Perry Lefko

Perry Lefko keeps you connected to all the news in the CFL on Sportsnet.ca.

Eskimos' head coach Richie Hall reacts after another loss.

Richie Hall is on the hot seat as Perry Lefko looks back at Week 4.

Observations of Week 4, heretofore known in Canadian Football League history as the David Braley Bowl.

The Montreal Alouettes laid a licking on Hamilton. The Toronto Argonauts beat the B.C. Lions in the Braley Bowl. The Winnipeg Blue Bombers returned to their winning ways defeating the still-winless Edmonton Eskimos and the Calgary Stampeders humbled the Saskatchewan Roughriders.

Every one of those games had interesting story angles. Let's analyze:

The Als showed the Ticats they are still the dominant team in the East. The Als have played the last two games almost exclusively with a zone defence, blanketing the field and helping the back end, which was getting torched in man-to-man coverage in the first two games. Hamilton continues to struggle, and unless it develops a running game it is not going anywhere. Suggesting a change in quarterbacks is lunacy.

The Argos are winning with great defence and a solid running game, featuring a player, Cory Boyd, who is proving to be effective later in the game when the defence is softening up. Quarterback Cleo Lemon continues to struggle in his first season in the CFL.

The Bombers found a way to win with a backup quarterback, Steven Jyles, who was good, but not great. The defence and special teams made this a total team effort. As for the Eskimos, they have completely fallen apart. They continue to find ways to lose games, notably by dropping balls or turning over the ball. Something needs to be done to stem the losing tide.

When asked after the game if he was worried about losing his job, Eskimo head coach Richie Hall replied: "Why should I? Why worry about things that I have no control over? Like I said the other day, if something happens the sun will come up tomorrow and we'll get on with life. If nothing doesn't happen the sun will come up tomorrow and we'll continue to go on with life."

Hall is a nice guy who is finishing last.

THE GOOD: Calgary quarterback Henry Burris throwing four touchdown passes; Winnipeg receiver Terrence Jeffers-Harris (the pre-season pick here to be the East's nominee for rookie of the year), catching three passes for 97 yards and one touchdown; Montreal finally getting an offensive touchdown after going more than 11 quarters without a major; Argo cornerback Byron Parker recording another interception for a touchdown; Winnipeg linebacker Joe Lobendahn sacking Ray on the Eskimos' first series and setting the tone for the rest of the game; Calgary head coach John Hufnagel finally winning a game against Saskatchewan. No wonder he was smiling at the end of the game, but we personally prefer his scowl; Saskatchewan receiver Weston Dressler, who caught nine passes for 125 yards and one touchdown. Does this guy ever give up? He's as fierce as Ben Cahoon; Saskatchewan's Prechae Rodriguez, who kept his concentration to catch a ball and maintain his feet in bounds; Stamps' P.K. Sam starting to fit into Calgary's offence; the video review that allowed the fumble by Nik Lewis to stand up because there wasn't enough definitive evidence to overturn it.

THE BAD: Burris throwing two interceptions (he was Good Hank and Bad Hank in the same game); Hamilton's run game. DeAndre Cobb needs more touches; Ticats' kicker Sandro DeAngelis, who continues to struggle; Saskatchewan quarterback Darian Durant, who threw three interceptions and had his second subpar game (and I don't care that he threw for 354 yards in this game); Montreal's home-opener crowd. The place wasn't nearly as loud as I expected in the home opener featuring the newly-expanded stadium; Edmonton's offence. Period; Lions' running back Jamal Robertson fumbling at the Argos' two-yard line.

THE UGLY: B.C. defensive end Brent Johnson dropping an easy touchdown catch when used as a receiver; Toronto's latest win. That's two consecutive ugly wins.

OFFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE WEEK: Cory Body, running back, Toronto: 19 rushes, 148 yards. Runnerup: Romby Bryant, receiver, Calgary: seven catches, 116 yards, two touchdowns.

DEFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE WEEK: James Patrick, safety, Saskatchewan: eight tackles, two interceptions. Runnerup (tied): John Bowman, defensive end, Montreal: three tackles, four sacks, two forced fumbles (he was my pre-season pick for defensive player of the year); Moton Hopkins, defensive end, Winnipeg: three tackles, one sack, one interception, Ryan Phillips, defensive back, B.C.: Four tackles, three sacks, one forced fumble.

SPECIAL TEAMS PLAYER OF THE WEEK: Damon Duval, kicker, Montreal: converted seven of eight field goals. Runnerup: Jevon Johnson, returner, Winnipeg: four punt returns, 100 yards, one touchdown.

PERRY'S POWER RANKINGS: (1) Montreal: Emphatic win. (2) Saskatchewan: Knocked off the winless chart and showing signs of possibly going backward. (3) Calgary: Beat the Roughriders and showed some pluck in the process. (4) Toronto. Tied with Montreal but haven't had nearly as tough a schedule; (5) Winnipeg. Put the boots to Edmonton. (6) Hamilton. Disappointed big time in Montreal. (7) B.C. Squandered win in Toronto. (8) Edmonton. Totally imploding.