreso, this game will feature two of the most dangerous quarterbacks in the league.

The veteran gunslinger Anthony Calvillo will look to continue his early season success. On the other side, Ricky Ray will look to play a little better than in week one, where he was by no means flawless.

Montreal ran over the Calgary Stampeders in their first game, using both the running and passing game effectively. The Als scored 17 unanswered points to start off the game. So how can Edmonton hope to stop Montreal on offense?

Luckily for Edmonton, they did look very impressive on defense in week one, especially their front seven. They generated a lot of sacks and tackles in the backfield against the Winnipeg Blue Bombers.

Usually, a defense tries to focus on one area of the opposing offense, but this would be a mistake against the Als. Edmonton needs to focus on playing smart all-around defense. They need to flow to Avon Cobourne whenever he runs the ball and gang tackle him. When Anthony Calvillo drops back to throw, Edmonton needs to generate pressure to throw the veteran pivot off of his game.

Unfortunately, this is easier said than done.

Without Jesse Lumsden carrying the ball, the Eskimos will need to look to new means on the ground, whether it be Arkee Whitlock or Calvin McCarty. If the Eskimos are one-dimensional on offense they will struggle.

In the passing game, Ricky Ray needs to test Montreal deep. Edmonton was too complacent against the Bombers and they only scored 19 points.

Montreal, on the other hand, needs to continue what they’ve been doing on offense—score points in bunches. The only flaw in Montreal’s offense last week was that they lost some of their aggression as the game progressed.

On defense, Montreal should try and throw Ricky Ray off his game. If Montreal can force Ray to make some mistakes, it could mess up Edmonton’s offense.

Both teams desperately will want to go to 2-0, but there are a number of things going against the Eskimos in this game. For one, they are playing away from home against one of the hottest teams in the CFL. Throw in the question marks in their running game, and the odds don’t seem to favour the Eskimos this week.

My Pick: Montreal

Friday July 10th
Game One: Winnipeg Blue Bombers vs. Calgary Stampeders

Calgary’s “Grey Cup” part last week was spoiled by the visiting Montreal Alouettes. Montreal simply played with more intensity than the defending champs. The only thing worse for the Stampeders than losing at home in week one, would be falling to 0-2.

The “New Look” Bombers weren’t awful in week one. They only lost by two points to the Edmonton Eskimos, but the Bombers definitely need to improve their effort if they hope to stick with the Stampeders.

If Calgary hopes to avoid falling to 0-2, they will need to improve on offense. Calgary failed to develop a running game last week and their passing game was far from stellar.

If it wouldn’t have been for the solid play by Titus Ryan and the rest of the special teams, Calgary wouldn’t have had a chance in week one.

Establishing Joffrey Reynolds should be the biggest priority for the Stamps on offense. Every time Reynolds can burst out for a first down, it will put less pressure on Henry Burris. And of course, Calgary needs to take care of the ball.

On defense, Calgary should key on Bomber’s running back Fred Reid. Reid was solid in week one and could be a game changer for the Bombers. They should also look to put pressure on Stefan Lefors.

Winnipeg showed a lot of creativity in their play calling in week one. This is fine, as long as they are able to move the ball consistently. The Bombers offense struggled in week one.

To improve their offense, the Bombers need to pound the ball with Fred Reid, who had success in week one. Success in the ground will take pressure off of Stefan Lefors.

Montreal had a lot of success against the Stampeders in week one when they got pressure on Henry Burris, and the Bombers should look to continue this trend.

While it would appear that the Stampders will win this game easily, people also said the same thing about the Bombers-Eskimos game last week, yet it was a close one. Winnipeg is at home and Calgary struggled in week one. However, they were playing a tough Montreal team, and I have some faith in the defending champs.

My Pick: Calgary

Game Two: BC Lions vs. Hamilton Tiger Cats

The second game of the double-header also features two more win-less teams. In week one, BC suffered a lot of turnovers in their loss against the Saskatchewan Roughriders, whereas the Hamilton Tiger Cats simply were out played by the Toronto Argonauts.

Both teams will look to avoid going 0-2.

