CFL Games of Week 2 -- July 2 - July 5

[B.C.FAN]

Impressive pro debut by Cato, throwing 3 touchdowns leading the Als to a 29-11 victory over the Stampeders.

This young season has been full of surprises. It's great for the league and great for the Als after they seemed to be desperate to find three quarterbacks to dress this week. Cato's debut was one of the best I've seen.

[Toppy Vann]

Impressive pro debut by Cato, throwing 3 touchdowns leading the Als to a 29-11 victory over the Stampeders.

Interestingly we've been talking about the top coaches in the CFL and Tom Higgins has not been given even a honorable mention IIRC correctly but he's doing something right with his team and coaching staff. Bringing in Nik Lewis and Fred Stamps and Logan look like good decisions too. Is this new version of Tom Higgins simply a better HC than he ever showed before? Early but I am guessing he learned a lot after his last HC gig. He is calm on the sidelines. Let his coaches coach.

Cuthbert said that Higgins was saying that Turk Shonert wasn't given enough credit for the strong finish last year after opening 1 and 7. We gave it to Jeff Garcia as he was the sideline visible guy.

What was again impressive about the Als was how the team played for the rookie QB. As Green, Lewis said - they made plays for this guys. Nik Lewis said it at the half that Cato had won at all levels. He's a winner.

Calgary got outplayed tonight by a well prepared team both offensively and well coached defensively by Noel Thorpe. Were Calgary too complacent or just outplayed? Time zone? Distractions in the city or is this team simply not as focused as it was.

The first turnover on downs in the 4th and not running Jon Cornish - yikes. That will get him and fans riled.

This is going to be an interesting year with converts no longer automatic with the run and the longer kick. This is making games more interesting - at least this evening's as had Calgary come roaring back missed converts could be a factor if they say had scored 2 pointers.

Trestman at the game was interesting too but he wouldn't reply to ever coming back to HC in Canada (I doubt he'd be smart to say, yes but he did say he just wanted to be in the game on either side of the border.)

He credited AC who he had coffee with that morning with his success. Nice touch.

[DanoT]

Calgary seems to be suffering the dreaded Grey Cup hangover. It likely won't last for too many more games.

[David]

Granted it's early, but this is the weakest Calgary's O-line has been in quite some time.

They're playing like fat 'n sassy pigs out there.


DH

[Rammer]

Calgary seems to be suffering the dreaded Grey Cup hangover. It likely won't last for too many more games.

I wonder how much having a raw rookie QB who was 4th on the depth chart factored into Calgary's lack luster play. You have to give Catoi credit, he came to play and certainly was helped out by the OL and the receivers. He looked like Russell Wilson able to throw on the run. Als may want to rearrange the QB depth chart after that performance.

[Sir Purrcival]

That has to rank up there with one of the best 1st game performances by a QB in CFL history. Was there anybody who picked the Als to have a snowballs chance in this one? If so, they are definitely the new Kreskin on the block.

[DanoT]

That was a very good Als/Stamps game. Strangely, I found myself cheering for the Stamps though because I believe that the Lions are more likely to be battling the Als for a playoff spot via the crossover than competing with the Stamps for a West Division playoff spot. It felt weird.

[B.C.FAN]

That was a very good Als/Stamps game. Strangely, I found myself cheering for the Stamps though because I believe that the Lions are more likely to be battling the Als for a playoff spot via the crossover than competing with the Stamps for a West Division playoff spot. It felt weird.

You must be a chess player. I wasn't thinking that far ahead. For now at least, the Lions are the only undefeated team in the West.

[WestCoastJoe]

Great game by Cato and the Alouettes. Only caught parts of the game.

As Toppy noted, Higgins has not been been given much praise, and has faced many doubters. And he may have come back an even better coach than last time. I believe I have credited him at various times. Always calm. He has serious credentials. He had played at the pro level. He seems to be a very decent man. He has done a terrific job pickiing up the pieces of the Dan Hawkins debacle.

