West sizzles while East struggles
As a sports reporter, I'm fascinated by fandom — the intense emotion fans invest in a team, from pure bliss to undeniable disdain. I see it daily, whether encountering praise or vitriol on social media, or watching family members scream at the TV over a bad play.
Unlike many, I don't have an allegiance to any team, in any sport. My career choice and journalism school lessons about objectivity ultimately stripped me of any interest in a team's results, leaving me both lucky and, at times, envious not to have my heartstrings tugged by every win or loss.
This past weekend, while listening to 980 CJME's Green Zone post-game show in Regina after the Saskatchewan Roughriders' road victory over the Hamilton Tiger-Cats, the fan calls were striking. Despite improving to 2-0, callers weren't celebrating; instead, they were fixated on kicker Brett Lauther's terrible night.
John Woods / THE CANADIAN PRESS
Winnipeg Blue Bombers running back Matthew Peterson (22) didn't miss a beat in the season opener against the B.C. Lions, replacing an injured Brady Oliveira.
Lauther missed three field goals and an extra point, turning a comfortable lead into a narrow five-point win. But was it truly worth the collective meltdown and demands for his job?
An emotional fan might point to last year's Week 11 loss to the Montreal Alouettes, where Lauther also struggled. Yet, I recall him making 28 of his next 29 field goal attempts to close that season.
Sometimes, it's just a matter of perspective. Now, let's dive into the latest edition of CFL Rundown.
1) While Winnipeg beating B.C. wasn't a wild development — we've certainly seen crazier in the CFL — few would have predicted how they secured the victory over their West Division rival. Indeed, Chris Streveler outduelling Nathan Rourke wouldn't have been on many people's bingo cards, but that's precisely what transpired. Streveler looked poised and comfortable in the pocket, while Rourke struggled; had it not been for a few completed deep passes, his presence would have bordered on irrelevant. A lot of credit belongs to Winnipeg's offensive line for giving Streveler time and creating holes in the run game, and to the Bombers' defence for once again shutting down Rourke, who is now winless in five games against the Blue and Gold. The Bombers reminded the West that the road to the Grey Cup goes through Winnipeg, while simultaneously humbling a Lions club that might not be as good as first thought following their Week 1 triumph over Edmonton.
2) The Bombers losing reigning MOP, running back Brady Oliveira, after the first series made the win more impressive and again speaks to the stellar play of the O-line, as the offence didn't miss a beat. And it wasn't Streveler, who rushed just twice for nine yards, carrying the extra load, but rookie Matthew Peterson. In his first CFL game, Peterson rushed 23 times for 130 yards, including a highlight-reel 38-yard touchdown. With Oliveira expected to miss some time with a shoulder injury, many are wondering what Peterson might be able to do for an encore. Peterson has been working with the first-team offence so that suggests he'll get his first start this week in a rematch with B.C. on Saturday. But don't sleep on American tailback Quinton Cooley, who should also make the game-day roster. Cooley, who stands 5-7 but clocks in at 220 pounds, impressed with his physicality in the pre-season. The Bombers have been looking for an excuse to move him from the practice squad to the main roster, making him someone to keep an eye on.
John Woods / THE CANADIAN PRESS FILES
The Winnipeg Blue Bombers' Quinton Cooley (right) could also be a substitute for an injured Brady Oliveira going forward. The running back impressed in the pre-season against the Saskatchewan Roughriders.
3) The Redblacks dropped to 0-2 following their lopsided loss, 38-19, at home to the Montreal Alouettes. Ottawa didn't look competitive from the get-go, falling behind early and never once leading on the scoreboard. Patience is running thin in the nation's capital, with a portion of the fanbase calling for head coach Bob Dyce's job. While I understand the doubt creeping in — Dyce boasts a 14-27-1 record as the bench boss in Ottawa — it's still early. The Redblacks haven't had the best luck with injuries, with their O-line severely banged up and No. 1 QB Dru Brown also sidelined in Week 2. Furthermore, Dyce signed an extension over the off-season, leaving him under contract through the 2026 campaign. That said, Dyce needs to address his club's discipline, as the Redblacks are averaging more than 100 penalty yards through two games.
4) Three East Division teams — Toronto, Ottawa, and Hamilton — are still searching for their first win of the season, each starting 0-2. While all three have their issues, the Argonauts appear to be in the biggest trouble. Without quarterback Chad Kelly, the Argos have struggled to find an offensive rhythm and it's become clear that Nick Arbuckle doesn't have the same magic he showed as last year's Grey Cup MVP. This lack of offensive consistency has also magnified the growing pains on defence, a unit that saw significant turnover throughout the off-season. Head coach Ryan Dinwiddie is already indicating Kelly could miss another week, so we'll see if the Argos can spoil Saskatchewan's visit and their 2-0 record with mostly the same struggling group.
5) In the West Division, three clubs remain perfect through two weeks: Saskatchewan (2-0), Calgary (2-0) and Winnipeg (1-0). All three teams have had impressive showings, but Winnipeg has sent the biggest message to the rest of the league, despite playing just one game so far. Many people have been waiting for the Bombers to 'fall off' after five straight Grey Cup appearances, but this team looked in mid-season form in their win over B.C. Based on first impressions, they appear to be strong contenders for a sixth straight championship game. While it's still too early to tell, the West feels like it's going to be a battle all year long.
6) Two teams worth keeping a close eye on in the coming weeks are Calgary and Hamilton. The Stampeders have surprised many — starting perfect through two games — but it should be noted that their wins have come against an Argos team missing their No. 1 quarterback and a Ticats club that appears to be an early front-runner for bottom-feeder of the league. Calgary will face the Redblacks with Brown back under centre, and then has a run through the mighty West, playing Winnipeg and Saskatchewan twice each over its next six games; Montreal and another tilt against Ottawa will round out that run. We should know a lot more about the Stamps by then, but will get clues throughout, beginning with their toughest challenge this week. As for the Ticats, they're on their bye week, returning to play the Alouettes in Week 4. Then it's the Argos, who should have Kelly back by then. I wouldn't be at all surprised if Hamilton was still looking for its first win come Week 6.
7) A hearty congratulations to Paul Friesen of the Winnipeg Sun and Judy Owen of Canadian Press, the local duo making up the Class of 2025 inducted into the media wing of the Canadian Football Hall of Fame. Both have contributed significantly to football coverage over their decades-long careers and both are extremely worthy of this honour. They'll be inducted with a special ceremony during Grey Cup week in Winnipeg later this year.
Jon Blacker / THE CANADIAN PRESS
Toronto Argonauts quarterback Nick Arbuckle (left) doesn't have the same magic he showed as last year's Grey Cup MVP. The Argos are still looking for their first win of the season.
Jeff.Hamilton@freepress.mb.ca
Jeff HamiltonMultimedia producer
Jeff Hamilton is a sports and investigative reporter. Jeff joined the Free Press newsroom in April 2015, and has been covering the local sports scene since graduating from Carleton University's journalism program in 2012. Read more about Jeff.
Every piece of reporting Jeff produces is reviewed by an editing team before it is posted online or published in print — part of the Free Press's tradition, since 1872, of producing reliable independent journalism. Read more about Free Press's history and mandate, and learn how our newsroom operates.
Our newsroom depends on a growing audience of readers to power our journalism. If you are not a paid reader, please consider becoming a subscriber.
Our newsroom depends on its audience of readers to power our journalism. Thank you for your support.
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