The obvious key on offense for the BC Lions is to avoid turnovers. The Lions had six turnovers against the Riders, and will struggle a lot if they do so against the Hamilton Tiger Cats.

I liked what I saw out of Lions running back Martel Mallet. Mallet ran the ball hard against the Saskatchewan Roughriders, and the Lions should continue to use him against the Hamilton Tiger Cats.

The offensive line needs to protect Buck Pierce better this week, so he has a chance to get the ball out to Paris Jackson and Geroy Simon.

On defense, BC should key on Hamilton’s biggest star, Prechae Rodriquez.

Hamilton couldn’t get the job done at home, and now they will have to travel to the confines of BC Place.

Quinton Porter had some success for the Tabbies in week one, but he will need to be better in week two. Hamilton should try to utilize the running game against the Lions.

Much like the Riders got pressure on Buck Pierce in week one, the Tiger Cats should also try to throw Pierce off of his game.

Both teams will be desperate to get their first win of the season. Hamilton needs to give the fans something to cheer about. Unfortunately, it will be tough to get a win at BC. The Lions struggle last week against a tough Riders defense, but should find success against the Hamilton Tiger Cats

My Pick: BC

Saturday July 11th
*Game of the Week*
*Game One: Toronto Argonauts vs. Saskatchewan Roughriders*

The Saturday tilt between the Argos and Riders is intriguing enough to be this weeks game of the week.

Both teams will hope to improve to 2-0. Kerry Joseph will face his former team once again, and the Riders will travel to the place where they won the Grey Cup in 2007 and play against the quarterback who got them there.

In week one, the only flaw in the Riders performance was the turnovers. Darian Durant showed that he has the potential to be the Riders starting quarterback. He moved the ball effectively when he didn’t turn it over.

Against the Argos, the Riders will need to take care of the football. The offensive line will also need to give Darian Durant protection so he can get the ball out to his playmakers. Hugh Charles also showed success on the ground last week and the Riders would be smart to use him often.

On defense, the riders need to contain Kerry Joseph, who can always hurt a team with his legs. They will also need to keep an eye on player of the week Jamal Robertson. Robertson ran wild against the Hamilton Tiger Cats in week one. Saskatchewan’s defense generated a lot of pressure against the Lions, and should continue to do so against the Argos.

Toronto executed their offense effectively in week one, and they didn’t even have to rely on Kerry Joseph running the ball. Toronto should continue to pound the ball with running back Jamal Robertson.

On defense, Toronto needs to put pressure on Darian Durant. We saw last week that if Darian Durant has pressure on him, he may make mistakes. This could lead to turnovers.

Both teams had success in week one. Toronto was merely flawless and Saskatchewan was stellar besides their turnovers. Toronto may feel confident at home this week, but they need to realize they aren’t playing against the Tiger Cats any more.

My Pick: Saskatchewan

My Record 3-1 (75%)

Stay tuned to Bleacher Report for complete coverage of the CFL

MIA: Is Derrick Armstrong's Bomber Career Coming To And End

Jonathan Hamelin — Mon, 06 Jul 2009 23:56:12 -0400

To be a Bomber or not to be a Bomber? That is the question for Bomber's wide receiver Derrick Armstrong.

Armstrong's future with the Bombers remains in doubt, after he refused to play in the Bomber's season opener against the Edmonton Eskimos this past week. Armstrong reportedly was frustrated with the fact that he wouldn't be starting in the game.

Bomber's head coach Mike Kelly recently came out saying that if Derrick Armstrong didn't want to be a Bomber, they would be happy to get rid of him. As of now, it appears that Armstrong's days with the Bombers are coming to a close.

If Armstrong is indeed traded away from the Bombers, he would have no problem finding another team.

Armstrong's career stats are very attractive to potential suitors.

In a fairly short CFL career, Armstrong has 3,994 yards and 20 touchdown passes. He has gone over the 1,000 yard mark three times in his career: twice with the Winnipeg Blue Bombers, and once with the Saskatchewan Roughriders.

He was also a driving force in Winnipeg's 2007 playoff run.