A big upset, in the first start by a raw, rookie quarterback. Great for the league, and, of course, just another challenge for the Lions.

[VictoriaFan]

I wasn't even going to watch the game because given the QB depth for Montreal I thought it was going to be a blowout and being that I'm not a fan of Calgary, (even though Corey Mace is my buddies kid) I decided to at least PVR it . Wow pleasantly surprised ! Als looked great with with the new kid, they ran well and Nik Lewis was rockin' . Calgary looked flat , Cornish was a non issue. Weird seeing Brown returning on one side and Logan on the other though!

[Rammer]

I wasn't even going to watch the game because given the QB depth for Montreal I thought it was going to be a blowout and being that I'm not a fan of Calgary, (even though Corey Mace is my buddies kid) I decided to at least PVR it . Wow pleasantly surprised ! Als looked great with with the new kid, they ran well and Nik Lewis was rockin' . Calgary looked flat , Cornish was a non issue. Weird seeing Brown returning on one side and Logan on the other though!

I am going to chalk the Cal/Mon game to a complete disrespect for the Als by the Stamps. Montreal night life can get the best of many teams, and I think that Calgary thought they could party a little harder than most visits to Montreal. That and a great game plan by the Als and the team came to give Cato the time to find open receivers.

[BC 1988]

The win was mainly due to lack of film on Cato, and the supporting play of Sutton and Lewis. It won't be so easy for Cato after a few starts, but he sure looked relaxed and confident out there. He was a winner all through his college career. We didn't see that much last night, but he can run well too.

I can see why Whitaker was released by the Als, if Sutton can keep that kind of production going.

Of the two BC castoffs, Brown didn't do much make the Lions regret cutting him, but Logan is continuing to show he has plenty of gas left in the tank.

[sj-roc]

SUNDAY

Toronto at Saskatchewan

12:30 p.m. Pacific, TSN

With Darian Durant’s projected return scheduled for 2016, Kevin Glenn, the man from Motor City, assumes the driver’s seat for the Roughriders. “I’ve never been given anything in this league,” acknowledges the Detroit-born, Illinois State product. “Nobody has said, ‘Here are the keys to the car, go drive it.’ ” Typically, Glenn gets to start because of another man’s misfortune. Last year, he was the stand-in for Travis Lulay in B.C. Now, Glenn replaces Durant, gone for the year with an Achilles injury. “I’m an insurance policy,” Glenn says. While not the Roughriders’ first choice, he does present a viable second option.

Pick: Roughriders.

2nd WEEK BYE: Edmonton.

Just noticed this game today isn't on TSN1 or TSN2 according to my cablebox, only TSN3/4/5. Says TSN1 and TSN2 are showing world junior basketball, Aus football and horse racing. So if you only get the first two channels you won't be seeing this game.

[WestCoastJoe]

A sweep for the East in Week 2

TiCats over Bombers 52-26

Alouettes over Stampeders 29-11

RedBlacks over Lions 27-16

Argonauts over Riders 42-40

Anybody still hoping for the Lions to crossover to the East?

Best to make it in your own division, it seems to me.

So Ham, Mon, Ott and Tor looking pretty good.

Out West, we know Cal will be fine.

Edmonton? Saskatchewan? B.C.? Winnipeg? Many questions.

I expect the Schmos will be good -- Tough defence. Good young QBs to fill in for Reilly.

Sask looks pretty good with Glenn. Dorazio is no doubt keeping it simple, avoiding the tempatation to experiment, to change philosophy, or to overload the players with complexity. JC knows how to run an offence.

Bombers? Who knows?

Us? Patience is essential. Wally finally gave up the keys to the car. And we have much ground to make up, as we were stuck in the mud seemingly forever.

[Toppy Vann]

No challenge flag on the non-catch by McDaniels. Why not???? Rick Campbell quit on his team or what?