Where Will the Top 20 Sign?

The time has come, football fans!

No, it's definitely not yet June. But rather, the second most exciting time of the offseason: free agency! There is a little more than 24 hours to go before players can put pen to paper with new clubs and, thankfully, a decent crop of free agents remain.

Since a staff writer at CFL.ca completely bombed their ranking of the Top 20 free agents still available – backup running back Kendial Lawrence was atop the list, while Kevin Glenn, a BACKUP quarterback, was listed ahead of two-time All-Star tackle Stanley Bryant – so I decided to take matters into my own hands and come out with what I believe is a more accurate list of the top 20 remaining free agents and where I think they may be heading.

(1) Brett Jones, Centre, Calgary
Only the Calgary Stampeders could afford to lose a player like Brett Jones and hardly suffer the next year. Jones, the 2014 Most Outstanding Lineman, is reportedly still drawing interest down south and, fortunately for Calgary, they have 2014 first-overall pick Pierre Lavertu ready to replace the 23-year-old phenom. Should Jones stay up north, expect Saskatchewan to go all out in pursuit of the Regina native. After losing Ben Heenan to the NFL and releasing former centre Dominic Picard for salary cap reasons, the Riders could really alleviate the consternation in Rider Nation by picking up Jones. Despite the Riders' room for Jones' salary and the Stamps being prepared to lose him, my gut feeling tells me Jones won't be able to leave the Stampeders just two years into his career. It will be close, but the Stamps will retain Brett Jones.

Prediction: Re-signs with Calgary.

(2) Stanley Bryant, Left Tackle, Calgary
Bryant, a back-to-back All-Star in 2013 and 2014, will likely be in the middle of a bidding war between the Ottawa RedBlacks and Winnipeg Blue Bombers. Bomber general manager Kyle Walters has stressed numerous times that upgrading Winnipeg's offensive line is his No. 1 priority this offseason. Ottawa general manager Marcel Desjardins would also like to beef up his offensive line, but there are other large holes to fill as well. Bryant will be in for some good money wherever he signs.

Prediction: Signs with Winnipeg.

(3) Geoff Tisdale, Cornerback, Montreal
I expect BC, Saskatchewan, Toronto and Ottawa to all be in on the auction to sign Tisdale, the only No. 1 corner still available. The Leos made it known they were looking for an upgrade over veteran Dante Marsh this offseason, which is why I believe Tisdale will return to the West Division and line up across from Ronnie Yell in BC in 2015.

Prediction: Signs with BC

(4) Brian Peters, Linebacker, Saskatchewan
Peters remains an absolute must re-sign for the Riders. If Saskatchewan lands Brett Jones or Geoff Tisdale, then Peters will follow Richie Hall, his defensive coordinator in Saskatchewan, to Winnipeg. Since I have my doubts regarding the Riders actually signing one of Jones or Tisdale, I think they hang on to their leading tackler.

Prediction: Re-signs with Saskatchewan.

(5) Ernest Jackson, Wide Receiver, BC
All signs point to Jackson reuniting with his college quarterback Drew Willy in Winnipeg. The Bombers are in need of another international receiver and Jackson is the best of those available; however, Winnipeg made a splash by signing Nick Moore in free agency last year and just inked Clarence Denmark to an extension last September, so I don't think Winnipeg will want all three of their international receivers to be making north of $180,000/year. Ottawa would be Jackson's next best option as they are still starving for playmakers and can give Jackson the money he desires.

Prediction: Signs with Ottawa.

(6) SirVincent Rogers, Left Tackle, Toronto
Ottawa will have to "settle" for SirVincent Rogers at left tackle after missing out on Bryant. Rogers will still be a major upgrade over the revolving door of players the RedBlacks plugged in to protect Henry Burris' blindside last season.

Prediction: Signs with Ottawa.

(7) Tristan Jackson, Cornerback, Saskatchewan
Jackson's skills in coverage have come a long way since his early days in Saskatchewan, when he was primarily used a returner. Hamilton and Montreal are both in the market for upgrades at cornerback, but I think Montreal will win out on this as they may be looking for Geoff Tisdale's replacement.

Prediction: Signs with Montreal.

(8) Nic Grigsby, Running Back, Hamilton
No teams are currently in the market for a No. 1 running back this off-season, so the market for Grigsby’s services might not be that hot. Perhaps the Argonauts will give the 2014East Division All-Star a look, but even I don't think Grigsby would change allegiances for a third time in less than a year… would he? Grigsby will re-sign in Hamilton and form a pretty dynamic duo with C.J. Gable in 2015.

Prediction: Re-signs with Hamilton.

(9) Kendial Lawrence, Running Back, Edmonton
Lawrence, named the No. 1 free agent by CFL.ca, had an impressive first year with the Eskimos, playing both slotback and running back. John White, Edmonton's starting tailback, had a good year but isn't exactly cemented as the team's starter like Jon Cornish is in Calgary or Andrew Harris is in BC. For that reason, and because no other team is in desperate need of a starting running back or return specialist, I think Lawrence stays in Edmonton and has another good year as a feature player in Edmonton's offence.

Prediction: Re-signs with Edmonton.

(10) Sam Giguère, Wide Receiver, Hamilton
National players often move back home in free agency and I fully expect the Sherbrooke, Quebec native to continue that trend this offseason. The Als are in need of another Canadian pass-catcher and Giguère is the best one available. Giggy would be the icing on the cake to an already successful offseason in Montreal.

Prediction: Signs with Montreal.

(11) Rennie Curran, Linebacker, Edmonton
Curran played very well while filling in for the oft-injured JC Sherritt in the middle of Edmonton's linebacker corps. Curran is the exact type of player Bomber head coach Mike O'Shea wants in the middle of his defence: big, physical, vocal and a locker-room favourite. Winnipeg needs a MIKE linebacker and Curran meets the requirements.

Prediction: Signs with Winnipeg.

(12) Brad Sinopoli, Wide Receiver, Calgary
Just like Giguère heading home to Montreal, Sinopoli will head home to Ottawa and immediately receive a large role in the RedBlacks’ offence. The former CIS quarterback has been steadily developing as a receiver since arriving in Calgary and will look for his first big role in the nation's capital.

Prediction: Signs with Ottawa.

(13) Glenn January, Left Tackle, Winnipeg
Calgary and Toronto are both likely losing their starting left tackles, Stanley Bryant and SirVincent Rogers, to Winnipeg and Ottawa, respectively, and may be looking for new starters in free agency. Hamilton may also be in the market for an upgrade at tackle, but I expect them and Calgary to address that need in the draft. The eight-year CFL veteran will have options this year as a cheaper alternative to Bryant and Rogers.

Prediction: Signs with Toronto.

(14) Kevin Glenn, Quarterback, BC
Riders general manager Brendan Taman will get run out of Riderville if he doesn't bring in another quarterback and Darian Durant gets injured once again. Taman will turn to the league's best insurance policy to add veteran the depth behind Durant.

Prediction: Signs with Saskatchewan.

(15) Johnny Sears, Defensive Back, Winnipeg
Sears can line up all over the field and would be a useful player for many teams. The Bombers are reportedly close to re-signing the four-year pro, who would likely start at SAM linebacker for Winnipeg in 2015.

Prediction: Re-signs with Winnipeg.

(16) Dan LeFevour, Quarterback, Hamilton
LeFevour looked impressive last year before tearing his ACL in his fourth game as Hamilton’s starter. The Lions will look to the scrambling Central Michigan product to provide some certainty at quarterback as Travis Lulay's shoulder injuries continue to hang over the franchise.

Prediction: Signs with BC.

(17) Justin Hickman, Defensive End, Hamilton
Hickman hasn't played in very many football games over the last few years, serving mostly as a reserve player with the NFL's Indianapolis Colts before signing back with Hamilton midway through the 2014 season. The Ti-Cats need another pass rusher opposite Eric Norwood and will turn to the 2011 CFL All-Star in the hopes that he can return to form in 2015.

Prediction: Re-signs with Hamilton.

(18) Jason Barnes, Wide Receiver, Toronto
Despite an injury-riddled campaign in 2014, Barnes is still one of the league’s best red zone targets. The BC Lions may look to add another international receiver if Ernest Jackson leaves and, coincidentally, Barnes and Jackson are similar receivers. The Ray-Barnes connection is six-years strong, so I see Barnes returning to T.O. after testing the market.

Prediction: Re-signs with Toronto.

(19) Dan Clark, Guard, Saskatchewan
If Clark's blocking skills are anywhere near as good as his hands, he will start somewhere in 2015. Edmonton and Hamilton are both in the market for offensive guards and would certainly like to bring in a national like Clark to compete for a starting spot in 2015.

Prediction: Signs with Hamilton.

(20) Bakari Grant, Wide Receiver, Hamilton
Grant hauled in 69 passes for 947 yards in 2013 and would fit in nicely as a third receiver in Winnipeg or BC and would do so at a much more reasonable price than many other receivers both teams could target. Hamilton is deep at the receiver position and will let Grant look for a larger role elsewhere.

Prediction: Signs with Winnipeg.

