Latest news with #CalgaryStampeders
Winnipeg Free Press
8 hours ago
- Sport
- Winnipeg Free Press
Protecting quarterbacks talk of Bombers practice
Zach Collaros said he believes the hit that knocked him out of last week's game against the Calgary Stampeders warranted a penalty flag, but he's also not surprised that the outcome was any different. The Winnipeg Blue Bombers quarterback called the blow delivered by Stampeders' defensive lineman Clarence Hicks in the second quarter of Friday's 41-20 defeat 'pretty clean,' but took umbrage with the timing of the hit. 'It seemed late,' Collaros said. 'That's never going to change in this league, though.' MIKE DEAL / FREE PRESS Winnipeg Blue Bombers quarterback Zach Collaros (8) practiced with the club on Monday. He left Friday's game in the second quarter after a hit by Calgary Stampeders defensive lineman Clarence Hicks. The hit to Collaros' chest area caused the back of his head to hit the turf and sent him immediately to the locker room, where he remained the rest of the night. No flag was thrown on the play. Collaros is listed on this week's injury report with a neck injury. 'I just think there's not a lot of consistency,' said Collaros, who has previously been vocal about the CFL's streaky record when it comes to protecting its quarterbacks. 'I that that's the frustrating part. I think there's ways to mitigate those hits from happening. I think they'd have to be drastic, and I don't think the (CFL Players Association) are ready to do those kinds of things.' Head coach Mike O'Shea, who is on the CFL Rules Committee, said quarterback safety is 'one of the first things we always talk about' at meetings. 'Does it always work out that way in the field? No, it doesn't always work out that way. It doesn't always look that way,' he said. 'Sometimes, they're doing the right things, but it doesn't actually look like that on TV.' O'Shea didn't say whether he agreed the hit on Collaros was late, but rather spun his answer differently: 'Late or not, I didn't think we were going to (win) a challenge on that one,' he said. Regardless of whether a flag should've been thrown, the most concerning part was the health of the two-time Most Outstanding Player. That's what made Collaros' full participation in Tuesday's practice at Princess Auto Stadium an important sight. The Bombers (3-2), who will travel to Toronto to face the Argonauts (1-6) at BMO Field on Saturday (6 p.m. CT), are reeling after two straight beatdowns and can't afford to be without their most important player. Collaros said he expects to play in the contest, which is a collective sigh of relief for his teammates and fans. Backup Chris Streveler, who had one of the best performances of his career while starting in place of Collaros against the B.C. Lions in Week 2, underwhelmed when he was thrust into action against Calgary, going 16-for-25 with 136 yards, one touchdown and two interceptions. Granted, Streveler had all of training camp to prepare for his start against the Lions, whereas he had to overcome a four-point deficit against the league's top defence last week. 'It's tough,' Collaros said of the situations that backups are asked to overcome. 'You want all the reps, right? Shoot, I think this is the only place I've ever been that the backup actually gets reps. That's rare. So it is tough. It's very tough. 'That being said, one of the main reasons that my career has lasted so long is because I've had those opportunities, unfortunately, when a guy's gone down. Dating back to college, when I was with the Argos, with Ricky, if he never gets hurt, probably my life is radically different.' The offence looked to be putting together a decent outing before Collaros exited the game and even had a promising drive going out of halftime with Streveler at the helm, but a red zone interception thrown by Streveler killed that series, and the offence never regained traction. The unit has left each of the last two contests frustrated with its performance. JOHN WOODS / THE CANADIAN PRESS FILES Winnipeg Blue Bombers receiver Nic Demski (10) said Tuesday the team has to be better at finishing their drives. 'I think we are one or two plays away,' receiver Nic Demski, who had a career-high 146 receiving yards in Week 7, said of the offence's recent stretch. 'I thought we started off pretty good and all that stuff, and I still do think we make plays — we put yards out there, we put together great drives — but what's a great drive without finishing with points on the board, right? So, one thing is we definitely have to be better at taking care of the football, and definitely be better about putting points on the board, whether that's three or seven. I mean, obviously the ultimate goal is seven, but we just can't be having these great drives with no production at the end.' Collaros and Streveler have thrown a combined six interceptions — three returned for touchdowns — in the last two games, which has effectively knocked the Bombers out of both contests. The blame isn't solely on the offence, though. The defence has allowed 7.68 yards per play and conceded seven big plays (passes of 30-plus yards and rushes of 20-plus yards), as Winnipeg has been outscored 78-36 in the last eight quarters. It's appeared to unravel as a collective at times, too, with some uncharacteristic plays in all three phases. 