As mentioned before, Armstrong could realistically find work with any other team in the CFL. The Hamilton Tiger Cats, for example, could definetly benefit from Armstrong's services. The team could use another star wide receiver to start opposite of star Prechae Rodriquez.

The Toronto Argonauts could also use another target for quarterback Kerry Joseph.

Though the Montreal Alouettes are loaded in the receiving core, adding Armstrong could give them an even more dominant group of receivers. Teamed up with Cahoon, Watkins and Richardson, Armstrong could make the Alouettes offense unstoppable.

If Derrick Armstrong were to be traded, it would likely be to a Western team. Each team in the West would be just as eager to snatch up this talented receiver.

The Saskatchewan Roughriders have a lot of talent at the slotback position but could use a dominant wide receiver.

Armstrong could also help out both the Eskimos and BC Lions. The Eskimos are without a deep threat now that Kelly Campbell is gone and the Lions could use a good wide receiver to line up with star slotbacks Paris Jackson and Geroy Simon.

Even the defending Grey Cup champion Calgary Stampeders could use Armstrong in their arsenal.

So, while it is unknown whether Derrick Armstrong will remain a Bomber for long, it is certain that he would have no trouble finding another team if the situation arises.

CFL Recap Week One: The Good, The Bad and The Ugly

Jonathan Hamelin — Sun, 05 Jul 2009 15:16:57 -0400

The first week of a new CFL season is in the books. Doesn’t it feel good to be watching football again?

Speaking about feeling good, I went 3-1 with my predictions this week!

My only wrong pick? Hamilton over Toronto. I don’t feel bad about picking the lowly Tiger Cats to beat the Argonauts, because Hamilton not only improved over the offseason, but they also handled the Argos quite well last season.

Overall, it was an intriguing opening week in the CFL.

There was an exciting Grey Cup rematch, a Toronto Argonauts playing dead, and a bitter western rivalry decided in the last seconds of the game. What better way to further examine week one then by looking at The Good, The Bad and The Ugly of week one in the CFL?

The Good

Saskatchewan’s Defense—In the Roughriders 28-24 victory over the BC Lions, the Riders D took center stage. Gary Etecheverry’s defense generated a lot of pressure on Buck Pierece, registering nine sacks. They were just as stellar in the secondary as they recorded three interceptions. However, they did give up 24 points, but seven of these were off an interception. Not to mention BC was given great field position following Rider turnovers.

Montreal’s Offense—How do you silence the defending Grey Cup champs? Go into their house and put up 17 unanswered points to start the game.

Montreal looked sharp and determined to win in their 40-27 victory over the Calgary Stampeders. Anthony Calvillo was stellar, throwing for 255 yards and one touchdown. Led by Avon Cobourne with 107 yards, the Als were able to run on the Stampeders defense.

Titus Ryan—The bright spot in Calgary’s loss to the Montreal Alouettes was Titus Ryan. Ryan had a kick return touchdown, sparking the Calgary Stampeders. The rookie receiver also caught three passes for 44 yards.

Bart Andrus—Give credit to Bart Andrus. He looks to have begun righting the sinking ship that has been the Toronto Argonauts.

The Argos beat the Tiger Cats 30-17 and looked well prepared for this contest. Kerry Joseph looked solid, throwing three touchdown passes while Andrus used the running game effectively as Jamal Robertson rushed for 134 yards.

Andrew Nowacki—Nowacki was the best receiver for the Eskimos in their 19-17 win over the Winnipeg Blue Bombers. He had seven catches for 79 yards and one touchdown. On a night when the Eskimos struggle to generate a lot of offense, Nowacki was a reliable option.

Opening Day—Kudos to the schedule-makers, who had the season start on Canada Day with a double header. You could just sense the atmosphere not matter where you were.

The Bad

Reffing in the Saskatchewan-BC Game—Witnessing the Riders-Lions game first hand, I was very disappointed with the reffing in the game. Now I am a Riders fan, but even I believe that there were some questionable calls on both sides. There were calls that shouldn’t have been made and calls that should have been made but weren’t. It was definitely an off night for the referees.