Other notable offseason signings:

Greg Ellingson, WR, Hamilton: Re-signs with Hamilton.
Nik Lewis, WR, Calgary: Signs with Ottawa.
Dante Marsh, CB, BC: Signs with Saskatchewan
Aaron Kelly, WR, Winnipeg: Signs with BC.
Curtis Steele, RB, Toronto: Re-signs with Toronto.
Spencer Watt, WR, Toronto: Signs with Calgary.
Edwin Harrison, RT, Calgary: Re-signs with Calgary

Just One Number

On this first day of the first month of the New Year, I thought we would take a look at one change in one statistical number that each team should want to make for the upcoming season.

Much like many of our very own New Years’ resolutions, it involves a reduction in one aspect or an increase in another. (Except mine, of course, since I am at peak levels to be the first 45-year-old rookie long snapper in CFL history!)

I took the opportunity to look at 25 of the major factors/statistics that are tracked by the CFL. I will not bore everyone by listing each and every statistical category, but I can assure you that they are all covered. I left the “Captain Obvious” ones aside. So to those that are wont to say: “More Wins and Less Losses” or “Score More Points Than Your Opponent”, need not leave those sentiments in the comments section. I also did my best to stay away from those statistical measurements that encompass more than two other factors.

So, what is that one number? That one statistical measurement that stands out amongst the 200 statistics and comparisons for each team that is an eyesore compared to all the others?

As Duncan MacLeod of the Clan MacLeod would say: “There Can Be Only One!”

Ottawa RedBlacks

In their inaugural season, unsurprisingly, the RedBlacks were ranked last in many statistical categories. You could point to most any individual number and say that they need to improve that particular fragment of the game. Yet, one number does stand out versus all the others: Points Off Turnovers.

No matter which way you slice and dice it, points off turnovers were a significant factor for the CFL’s newest franchise. The RedBlacks scored the fewest in the league, with 38, while they also gave up a league-leading 117 points after a turnover. The 79 points in the negative is a differential of 55 more than the next-worst team. They gave up 154 per cent more than the average CFL franchise while scoring almost 30 per cent less.

Closing the gap, or even better, reversing the differential in Points Off Turnovers would definitely improve Ottawa’s fortunes in 2015.

Winnipeg Blue Bombers

Not only did it seem like the Bombers took one step forward while then taking two steps back in 2014, the numbers prove it. Winnipeg led the league in the area of Team Losses by a very large margin, as they incurred a whopping 637 yards against which was almost 55 per cent more than the average CFL team.

These Team Losses can mostly be attributed to quarterback-sacks-given-up – which the Bombers also led the league in – but they are also a result of fumbles behind the line of scrimmage, as well as bobbled snaps and safeties surrendered. Yet they are losses all the same and in order for Winnipeg to take continuous steps forward they must keep from taking losses and moving backwards.

Toronto Argonauts

It was not hard to get a grasp on the one area that Toronto needs to improve in from last season. In one word, or rather one phrase: “It’s A Fumble!” (Read in your own Chris Berman Voice!)

Holding onto the ball is definitely one area where the Argos demonstrated difficulty during the 2014 season. The Double Blue lost a league leading 25 fumbles which were five more than the next-worst team and 70 per cent more than average team.

But it is in the area of differentials that things get even worse for the Boatmen. While only recovering 12 fumbles from their opponents, the resultant -13 was the worst league-wide by eight more than the next team.

Toronto must get a handle on this number, and more importantly get a better handle on the actual pigskin, in order for their prospects to improve in the upcoming season.

BC Lions

For an average team overall, it would not come to anyone’s surprise that most of their statistics would hover around the mean, to the exception of one in particular. That would be the differential between Average Yards Per Rushing Attempt, both for and against.

While the Lions were not the worst team as far as running the ball – sixth in a nine-team league – the fact that they were the seventh team against the rush definitely compounds the ground game differential and magnifies the problematic issue, which resulted in the Leos finishing in second-last place as far as variance between offensive and defensive rush differential.

Not being able to rush the ball effectively, nor stop the other team from running rampant, affected so much of BC’s overall game in 2014. This factor must be addressed next season if the Lions hope to be in a position of dictating and controlling the game, and not being dictated and controlled by their opponents.

Saskatchewan Roughriders

It is fairly surprising with receivers like Weston Dressler and Rob Bagg that the Roughriders ranked last in the league as far as Yards After Catch or YAC.

When Saskatchewan had the ball their YAC was 48 per cent less than the average CFL franchise. When their opponents had possessed the pigskin, they gave up almost 13 per cent more Yards After Catch. The result was a league leading -67 per cent as far as differential between the yards they gained and the yards they gave up after a reception.

This simply cannot be explained by the absence of Dressler for the first part of the season. It had to be something more in the manner of play calling and design. Someone better write YAC with a big Sharpie and post it on new offensive coordinator Jacques Chapdelaine’s office door!

Montreal Alouettes

Although many of the Alouettes’ worst statistics revolved around their passing game, this was due in large part to the revolving door behind centre during the first half of the season. But the one number that remained consistently poor was in the area of special teams and Average Total Returns.

Montreal ranked last in the league as far as both punt and kick returns and the total return game. The Als’ punt returners produced 30 per cent less yards on average than their league counterparts. Those tasked with returning kickoffs and missed field goals were 20 per cent less productive on average. This resulted in the overall return game for the Larks being 21 per cent below the league average.

Head coach Tom Higgins relinquishing control and hiring a dedicated coach for special teams will undoubtedly help improve what was a surprisingly poor return game for a team that has usually been quite good in this area.

Edmonton Eskimos

With a 12-6 regular season record, it is not surprising that the Eskimos were amongst the top in many statistical categories. In fact, other than an inability to beat their provincial rivals, it was hard to find a major flaw in Edmonton’s on-field product. Then all of a sudden out of the corner of my eye, I saw a little orange flag and I instantly knew where the Eskimos needed to improve from this past season to the next.

Edmonton was the most penalized team in the league with a 20 per cent differential in Penalty Yards Against them versus penalty yards assessed to their opponents.

Some would say that this is a by-product of the type of on-the-edge team and game that head coach Chris Jones encourages, but it is clear that the Eskimos need to be more disciplined in their aggressive play if they are to take the next step and challenge their fellow Albertan brethren.

Hamilton Tiger-Cats

Oskee-Wee-Wee. Oskee-Waa-Waa. Holy Mackinaw. The Tiger-Cats’ Red-Zone Offense was really flawed!

For a team that won the East Division and appeared in the Grey Cup for the second year in a row, it is somewhat surprising how dreadful the Ti-Cats were in scoring touchdowns once getting into their opponents’ scoring zone. Hamilton’s 40 per cent touchdown-conversion rate in red zone was a league low and an incredible 33 per cent lower variance than the league average.

The fact that Hamilton was successful overall in 2014 despite scoring too many 3’s when they needed to get 7’s speaks to the fact that they were so good in the area of special teams and big plays. But there is no question that the Ti-Cats must be better next season in converting red-zone opportunities and not rely upon the fast footsteps of a certain speedy return man.

Calgary Stampeders

When I decided to delve into this exercise, I thought that analyzing Calgary’s statistical profile would prove to be the most difficult. In The Year of The Horse, the Grey Cup champs were outstanding in most each and every way on the field and in the numbers. Yet, it didn’t take long for me to find that one number. It practically jumps right out of the spreadsheets screaming; “Look At Me, Rene Paredes!”

The Stampeders ranked seventh in the league in Field Goal Percentage at 73.3 per cent. That is more than 11 per cent lower than the average CFL club.

Perhaps it was an aberration since Rene Parades has been very reliable in his previous years. Nor is it a significant concern when your team is winning by more than 12 points per game. But, it is a situation that can easily prove to be problematic in a very short time. And one that is difficult to remedy since top-notch placekickers are not readily available, especially when you are already set as far as ratio in the kicking game.

I realize that statistics are not the be-all or end-all of measuring a team’s value or success. But when you do a little digging you will be surprised at what you find. In the case of this exercise, I do believe that we have found that one individual number that each of the corresponding teams needs to address and improve upon in the 2015 CFL season.

Eskimos Ready for Next Season

With the Grey Cup in the rear-view mirror, the offseason is now in full swing. Every team faces different challenges, and over the course of the next nine days we will look at each team individually and what they need to do prior to the start of next season. Today, we look at the Edmonton Eskimos.

One year after finishing with an abysmal 4-14 record, the Edmonton Eskimos found their identity in 2014 under new head coach Chris Jones. Jones’ Eskimos leap-frogged six CFL teams in the standings, en route to a 12-6 record and a second-place finish in the West Division. Quarterback Mike Reilly’s team finally caught up to his talent, finishing first in numerous categories and taking some pressure off the second-year starter. With Reilly playing with a foot injury, the Eskimos lost to Calgary in the West Division Final, ending their season one game shy of the Grey Cup. Jones and Reilly are primed to take the next step in 2015 and look ready to knock off the defending Grey Cup champion Calgary Stampeders and get the Eskimos back to the big game for the first time since 2005.

The Eskimos don’t need to bring in any big name players or high profile coaches this offseason; all they require is another year of experience together. Edmonton hired eight new coaches last winter, including Jones, who in addition to being the team’s head coach also served as the team’s defensive coordinator, and offensive coordinator Steve McAdoo. Jones’ and McAdoo’s systems maximized Edmonton’s talents; taking advantage of Mike Reilly’s dual threat traits and their ferocious pass rush on defence. As a result, the green and gold finished No. 1 in total offense, total defence and passing yards allowed. With few key free agents on the market, other CFL teams have to be frightened of what this team can accomplish in their second year in these systems.

