Hello, Dominique Davis. Welcome back to the CFL. You looked like you hadn’t been away at all. Quarterback sneaks are just like riding a bike, right? If, that is, you’re riding your bike full speed into a tightly arranged group of grazing Clydesdales.
Here are this week’s takeaways.
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*IN DAVID ATTENBOROUGH VOICE*: “ANTLERS DOWN, THESE DESPERATE ELKS CHARGE FORWARD, SUDDENLY AND WITH GREAT FEROCITY.”
Actually, Sir David would probably use the more elegant plural form and just say “elk” (a Sir David reference for anyone who may need it).
Anyway, things sure do look different in Edmonton all of a sudden.
A team that had maddeningly, frustratingly stumbled out to an 0-7 start and was reduced to trying to find decreasingly apparent silver linings in loss, after loss, after loss, has won two straight, taking care of first the Saskatchewan Roughriders and then on Sunday night, the BC Lions.
And they got those wins, in large part, by thundering forward, amassing a two-game total of 476 rushing yards on 63 carries. That’s an average of 7.6 yards per carry.
Don’t know if we can call this a heater just yet. But at least the icicles that had formed on the club are now dripping rapidly.
Suddenly, the Elks are within range of the playoff race in the West now and if they can stay close to Winnipeg and Calgary — the two teams directly above them in the standings — they get a chance to reel them in in September, playing each of the Blue Bombers and Stampeders twice during that month.
First things first, though. Directly ahead of them in Week 11, the Hamilton Tiger-Cats, a team with that same record of 2-7.
Can the Elks keep the beat going? Will the Ticats find new life with a change at QB1?
A huge game for each of these teams. Intrigue in the Hammer, this Saturday night.
IT’S PRETTY SIMPLE. DON’T DIG A BIG OL’ HOLE WHEN YOU’RE PLAYING THE MONTREAL ALOUETTES
It’s tough enough to take on the Alouettes with all things being equal, never mind battling them and also yourselves at the same time.
Saturday night, the Ticats decided to try and make climbing Mount Royal even more challenging by filling their own backpacks with cement.
A fumble on their first possession. An interception on their. second. A high snap that forced them to give up a safety on their third. Clanging a field goal attempt off an upright on their fourth.
You cannot afford to let the Alouettes become a dot on the horizon like that. You might close the gap a bit somewhere down the road but probably only because they stopped to have a sandwich or something.
BONUS TAKEAWAY: You have our attention, Charleston Rambo.
BONUS BONUS TAKEAWAY: The Hamilton offence actually tangled with that Alouettes’ defence quite well when they went with Taylor’s version.
I’D SAY THAT REVENGE IS A DISH BEST SERVED COLD EXCEPT IT DIDN’T REALLY HAVE TIME TO GET COLD
After suffering the embarrassment of coughing up a sizeable lead against the Stampeders in Week 9, the Toronto Argonauts went on to illustrate in Week 10 that immediate past performance is not necessarily a predictor of immediate future performance.
The Stampeders ripped it away from the Argos on that Sunday night in Calgary, scoring 21 fourth quarter points to complete the comeback after being stymied for the entire first half. Then the Argos did their own ripping on Friday night in Toronto, scoring 32 second half points – after being held to 7 during the first half – on the way to a victory of their own.
Revenge, then, may actually be a dish best served lukewarm. Ask the Argos. They just got through tossing their napkins down and pushing away from the table.
I’LL JUST BET THAT’S A GUY WHO HAS HIS CPR CERTIFICATE
The Stampeders looked like they’d gained control of that game in Toronto, marching in for the go-ahead touchdown with 13 minutes left to play in the fourth.
It might merely have been a one point lead, but the vibe of the game certainly had things feeling like the visitors were dominating and ready to methodically put things away, especially after their go-ahead touchdown was followed by a two-and-out for Toronto.
That’s when Argo defensive back DaShaun Amos read and reacted to a pass thrown by Calgary quarterback Jake Maier, zipping in front of the intended receiver and swiping the ball at midfield, racing to the end zone and demolishing the aforementioned vibe.
It was mostly Toronto from there on out.
Non-responsive does not necessarily mean no hope. Not as long as DaShaun Amos is on the scene.
WE SEEM TO BE ON COURSE FOR A RARITY
In the history of the CFL’s Most Outstanding Defensive Player Award, only once has a defensive back ever been declared the MODP. It’s one of the great continuing oversights in awards history, right up there with Better Call Saul not winning even a single Emmy.
In 2011, Winnipeg Blue Bombers’ defensive back Jovon Johnson had a monstrous campaign, making it absolutely impossible for voters to overlook him. He’s the only DB to ever win the award.
Enter Saskatchewan defensive back Rolan Milligan Jr.
ROLAN DOES IT AGAIN‼️
The SIXTH pick for the CFL’s interceptions leader sets up Saskatchewan for the game-leading field goal with 45 seconds left! #CFLGameDay 📺: @TSN_Sports & @RDSca 📲 Stream on CFL+ pic.twitter.com/4sXy12N3ka
— CFL (@CFL) August 9, 2024
During Thursday night’s game in Ottawa, Milligan added six more defensive tackles to his total and two more on special teams. He had one pass knockdown and another interception to add to his league-leading total of six for the season.
Milligan leads the CFL in knockdowns this season with 10 and has 13 special teams tackles. He has 43 defensive tackles. Total defensive plays? Seventy-two.
Everywhere you look, Rolan Milligan Jr.
There’s lots of football left to go, yes. But after another tremendous performance in Week 10, Milligan just might be the clubhouse leader for MODP.
BONUS TAKEAWAY: Yes, I see you too, Tyrice Beverette. And you, Nyles Morgan.
AND FINALLY…We don’t talk enough about Fraser Sopik. “I didn’t know if he was gonna play this week,” said Argos head coach Ryan Dinwiddie. The 27-year-old linebacker toughed out a shoulder injury and added seven more tackles to his season total.