Hamilton’s First Half Defense—It was disappointing that Hamilton allowed 30 points at home. If Hamilton wouldn’t have gotten off to such a bad start, they would have had a chance against Argonauts.

Calgary’s Playmakers—Calgary’s prime-time players failed to produce in their loss to the Alouettes. Henry Burris completed just above 50 percent of his passes, Joffrey Reynolds only had 19 yards rushing and Mike Labinjo was invisible with one tackle.

Stefan Lefors—Though it was cool to see a left-handed quarterback throw the ball, Lefors didn’t produce for the Winnipeg Blue Bombers. He completed less than 50 percent of his passes and only threw for 174 yards. Back to the drawing board in the Peg.

Missed Opportunities—BC, Winnipeg and Calgary all had chances to tie or win their games near the end of regulation. BC’s Ryan Grice-Mullen got behind the Riders db’s and dropped a sure touchdown pass that would have won the game for the Lions in the dying seconds of the game.

Calgary had marched the ball into Montreal’s end of the field in the fourth quarter when Chip Cox picked up a fumble and took it back for a touchdown, sealing the victory for the Als.

Winnipeg lined up for a field goal that would tie the game against the Edmonton Eskimos, but Alexis Serna missed the field goal.

The Ugly

Turnovers—It was a bad week for turnovers. Almost every starting quarterback threw at least one interception and there were a number of punt blocks. This was especially true in the BC-Saskatchewan contest, where there were a combined 15 turnovers in the game.

Injuries—Not only were there a number of players sitting out due to injuries, but a number of players fell to injury. Riders offensive lineman Belton Johnson fell to an injury, Lions running back Ian Smart was carted off the field, Jesse Lumsden re-aggravated his shoulder injury against the Blue Bombers and even Toronto’s kicker was injured in their game against the Tiger Cats.

The Edmonton-Winnipeg Game—The Thursday night tilt simply stank! Both teams struggled to a 0-0 tie at halftime and never really generated a lot off offense in a defensive struggle.

Power Rankings: Week One

Check back every week to see who sits where in the power rankings

1) Montreal Alouettes 1-0 (LW:0)

The Als looked impressive in their victory over the defending Grey Cup champions. Montreal looks to be contenders once again early on.

2) Toronto Argonauts 1-0 (LW:0)

Sure, their victory came against Hamilton, but Toronto looks to have improved under head coach Bart Andrus. Kerry Joseph is making less mistakes and the team has found a running game.

3) Saskatchewan Roughrider 1-0 (LW:0)

If it wouldn’t have been for their turnovers, the Riders may have beaten the Lions by a lot more. Saskatchewan’s defense led the way for them on Friday.

4) Calgary Stampeders 0-1 (LW:0)

Calgary didn’t win their game against a tough Montreal team, but they hung in there. Calgary is still going to be a tough team to beat this year.

5) Edmonton Eskimos 1-0 (LW:0)

Edmonton won against the Blue Bombers, but didn’t look very impressive. The team was solid on defense but didn’t score a point in the first half.

6) Winnipeg Blue Bombers 0-1 (LW:0)

Winnipeg’s defense looked solid in their loss to the Eskimos. Unfortunately, Stefan Lefors and the offense couldn’t get things going.

7) BC Lions 0-1 (LW:0)

BC was able to generate a lot of turnovers to keep themselves in the game against the Riders. But BC’s offense struggled to move the ball most of the game.

8) Hamilton Tiger Cats 0-1 (LW:0)

Poor Hamilton. After a good offseason, the Tiger Cats disappointed their fans at home by losing to the rival Argonauts. They once again find themselves at the bottom of the power rankings.

Check back twice a week for preview and recaps from the CFL. Also, check back every couple of weeks for a look at who is winning the race for the MOP award.

CFL Week One Preview: Calgary-Montreal Headlines Exciting Opening Week

Jonathan Hamelin — Sun, 28 Jun 2009 21:44:23 -0400

With the CFL season started, tune in to Bleacher Report often for complete coverage. I will be coming out with two articles on the CFL per week during the regular season. In one, I will preview the games to come and offer my predictions and in the second, I will recap the games, hand out some awards and display power rankings.