'I think it's the amount of things, because some were big and some were minute, but too many. Too many penalties, too many giveaways, too many busts, too many times a lack of communication, out of gaps, missed tackles — too many to survive,' said O'Shea. 'Certainly didn't get the response we wanted, and I expected better. They expect better. They want better for their teammates. Just gotta put in the work and get it done.' The Bombers already have enough motivating them, being on the losing end of back-to-back bad losses, but this week's rematch of last year's Grey Cup presents yet another reason for this team to get up for a road contest. Thursdays Keep up to date on sports with Mike McIntyre's weekly newsletter. They will face an Argos squad that has also gotten in their own way on several occasions this season. 'I think we're just a little extra juiced up to get back on the field. We're not happy with the way we played, obviously, not just last week but the previous one,' Collaros said. 'Going all the way back to last year, we haven't talked about that, and we would never talk about that anyways. I know they have a great staff and great players, and we're on the road. It's always tough to win on the road, so it's gonna be a battle for us.' X: @jfreysam Joshua Frey-SamReporter Josh Frey-Sam reports on sports and business at the Free Press. Josh got his start at the paper in 2022, just weeks after graduating from the Creative Communications program at Red River College. He reports primarily on amateur teams and athletes in sports. Read more about Josh. Every piece of reporting Josh 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.
Calgary Herald
a day ago
- Sport
- Calgary Herald
Looking at the Calgary Stampeders special start to the season
Article content Those pundits who foreshadowed doom and gloom over the first third of the 2025 Calgary Stampeders schedule are likely scratching their tall foreheads these days … Article content With good reason. Article content It wasn't supposed to play out this well for the Stampeders after two lousy ones amounting to just 11 wins in 36 games. Even the most optimistic fan of the Red and White couldn't have predicted such a sensational start to the year. Article content Article content Especially given what the early-season calendar looked like for a team in massive transition. Article content Article content Thinking back on what has been a 5-1 start to the Canadian Football League campaign under the circumstances, it truly has been phenomenal. Article content But don't tell that to the Stampeders, who remain tunnel-visioned in a commitment to steer clear from over-confidence. Article content 'No reason for us (to get over-confident),' said Stampeders GM/head coach Dave Dickenson. 'You'll get humbled quickly. The key is just don't read too much into when it's bad or when it's good. Article content 'You just try to understand why you're winning, what's helping you succeed and just try to put the foot on the gas just a little bit more each and every week. Article content 'I think our guys can do that.' Article content They'll run with that gameplan again this Thursday, when the 4-2 Montreal Alouettes — the Stamps' fourth straight foe with a winning record — visit McMahon Stadium (7 p.m., TSN, CHQR 770 AM/107.3 FM the Edge), knowing full well they can't rest on their laurels. Article content Article content 'We don't look too far forward, and unfortunately, you really only look back when you're done,' added Dickenson. 'I just think we've got to get better. I think our energy has been good — we've shown up to play every week. We have continually gotten better. Article content 'So that's something that as a team we've got to continue to do.' Article content Article content Let's look back at that, recognizing the adversity they've overcome. Article content • The Week 1 game brought the return of Stampeders legend Bo Levi Mitchell looking to avenge last year's first loss in another uniform at McMahon, with the Red and White themselves fresh off a significant overhaul of the roster in the off-season. Article content A surprisingly convincing win. Article content • The Week 2 affair took them away for their first road contest of the season — another tough first for a still-finding-itself crew — against the defending Grey Cup-champion Toronto Argonauts.
