First and goal

Hey there, time traveller!
This article was published 02/11/2010 (5453 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Five things to consider as we head into the final week of the CFL’s regular season:

1 Can’t speak for the hockey operation over there in the City of Champions, but evidently there is no “Wait until next year” mindset with the Edmonton football club. Not only have the Green and Gold put together a three-game win streak (their first since 2005), the team is also peaking at the right time, having won five of their last six games. The reason: Eric Tillman. Say what you want about the timing and optics of the controversial hire — through the entire renovation in Edmonton this season, no move was bigger than bringing the former Riders GM to handle the football side of things. Proof: Edmonton, a team that saw turnover to half the starting lineup from the beginning of the season, is 5-2 since Tillman came aboard. A gold star to Eskimos president Rick LeLacheur, who pulled the trigger on the Danny Maciocia firing mid-season. It was seen as a desperate move at the time. Now, it could be the move that gets Edmonton into the playoff dance.

2 Whichever team — Edmonton or B.C. — claims the final playoff spot in the West Division will love the fact the Saskatchewan Roughriders have gone into the tank. After beating the Argos in Week 14, the second-place Riders have suffered four straight losses, the latest a 23-17 defeat to the desperate Lions Sunday. Once considered a CFL powerhouse this season, the Riders seem prime for a first-round ouster, leading to message-board mania and a fan-base frenzy. “We know that the media and fans are going to have questions for us,” Riders DT Marcus Adams told the Regina Leader-Post. “If they don’t have faith in us, don’t have faith in us, but we do. We know that we’re a Grey Cup team.” Reasons for the slide include poor special teams play and the continued struggles of QB Darian Durant. He had four of the Riders five turnovers against B.C. Sunday (three interceptions and a fumble).

11111Words to live by, we feel.

11111With Saskatchewan’s Darian Durant (28), Winnipeg’s Steven Jyles (28), and B.C.’s Travis Lulay (27) all entrenched as starters (or at least, starting options) with their respective franchises, and other guys like Calgary’s Drew Tate (27) and Edmonton’s Jared Zabransky (26) showing well, the league is offering a preview of the next generation.

Experienced field generals like Anthony Calvillo, Kevin Glenn and Henry Burris aren’t ready to be put out to pasture yet, but three years from now the CFL quarterbacking landscape could have a completely different look to it.

Huddle rankings

One man’s totally subjective rankings of the eight CFL teams after Week 18 (last week in parentheses):

1. (1) MONTREAL ALOUETTES (12-5) — Pulled one out against the Argos; questions of intensity and motivation continue to burn.

2. (2) CALGARY STAMPEDERS (12-5) — Lots of chatter out there for Henry Burris as the league MVP.

3. (3) HAMILTON TIGER-CATS (9-8) — Still the best of the second-tier heading into the post-season.

4. (4) SASKATCHEWAN ROUGHRIDERS (9-8) — Four straight losses tempts us to slot them below the Eskimos.

5. (6) EDMONTON ESKIMOS (7-10) — At one point, this team was buried with a 2-9 record. They control their destiny.

6. (5) TORONTO ARGONAUTS (8-9) — Hard to envision a scenario where Cleo Lemon is back for 2011.

7. (7) B.C LIONS (7-10) — Those back-to-back OT losses to Winnipeg and Edmonton could come back to haunt them.

8. (8) WINNIPEG BLUE BOMBERS (4-13) — Still looking for signs next year will be any different.

Juicy numbers

10

The number of consecutive road losses by the Bombers. For those who asked, the CFL record is 22, held by Montreal (1980-83). The Winnipeg franchise record is 13, put together during the dog days of the Reinebold era (1997-98).

Say what?

“If Durant (beats Edmonton) I will buy him dinner. I’ll send him the money, because he might not want to eat with me, and he can go where he wants. He can take some home for his family. As long as he wins, and we take care of business.” — B.C. DB Ryan Phillips on a promise to Saskatchewan QB Darian Durant. To claim the final playoff spot, the Lions have to win in Hamilton and need the Riders to beat the Eskimos.

FYI

THE Stamps have nothing to play for, so head coach John Hufnagel is searching for a motivation this week in Winnipeg. His target: Ending a four-game losing streak at Canad Inns Stadium. That being said, he’s not going to pull out all the stops to win the game: “We do have a long break between that last game and the Western final, and I’m concerned about having too much time off for our players. So, I expect to take everyone that is healthy to Winnipeg and play them. For how long? That’s a coach’s decision,” Hufnagel said… With his lone TD toss against Calgary, Hamilton QB Kevin Glenn set a franchise record for TD passes in a season with 30, breaking the old mark set by Danny McManus… Toronto KR Chad Owens became just the fifth player to pick up 1,000 yards via kickoff returns and punt returns in a season. Included in the selective company are Saskatchewan’s Willis Jacox (1991), Toronto’s Pinball Clemons (1997), the Bombers Eric Blount (1998), and the Riders’ Corey Holmes (2002)… Playoffs or no playoffs, don’t look for Wally Buono to leave the Lions after the disappointing year. B.C. owner David Braley told a Vancouver radio station Monday that the future Hall of Famer will be in charge of the football operations for the 2011 season. Will he stay on as coach, though? That’s the question everyone is asking these days… Word out of Edmonton is that while QB Ricky Ray (rib cage) has been throwing, he may not be ready for the playoffs — should the Esks qualify.

— Adam Wazny