If you are looking for in-depth coverage of the CFL, you are in the right place. If you are looking for a place to learn ballroom dancing… well then you are in the wrong place.

The wait is finally over!

The long heated off-season has withered down, the gruelling training camp has winded down, and the final rosters are set for a new season. Seven teams will be trying to dethrone the defending Grey Cup Champion Calgary Stampeders.

The quest for the Grey cup will begin this Wednesday, when the CFL opens up with a double header. It doesn’t matter how you did last season or what your record was—every team is undefeated and has a chance to become the next Grey Cup Champions.

We have all heard the headlines heading into the season.

“Will Tiger Cats finally make the playoffs?”

“Will Calgary repeat as Grey Cup Champions?”

Now, it is time to find out the answers to these questions.

Prediction Time:
Every week I will predict the winners of each game. Disagree with my picks? Comment down below with your picks and see if you can do better

Wednesday July 1
Game One: Hamilton Tigercats vs. Toronto Argonauts

Another instalment of the Hamilton-Toronto rivalry—what a perfect way to start the season.

Two underachieving teams last season, the Tabbie and the Argos will both have something to prove this season. A win over their biggest rivals would be a welcome start to the season for both teams.

Both teams retooled a lot over the off-season, with Toronto adding Zeke Moreno, Rob Murphy and Dominic Picard; and Hamilton adding Alexander Gauthier, Dan Goodspeed and Brandon Guillory.

It is also the debut of two new head coaches. Bart Andrus will look to right the Argos sinking ship and Marcel Bellefuile will begin his first official season as Tabbies head coach.

For Toronto, a big key to the game will be shutting down the run. Hamilton has bulked up on the offensive line and have talented running back Terry Caulley carrying the rock.

If Toronto does this, they will put more pressure on Hamilton’s starting quarterback, be it Kevin Glenn or Quinton Porter. On offense, they need to try to establish some sort of running game. If they are successful in this, Kerry Joseph will have less pressure on him and settle into his grove.

For Hamilton, a big key to the game will be containing Kerry Joseph. Joseph is known for scrambling with the football and it is usually bad for the defense when he does.

If they do this, it will force Joseph to settle in the pocket and throw the football, which he struggles with. On offense, Hamilton should look first to establish the running game. Hamilton ran all over the Argonauts last season, and should be able to do so again.

This game really could go either way. Both teams have a different look and will be desperate for a win. Hamilton is at home however, and they will have a faithful crowd behind them hoping for the start of something great.

My Pick: Hamilton

*Game of the Week*
*Game Two: Calgary Stampeders vs. Montreal Alouettes*

The second game of the doubleheader is the Grey Cup rematch from last season, when Calgary traveled into Montreal and claimed victory.

With both teams rosters pretty much intact, this game should prove to be a very heated one—and undeniably the game of the week.

Anthony Calvillo has returned for another season, determined to lead the Alouettes to the Grey Cup.

The Stampeders however, will be celebrating their Grey Cup victory and won’t want the Als to spoil the party.

For Calgary to win, they will need to attack Montreal’s defense through the air and on the ground. Montreal has the ability to put up a lot of points and Calgary may need to score a lot of points to win.

On defense, it is really hard to stop the Alouettes offense, but if Calgary can shut down the run and get pressure on Anthony Calvillo then they may be able to hold Montreal in check.

For Montreal to win, they will need to also put up a lot of points. Sometimes the best defense against Calgary is a good offense, and the more Montreal has the ball, the less time Henry Burris will be able to go to work.

When Calgary does have the ball, Montreal will need to contain Henry Burris and get pressure on him, or else he will torch their defense.

Common knowledge would say that Calgary would win this game.

They are the defending Grey Cup Champions and are playing at home. But Montreal is angry following their Grey Cup defeat, and while Calgary is celebrating their Grey Cup victory, Montreal will be there to play football.