CTV News
4 days ago
- Sport
- CTV News
Adams Jr. throws three TDs, Stampeders continue dominance with 41-20 win over Bombers
Calgary Stampeders quarterback Vernon Adams Jr. (3) throws a touchdown pass to Damien Alford (not shown) during first half CFL action against the Winnipeg Blue Bombers in Winnipeg Friday, July 18, 2025. THE CANADIAN PRESS/John Woods The Calgary Stampeders continued their dominance of the CFL on Friday night. Quarterback Vernon Adams Jr. completed 16 of 24 passes for 267 yards and three touchdowns to lead the Stampeders to a 41-20 victory over the Winnipeg Blue Bombers. Calgary improved to 5-1 and sits alone atop the CFL's West Division. Winnipeg dropped to 3-2 before a sold-out crowd of 32,343 at Princess Auto Stadium, an eighth straight full house. Vernon completed TD throws of 37 and 42 yards to Damien Alford before finding Dominique Rhymes with a three-yard toss. Calgary's defence also picked off Winnipeg's quarterbacks four times, with Damon Webb intercepting a Chris Streveler pass and returning it 15 yards for a touchdown. The convert gave the Stamps a 38-13 lead early in the fourth quarter. It was the second time the Stamps stomped Winnipeg in the last three weeks. They beat the Bombers 37-16 in Calgary three weeks ago. Backup quarterback Quincy Vaughn also scored on a one-yard touchdown run. Rene Parades kicked field goals of 32 and 37 yards, and converted all seven majors. Winnipeg quarterback Zach Collaros exited in the second quarter with what's believed to be a concussion after falling to the field from a hit. He completed eight of 11 passes for 151 yards and a four-yard touchdown to Nic Demski, with two interceptions, before Streveler took over. Streveler completed 15 of 24 passes for 128 yards and one late eight-yard touchdown to Kody Case, with two picks. Sergio Castillo kicked field goals of 46 and 58 yards and converted both TDs. Calgary had upped the score to 31-13 when Adams completed a one-yard TD toss to Rhymes early in the fourth quarter. After Adrian Greene picked off a Streveler pass near his own end zone to snuff out a promising Bombers drive, the Stamps marched down the field and Adams hit a wide-open Alford for a 42-yard touchdown. The Parades convert gave Calgary a 24-13 lead heading into the final quarter. The Stamps led 17-13 at halftime. Calgary had retaken the lead when Adams connected on a 37-yard touchdown pass to Alford. Winnipeg grabbed a 13-10 lead when Collaros capped off a 70-yard drive with a four-yard TD toss to Demski. The Stamps upped the score to 10-6 with a 32-yard field goal by Parades early in the second. Castillo had connected on a 58-yard field goal to pull Winnipeg within 7-6 following Calgary's touchdown. The Stamps had scored on their first drive, marching 70 yards on seven plays, capped off with a one-yard touchdown run by Vaughn. A Parades convert gave the Stamps a 7-3 lead. The Bombers opened the scoring on their first possession. After a sack negated a promising drive, Castillo booted a 46-yard field goal. WELCOME BACK Fans welcomed Bombers legend Milt Stegall back with a standing ovation before the game. Stegall, who was on the sidelines, returned to the TSN panel this weekend for the first time since the sudden death of his son, Chase. UP NEXT The Bombers travel to Toronto to take on the Argos in a Grey Cup rematch on Saturday. The Stampeders return to Calgary to host the Montreal Alouettes on Thursday. This report by The Canadian Press was first published on July 18, 2025 Jim Bender, The Canadian Press
Winnipeg Free Press
5 days ago
- Sport
- Winnipeg Free Press
Bombers look to bounce back