Edmonton has very few soft spots on their team on either side of the ball; however, some positions are slightly weaker than others. At receiver, the Eskies lack a consistent number two receiver next to Adarius Bowman. In 2014, Nate Coehoorn finished second in receiving on Edmonton and 30th in the CFL with only 483 yards and three touchdowns. While the list of free agent receivers isn’t super exciting, there are a few that have the potential to take off next season. Hamilton’s Samuel Giguère has yet to live up to the huge expectations heaped upon him when he arrived in the CFL in 2012, but has the potential to chip in 600-700 yards, which would be a solid amount if Adarius Bowman has another 1,000-yard season.

Ottawa’s Wallace Miles is also another intriguing target for Edmonton, but does suffer from inconsistency. Miles has games where he catches two touchdowns, but may have also dropped two or three passes somewhere in between. Miles may excel in a reduced role behind Bowman, and possibly Giguère, with less pressure on him.

Although Edmonton’s apparent “mediocre” offensive line helped them rank as the CFL’s third-best rushing team, they can still use some depth players. Winnipeg right tackle Devin Tyler stepped in for a handful of games late in the season and played decently, but may not be brought back with an up-and-coming offensive line next year.

Another possible depth signing could be Saskatchewan’s Sam Hurl. Hurl would fit in behind starting middle linebacker JC Sherritt, who has struggled to stay healthy the past couple of season. Other than player re-signings, Edmonton may only be signing depth players this offseason.

The one thing that can stall an up-and-coming team from taking the next step are players leaving for more money or better opportunities after having a chance to start on a once rebuilding team. Fortunately for Esks general manager Ed Hervey, that is not an issue because Edmonton is now seen as a destination spot.

Highlighting the list of the team’s potential free agents is defensive end Odell Willis. Willis is unlikely to leave Edmonton as they seem to be the only team he hasn’t had issues with his ego. An ego, however, that you deal with when a player notches 13 sacks (like Willis did last year, tying his single-season high).

Another key free agent is kick returner and running back Kendial Lawrence. Lawrence seemed to always find a way to make an impact, whether he was catching screen passes or returning kicks. Lawrence should return to Edmonton after getting plenty of touches on a good team last year.

Another defensive lineman, Don Oramasionwu, should be brought back as two Canadian defensive tackles (Oramasionwu and Eddie Steele) that can start is a huge plus for any team. The rest of Edmontons's free agents are filler players that can easily be replaced if desired.

Whether they needed to rely on the defence, run game or on Mike Reilly's right arm, the Eskimos found ways to win when the team was healthy. Another year under McAdoo and Jones will help the Eskimos get their revenge on Calgary on Labour Day and, ultimately, in the Western Final. Hervey can lay low this off-season; his Eskimos are already prepped and ready to take that next step in 2015.

Grey Cup Rotation System Fairest for All Teams

The Grey Cup is headed back to the west coast as Vancouver will host Canadian football's biggest game in 2014.

This will be the second time in four years and the third time in nine years that the game will be played at BC Place. The only other bid was from Winnipeg, who pulled out to concentrate on bidding on the 2015 game, so Vancouver was the only option.

But the CFL is seeing a stadium-building boom right now – Winnipeg opens their new facility in June, Hamilton and Ottawa should be ready by 2014, and Regina will have their new stadium in 2017 – which means the league should change how the Grey Cup is awarded. Instead of a bidding process, the league should institute a simple rotation system. Here is how I would do it (starting in 2017):

2017 - Vancouver
2018 - Hamilton
2019 - Calgary
2020 - Montreal
2021 - Regina
2022 - Ottawa
2023 - Edmonton
2024 - Toronto
2025 - Winnipeg

This is the fairest system not just for the teams, but also the fans. The game isn't held in the same region of the country two years in a row, the games in domes (2017, 2020, 2024) are spread out enough to ensure the game isn't played in the cold too often (for people who care/worry about that kind of thing), and every team gets the game every nine years.

With places like Hamilton soon able to host the game, all nine CFL cities will be viable candidates for the Grey Cup. It makes little sense to continue to have teams bid on the game when the league can just put in a schedule that sees teams get the game when it is their turn. Once all the stadia are complete, we should never see something like BC (or any city) hosting the game multiple times in less than a decade (let alone multiple times in less than half a decade). If every team can host, every team should host. The CFL has a chance to once again do right by its fans and I hope they make the necessary changes to ensure Grey Cup equality amongst their nine franchises.

Cats Cut Rey Williams, Deal for Hasan Hazime

The Ti-Cats continued their defensive makeover by making a couple of moves today, cutting linebacker Rey Williams and making a deal with the Edmonton Eskimos.

As odd as it sounds to say about a two-time East Division all-star, I'm not really surprised that the Cats let Williams go. He's 32, and while not anywhere near the end age for a linebacker, the team did go out an acquire 24-year-old Simoni Lawrence and 26-year-old Marcellus Bowman in the off-season. Both Lawrence and Bowman have experience playing in the middle, so bringing them in made Williams expendable.

And don't be surprised if this isn't the only change to the linebacking corps. Both Markeith Knowlton and Jamall Johnson have been hampered by injuries the last couple of years, so I won't be shocked if one or both of them are also gone. I don't hope for it – if they are healthy, they are still among the league's elite at their positions – and I most definitely won't like it, but I won't be stunned if the team decides to let them go.

In the trade, the Cats get the rights to non-import defensive lineman Hasan Hamize as well as a 2013 second-round draft pick in exchange for Hamilton's 2013 second- and third-round picks. It's way too early to tell what this trade will accomplish, but one thing you can take from it is that the Cats are going to use a Canadian on the defensive line. The team signed Brian Bulcke and Shomari Williams in free agency, have Marc-Antoine Fortin on the roster from last year, and will hopefully have 2012 draft picks Arnaud Gascon-Nadon and Michael Atkinson in training camp. Add in Hamize and I think it's pretty clear where one of the seven starting Canadians will play.

Cats Score Big in Deal With Esks

It turned out to be a pretty eventful Tuesday for the Tabbies, now didn't it?

Just a few hours after announcing that Jeff Reinebold would be the team's new special teams coordinator, the Ti-Cats went out and completed a five-player trade with the Edmonton Eskimos, bringing offensive lineman Greg Wojt, linebacker Simoni Lawrence and quarterback Jeremiah Masoli to Hamilton in exchange for linebacker Nathan Kanya and the rights to offensive lineman Carson Rockhill.

The best player that went either is Wojt. Wojt is a proven commodity and a bona-fide starter, so getting him while not giving up a starter themselves is a great move. Wojt was a West Division all-star in 2011 and has experience at both guard and tackle (though his natural position is guard). Adding Wojt means the Cats have the potential to start four Canadians on the offensive line, which would give the team tremendous ration flexibility.

The addition of Lawrence means there is a bit of a logjam at linebacker. Lawrence played some middle linebacker last year for the Eskimos when J.C. Sherritt was injured, so one has to wonder if this deal spells the end of Rey Williams' time with the Ti-Cats. The odds seem to be against Williams returning for a third season, despite being named an all-star his first two years in Black & Gold. Lawrence is eight years younger than Williams and comes much cheaper. While I like Williams, Lawrence might be a wiser investment. I suspect that No. 9's time with the Ti-Cats will be coming to an end.

Masoli is interesting because of his collegiate pedigree at the University of Oregon. He ran Chip Kelly's fast-paced spread offense and that type of training could translate to CFL success. Masoli will be in a battle for a quarterback spot with fellow second-year player Dan LeFevour. If the Ti-Cats decide not to bring in a veteran to be Henry Burris' backup, Masoli could enter the 2013 season as Hamilton's No. 2 quarterback. I like Masoli's potential to be a decent starting quarterback in the future.

What the Ti-Cats gave up isn't insignificant, but they are definitely parts that they could afford to send elsewhere. Kanya is a very good special teamer, but he was likely never going to be a starter for the Cats, so using him in a deal to get two potential 2013 starters and possibly a future starting quarterback isn't a big loss. And while Rockhill is considered a tremendous prospect, the Cats have a lot of non-import offensive linemen in the pipeline, so sending Rockhill to Edmonton doesn't cripple them long-term along the offensive line.

From all angles, this trade is a good one for the Tabbies. They were able to get quite a bit and didn't give up a lot. If everything works out, the Ti-Cats are a better team today than they were yesterday.

Three Questions: Edmonton Eskimos

The off-season is underway and every team faces questions. Today, I look at three questions concerning the Edmonton Eskimos.

1. Who will the next general manager be?
The biggest question facing the Eskimos is who to hire to replace Eric Tillman as the team's general manager. There are reported to be 13 candidates who have applied for the job, but only two are internal candidates, former player and current scout Ed Hervey and head coach Kavis Reed. We've heard a lot about the "Eskimo Way" since Tillman was ousted a month ago, so that tells me that Reed and Hervey are the two front runners. I don't see Reed getting the job because I don't think hes ready to leave the sideline just yet. So if I had to make a guess, and that is all this is, I'll think Hervey gets the job.

