Many CFL teams enter the week with questions at quarterback position

Hamilton Spectator

6 days ago

The bye week comes at an opportune time for Dru Brown and the Ottawa Redblacks.
Ottawa (1-6) will have time to recover from its 30-15 loss Sunday to the Hamilton Tiger-Cats. The Redblacks, who have now dropped four straight, resume play July 31 hosting the Calgary Stampeders (5-1).
The time off should especially benefit Brown. He was forced from Sunday's game in the second quarter after taking a hard hit from Hamilton's DaShaun Amos, who came clean off the edge on a blitz.
Replays showed Amos struck the bottom of Brown's facemask with the crown of his helmet. Brown's helmet flew off, though his chinstrap wasn't fully secured.
Brown left the game and didn't return. Amos received a Grade 2 25-yard penalty for roughing the passer.
Brown was replaced by Dustin Crum, who finished 16-of-22 passing for 149 yards and an interception while rushing six times for 43 yards. He completed six-of-eight attempts for 66 yards and an interception before leaving the contest.
Brown had missed three previous starts this season with a hip injury. Ottawa's lone win, a 20-12 decision over Calgary on June 21, came with Crum under centre.
But at least Brown has time to recover. Many other CFL teams enter the week with questions at quarterback as they prepare for upcoming games.
Davis Alexander's quest for a record-setting ninth straight win to start a CFL career is on hold. The Montreal Alouettes placed the 26-year-old American on the six-game injured list after he aggravated a hamstring ailment in their 26-25 comeback win over the Toronto Argonauts on Thursday night.
Alexander's 10-yard TD run late in the fourth quarter capped Montreal's comeback from a 25-7 deficit. But as he scored, Alexander grabbed the back of his leg.
He remained on the field for Montreal's unsuccessful two-point convert attempt. Alexander had just returned after missing the Alouettes previous two contests with the injury.
With Alexander out, veteran McLeod Bethel-Thompson is expected to again be Montreal's starter after serving in that capacity during Alexander's two-game absence. The Alouettes visit Calgary (5-1) on Thursday night.
Meanwhile, in Toronto, the Chad Kelly watch continues. The CFL's outstanding player in 2023 hasn't played this season as he recovers from a leg injury suffered in last year's East Division final.
Kelly was again a limited practice participant Tuesday.
Nick Arbuckle, who earned MVP honours in Toronto's '24 Grey Cup victory over Winnipeg, has started all six of the Argos regular-season contests in 2025. Arbuckle has completed 150-of-210 passes (71.4 per cent) for 1,691 yards with nine TDs and eight interceptions but has been sacked a CFL-high 16 times this season.
Toronto (1-5) has dropped two straight games. Its offence stands eighth in net yards (308 per game) and last in both rushing (46.7 yards) and most sacks allowed (16).
Toronto hosts Winnipeg (3-2) on Saturday night and it looks like the Argos will face Bombers starter Zach Collaros.
Collaros left Winnipeg's 41-20 loss last week to Calgary with a upper-body injury. On Tuesday, the 36-year-old was a full participant in practice with what the Bombers listed as a neck ailment.
Collaros had completed eight-of-11 passes for 151 yards with a TD and two interceptions versus Calgary. He was replaced by veteran Chris Streveler.
Collaros missed Winnipeg's season-opening 34-20 win over B.C. due to suspension. Streveler threw for 246 yards and three TDs with an interception in that contest.
And in Edmonton, incumbent Tre Ford and veteran backup Cody Fajardo split starting reps in practice. The Elks (1-4) come off the bye week preparing to visit Saskatchewan (5-1) on Friday night.
Ford, of Niagara Falls, Ont., has started all five of Edmonton's game thus far. The six-foot, 192-pound Ford has completed 82-of-121 passes (67.8 per cent) for 984 yards with five TDs and three interceptions while rushing 16 times for 152 yards (9.5-yard average) and a touchdown.
Edmonton stands eighth in offensive points scored (22.0 per game) and is tied for last with Ottawa in offensive TDs (12). The Elks sport the CFL's fourth-best ground game (106.8 yards per game) but are last in passing (218.2) and net offence (300.2 yards).
Most teams have had to deal with quarterback questions as Ford, Arbuckle, Hamilton's Bo Levi Mitchell and Calgary's Vernon Adams Jr. are the only ones to have started all of their teams' games. Yet the league's overall quarterback rating is 97.4 compared to 96.9 last season and 93.9 in 2023.
And over the last three weeks, CFL teams are averaging a combined 765 net offensive yards per game. Overall, this season's average is 729 yards, down from 733 in 2024 but ahead of 702 in 2023.
CFL teams are also scoring an average of 53 points per game, up 2.3 per cent from 2024.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published July 22, 2025.