The Winnipeg Blue Bombers were knocked down — flattened, actually — and, for the first time this season, they need to show they can get back up. The club was collectively tossed around in a lopsided 37-16 road defeat to the Calgary Stampeders in Week 5, but, after taking the bye week to dust themselves off, it has a chance to punch back when it hosts the Stamps for a rematch at Princess Auto Stadium on Friday (7:30 p.m.). BROOK JONES / FREE PRESS FILES Winnipeg Blue Bombers head coach Mike O'Shea said the disappointment from the loss to the Calgary Stampeders in Week 5 has turned into determination for the team to play better. BROOK JONES / FREE PRESS FILES Winnipeg Blue Bombers head coach Mike O'Shea said the disappointment from the loss to the Calgary Stampeders in Week 5 has turned into determination for the team to play better. The 21-point defeat was the worst that Winnipeg had suffered with Zach Collaros as the starting quarterback since Week 3 of the 2023 season when it lost 30-6 at home against the B.C. Lions, and just the second time it has lost by more than 20 points since he was traded here in 2019. Making it worse, they've had to sit with that performance for two weeks. While the Bombers will have revenge on their mind, one thing is certain: it won't come easily. The Stampeders have made it known that they are, in fact, legit, rolling into Week 7 with a 4-1 record after another dominant performance against the Saskatchewan Roughriders last week. That leaves an opportunity for the 3-1 Bombers to make a statement of their own on Friday and remind the league that they will be in this fight for the long haul. 'I wasn't with them during the bye, but I imagine they were disappointed post-game, I imagine they flushed it as quickly as they could,' head coach Mike O'Shea said earlier this week. 'They were happy to be back, they put some work in — I think that disappointment has turned into the realization that they can play better, and they're determined to do that.' There is plenty of intrigue buzzing around these two West Division foes leading up to kickoff, so let's tee it up with the latest edition of 5 Storylines. It was trending this way all week, but it doesn't make the news any easier to swallow. The Bombers will be down two of their top offensive players in this one, as receiver Dalton Schoen (knee) and left tackle Stanley Bryant (ankle) have been moved to the six-game and one-game injured list, respectively. Schoen's injury is certainly more concerning at this point, given he missed the entire 2024 season with a torn ACL. He exited the Week 5 contest against Calgary after a routine play where he leaped for a catch and fell to the ground, but took his time getting up. There is no confirmation that this injury is as serious as last year's, however, and O'Shea said it's not season-ending. 'No. Like all those six games, we can pull them off whenever,' he said Thursday. As for Bryant, O'Shea is confident that the 39-year-old could return next week. 'It's challenging, for sure,' Collaros said. RUTH BONNEVILLE / FREE PRESS FILES Winnipeg Blue Bombers offensive lineman Micah Vanterpool slides into the left tackle position, replacing an injured Stanley Bryant. RUTH BONNEVILLE / FREE PRESS FILES Winnipeg Blue Bombers offensive lineman Micah Vanterpool slides into the left tackle position, replacing an injured Stanley Bryant. 'Stan is the most decorated offensive lineman in the history of our league, so having to fill in for him is not an easy task. Again, I think it's more so just on a communication level, not necessarily a skill set thing. And, although Stan is unbelievable, Micah (Vanterpool) has been in that room now for a year and a half, and has really gelled with those guys, and I think he'll do a great job. 'When a guy like Dalton goes down, for a quarterback and somebody you really depend on for a lot of what goes on in a game plan, it makes it difficult, for sure. But again, I just think it's harder on a human level, like, I can't really ever get over stuff like that. I just feel for guys when they have to miss a week of work, because… you put so much time in the off-season, you only have so many opportunities, and… there's just not a lot of opportunities in this game, so it's tough.' Replacing the trusted veterans is a pair of unheralded second-year talents in receiver Kody Case and lineman Vanterpool. Case, 26, will make his season debut. He dressed for three games last year as he operated as the Bombers' returner. Case returned this spring and put together an