2. What will they do at quarterback?
The first order of business for the new GM will be to fix the mess that is Edmonton's quarterbacking situation. They started the 2012 season with Steven Jyles, but he proved as useful as a one-eyed wombat (and this is coming from someone who once had very high hopes for Jyles); then they went to 38-year-old Kerry Joseph, who had flashes, but showed every bit of age down the stretch; and then there was the very promising outings from Matt Nichols, but he suffered a gruesome injury in the playoff loss to the Argos and it is questionable whether he'll ever be able to return. The team also has former Oregon standout Jeremiah Masoli, but he saw no action in 2012. There are some free agent quarterbacks out there, such as Mike Reilly and Adrian McPherson, so Edmonton has options. I'd be surprised if Jyles and Joseph are still with Edmonton next year and with Nichols out for who knows how long, I expect them to go hard after one of the free agent quarterbacks. I think they hope to lure McPherson west and will do everything they can to get him in Green and Gold next year.

3. Will they be able to sign all their free agents?
One of the revelations following the Tillman firing was how many potential free agents the Eskimos have to try to re-sign before February. These aren't run-of-the-mill players either, we're talking guys like Marcus Howard, Chris Thompson, and reigning defensive player of the year JC Sherritt. The main reason given for trading Ricky Ray was to shed salary, so now the Eskimos will need to pony up some dough to ensure they don't sink even further in 2013.

10 Things I Learned... In Week 19

And with that, we bid adieu to the 2012 CFL regular season. Once again, it was a season that showed that as much as we think we know, we really don't know all that much. Aside from BC being the team with the best overall record, did anything play out like expected? Hamilton was supposed to be a Grey Cup contender, not the team with the top pick in next year's draft. Winnipeg was supposed to be a contender and play in a new stadium, not finish with four fewer wins and play the whole season at Canad Inns. Saskatchewan and Edmonton were supposed to struggle, not both make the playoffs. The East was talked about as possibly crossing over into the West, not the other way around. Montreal was old and ready to fall, not win another division title. Calgary was supposed to take as step up with Drew Tate, not Kevin Glenn. And Toronto was supposed to light the league on fire with Ricky Ray, not struggle to get to .500. Basically, it was just another typical season in the wild and crazy (in a good way) CFL.

(1) Parity or mediocrity
Parity is what most professional sports leagues strive for in the 21st century. Most leagues want to have as many teams in the playoff chase as possible and the CFL is no different. But does this hope for parity just bring out mediocrity? Just three teams (BC, Calgary and Montreal) finished the season above .500, while the one (Toronto) finished at .500 and four (Saskatchewan, Edmonton, Winnipeg, Hamilton) finished under .500 and two of those teams made the playoffs. The salary cap probably plays a role in this as well, but it seems as if the more equal the team are, the worse the football is. There was some great action this year, but I believe the parity that leagues strive for hurts the product more than helps.

(2) Record breaking weekend
Three CFL records went down in the final weekend of the season. JC Sherritt broke Calvin Tiggle's record for tackles in a season, Jon Cornish broke Normie Kwong's record for rushing yards in a season by a Canadian and Chad Owens broke Mike Clemons' record for all-purpose yards. Cornish, who also finished the season as the league's leading rusher, probably had the most impressive record-breaking year. Kwong's record stood for over 50 years and any time a record that old goes down, it is impressive. Sherritt was a beast on defense and it is fitting that he would break Tiggle's record, but it felt less than impressive when he did it on a play that netted the Stampeders a first down. I am not at all impressed with Owens' record because I think picking up a lot of kick return yards is essentially meaningless. But three records went down on one weekend and I can't recall the last time that happened.

(3) Chad Owens celebration was ill-timed
The Argos stopped the game when Owens broke Pinball's record and I am getting a little sick of teams doing this during a game. Owens broke the record near the end of the second quarter, and the game was stopped to honour the feat. I have no problem with teams celebrating the achievements of their players, but do it at a more appropriate time than in the middle of the game. Ceremonies for record-breaking performances should be held after the game, not during it. I didn't like when the game was stopped for Damon Allen, Ben Cahoon or Anthony Calvillo, and I didn't like that it was stopped by Owens. There is a time and a place to recognize records being broken and that time is not with four minutes left in the second quarter.

(4) Allen's rushing record probably safe
Staying on the topic of records, if there is one record that I think is safe, it is Damon Allen's record for rushing yards by a quarterback. Allen is the league's third leading rushing, regardless of position, with over 11,000 rushing yards. For a QB to top that mark, they would have to rush for over 1,000 yards for 11 straight season. I just don't see any QB breaking that mark. Records are made to be broken, but I bet Allen's stands for a very long time.

(5) Damon Allen: the most under-appreciated player in CFL history
Sticking with Allen, it was great to see him finally get into the Hall of Fame (he was eligible last year and was not voted in for some inexplicable reason). I believe that Allen is one of the most under-appreciated players in CFL history and I can't think of a more deserving player to make it into the Hall than Allen. The rest of his induction class was pretty good too (as much as I hate Milt Stegall, the guy was one of the best to ever play the game), but Allen deserved to be in last year and was denied. I can't imagine another player with the résumé of Allen having to wait one second longer than necessary to get into the Hall of Fame. I'm glad he is in now, but this was one year too late.

(6) Lulay's streak ends lamely
Travis Lulay's streak of games with a touchdown pass came to end on Saturday night when he failed to throw a TD in his one quarter of action. Lulay played in what was a meaningless game for the Lions and it was surprising to see BC not play him until he had his streak-continuing touchdown. I know players aren't supposed to play for records, but if Lulay wasn't going to be able to extend his streak, then there really was no point in playing him. There was nothing to gain for playing Lulay, and it was kind of disappointing to see his streak end in such a lame fashion.

(7) Winnipeg says goodbye to Canad Inns
Last week, it was Ivor Wynne Stadium; this week, it was Canad Inns Stadium. The Winnipeg Blue Bombers said goodbye, for real this time, to their long-time home. The Bombers will move, for real this time, into a new stadium next season. Like the Ti-Cats the week before, the Bombers sent their fans home happy with one final win. It is an exciting time to be a CFL fan as new stadia are being built across the league. Winnipeg's will open next year, Hamilton's and Ottawa's the year after, and Saskatchewan will get a brand new facility in 2017. Seeing new homes built shows that the CFL is moving in the right direction.

(8) The Anthony Calvillo bye week
An interesting stat that I saw this week was about Anthony Calvillo and his lack of playing time in the final week of the regular season. Calvillo has thrown a grand total of 17 passes in Week 19 since 2007, and all of those passes came in last year's finale. Calvillo sat out this week's game in Winnipeg and also sat out games in 2007, 2008, 2009 and 2010. This speaks to the success of the Als over the past six years. It also makes me wonder where Calvillo's records would be if he played in those games.

(9) Playoff predictions
I didn't do game predictions this year, part of it was forgetting in Week 1 and part of it was just not wanting to do it (hence me forgetting), but I figured I might as well put out how I think the playoffs will play out. In the West, I think Calgary beats Saskatchewan and then beats BC to head to the Grey Cup. In the East, I like the Eskimos to upset the Argos and then the Als to steamroll the Eskies. That sets up a Calgary-Montreal Grey Cup and I will take the Stamps to win it all. I'm sure I'll be wrong, but that's how I see it all playing out over the next three weekends.

(10) Players of the Week
As much as it is hard to give a guy who threw two interceptions, one which went for a touchdown, and fumbled once, you simply cannot ignore the near 500 passing yards and four touchdowns that Henry Burris threw against the Argos. You don't throw for 497 yards all that often and Burris did just that last Thursday. If the CFL handed out an offensive player of the year award, Burris would win it in a landslide. They don't, so he'll just have to accept being the final player to win offensive player of the week in 2012.

Picking up 11 tackles and one sack is impressive, but when one of those tackles sets a record for the most in a season by any player in CFL history, it is more impressive. JC Sherritt did just that in Calgary on Friday night. Sherritt was a machine all year and will likely be named the top defensive player this year. He made a strong final case for himself by being the best defender on the field this past weekend.

Hit all five field goals and nail a 51-yarder to knock your biggest rival from playoff contention was all in a game's work for Swayze Waters. Waters was huge in Toronto's win over Hamilton and is more than deserving of being name the final week's top special teams player.

The top Canadian was none other than Winnipeg linebacker Henoc Muamba. The top pick in 2011 draft picked up 10 tackles and one sack against Montreal. Muamba has been getting more and more involved on the defensive side of the ball and this type of performance could be a harbinger of things to come for Muamba. Expect big things from this week's top Canadian next season.

Tillman Out as Eskimo GM

The off-field moves continue as we head into the final couple of weeks of CFL action in 2012. First, the Blue Bombers announced the return of Tim Burke (and Joe Mack) for 2013 and now the Edmonton Eskimos, a week before they play the Toronto Argonauts in the East Division Semi-Final, have fired general manager Eric Tillman.

The timing seems a little odd, but this seemed like a move that was going to be made sooner rather than later. After the blunder that was the Ricky Ray trade, the clock was ticking on the Tillman era in Edmonton. He gambled and pretty much lost. The Argos may not have ripped up the league with Ray, and Edmonton did make the playoffs without him, but is their really any doubt who won that deal?

Now the speculation will start up as to where Tillman will land (because with his three Grey Cup rings as a general manager, he will land somewhere). Some say Ottawa and others say Toronto. Dave Naylor squashed the Ottawa part by saying the expansion Ottawa team will not want to look to the past – Tillman was the Renegade GM from 2002-2004 – for their general manager.

