TBURGESS

Cornish.... Jon Cornish

Edmonton's like Montreal in that their defense can win games by themselves so the QB just has to manage the offense to get wins. With Reilly, they are a top contender, maybe better than Calgary. As long as Nichols doesn't throw 3 ints a game, they should be able to get a bunch of wins. Heck... they won against Ottawa even with the 3 ints. BC will go as far as Lulay can take them and he's healthy right now. Will be interesting to see how they play this week against better competition than the Riders and the Redblacks.

CBC's Take: 1. Calgary Stampeders (Unchanged) Record: 3-1 Streak: Won 2 Next: @ Ottawa White Stallions looked lousy in the first quarter, falling down two touchdowns, but talent will win out in the end and Calgary chipped away. RB Jon Cornish ate up yards and time (15 carries for 120) and that made up for Bo Mitchell's ordinary 12-for-21, 165-yard effort. The offensive line is patchwork and lost another body in this game, making Mitchell's reads more difficult because he has less time. Did enough to win, and that's the idea 2. Toronto Argonauts (Unchanged -- BYE) Record: 2-1 Streak: Lost 1 Next: @ B.C. Injury news out of the bye week included the status of QB Ricky Ray, who coach Scott Milanovich said is a few weeks or so away. So, the Double Blue continues in the hands of backup Trevor Harris, who has done pretty well so far with the highest QB efficiency rating in the league (121.5). They are relying too much on big plays and have to find some balance as other teams adjust. Defence has been average, but is learning to play together. 3. B.C. Lions (Up from 4) Record: 2-1 Streak: Won 2 Next: Toronto A great opening drive against the Riders that featured a Travis Lulay palpitation-inducing scamper set the Lions off on the right paw for about 47 minutes when the defence went to sleep, allowing 13 points andalmost giving this one up. But, the Leos didn't. And that last TD was really late, anyway. So let's concentrate on the good stuff for a team that has won two in a row. How about 200 yards rushing? How about everybody covers their eyes every time the oft-injured Lulay takes off, as he did for 105 yards. 4. Edmonton Eskimos (Up from 6) Record: 2-1 Streak: Won 2 Next: Winnipeg When it's raining cats and urban wildlife, you need a ground game to keep things under control, and out steps Shakir Bell who surfs (no shark)18 times for 144 clock killing yards in a win at Ottawa. Here's why this column likes QB Matt Nichols: having a so-so game and tossing a couple of bad picks, he needs points and finds them by laying a letter-perfect ball in the downpour up for Kendial Lawrence, who runs it in to seal the game. Nice. Good defensive effort. 5. Hamilton Tiger-Cats (Down from 3) Record: 1-2 Streak: Lost 1 Next: @ Saskatchewan Kent Austin's Kitties were dog awful this week. QB Zach Collaros was 23 of 34, 234 yards, a TD (not bad), but three huge picks. The first was right into Chip Cox's hands – the Larks' defender didn't even have to move. Late in the game, Collaros didn't see a Montreal linebacker in his line of site for another key pick. Didn't help that every time the Hamilton offence looked up it had 90 yards to go. Even then, they had a shot until Terrence Toliver fumbled. Cats haven't won in Montreal since 2002. 6. Montreal Alouettes (Up from 7) Record: 2-2 Streak: Won 1 Next: BYE When rookie QB Rakeem Cato first arrived at camp and saw receiver SJ Green his reaction was probably "Oooh … he's good." Now Cato's the starter, through injury, and he remembered. Green has been the No. 1 target, and this week you could see why when he made a spectacular grab in the third that put the Larks up to stay in what was a poor game for both offences. Defence was terrific, however, holding Cats to just 13 points. Now, another Fred Stamps moment -- seven catches, 119 yards for his new team. 7. Winnipeg Blue Bombers (Down from 5) Record: 2-2 Streak: Lost 1 Next: @ Edmonton There are two ways to approach this. One, the Bombers built up an early 16-point lead then only found another nine points the rest of the way. Or, Big Blue gave the defending champs a run for their money on the road, just falling short at the end. Late in the season, a loss is a loss, but this early it could be a big confidence boost. Drew Willy was strong (22-of-27, 289 yards) with two TDs and a pick. Four turnovers killed them, plus a blocked punt that went the other way for a TD. 8. Ottawa Redblacks (Unchanged) Record: 2-2 Streak: Lost 2 Next: Calgary Look, nobody picked this club to win the Grey Cup in its second year, so let's take this a game at a time. Some good offence in the air (272 yards) wasn't going to take the RBs anywhere in a downpour unless they could also run. They couldn't (only 46 yards, 21 of them by QB Henry Burris). Good drives came up short time and again. The defence was strong against the pass (three interceptions) but Sponge Bob porous on the ground. Caution: This receiving corps is turning out to be worth the money, and will be trouble all season for opposing defences. 9. Saskatchewan Roughriders (Unchanged) Record: 0-4 Streak: Lost 4 Next: Hamilton Rider fans must be scratching their noggins at this start. How can a club that leads in 13 of the main 15 offensive categories be 0-4? Start with the idea they're last or second last in 17 of 25 defensive listings, and you get it. This column's pre-season pick to represent the west in the Grey Cup is on that brink between pulling it back and disarray. Here's hope: the D tightened considerably against B.C. this week, shutting down Travis Lulay in the air. Of course, it also allowed 200 yards combined on the ground, but we're grasping at straws here, so play along for a while.