impressive training camp before going down with an ankle injury that forced him to miss both pre-season contests. The 5-10, 178-pound pass-catcher's greatest attribute is his speed, which he showcased a few times in practice this week. HEYWOOD YU / THE CANADIAN PRESS FILES Winnipeg Blue Bombers receiver Kody Case will make his season debut as he steps in for an injured Dalton Shoen. HEYWOOD YU / THE CANADIAN PRESS FILES Winnipeg Blue Bombers receiver Kody Case will make his season debut as he steps in for an injured Dalton Shoen. Meanwhile, Vanterpool, 26, has started two games at left guard this season and performed well in both cases. The 6-5, 325-pounder is as versatile as they come, capable of playing guard and tackle on both sides of the line, which makes his slide to left tackle unsurprising. 'I just do my process,' Vanterpool said. 'When I say my process, I work both sides. I work guard, tackle, right and left, ever since I've been in college. Every time I'm doing drills, I make sure I get some tackle reps, I get some guard reps, regardless of the week.' Gabe Wallace will plug in at left guard for Vanterpool. It's the third different offensive line combination the Bombers have run out this season. Rookie American defensive end Jay Person was also elevated to the active roster and is expected to make his CFL debut. The Stampeders won't use it as an excuse, but the club will be working at a slight disadvantage of not having a full week to rest and prepare for their rematch with the Bombers. Calgary's Week 6 contest against Saskatchewan was scheduled for Friday, July 11, but poor air quality in Regina — owing to smoke from wildfires in surrounding areas — delayed the matchup until Saturday. It might not sound like a big deal, but in a physical sport where collisions are akin to car crashes, every day of rest matters. Whether one less day of rest impacts the game remains to be seen, but it's noteworthy, nonetheless. The Bombers' record when coming off a bye week will continue to be a storyline until they show a reason it shouldn't be. The club is a gaudy 18-1 in its return from a week off since 2017, which is the best in the CFL by a wide margin. It was the second bye week this season for the Bombers, who already bested the B.C. Lions in their return from a Week 1 bye, so the team should be well-rested for this matchup. Hopefully, players enjoyed their most recent break, because now the Bombers will play 11 games in a row before they enjoy another bye week. The Bombers' defence has been the class of the CFL for years, finishing as the No. 1 scoring defence in each of the last four seasons. So far, that moniker belongs to Calgary. Entering Week 7, the club has allowed a league-best 91 points, and has not given up more than one offensive touchdown in a game thus far. In fact, the Stamps' defence has allowed just five drives that resulted in touchdowns through five games (68 possessions). That 7.4 per cent rate is the best of any club since the CFL began publishing this data in 2008. The Bombers have already felt the wrath of the league's No. 1 defence, as Collaros tossed two interceptions that were returned for touchdowns, and the club was held to its lowest point total of the young season in their last meeting. 'It seems like they're on the same page, they're flying around,' said O'Shea. 'I think they're an excitable group, like they're bringing a lot of energy, they're taking the ball away. Obviously, they took the ball away from us. I mean, when you see them put it all together, just as a 12-man unit, they seem to be getting after it pretty good.' Thursdays Keep up to date on sports with Mike McIntyre's weekly newsletter. X: @jfreysam Joshua Frey-SamReporter Josh Frey-Sam reports on sports and business at the Free Press. Josh got his start at the paper in 2022, just weeks after graduating from the Creative Communications program at Red River College. He reports primarily on amateur teams and athletes in sports. Read more about Josh. Every piece of reporting Josh 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.