The Toronto rumour was slightly squashed by Naylor, but not entirely. he said he spoke to Argo president Chris Rudge and that they haven't had any discussion about hiring Tillman. That doesn't mean that aren't having those discussions right now, just that they hadn't when Naylor talked to Rudge. There are rumours that Jim Barker will not return as Toronto's GM, so Tillman would be an obvious replacement. But if Tillman somehow lands in Toronto, the Ray deal begins to look highly suspicious. I'm not one prone to believing conspiracy theories, but the optics of the Argos hiring Tillman just a year after he gift wrapped Ray to them wouldn't be good.

There is also another team, one near and dear to my heart, that is kind of in the market for a general manager: the Ti-Cats.

Tiger-Cat president Scott Mitchell said in Septmeber that Bob O'Billovich would be leaving his post as VP of Football Operations before the start of the 2014 season. Teh rumours of Obie retiring have come up the last couple of years, but a GM with the the success of Tillman could make the Ti-Cats move up their succession plan. Tillman's track record is impressive, three Grey Cup wins in 14 years as a GM with four different teams. Tillman does make some curious moves – such as trading Ray and, prior to that, trading reigning MOP Kerry Joseph in 2008 – but his Grey Cup rings speak for themselves. While I am not 100 per cent sold on Tillman being the guy to run the Ti-Cats, the team could do a lot worse than him in picking the man to replace Obie.

Wherever Tillman ends up, I don't expect him to be out of work for very long. We'll probably know sooner rather than later where Eric Tillman will cal his football home.

10 Things I Learned... In Week 18

Five of six playoff spots have been secured and all that is left to decide is who will play the Argos in East Division Semi-Final. It is down to Edmonton and Hamilton. A Tiger-Cat win and Edmonton loss means the Ti-Cats head to the playoffs; an Edmonton win or tie or a Hamilton loss means the Eskimos will cross over into the East to play the Argos. Hamilton's game is Thursday and Edmonton's is Friday. It all comes down to the final week.

(1) Emry should have been suspended
Shea Emry was fined for punching Brandon LaBatte in the groin during last week's Montreal-Saskatchewan game. The incident got Emry tossed from the game. This is the third time this season that Emry has been fined by the league and clearly he isn't learning anything or amending his ways. The league needs to find a way to make repeat offenders pay substantially higher fines and/or face suspensions if they continue to act like goons. Acts like Emry's have no place in the game and a mere fine, as he has proven, will do nothing. Emry doesn't seem to care and it is time he faced a stiffer punishment for his constant idiocy.

(2) Brandon Isaac should be suspended
Sticking with dirty players, I was stunned to see Brandon Isaac's helmet-to-helmet hit on Darian Durant go unpenalized. It was as obvious as any such hit all season and I can't believe the refs missed it. Like Emry, Isaac is a repeat offender and because of that he should be suspended for the next game. Clearly the fine he was given after his dirty hit on Buck Pierce did nothing to curtail his dirty ways. The refs need to be reamed out for missing the call and Isaac needs to be put on ice for at least a game.

(3) Glenn should start the rest of the year
Now that Drew Tate has returned from his injury, the question of who should start for the Stampeders has arisen. The answer is easy: Glenn should start the rest of the season and Tate should take the job back in the off-season. Glenn has led the Stamps since halftime of the second game this season, so this is his team right now. Glenn has spent pretty much the entire season developing chemistry with his teammates and one week before the playoffs start is not the time to mess with team chemistry.

(4) Eskimos should start Nichols
Did anyone else see what Matt Nichols did in a quarter of action? He threw for 230 yards and three touchdowns after taking over for an injured (and ineffective) Kerry Joseph. Kavis Reed has always said that Joseph will start in the season finale against Calgary, but Nichols is the future and even with a playoff spot on the line, I think Nichols should be handed the reins. It might cost Edmonton a playoff spot this year, but it could set them up for the next 10 years.

(5) Dressler's uncharacteristic drops
Weston Dressler is not known for dropping too many passes, but he had two very costly ones in Saskatchewan's loss to the Argos. His first big drop was on a two-point conversion attempt. The ball hit Dressler right in the hands, but he couldn't bring it in. That proved costly later when the Riders were trying to score at the end of the game. His second was later in the game one what would have been a first down. Dressler wasn't the sole reason the Riders lost to the Argos, but he had a big hand in it.

(6) Sandro's all too familiar misses
While Dressler deserves some blame for Saskatchewan losing, the bulk of the blame belongs on the shoulders of Sandro DeAngelis. Tiger-Cat fans know all to well about DeAngelis missing makeable kicks, but now Rider fans know the feeling. DeAngelis missed a chip shot 16-yard field goal that proved as costly as any mistake any player made. How far he has fallen from his peak with the Stampeders.

(7) I want more Gord Miller
Last week, I said I wanted to see Rod Smith call more games; this week, I will be saying the same thing about Gord Miller. Miller has called a few games in the past, but he is calling more now because of the NHL lockout. Once the NHL resumes play, either this year or next, Miller will go back to being the voice of the NFL on TSN. Until then, I hope Miller calls more CFL games.

(8) Ray is rollin'
It took longer than hoped for Argo fans, but Ricky Ray seems to have found his groove in Scott Milanovich's offense. Ray has thrown for eight touchdowns in the past two weeks and the first time in his career that he has thrown four touchdowns in back-to-back weeks. Ray is starting to get the offense clicking at just the right time. Even if Toronto doesn't make it to or win the Grey Cup, they have set themselves up to possibly take it all next year.

(9) Calvillo making strong case as best ever
I am sure there are people out there who already consider Anthony Calvillo the greatest CFL quarterback of all time. I still believe Doug Flutie is the best ever, but Calvillo is really starting to make me reconsider my thinking. He has all the career records and just topped Flutie for 5,000-yard passing seasons in a career. When Calvillo finally does hang up his cleats, I might have changed my mind on where he ranks on the all-time list.

(10) Players of the Week
For the second week in a row I am handing my offensive player of the week award to Ricky Ray. Ray came up big for the Argos in their playoff-clinching win in Regina. He went a cool 24 for 30 with 305 yards and four touchdowns. He was great in a crucial game for the Argos and stepped up when the team needed him to do so.

There were three contenders for defensive player of the week. Adam Bighill had eight tackles and two sacks for BC, while Geoff Tisdale picked up two interceptions for the Tiger-Cats. But in the end, Anwar Stewart and his four sacks earn the award. For a guy who was sitting on his couch less than a month ago, he played last week like he hadn't missed any time.

My special teams player of the week is BC returnman Tim Brown. Brown tallied over 200 kick return yards, including a 56-yard touchdown scamper in the second half. It wasn't enough to get BC the win, but it was enough for him to earn the award.

Top Canadian was a little tougher, but Akeem Foster's four catches for 94 yards and a touchdown are enough to give it to him. There were no monster days from any Canadian, but Foster was BC's leading receiver, so the award is his.

10 Things I Learned... In Week 17

As hard as it is to believe we are heading down the home stretch of the CFL season. I say the same thing every year, but I can't believe how quickly the season has flown by. As a fan of the league, it has been a great one to watch; lost of exciting games with unexpected twists and turns. It has been one of the most unpredictable seasons in recent memory and that makes for more exciting football.

(1) Kick for a Million regains some lost lustre
The Kick for a Million contest was fun when it first started. The very first guy kicked the 50 yarder and won the million, but after that it was a series of guys who couldn't make a 10-yard kick if they were allowed to throw it through the uprights. It started to become boring. But this year's kicker, Rich Pope, changed all that. He nailed the 20- and 30-yard field goals with ease and missed the 40 yarder wide (though it had the distance). For the first time, it looked possible that a million dollars would be handed out. He missed the kick short, but the excitement and anticipation was back. I hope we don't go another half decade between decent kickers, but this year's event was well worth watching.

(2) Game of the year: take your pick
When deciding the best game of the 2012 season, Week 17 will have three contenders. It started Friday night with a thrilling back-and-forth affair between the Argos and Bombers, continued Saturday afternoon in a game that went down to the final play between Montreal and Saskatchewan, and ended with the Snow Bowl in Calgary between the Ti-Cats and Stamps. All three showcased what the CFL is all about and anyone who watched any of them, let alone all three, was highly entertained. Hopefully these are the types of games we get when the playoffs start in a couple of weeks.

(3) Als, Lions claim division titles
Speaking of the playoffs, we now know that the road to the Grey Cup will go through BC and Montreal. Both the Als and Lions clinched their respective division titles over the weekend. Both teams have tremendous home-field advantages (they both play in domes) and it will be difficult for any team to beat them in the division finals. That said, I'm going to go out on a limb and say one of them doesn't get to the Grey Cup.

(4) Winnipeg's offensive explosion
Where was that offense all season? The Bombers average over their first 15 games was just under 20 points a week; on Friday night they scored 24 in the first half and ended the game scoring 44. It was Winnipeg's highest offensive output all season and the first game scoring over 40 since a double overtime win over BC in Week 15 of the 2010 season. If that is the type of offense the Bombers will put together next year, their bad 2012 season may prove to be a one-off.