My Pick: Montreal

Thursday July 2
Game One: Edmonton Eskimos vs. Winnipeg Blue Bombers

In an intriguing third game of the season, the Blue Bombers will travel into hostile Commonwealth Stadium.

Stefan Lefors, Edmonton’s third string quarterback last season, is now the starter for the Winnipeg Blue Bombers. He will square off against quarterback Ricky Ray—one of the best in the business.

What makes this game so intriguing is that we don’t know what to expect from either team. Winnipeg has question marks at the quarterback position, and Edmonton is being lead by former defensive coordinator Richie Hall.

For Winnipeg, as hard as it may sound, the key is to get Ricky Ray off his game. Ray can pick a defense apart, but if Winnipeg can put pressure on him, it will force Edmonton to turn to the running game, where they don’t have many proven options.

On offense, Winnipeg should attack Edmonton’s front seven with rising star Fred Reid. If the running game is working, it will open up the passing game where talented receivers Derrick Armstrong, Romby Bryant, and Terrance Edwards will look to reek havoc.

Edmonton on the other hand, will look foremost to stop the run. Fred Reid is one of the rising stars in the game and if they stop him, it will put pressure on the inexperienced Stefan Lefors. On offense, Edmonton should try to establish the run, but if all else fails, they should make sure Ricky Ray is protected then air the ball out.

Stefan Lefors may have success in the league, but it will likely take him a while. He is competing against one of the best quarterbacks in the league, and an improved Eskimos defense.

If Lefors plays solidly, the Bombers could pose a challenge to the Eskimos, but if not it could be a long day.

My Pick: Edmonton

Friday July 3
Game One: Saskatchewan Roughriders vs. BC Lions

Returning to the stage of the Western Semi-final, the Riders will look to avenge last season's loss at home.

The game will have plenty of hype going into it, as former Rider Anton Mackenzie will return to Saskatchewan and former Lion Jason Clermont will face his former team for the first time.

It is always a bitter battle when the Lions come into Regina, and with the question marks surrounding both teams, it should be interesting to see how the game plays out.

For Saskatchewan, getting Buck Pierce off his game will be key. BC doesn’t have a proven running game, so if Pierce is put off his game, the Lions will be in trouble.

On offense, Saskatchewan should look to get the ball to their playmakers. If Darian Durant can get the ball out to playmakers Weston Dressler and Andy Fantuz, it could be a long day for the Riders.

For the Lions, pressure will be the key. Darian Durant could be thrown out of his game—and into bad reads and turnovers—if the Lions put consistent pressure him.

On offense, if the Lions can develop a running game, it would shift the momentum in their favour. And of course, if all else fails, Buck Pierce just needs to get the ball out to Paris Jackson and Geroy Simon.

Both teams have a lot of question marks heading into the season, and this game could go a long way to determine the answers. Saskatchewan does have the home field advantage, though it hasn’t always been an advantage in this series.

My Pick: Saskatchewan

My Record: 0-0

If you missed any of my season previews, they can be found here. Calgary Stampeders, Saskatchewan Roughriders, BC Lions, Edmonton Eskimos, Montreal Alouettes, Hamilton Tiger Cats, Winnipeg Blue Bombers, Toronto Argonauts

CFL 2009 Season Preview: Calgary Stampeders

Jonathan Hamelin — Wed, 24 Jun 2009 22:27:16 -0400

“It’s a highly debated question among fans of the CFL, can the Calgary Stampeders repeat as Grey Cup Champions?”

Henry Burris finally won the big game.

In a picture perfect season, the Stampeders won the coveted Grey Cup over the Montreal Alouettes in Montreal.

Things weren’t always perfect for the Stampeders last season. The defense was highly inconsistent and the offense was off their games at time, but when it came down to the wire, the Stamps perform.

The Stampeders survived against the BC Lions and used an all-around effort to defeat the Alouettes.

The Stampeders also had a number of individual accolades last season.

Joffrey Reynolds won the rushing title and Henry Burris was the Western nominee for Most Outstanding Player. Mike Labinjo was solid for the Stamps and kicker Sandro Deangellis was nominated as the Special Teams Player in the Year.