I didn't agree with firing Doug Berry (Made the playoffs every year). I didn't agree with firing PLAP when we did (Should have kept him until the offseason to see if he could turn it around). If we went 2-7 in the first half of the season then 6-3 in the second half, then sure, keep O'Shea as he'd be trending in the right direction and we'd hopefully make the playoffs as a cross over anyway. If we can't win 8 or more games, then O'Shea would be trending downward in his second year and wouldn't have the rookie HC excuse. Who's available in the offseason as a HC also comes into the discussion. Not sure I'd replace O'Shea with another rookie HC if he wins 7 or more.

Saying Neufeld is taking reps at center isn't the same as saying Neufeld is taking all the reps at center. He's probably taking the starting reps and Goosen's taking the backup reps. Might be as simple as Neufeld needs the reps at center to be useful as the 6th O lineman. Goosen seems to be moving forward slower than we'd like for a 1st rounder.

Has a 9-9 team ever missed the playoffs? If we go 9-9 I expect we'd make the playoffs, but no playoffs = no O'Shea to me.

I'm not as patient as a lot of folks around here apparently. If O'Shea doesn't produce a playoff team this year, I wouldn't give him another year. I'm more patient than anyone who wants to can O'Shea during the year. Never works out well as the best coaches all have jobs during the season.

Even if they were calling exactly the same number of penalties as they were last year for the things that were penalties last year, they'd still be throwing more flags this year. Every one of the new penalties that are called are over and above the ones that used to be called. They are now calling unsportsmanlike conduct for miming throwing a flag or tapping your facemask which are also in addition to the flags that used to be called.

Cornish

Oh please, after sitting through the shittiest of shitty games in that stadium losing by one point in a game that came down to the very end that's a step up, especially since they won there last year. We found a new way to lose in McMahon again. Playing better and losing by a point is still a loss. Spoken like someone who hasn't sat through those games in Calgary for nearly a decade. Trust me that was the best game I've seen the team play in Alberta since I've lived here. Yeah it's a sad statement but progress isn't always leaps and bounds. Actually, I've seen lots of games in McMahon. I used to have season tickets and Red and White club spots. There were games where Calgary scored so many TD's that I thought we were trying to kill the horse. Sure, we played better, but we still lost so the demons still very much alive.

Oh please, after sitting through the shittiest of shitty games in that stadium losing by one point in a game that came down to the very end that's a step up, especially since they won there last year. We found a new way to lose in McMahon again. Playing better and losing by a point is still a loss.