(5) Mike Reilly should look at homes in Ottawa
With Ottawa returning in two years, speculation has already begun as to who they will take in the expansion draft. The position that is first discussed is always quarterback. Many names have been thrown out there, but Mike Reilly might be at the top of the list after his performance in his first career start against Edmonton on Friday. Reilly filled in for the injured Travis Lulay and the Lions didn't miss a beat. Reilly looked like a polished veteran and was impressive from start to finish. Reilly is a free agent after this season, and he could attract interest from teams this winter, but if he dosn't get a starting job in 2013, I fully expect him to be drafted by the Ottawa franchise to be their quarterback of the future.

(6) Golden age of Canadian running backs
For the first time since 1957, the CFL features two 1,000-yard Canadian running backs. Andrew Harris joined Jon Cornish as a 1,000-yard rusher this season. Two Canadians haven't rushed for 1,000 yards in the same season since Gerry Jones and Normie Kwong did it in 1957 (they also did it in 1955). If Jerome Messam had not tried his luck in the NFL, it is possible that we could have seen three Canadians rush for 1,000 yards (Messam rushed for 1,000 yards last year). There have been a lot of good Canadian running backs over the years, but I don't think we have ever seen as much Canadian talent at running back as we are right now.

(7) Need more Rod Smith
For the most part, I find the guys that do commentary and play-by-play for CFL games on TSN do a pretty good job (there is one big exception to that, and I'm sure everyone knows who that is), but I really enjoyed listening to Rod Smith call the game between Montreal and Saskatchewan. For a guy who has done just a handful of CFL games over the years, he sounds like a seasoned pro. With his duties hosting Sportscentre, I doubt he'll make a permanent move to the broadcast booth, but I would like to hear him call more games in the future.

(8) Snow games
I love games played in the elements. When the weather is bad, you get games like the one we saw between Hamilton and Calgary. A snowstorm, in October no less, made the Cats-Stamps game one for the ages. With the likelihood that four of five playoff games will be played indoors (East Semi-Final and Grey Cup at the Rogers Centre SkyDome in Toronto, East Final at Olympic Stadium in Montreal and West Final at BC Place in Vancouver), there is the possibility that we have seen our one and only snow game in 2012. Maybe we'll get lucky and the West Semi-Final, to be played at McMahon Stadium in Calgary, will feature another heavy snowfall. One can hope.

(9) Calvillo can scramble
One of the knocks, if you can call it that, on Anthony Calvillo is that he is not a great runner. While I have not bought that line of thinking for some time, I hope we can put it to rest after his two touchdown runs against the Roughriders. These weren't one-yard plunges, either; Calvillo's two touchdowns came on runs of 14 and 22 yards. The days of saying Calvillo can't run should have ended long ago, but hopefully now they are gone for good. (Side note: If I hear one more person refer to Calvillo as "The Kid from La Puente" I am going to punch a dying rabbit. I get it; they did a documentary about him with that as the title. I don't need to be pounded over the head with it every time he touches the ball.)

(10) Players of the Week
There were a lot of stellar offensive performances over the weekend, from Jason Barnes' three touchdown catches to Anthony Calvillo's masterful performance against the Roughriders, but Ricky Ray played perhaps his best game in an Argonaut uniform and is my offensive player of the week. Ray threw for 383 yards and four touchdowns in a losing effort against the Winnipeg Blue Bombers. The Argos may have come out on the losing end of that game, but it wasn't because of Ray.

There were some pretty good defensive performances, but Keon Raymond took an interception 100 yards for a touchdown against Hamilton and is my defensive player of the week. Raymond also had eight tackles and two sacks to go along with the interception touchdown, and was easily the best defensive player this week.

Not a lot in the way of special teams play this week; Hamilton's Onrea Jones had a big return and recovered a huge onside kick, but it wasn't enough to take my special teams player of the week award away from Saskatchewan's Weston Dressler. Dressler only had two punt returns, but he made the most of them by returning one of them to the house for a 43-yard touchdown. It's pretty standard to give a guy who returns a kick for a touchdown the award and this will be no different.

Tough to choose the top Canadian because there wasn't really any standout performances. But despite not doing anything in the running game, Jon Cornish found success in the passing game. Cornish had just 27 yards rushing, but had 108 receiving and scored two touchdowns. It was a typical night from Cornish, but it was good enough for me to name him the best Canadian in Week 17.

10 Things I Learned... In Week 16

The playoff field is starting to take shape with three weeks left in the season. Following in BC's footsteps last week, both the Calgary Stampeders and Montreal Alouettes have clinched playoff berths. That leaves three spots left for five teams. If I had to guess, the Argos, Riders and Esks will take those in the next couple of weeks. But I think that one of the three teams that have already clinched their spot in the tournament will be the one getting their names engraved on the Grey Cup at season's end.

(1) Ottawa is back
The best news of the week was finding out that Ottawa will be back in the CFL. It is still not entirely known if it will be in 2014 or 2015, but football will be returning to Ottawa soon. Now we just need to find out what the name will be. As a fan of history, I want the name to be Rough Riders, but that likely won't happen thanks to the other Roughriders (a decision that was both selfish and completely ridiculous). At the end of the day, what the team is called is pretty immaterial, but we can all celebrate that the CFL will once again have a team in our nation's capital.

(2) We got Pink, we need Brown
This week kicked off the second annual CFL Pink campaign. It is great that the CFL has gotten on board with raising awareness for women's cancers, but it is time the CFL take the lead at get on board the Movember train. With the vast majority of football fans being male, the CFL should do something during November to help raise awareness for men's cancers in the same way they do it for women's cancers. As far as I know, not sports league does anything for Movember and the CFL could set the trend rather than following the trend set by others. We have Pink, it is time for the CFL to add a little Brown.

(3) BC's time of possession
We all watched the Lions mauling of the Ti-Cats on Friday night and if you thought you saw a lot of the BC offense, you weren't mistaken. The Lions held the ball for almost 40 minutes (39:59 to be exact) and that is something I haven't seen since the NY Giants held the ball for a similar length against the Buffalo Bills in Super Bowl XXV. The way to beat the Ti-Cats is to keep their potent offense off the field; the Lions did just that on Friday night.

(4) Winnipeg's unbelieveable point differential
Last year, the Blue Bombers rode a stout defense to a Grey Cup appearance, so to find out that the Bombers have given up 165 more points than they have scored so far this season was shocking. I know the team made a lot of changes, but they are giving up an average of 11 points more per game than they are scoring. It might sound simplistic, but that pretty much sums up why the team that went 10-8 and made the Grey Cup last year is 4-11 and on the verge of elimination just one season later.

(5) Esks take a huge step forward
When Kavis Reed demoted Marcus Crandell and named Kerry Joseph his starter for the remainder of the season, it sure seemed like they were giving up on this season. Reed had no history on offense, save for one year as a running backs coach, and Joseph is nearly 40. It sounded like a recipe for disaster. Instead, the Eskimos have rolled off two straight wins and are not only looking good for a playoff spot, but they might not even be the crossover team. The Esks are just one game back of the Saskatchewan Roughriders, who they manhandled on Saturday, and could very easily find themselves in Calgary on Semi-Final weekend. The Esks might be hitting their stride at just the right time.

(6) Gotta give Glenn props
Everyone knows that I am a Kevin Glenn fan, so it is nice to see him play well, even if he is no longer a member of the Hamilton Tiger-Cats. But not even an ardent Glenn fan such as myself thought he'd have the type of season he is having right now. His numbers aren't otherworldly, save for one: completion percentage. Saturday's game against Winnipeg was the sixth time this season Glenn has surpassed the 70 per cent completion mark in a game. He has been incredibly accurate with the ball this season and that will bode well for the Stampeders when the weather gets cold in November and ball control becomes of the utmost importance.

(7) Boyd released again
Before the games got underway, the Eskimos made the not-so-surprising move to release veteran running back Cory Boyd. When the Argos did this back in the summer, it was met with derision from all because Boyd was leading the league in rushing at the time. But Boyd found himself as the odd-man out in Edmonton. Hugh Charles has established himself feature back, and Jerome Messam returned from the NFL just after Boyd was signed. At 27, Boyd's CFL career cannot be over; someone will take a chance on the him in the off-season (per CFL rules, he is ineligible to sign with another team at this point in the season). I don't know where that place will be, but I have to believe that Boyd will be on a roster when training camps open next June.

(8) Second place and under .500
Before the season started, many openly wondered if this was the year that an East Division team would cross over into the West. Instead, we have the possibility, and maybe even the certainty, of a West team crossing into the East. At this point in the season, only the Montreal Alouettes find themselves above .500; the Argos (7-8), Ti-Cats (5-10) and Bombers (4-11) could all finish under .500, with both the Ti-Cats and Bombers assured of doing so. So much for that power shift many thought was coming.

(9) Als still the Als
Sticking with the East, despite being a very flawed team, the Als are once again the class of the division. At 9-6, they are the lone team above the .500 mark and are looking like they will once again represent the East Division in the Grey Cup. Much like the belief that western dominance would come to an end, many thought the Als would take a step back this season. Instead, we get the same thing we've had for over a decade.

(10) Players of the Week
Hugh Charles ran over, under and around Roughrider defenders all night to the tune of 152 yards in a crucial win for the Eskimos. He may have had a little extra motivation playing against his former team, but Charles has put together a very good season in Edmonton and has already rushed for more yards this season than in his other four seasons combined. He was superb on Saturday night and is my offensive player of the week.