The Stamps managed to keep their roster intact during the off-season, and should be posed for another run at the Grey Cup.

Let’s take a closer look at the Calgary Stampeders:

What’s New? *********

In the offseason, the Stamps focused on securing their own players rather than bringing in new talent.

The Stamps managed secure some key players.

The team finally reached a deal with star quarterback Henry Burris and slot back Nik Lewis, securing two of the teams veteran leaders.

Punter Burt Dales, return man Markus Howell and defensive players Dwaine Carpenter and shut down corner Brandon Carpenter.

Calgary did bring in some players as well in the offseason. The team brought in quarterbacks Drew Tate, who had been floating around Saskatchewan’s practice roster, and quarterback Matt D’Orazio from the Arena Football League,
The team also added a pair of receivers, Titus Ryan, Vincent Marshall and Cedric Thompson and Derrick Watson.

In the Canadian Draft, the Stampeder’s didn’t have a lot of picks but ended up one of the winners of the draft.

The team added solid linebacker Tristan Black, offensive lineman Steve Myddelton, coveted slot back Scott McHenry and defensive end Osie Ukwuoma in later rounds.

When all was said and done, the Stamps retained their core players and their coaching staff.

Concerns

The Stamps weren’t flawless in their Grey Cup run last season and they won’t be this season.

In last nights preseason game, Henry Burris looked rusty and it my take him some time to adjust to the offense again.

The main concern surrounding the Stampeders is their defense is their defense.

Mike Labinjo should be solid once again wherever he lines up in the front seven, but the rest of the front seven is questionable.

Calgary’s secondary has improved but has been prone to giving up the big play.

If Calgary’s defense struggles it will put that much more pressure on their offense.

And of course, will Calgary have the desire to repeat as the defending Grey Cup Champions?

It hasn’t happened in a while.

Summary

With head coach John Hufnagel, offensive coordinator George Cortez and coach Dave Dickenson, Calgary has developed a very solid football core.

Just by watching them in preseason it is apparent that they have been working on a lot during the offseason.

If Joffrey Reynolds experiences any kind of a drop off this season the team should have their replacement in Derrick Watson. Watson is a tough as nail, downhill runner.

Henry Burris should once again have all of the tools he needs to run the offense and the defense should be decent.

Calgary cruised to the top of the West last season and they may well again this year.

But of course, as with any defending champion, whether or not Calgary has the desire to repeat as Grey Cup Champions.

Defending Grey Cup Champions, that still has to sound good for a Stampeders fan.

My Prediction: 12 wins, a first place finish and a home playoff game.

Outstanding Player of the Year: Henry Burris
Defensive Player of the Year:Mike Labinjo
Canadian of the Year:Rob Lazeo
Lineman of the Year: Jesse Newman
Special Teams Player of the Year:Sandro Deangellis
Rookie of the Year: Tristan Black

Stay tuned to Bleacher Report next week for my final thoughts on the season to come. During the season I will be writing two articles a week on the CFL.

Past Previews

East

Toronto Argonauts

Winnipeg Blue Bombers

Hamilton Tiger Cats

Montreal Alouettes

West

BC Lions

Edmonton Eskimos

Saskatchewan Roughriders

CFL 2009 Season Preview: Saskatchewan Roughriders

Jonathan Hamelin — Sun, 21 Jun 2009 22:54:07 -0400

“Durant, Bell or Jyles? Who will be the man to lead a talented Roughriders offense into battle?”

It was a typical offseason in Riderville. One full of controversy.

Major personnel moves, talks of a new stadium and a gm scandal made the offseason rather intriguing for Rider fans.

What made the offseason longer for Rider fans was the disappointing end to the season.

The Riders started the season with an impressive win streak but then quarterback Darian Durant succumbed to an injury. The Riders went out and acquired quarterback Michael Bishop from the Toronto Argonauts to replace Durant. The results, were disastrous to say the least.

Bishop did throw for 2,224 yards with the Riders but he also threw 12 interceptions to seven touchdowns. Bishop looked spectacular at times but often had trouble taking care of the ball. His inconsistency came back to hurt the Riders as the team was defeated by the BC Lions in the Western Semi-Final.

