TORONTO — There’s plenty to take from each week of exciting CFL action, and every Monday we deliver some of the things we learned from the week’s biggest plays. Week 18 featured a spirited battle in the Nation’s Capital; a fourth-quarter outburst in Cow Town; a back-and-forth affair between hated division rivals in Toronto; and a clutch performance by a backup QB in Winnipeg. Here are eight things we learned from Week 18.
1. In difficult times, Canada unites.
As Canada mourned the deaths of Warrant Officer Patrice Vincent and Cpl. Nathan Cirillo, two Canadian soldiers tragically killed on home soil last week, the Ottawa REDBLACKS vowed to help the healing process. While sports are inconsequential in times of tragedy, teams across Canada did their best to help heal, as fans across the nation formed an incredible bond to honour the fallen soldiers.
Some of Friday night’s scenes from Ottawa before the Alouettes-REDBLACKS game were chilling, as Canadians stood strong in the wake of tragedy:
2. The REDBLACKS can hang with the CFL elite.
The REDBLACKS only have two wins this year, but a quick glance at the standings doesn’t tell the story of their first season in the CFL. Close games have been a recurring theme for this team, and while consistent offence and especially the ability to finish drives have been a missing ingredient, strong defence with the ability to make big plays has provided Ottawa a chance to win each week.
While questions remain as to who will play quarterback in 2015, the emergence of young contributors like Jonathan Williams, Roy Finch, Marcus Henry, Wallace Miles, Patrick Lavoie, and Scott MacDonell among others on offence, plus Antoine Pruneau, the other Jonathan Williams, Jasper Simmons, Travis Brown, and Jerrell Gavins on defence give this team a pretty bright future — and the fan base a lot to look forward to in 2015.
3. Kerry Joseph’s still got it.
Kerry Joseph had no shortage of critics when the Saskatchewan Roughriders announced a few weeks ago that he’d be returning to CFL action. The 41-year-old has silenced his critics after two starts though, after providing the Green and White a major boost and giving the Riders a chance to win both of their recent games. Joseph is 0-2 as a starter in his return to action, but the offence has been significantly improved since he went under centre, as he’s thrown for 535 yards and four touchdown passes.
Against Calgary, Joseph guided his team to a second-half lead, finishing the evening with 322 passing yards on 21-of-37 passing with two touchdowns and three interceptions. The picks proved costly, and the veteran quarterback would surely like to take some of his late-game decisions against Calgary back — but that doesn’t mean he hasn’t provided the Riders with a solid option if needed heading into the playoffs.
4. The Stampeders have championship depth.
Whether it’s Bo Levi Mitchell or Drew Tate under centre and Matt Walter or Jon Cornish at running back, the Calgary Stampeders have been able to take care of business this season. Injuries have had a profound effect on teams like the Argos and Lions, who have both struggled to overcome injuries to their top players, but it’s not like the Stamps’ luck has been any better.
All season, players like Mitchell, Cornish, Jeff Fuller, Marquay McDaniel, Mauriuce Price, Charleston Hughes, and Demonte Bolden among others have been forced to miss time due to injury — yet here the Stampeders were against the Riders over the weekend, scoring 25 unanswered points in the fourth quarter and earning their 14th win of the season, all on the back of guys like Matt Walter and Eric Rogers.
The Stampeders are a top-ranked team that’s proven it can handle adversity, which should bode very well as the post-season looms and the team is two playoff wins away from becoming the Grey Cup Champions.
5. Steve Slaton can flat out make guys miss.
Steve Slaton’s immense skill has never been a secret, and throughout the season he showed flashes of it while he spent the first 16 or so weeks getting adjusted to the CFL-style of play — but on Saturday, with Curtis Steele sidelined due to injury, the Boatmen turned Slaton loose and the result was impressive. The former Houston Texans and West Virginia product was Ricky Ray’s go-to guy and the team’s primary source of offence in a 26-24 win over the Ticats, rushing for 80 yards on 16 carries and another 77 through the air on five catches.
That’s 157 yards from scrimmage, not to mention another 50 some odd yards called back on blocking penalties against the Argo offensive line. Slaton is a dangerous weapon for the Argo offence in the late stages of the season, and with runs like this could make a major impact down the stretch:
6. Don’t underestimate the importance of good coaching.
While outstanding achievement on the field was present, as always, in the Argos vs. Ticats game over the weekend, equally important was the battling from the sidelines — the head-to-head chess match between the likes of Scott Milanovich, Tim Burke, Kent Austin, and Tommy Condell among others. Milanovich and Austin are among the CFL’s best head coaches, and they’re both complemented by a numer of top-notch assistants on both sides of the ball.
It’s evident week in and week out, but on Saturday is was particularly interesting to watch the adjustments since two weeks ago. The Argos, burned pretty badly by both the legs and arms of Zach Collaros in a one-point win two weeks ago, had exactly the perfect response for the young pivot this time around. Collaros was hit for a safety on the game’s opening drive, while at one point during the second quarter the Ticats were without a first down and in the minus in total yards.
But after Burke and the Argo defence won the first half, stifling Collaros and the dangerous Ticat offence, in the third quarter it was Condell and Ticats making it look easy, as Collaros marched his team up and down the field, including the season’s only 109-yard scoring drive to move the Ticats into the lead to cap off a 21-0 Hamilton swing.
Both of these teams look evenly-matched both on the field and the sideline, and it’s made for a thrilling three-game season series, with a two-point victory serving as the most decisive for these teams.
7. John Beck could have a future as a CFL starter.
John Beck has an impressive college and profressional resume up to this point, and it looks like the CFL and specifically the BC Lions are a pretty good landing spot for him. This season he’s been able to sit and learn behind the likes of Kevin Glenn and Travis Lulay, but when pressed into action in the late stages of a pivotal game on Saturday night, Beck rose to the occasion.
The 33-year-old entered the game when his team was losing, and after getting good field position off an interception cashed in on a touchdown pass to Ernest Jackson to pull the Lions back in front. Then, after the team punted on his second possession, Beck hooked up with Kito Poblah for a 55-yard touchdown pass, which in the end stood to be the game-winning touchdown.
Beck completed three of four passes and while it doesn’t seem like much, his timely scoring plays put the Lions in the playoffs and may have prevented a nervous final two weeks of the season.
8. Ernest Jackson, no one-hit wonder.
If you remember Ernest Jackson’s eight-catch, 195-yard receiving performance against the REDBLACKS before the bye week, you would have been keeping a close eye on him during Saturday’s matchup with Winnipeg. Jackson enjoyed another spectacular performance, hauling in another eight catches for a game-high 145 yards.
Jackson stepped in to fill the void for Emmanuel Arceneaux when Arceneaux was injured, but even though Arceneaux has returned it appears as though his role in BC was a pivotal one. Expect Jackson to continue to play a key role in the Lions’ passing attack as they head towards the playoffs.