Get a pick six and chances are you'll find your name here, and Shea Emry got himself a pick six, so he is my defensive player of the week. The pick by Emry was the game-sealing play for the Alouettes, so the timing could not have been better. Emry was the best defender on any field this past weekend.

No highlight reel plays on special teams this week, but the best of the bunch was BC's Tim Brown. Brown returned three kicks for 104 yards, including a 77-yard scamper that set up a Lions touchdown. Brown didn't get much work because the Tiger-Cat offense didn't score much, but he made the most of his opportunity and is my special teams player of the week.

The battle for top Canadian is really heating up, but this week there was no contest. Andrew Harris was the top Canadian after putting up 121 total yards and two touchdowns in BC's win over Hamilton. Those 121 yards gave him 1,365 for the season, a new single-season record for yards from scrimmage by a Canadian player. Harris has been outstanding all season and was so once again on Friday night.

10 Things I Learned... In Week 15

After 15 weeks we have our first playoff team and that is the BC Lions. The Lions clinched their spot in the post-season with their win this week over Calgary. The Lions are also close to clinching first place in the West, which would mean the road to the Grey Cup will go through BC Place (at least for teams in the West).

(1) The East stumbles
Taking a look at the East Division right now and it looks like a division in shambles. None of the four teams have displayed any level of consistency and believe it or not, the 5-9 Ti-Cats can still win the division and the 4-10 Blue Bombers can still make the playoffs. This was supposed to be the year where the East took the title of best division from the West, but as the records show, that didn't happen.

(2) Changes to award nominations
Duane Forde used his platform on TSN to say that the process of selecting year-end award finalists needs to be changed. He said the old method of team nominees and then division nominees is no longer good enough. His idea was that there should be three finalists for each award regardless of a player's division or team. I think this is a good idea. Is there any doubt that the two best special teams players are on one team this year (Hamilton's Chris Williams and Luca Congi) or that the top-two Canadians play in the West (Calgary's Jon Cornish and BC's Andrew Harris)? Yet someone from the West is going to go up against one of those three, most likely Williams, and the winner will be obvious before it is announced. It is time to do away with the East vs. West model and get on board Forde's plan.

(3) Score first and win
TSN put up an interesting stat during the Winnipeg-Montreal game that said 20 of the last 24 games were won by the team that score first. That number became 22 of 26 when the Bombers and Riders, both of whom scored first, beat their respective opponents. That's a pretty incredible statistic and shows that if you can get an early lead, it bodes well for your chances. This is something I am going to keep an eye out on for the remainder of the season, so don't be surprised if this stat pops up again before the year is over.

(4) Forget Whitaker, Andrew Harris is the real Two-Way
For the last year or so, Montreal's Brandon Whitaker has been known as Two-Way Whitaker thanks to Matt Dunigan. As good as Whitaker has been, and he has been good, I think the real player that deserves the Two-Way nickname is BC's Andrew Harris. No disrespect to Whitaker, but Harris is the best dual-threat player in the CFL. He is fourth in the league in receptions with 64. That's more than Chris Williams, S.J. Green and Fred Stamps. For a running back, that's impressive.

(5) The Courtney Taylor story
The story of BC Lion receiver Courtney Taylor is an astounding one. The first-year CFL player was diagnosed with MS back in 2008 and sat out for two full football seasons after being released by the Seattle Seahawks. On Saturday night, Taylor started for the Lions because of injuries to Arland Bruce and Geroy Simon. While his numbers weren't eye popping – two catches for 29 yards – the fact that he started and contributed is a great story.

(6) Intentional grounding needs tweaking
After watching the Saskatchewan-Toronto game, I have come to the conclusion that the rule for intentional grounding needs to be changed. In the first half of yesterday's game, a Rider defender had Argo quarterback Jarious Jackson wrapped up for what would have been a sack, but Jackson was able to muscle a throw out that came nowhere near any Argo receiver. The rule states that as long as the ball goes further than the line of scrimmage, then a receiver does not have to be in the area. But if what Jackson did, throwing the ball away to avoid taking a sack and losing yards, is not intentional grounding, then I don't know what is. Jackson clearly had no interest in completing the pass, he just didn't want to take a sack. That, in my opinion, is a text book example of what intentional grounding should be.

(7) No Geroy, no Bruce, no problem for BC
Despite being without their two veteran, all-star receivers in Arland Bruce and Geroy Simon, the BC Lions had no problem becoming the first CFL team this season to get to double-digit wins. BC always seems to have a cupboard stocked with talent at every position that no matter who goes down, they have someone there to take his spot. The Lions are very clearly the best team in the CFL right now and the next best isn't even close. Don't be shocked if these Lions do what no other team before them could: win back-to-back Grey Cups.

(8) Kory Sheets and the rookie of the year award
If you were to ask most people who the best first-year CFL player has been so far, I'd say the majority of them would point to Kory Sheets. Sheets has already amassed over 1,000 rushing yards and his nine rushing touchdowns ties him for first in the league in that category. So he is a shoe-in for rookie of the year, right? Wrong. Because Sheets suited up in the NFL, he is ineligible for the CFL's top rookie award. While I understand the reasoning of the rule that says you are not a rookie if you play in a regular season game in the NFL, it needs to not be so hard and fast. Sheets had exactly one carry for five yards in his NFL career; that's not exactly the same as Ricky Williams playing for the Argos. Sheets is, by all measure, a CFL rookie and as such, he should be eligible for the top rookie award.

(9) Sideline interviews with hockey players need to end
Generally, I enjoy TSN's coverage of the CFL. I think it has been light years better than CBC's coverage and I think "Canada's Sports Leader" has done an excellent job of promoting the league. But that doesn't mean they are perfect and the one area that needs to be fixed is the sideline interviews during games, especially those with hockey players. I don't want to see Kevin Bieksa on the sidelines taking about the NHL lockout during the Stampeders-Lions game. CFL broadcasts should be focusing on football, not giving airtime to an NHL player. Let that stuff be shown and talked about on the myriad other TSN shows that focus on hockey, but please, just let the CFL be about the CFL.

(10) Players of the Week
This week's offensive player of the week is Edmonton's Fred Stamps. There were a lot of great offensive performances in Week 15 – Stamps' teammate Kerry Joseph, and Winnipeg's Joey Elliott and Chris Matthews – but Stamps was a force unlike any other this week.

The week's best defensive player also comes from Edmonton, defensive back Chris Thompson. Thompson had two interceptions against the Ti-Cats on Friday night, the 25th and 26th of his six-year CFL career. Since being dealt from Hamilton following the 2009 season, Thompson has 15 interceptions and three against his former team. Thompson is a ball hawk and he put those skills to good use against his old club.

One of the feel-good stories of this CFL season has been the re-emergence of Sandro DeAngelis. DeAngelis was run out of Hamilton following a subpar 2010 season, spent the 2011 season as a backup in Montreal and was unsigned at the beginning of the 2012 season. But he found his way to Regina and has been slowly getting himself back into the form that made him the most accurate kicker in league history. This past week against Toronto, DeAngelis connected on five of six field goal attempts and has hit 23 of 29 this season. He was by far the best special teams player on any team this past weekend.

Like a pinball, the title of best Canadian bounces back and forth between Calgary's Jon Cornish and BC's Andrew Harris on an almost week-to-week basis. This week, the title belongs to Harris as he out-duelled Cornish when the two went head-to-head in BC. Harris finished with 125 yards from scrimmage and one touchdown on 19 touches. He was simply outstanding for the Lions on Saturday.

Edmonton 35, Hamilton 20

Up, down, up, down. I guess we should know the pattern by now. After a week after the team was up and beat the Als, the follow it up by being down and losing to the Eskimos. It's another road loss, their sixth of the season, and the team now sits one game behind Edmonton for the final playoff spot.

Positives
I honestly have none. Avon Cobourne was very good, Chris Williams had a decent game and Henry Burris set a new Tiger-Cat single-season record for touchdown passes, but that's about all the positives I can pull from tonight's game. Some players, like Burris and Dee Webb, had decent outings, but also made costly mistakes that lead to the team suffering their ninth defeat of the season.

Negatives
The pass defense was brutal. Kerry Joseph threw for over 350 yards; Fred Stamps had over 200 yards receiving; and the secondary dropped potential interceptions, the worst being Dee Webb's drop that led to an Edmonton touchdown. Matt Carter's touchdown, where two DBs line up on three receivers, was the apex of their ineptitude this week. A rough, rough outing from the back five.

We can fawn over his 34 touchdown passes and his 4,000 passing yards, but the amount of turnovers Henry Burris commits, four in this game, are a real liability. I don't care if he throws for 500 touchdowns, if he can't protect the football, it won't matter.

Not so much a negative for this game, but I can't be alone in thinking that dealing Chris Thompson for Maurice Mann was one of the worst moves this franchise has ever made. Thompson picked off Henry Burris twice last night and now has 15 since being dealt prior to the 2010 season. Mann, for those that don't remember, did nothing while he was here and was dealt to Toronto last October. There was little justification for the trade then and it looks even worse now.