Winnipeg Free Press
6 days ago
- Climate
- Winnipeg Free Press
Top of the West crowded to start Week 7
Friday's matchup between the Calgary Stampeders and Saskatchewan Roughriders at Mosaic Stadium was supposed to be the must-watch game of the week in the CFL, with top spot up for grabs in the heavily competitive West Division. Instead, it became a frustrating, drawn-out saga, ultimately postponed due to hazardous air quality owing to northern Saskatchewan wildfires. While player safety must always be top priority, the league's handling of the situation exposed a glaring flaw in its current policy. The Air Quality Health Index was well above the required threshold of 7, hovering at a troubling 10+ in the hours leading up to kickoff. Despite these dangerous levels, the league and the CFL Players' Association — who jointly agreed on the policy — allowed the situation to drag on for hours, desperate that the skies would eventually clear. What began as a 45-minute delay quickly morphed into a seemingly endless series of postponements, pushing the final cancellation right up to 9:45 p.m. — nearly four hours after the scheduled kickoff. This prolonged uncertainty, with players stuck in limbo for as many as eight hours, presents a serious health risk. Even if the air had miraculously cleared by then, asking athletes to perform after such a lengthy period of idleness is unreasonable and unsafe. The current policy seems to allow for indefinite delays if a game hasn't officially started, and that needs to be addressed. Had the game already kicked off, a three-hour delay would have triggered an automatic cancellation, or at least given fans a reasonable expectation of what they were getting into. Common sense dictates that a similar timeline should apply to pre-game delays as well. Had the skies started to improve, the CFL said they would have been fine with warm-ups starting at 10:45 p.m., with an 11:15 p.m. kickoff. That's after 1 a.m. ET. The league has vowed to review its protocols when it comes to communicating with fans — a prudent move, as wildfires become more commonplace — but the core issue runs deeper. A more proactive approach, with a clear cut-off for pre-game delays, would have spared everyone a night of uncertainty and allowed for a much more sensible reschedule to Saturday afternoon. That's exactly what ended up happening, with the game starting at 2 p.m. the next day. The Stampeders, who had to sleep in university dorm rooms the night before, then added insult to injury with a convincing 24-10 win. Now, let's dive into the latest edition of CFL Rundown. 1) The Stampeders have continued to shift the narrative in the West. With wins against previously unbeaten teams in the Winnipeg Blue Bombers and then the Riders, it can be said with confidence that the Stamps are the best team in the CFL right now. It's an impressive resurgence for a team that had a lot of critics, me included, at the start of the year. But Calgary has proved all its doubters wrong through six weeks and are definitely a team to watch. I had mentioned a few columns ago that we would find out what the Stamps were truly made of during this current tough stretch on the schedule, which includes another date with Winnipeg this week. Given the success the Bombers have had coming off the bye, another victory over Winnipeg would only add to Calgary's serious intrigue. HEYWOOD YU / THE CANADIAN PRESS Saskatchewan defensive back Marcus Sayles (8) tackles Calgary receiver Tevin Jones (4) as he runs the football during the second half in Regina, on Saturday. The Stampeders defeated the Roughriders 24-10. Saskatchewan defensive back Marcus Sayles (8) tackles Calgary receiver Tevin Jones (4) as he runs the football during the second half in Regina, on Saturday. The Stampeders defeated the Roughriders 24-10. 2) I'm not going to say the Riders were exposed this week, as that would take away from their impressive 4-0 start. But Calgary did beat them up at times in this one, much like against Winnipeg, including taking a commanding 17-3 lead into halftime despite turnovers on its first two possessions. When Saskatchewan appeared to show some life to start the third quarter, scoring a touchdown to cut Calgary's lead to a touchdown, the Stamps answered back with an 81-yard score from Vernon Adams Jr. to rookie — and first overall pick in May's CFL draft — Damien Alford. But as much as Adams continues to find his groove, it's Calgary's defence that is carrying the load, averaging the fewest points against in the league. 