Heading into a new season, the Riders will look to get over the dissapointment of last season.

With new players and coaches making their debuts for the Riders it should be interesting to see how the team will adapt.

Let’s take a closer look at the Saskatchewan Roughriders:

What’s New?

The Riders made the news in the offseason for all the wrong reasons. General Manager Eric Tillman was charged with Sexual Assault, news that shocked the Rider nation.

When it came to the football side of things, the Riders were also dealt some blows.

Starting middle linebacker Maurice Lloyd signed with the Edmonton Eskimos during free agency, and outside linebacker Anton Mackenzie left for the BC Lions. Defensive coordinator Richie Hall finally got the head coaching job he’d been looking for with the Edmonton Eskimos.

Gary Etchevarry takes over the Defensive Coordinator spot for the Roughriders despite having ambitions to be a head coach at the collegiate level.

In a couple of somewhat surprising trades, the Riders dealt Kitwana Jones to the Edmonton Eskimos and former Grey Cup MOP James Johnson to the Winnipeg Blue Bombers.

The Rides did make some signings of their own however.

The team added veteran slot back and home-grown product Jason Clermont to the team,

After missing out on Clermont in the draft, fans had been anxious for a chance to see Clermont play for the green and white.

Saskatchewan also recruited a lot of players in the offseason, such as receiver Todd Blythe, running back Justin Beaver and defensive ends Joe Sykes and Mike Stadnyk.

When it came to the CFL Draft, the Riders didn’t have a lot of picks to work with. The team ended up picking local products Tamon George and Nick Hutchins.

Concerns

The Riders roster is filled with question marks.

Who will step into the line backing core? Which quarterback will grab the starters reigns? And will the defense play at a high level without Richie Hall?

The answers to these questions could very well dictate whether or not Saskatchewan has success this season.
*
Whether it was a crucial move or not, Maurice Lloyd was undoubtedly a huge part of the Riders defense last season. He was widely considered to be the second choice behind Cameron Wake to win the Defensive Player of the Year award.

Mackenzie was not as flashy as Maurice Lloyd, but he was also just as successful.

The Riders believe they have found their replacement linebackers in Renauld Williamns, Sam Olajabuto and Tad Kornegay, but these players are all unproven.

And, whether it be Durant, Jyles, or Bell who starts for the Riders, all three will have to prove they can be consistent starters. Dalton Bell hasn’t played in the CFL, Steven Jyles has been inconsistent, and Durant has only played a few games.

And then there’s the Gary Etchevarry. He likely has the smarts to be a defensive coordinator, but he has no where near the experience of a Richie Hall.

Summary

When all is said and done, the Saskatchewan Roughriders have a very talented roster.

Despite a few turnovers, the roster that helped the Riders start 6-0 last season is in tact.

Andy Fantuz and Weston Dressler look better than ever in training camp and will likely help ignite a potent Roughriders offense. Wes Cates should continue to be one of the most dominant running backs in the CFL.

If one of Saskatchewan’s quarterbacks pan out for them this season, they could have one of the better offense’s in the league.

On defense, the Riders always seem to step it up and a new defensive coordinator will likely not affect it that much.

Once again their success on defense could depend on whether some new players step up.

The Saskatchewan Roughriders already are facing a lot of adversity going into the season, and they are once again being labelled as underdogs.

This shouldn’t bother the team as they’ve bore this label for the past several seasons. If anything, the team seems to embrace their role as underdogs.

With what appears to be a solid mood in the locker room, Saskatchewan should pose a challenge to any team in the West this season.

My Prediction: 9 to 12 wins, a second place finish in the West with a potential for first.

Outstanding Player of the Year: Wes Cates

Defensive Player of the Year: Sean Lucas

Canadian of the Year: Andy Fantuz

Lineman of the Year: Gene Makowsky

Special Teams Player of the Year: Luca Congi

Rookie of the Year: Joe Sykes

Stay tuned to Bleacher Report for the West team previews.

Past Previews:

East

Toronto Argonauts