CFL has only itself to blame

Hey there, time traveller!
This article was published 27/09/2023 (767 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

In some ways, you can chalk it up to the CFL’s usual bad luck. In other ways, though, you can argue they made their own bed.

How else do you explain what should have been the most highly anticipated game of the 2023 CFL season now generating headlines for all the wrong reasons?

Indeed, the long-awaited Grey Cup rematch between the Winnipeg Blue Bombers and Toronto Argonauts at IG Field Friday night had all the makings of an instant classic. It not only pinned the two best teams from last season against one another, but also the two best clubs this year, with the Argos (12-1) and Bombers (10-4) stacked with talent and each atop the East and West Division, respectively.

That is, until the Argos made the surprising announcement that No. 2 QB Cameron Dukes would be getting the start over Chad Kelly. Kelly is in the midst of an all-star campaign, while Dukes has yet to start a CFL game, limited to 15 throws and eight completions after taking over for an injured Kelly in a Week 9 loss to the Calgary Stampeders. That news alone bumped the Bombers to -2.5-point favourites to a full touchdown.

You can’t blame the Argos for resting Kelly. They earned that right two weeks ago when they clinched top spot in the lowly East. It only makes sense not to show the Bombers their full lineup and keep their star QB out of harm’s way, especially if you expect to see them again in the Grey Cup, while also using the opportunity to give valuable playing time to some of your depth players.

However, the CFL doesn’t have an out here. While it would have been difficult to predict the Argos clinching the division so early, it also wasn’t impossible given how awful the East has been for years. Not only was setting up such a marquee matchup so late in the season just a bad decision, but it’s only been made worse by the fact it’s come back to bite them in the ass.

It’s important to note schedule making, whether in the CFL or another professional sports league, is no easy task. You have all teams vying for certain days and times, while asking the CFL to work around things such as concerts and other events.

There are some games that should just be obvious and take priority when finalizing a schedule. Such as a Grey Cup rematch. Or Bo Levi Mitchell playing in Calgary this year. Or not having to wait a couple years for former Ottawa Redblacks head coach Paul LaPolice to return to Winnipeg after helping guide the Bombers to a league title in 2019.

While there’s no easy fix, there is something the CFL can do to change and hopefully prevent situations like this from happening. The league can return to a schedule where each team plays the other eight clubs at home and on the road, while playing two teams within their division three times.

Why that changed beginning in 2021, I’m not sure, though I’d guess it’s for financial reasons. If so, the question should now be whether the new way is costing them even more?

With that, let’s dig into the top stories from Week 16 in the return of CFL Rundown after a two-week hiatus.

1) Ok, one more gripe about Friday’s game between the Argos and Bombers, and that is that Andrew Harris won’t be making a true homecoming. The Winnipeg native was added to the six-game injured list ahead of last week’s game with an injured knee and has been ruled out for the foreseeable future. That means Harris won’t ever play in Winnipeg following his run with the Bombers, as the 36-year-old has already decided to retire at the end of this season.

2) This year has only reinforced my belief that the CFL needs to go to one division. Or, at the very least, scrap divisions when it comes to determining playoff position. The fact the Argos have a full third of their season as “meaningless” games is just embarrassing.

3) Well, it was a nice little run for those pesky Elks, but with Edmonton falling to the Lions last week, dropping their record to 4-11, it’s pretty much impossible for it to make the playoffs now without an incredible amount of luck. The takeaway for the Elks this year has been their reluctance to start Tre Ford over Taylor Cornelius.

4) What’s happened to the Calgary Stampeders? Or, more specifically, what’s happened to the Stampeder Way? The Stampeder Way used to be the standard of confidence and swagger set across the league, but it’s been nowhere in sight this year. Things are clearly broken in Cow Town, with some players, at least during my visit back in August, pointing to a young roster as what’s plagued them most this season. Not a good look for Dave Dickenson in his first year as GM. At 4-10, including losses in five of their last six games, it feels inevitable the Stamps miss the playoffs for the first time in 18 years.

5) While we’re writing eulogies here, I can’t imagine a situation outside a stunning turnaround by the Saskatchewan Roughriders where head coach Craig Dickenson keeps his job for next season. The Riders have lost their last three games to fall to 6-8, with the most recent defeat coming against the Redblacks, arguably the worst team in the CFL. What made the game all the more perplexing was the decision to abandon the run after it worked so well in the first quarter. Frankie Hickson, who was in for an injured Jamal Morrow, racked up 47 rushing yards on four carries in the first 16 minutes, only to have him run five more times over the next three quarters, totalling an additional 30 yards. It’s like the Riders just love running away from success, and in this case, they literally did just that.

6) Montreal got back into the win column this week, beating the Hamilton Tiger-Cats to snap a four-game losing streak and improve to 7-7. In my quest to figure this team out and where they belong among the CFL ranks, there was an interesting stat this week that I felt perfectly summed up the Als. Montreal is 0-7 against Toronto, Winnipeg and B.C. – the top three teams in the CFL – and 7-0 against everyone else.

7) Speaking of the Alouettes, talk about a great pickup adding defensive end Shawn Lemon. Lemon was released by the Lions out of camp to make room on the roster and then seemed to be in the CFL doghouse, as it took weeks for him to sign in Montreal. Everyone could have had him, including the Bombers, but it took until Week 8 before he got into a game. Since then, the 35-year-old has 22 defensive tackles, seven sacks, two interceptions and a forced fumble.

8) A big congrats to Maya Turner for making U Sports history by becoming the first woman to dress in a Canadian university game. Not done there, the Manitoba Bisons kicker was part of a fairy-tale ending, booting a 21-yard field goal in overtime to seal a 27-24 win over the Regina Rams. Nice work.

Jeff.Hamilton@freepress.mb.ca

Twitter: @jeffkhamilton

Jeff Hamilton
Multimedia 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.

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