3) Indeed, the top of the West is pretty crowded with strong starts for Calgary, Saskatchewan and Winnipeg. But there's another team trying to make their case and that's the B.C. Lions, who improved to 3-3 with their win over the Edmonton Elks. The Lions look much better with Nathan Rourke behind centre and their record proves that, with the Lions 3-1 when led by their star pivot. But I'm not sold just yet, not when you consider the Lions have two of their three victories against the lowly Elks, with the other being a win over the Montreal Alouettes. A victory against Montreal would usually be impressive, but it came on a last-second field goal and with Alouettes starting quarterback Davis Alexander sidelined. The Lions host the Riders Saturday night, so let's wait until next week before considering B.C. in the top tier with the three aforementioned clubs. 4) The good times certainly didn't last long for the Elks, who dropped to 1-4 following a listless effort against the visiting Lions. Edmonton injected some life into their season with a win over the Ottawa Redblacks the week before, but any momentum from that has vanished following their performance over the weekend. With the rest of the West distancing themselves in the standings, it might be time to replace quarterback Tre Ford with Cody Fajardo. Ford has shown flashes through five games but has proven to be far too inconsistent to bank your playoff hopes on. Something has got to give and with Ford mustering just 34 passing yards before getting yanked is just not going to cut it. Fajardo came in and promptly led the Elks to a touchdown, and, while it was garbage time, it also wasn't like the Lions were just giving away points. Desperate times call for desperate measures, and if the Elks are anything, it's desperate. 5) The Hamilton Tiger-Cats trailed pretty much the entire game, but credit to them for sticking with it and trusting the process, as they took the lead for good in the final two minutes to earn a 23-20 victory over the Redblacks. And a shout-out to receiver Kenny Lawler, who continues to produce at a torrid pace, with five of his seven touchdowns coming in the last two games. While Lawler has been a top receiver in the league for years, it's interesting to note that seven touchdowns is a career high. He had hit the six-TD mark twice before, most recently in 2023. Injuries have certainly affected those numbers, as Lawler hasn't played more than 13 games in a season since the truncated 2021 campaign owing to COVID-19. GEOFF ROBINS / THE CANADIAN PRESS Hamilton Tiger-Cats' receiver Kenny Lawler has racked up five of his seven league-leading touchdowns on the season in the last two games. GEOFF ROBINS / THE CANADIAN PRESS Hamilton Tiger-Cats' receiver Kenny Lawler has racked up five of his seven league-leading touchdowns on the season in the last two games. 6) The loss to Hamilton was the latest example of Ottawa finding new ways to shoot itself in the foot. That's been the story for the Redblacks all year, but particularly over its past three games, which have included losses to Hamilton, Edmonton and Toronto. While there's still plenty of season left to play, especially for those teams in the East, the Redblacks had high aspirations this year and if they hope to hold off a potential crossover from the West, they better get their act together sooner rather than later. They have Hamilton again this week and it feels like must-win territory in the nation's capital. I predict the Redblacks get their revenge on home turf, but it will require a big game from quarterback Dru Brown. I see this being an absolute shootout. 7) Toronto is back in action this week, but quarterback Chad Kelly remains sidelined as he continues to recover from a broken leg suffered last season. Argonauts head coach Ryan Dinwiddie, seemingly tired of giving weekly updates, proclaimed a month ago that Kelly wouldn't be back until at least Week 7. That deadline will have come and gone by the end of the week, putting another spotlight on Kelly's return. The Argos have been reeling without their starting quarterback, with backup Nick Arbuckle unable to create a significant spark on offence. It doesn't help that Alexander is on track this week to return from a hamstring injury that has forced him to miss the last two games. 8) I'm ending on a personal note. We lost a good friend and colleague last year in Ted Wyman, who passed in November following a brief battle with cancer. I scribbled some words about him for a profile in our Passages section this past Saturday. Ted and the CFL season are synonymous for me, having covered the Bombers together for seven years. No one loved covering the league more and nobody had more fun doing it. On hiatus The Free Press sports editor keeps you up to date on all that's happening on the ice, the field, the court, and places in between. 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.