And perhaps the biggest negative of all, and maybe the biggest negative all season, was the questionable decisions made by head coach George Cortez. It started before the game even began when the team made Brandon Peguese, he of two sacks in three games and the man that has created nothing but havoc in opposing backfields since arriving last month, a healthy scratch. Then during the game, Cortez challenged a three-yard Matt Carter catch. Not a three-yard touchdown catch, just a three-yard catch. It made no sense because the gain wasn't worth the risk (the Cats lost the challenge and their timeout). And then there was the third-and-one play where the team lined up in the shotgun and handed the ball off five yards deep in the backfield. In a game the Ti-Cats needed to win, the coach put them in bad situations with terrible decision making.

Final Thoughts
Alright, so, now the team is behind the eight ball once again. One game out with four left to play and a team that can't win on the road. So even if they sneak in the playoffs, what hope is there that they can win in the playoffs? They will have to win twice on the road to get to the Grey Cup and they haven't won twice on the road in seven road games this season. I don't like their chances.

But with the way this team has played over the last month, we should probably expect them to come out hard and defeat the BC Lions next week. That's just how nutty this season, and this team, has been in 2012.

Preview: Tiger-Cats at Eskimos

5-8

5-8

Following last week's win over the Montreal Alouetes, it seemed like everyone in Tiger-Cat Land breathed a sign of relief. The loss the week prior to Winnipeg had everyone on egg shells, but then the Cats blew the doors off the Als and all was good. But that all means little if the Ti-Cats don't take care of business this week and leave Edmonton with a win.

While the Cats still have an outside shot of finishing second, the fact of the matter is that Hamilton is battling the Eskimos for the final playoff spot in the East Division. That makes tonight's game in Edmonton perhaps the most meaningful of the season. A Tiger-Cat win would put them at 6-8 and the Eskimos at 5-9 with four games left to go. For the Eskimos to cross over into the East, they must have a better record than the Ti-Cats. An equal record, say both teams finish 8-10, means the Cats make the playoffs. That makes a win tonight all the more important because it would essentially give Hamilton a two-game advantage on the Eskimos.

To get the win, the Cats will have to play the same type of game they did when they last met the Eskimos. Hamilton won that contest 51-8 and did so with a smothering defense that didn't allow Edmonton's bread and butter, their running backs, to beat them. They forced Kerry Joseph, who this week was named Edmonton's starter for the rest of the season, to beat them and he couldn't. Do the same at Commonwealth and the Ti-Cats will come home victorious.

But winning in Edmonton has not been easy for the Ti-Cats. In their last 10 trips to the City of Champions, the Ti-Cats have won just once, a 20-18 squeaker in 2006. But the silver lining is that the Cats usually play well enough to win, but don't. Aside from last season's 28-10 beating, Edmonton's margin of victory has been two (2010), one (2009), five (2008) and two (2007) since Hamilton last won there. The ball bounces a different way and maybe those losses become wins.

Hamilton will also get a boost because Edmonton linebacker J.C. Sherritt will miss the game due to a knee injury. Sherritt is the front runner for defensive player of the year this season and his loss will be significant for the Eskimo defense.

The Ti-Cats can really put some distance between themselves and the Eskimos with a win tonight. Now they just have to go out and get the job done. We'll see if they can when the game gets underway at 9 p.m. on TSN.

10 Things I Learned... In Week 14

As we head down the stretch drive, it is funny to think how little we actually know at this point. Sure, it's a given that Montreal, Toronto, BC and Calgary are heading to the playoffs (Saskatchewan too, probably), but week to week, I couldn't tell you who the favourite is. For most of the season it has been BC. It probably still is BC, but I'm not betting the house on them.

(1) Edmonton's winless September
Edmonton went winless in September for the first time in franchise history. It is the second consecutive month where a team has gone winless – Hamilton lost their three games in August – and interestingly enough it is between the two teams battling for the final playoff spot. There are a ton of reasons Edmonton has lost five straight, mostly their terrible offense and their inept quarterback play, and things don't look to be getting any better.

(2) Should that be it for Buck?
Speaking of not getting better, the last two weeks perfectly encapsulated Buck Pierce's CFL career. Amazing one week, as he was against the Tiger-Cats, and injured the next, as he was on a helmet-to-helmet hit by Brandon Isaac. This has been Pierce's story for his entire career and seeing him looking out of it on the sideline told me that it is time for one of the toughest quarterbacks I have ever seen play to call it quits. I know it is up to him and I know that people have been saying for years that Pierce should retire, but this hit should probably be last one that Pierce takes.

(3) Jarious Jackson impresses
I was skeptical that Jarious Jackson would be able to lead the Argos to much while Ricky Ray misses time with a knee injury. But Jackson looked good against the Bombers and perhaps the Argos aren't in as bad a place as I thought they were. Jackson's history is to get people's hopes up and then dash them, so I want to see him sustain the level of success he had against Winnipeg before I start thinking the Argos can win consistently without Ray. Not knowing how long Ray will miss, Jackson is the man for the foreseeable future and if he plays like he did against Winnipeg more often than not, the Argos will be just fine.

(4) Giguère's one-handed catch
The guy has taken a lot of flak, especially from fans, for a lacklustre first season, but Sam Giguère showed why everyone was so high on him to begin with. The Sherbrooke product made an amazing one-handed grab on one of the few errant passes that Henry Burris had against the Als. Giguère has not been the total package that many, myself included, thought he would be, but I have seen better and better play out of him as the season has gone on. This season might not have been his breakout one, but next season sure might.

(5) The Stamps might be the favourites
As everyone pencils in their Grey Cup favourites, most have BC and Montreal, I'd like to make a case for the Calgary Stampeders following their 39-15 beatdown of the Eskimos. Kevin Glenn is playing perhaps his most consistent football of his career, Jon Cornish is running with a purpose, Nik Lewis and the rest of the Calgary receivers are catching everything thrown their way, and the defense is really clamping down. The Stamps sit a game out of first and have two games remaining with the Lions. Those two contests will likely decide where the West Final is played, but regardless of where, I kind of like Calgary to get to the Grey Cup.

(6) Cornish's continued brilliance
One of the main reasons I think the Stamps can win anywhere is the portability of their offense and that starts with Jon Cornish. Cornish got off to a slow start this season and unsurprisingly so did the Stamps. Once Cornish got rolling, the Stamps did as well. Calgary goes as Cornish goes, and Cornish has gone more often than he has not. He is the first back to surpass 1,000 yards this season and is on pace for over 1,500 yards on the season. That number would break the all-time rushing yards mark by a Canadian set back in 1956 by Normie Kwong. Being mentioned in the same breath as Normie Kwong should tell you just how great Cornish's 2012 season has been.

(7) 3,000 is something to celebrate this season
I have made it known that I am not a fan of Chad Owens nor am I particularly impressed with his back-to-back 3,000 total yards seasons in 2010 and 2011. But he did it once again in 2012 and this time it is something that should be celebrated. Unlike in past years when Owens' numbers came thanks to a terrible Toronto team receiving a lot of kicks, this year 50 per cent of his yards will not come from kickoffs. He already has over 1,000 yards receiving (the first time he has hit four digits in his career) and his numbers will likely be much more equitable this season than in the previous two. This year Owens will earn his total yards as opposed to lucking into them because he played for a bad team.

(8) Dressler torches the Lions
One of the interesting stats I learned during this week's games was that Weston Dressler had never scored a touchdown against the BC Lions in his career. About five minutes after that was brought up, Dressler caught a touchdown pass. Then he caught another one and added 160 receiving yards. Dressler stepped up big time to help the Riders top the Lions for a second time this season.

(9) Peguese and the low hit on Calvillo
Everyone saw the low hit Brandon Peguese put on Anthony Calvillo late in Hamilton's 41-28 win over the Alouettes on Friday night. It was flagged for 15 yards and deservedly so. It was a low hit, though in my opinion, there was no malicious intent behind it. Something the fans watching at home did not see was Peguese going over to Calvillo after the game and having a brief chat with him. That cements it to me that Peguese did not attempt to injure Calvillo and that both men saw it as just an unfortunate incident.

(10) Players of the Week
Two of these are no brainers, and one of those no brainers is Henry Burris as offensive player of the week. He threw more touchdowns, five, than incompletions, four. This is the second time Burris has thrown for more touchdowns than incompletions against the Als (he also won player of the week for that performance).

Defensive player of the week was much tougher. You had Hamilton's Brandon Peguese who was a force against the Als, though his stats weren't great; there was Adam Bighill and his 13 tackles against the Riders; and who can ignore what the Argos did in creating seven turnovers against the Bombers. It is that Argo game where Marcus Ball returned an interception for a touchdown and because of that he is my defensive player of the week.

The second no brainer is for Canadian of the week and that was Calgary's Jon Cornish. He ran for 180 yards and two touchdowns against Edmonton. There were some other good Canadian performances, Andy Fantuz had 98 yards and two touchdowns, but none topped Cornish's night against the Eskimos.

Special teams player of the week wasn't easy to pick either. Trent Guy had a nice night, and Onrea Jones had a big return, but other there wasn't much outstanding play from any special teamer this week. So with that, I will kind of give this to a guy that has gone mostly unrecognized so far this year and that is Luca Congi. Congi has had a superb season so far in 2012, missing just two field goals all season. He was two for two against the Als and extended his streak of consecutive field goals made to 21. Very little has been said about Congi this year and he is putting together a kicking season for the ages. Since no one really stood out this past week, my special teams player of the week is Luca Congi.