I've seen the Bombers win Grey Cups, both live and on TV. I remember when going to the stadium meant expecting to win. No team is perfect. I've seen some very good Bomber teams lose and some very bad ones win. I don't see the Grey Cup drought as something that 'forces' us to do anything or an excuse for any of the problems we've had in the last bunch of years. It's simply a fact of life when you're a Bomber fan. Each year, the team is different. We'll have good and bad luck. We'll be angry and elated. That's what sport is all about. I want to see progress. I want the team to play hard from the first play to the last. I want the GM/Scouts to bring in good players all year long, not just in the offseason. I want the HC to have the answers, not be afraid to take risks, and play to win instead of 'not to lose'. I want us to have enough difference makers on the team to get double digit wins, not just this season, but every season. I want us to make good decisions and less mistakes. I want a team where the fans expect to win most games and are gutted when we lose. A lot to ask for? Sure, but that's what it takes to be a championship team.

The McMahon demon seems to be alive and well after last night.

Calgary was ripe for the picking. Short week. 2 new tackles. Very small playbook because of that. We had them, but let them get away with a win. They'll be tougher to play next time.

If one of the TSN guys said it, it must be true. Face it, It's an excuse and a pretty lame one at that. Just practise it until it become second nature. In the meantime, go for 2 point conversions all the time and hope to go over 50% and you'll get more points anyway.

The blocked punt cost us the game. The Cornish drive cost us the game. The missed FG cost us the game. The timecount may have cost us the game. The int may have cost us the game. Stoudemire's fumble and stupid running back instead of catching the ball and falling forward may have cost us the game. It doesn't come down to a missed single if all of those things don't happen too.

Really? That's the excuse? Lirim can practise converts from the middle of the field all week long. It shouldn't take him until the 5th game to get it right. Should be able to adjust in preseason. IIRC...He's missed the most converts of any kicker this year, so the rest have been able to kick from the middle of the field.

You are underestimating the Esks. Given Stampeders injuries, I can see Edmonton finishing first in the West and even with Nichols as QB, Winnipeg will have their hands full. In fact, I'll be surprised if Winnipeg betters the Esks, which makes the blown opportunity against Calgary even more regrettable. I don't think so, both of their victories have come over the RB's and with Nichols at the controls bad things are going to happen. If Willy plays consistently and the offence can put a decent number of points on the board I think they will top them. I'm certainly not expecting to see a continuation of the mistakes that they made tonight. I'm expecting a game of redemption. I agree. Reality is we eliminate our own mistakes and we owned the stamps tonight. Not sure why some argue it but 16 of Calgarys 26 points came off mistakes. One on a blocked punt. One on a Stoudemire fumble. We win easily and Calgary looks awful without our mistakes. The problem is that we are not limiting our mistakes so we aren't winning, let alone easily.

Esks have one of the best D's in the league. Their D line causes tons of pressure and we've been known to wilt under pressure. I hate Nichols as a QB. Bad accuracy, won't take any part of the blame for any of the problems and is constantly gesturing at his receivers when he thinks they're doing something wrong. Still... they should be able to run and pass on our D. I expect them to win next week. They've actually looked better than Calgary for the last two weeks, but of course they have been playing Ottawa.

Way better game than the one we lost to Hammy. Hung in with the Grey Cup winners until the very end.

Eliminate the turnovers and we win. Sure, but we didn't. Fix the run defence and we win, but we didn't. Eliminate the mistakes like time count, punt return and Int at the end and we probably win, but we didn't.

He's right, but that doesn't help the situation. Gotta make the call in the game when the chips are down. He had the 'I'm a new HC' excuse last year, but he can't use that anymore.

Here's a hint Edmonton... Throw the ball to your own players in the endzone. Not too far that they can't catch up and not too short so the other team can catch it. You'd be up by a ton by now if you just follow that rule.

Gotta think that Calgary's O line gives us a good chance of owning the LOS on defense. Usually a good sign of a dominant defensive performance, which we'll need if we want to win.

A nasty attitude is great, but a cheap shot is a cheap shot IMO.