It was a physical week in the CFL that featured some dynamic individual efforts, an incredible second half comeback and a massive East-over-West upset.
Here’s what stood out about Week 12:
Better call Sol
Solomon Elimimian is a beast. We all know that, but what he’s doing this season is truly remarkable and he was his usual dominant self Saturday in a 26-9 win over the Blue Bombers.
Through 11 games, Elimimian leads the league with 88 tackles, which is a whopping 32 more tackles than the next best player. If he plays in the remaining seven regular season games and maintains his average of eight tackles per game, he’ll wind up with 144 tackles and shatter J. C. Sherritt’s single-season record of 130 that he set with the Eskimos in 2012.
There is still a lot of football to be played, but the Nigerian-born linebacker is the clear frontrunner to win the CFL’s Most Outstanding Defensive Player Award.
Cause for concern in Riderville
This was the worst possible outcome for the Riders. With Darian Durant out for the remainder of the season with a torn right elbow tendon, the hope was that backup Tino Sunseri could manage the game, limit mistakes and the team would continue to run the ball to victory. That’s not how it played out Sunday.
The Ticats were in Sunseri’s face all day and since he doesn’t have the same scrambling ability as Durant, he was hit often and sacked five times. When he threw the ball it wasn’t pretty; Sunseri went 9/21 for 88 yards, no touchdowns and one interception. That performance certainly didn’t elicit confidence from the Rider faithful.
With Seth Doege and newly signed Keith Price as the only other options, the Riders really have no choice but to stick with Sunseri and hope things get better.
In addition to quarterback woes, the Saskatchewan defence couldn’t contain Zach Collaros, who is now 2-0 at Tim Hortons Field since returning from injury. Collaros was able to pick the Riders apart with high percentage throws as well as use his legs. It was just the fourth win for the East in 29 games against the West so far this season.
A tale of two halves
The Argos-Stampeders game was a weird one, but boy was it entertaining.
Ricky Ray put up video game numbers in the first half, going 15/18 for 207 yards and four touchdowns as the Argos shocked CFL fans by putting up 29 first half points on the Stampeders, who are the clear cut class of the league.
Andre Durie was back in the Argos’ lineup and just being out there opened things up for everyone else, including Jason Barnes and Spencer Watt. You can see what type of damage Ray can inflict on opposing defences when he has healthy receivers — oh, by the way, Chad Owens is expected to return in Week 13 against the Lions.
However, everything changed in the second half. Ray still went 18/20, but only put up 131 additional yards, didn’t get another touchdown and threw an interception in the dying seconds.
After being embarrassed early in the game, the Stampeders’ veterans smartened up and Jon Cornish began doing Jon Cornish things. The star running back had 209 yards on 15 touches, one rushing TD and a game-winning receiving TD.
Nifty play call seals deal for Esks
Mike Reilly deserves much of the credit for Edmonton’s win over Montreal, but so does Eskimos offensive coordinator Stephen McAdoo.
Midway through the fourth quarter, with the Eskimos holding a two-point lead, McAdoo made a brilliant play call on 2nd & 15 from the Montreal 20-yard line. Reilly faked a screen pass to the right and gave it to Tyler Thomas on a draw play to the left side of the field. It was executed to perfection; the Alouettes defenders were caught off-guard, Thomas found the hole, broke a tackle and ran it to the house.
The CFL is a big-play league, but sometimes it’s the subtle calls like this one that make the biggest impact.
Two more starting QBs lost
Last week it was Darian Durant and Travis Lulay and in Week 12 it was Bo Levi Mitchell and Drew Willy.
Mitchell sprained his left ankle against the Argos and has already been ruled out of Week 13, while Willy hurt his throwing shoulder after a hard tackle late in the first half versus the Lions.
The Stamps will be in good shape with Drew Tate, but the Bombers should be nervous. Head coach Mike O’Shea expressed confidence in his team’s backups, but Brian Brohm or third-stringer Robert Marve will have to show something on the field for others to buy in.
It’s been a rough season for quarterbacks with Ricky Ray and Henry Burris being the only opening day starters that have remained healthy the entire season and not been replaced.
Lewis hits milestone
Nik Lewis became just the 12th player in CFL history to surpass 11,000 receiving yards and that’s a great accomplishment.
Lewis isn’t the player he once was — a player that began his CFL career with nine consecutive 1,000-yard seasons and would have made it 10 before breaking his leg in 2013 — but he was the best receiver for the Stampeders against the Argos.
He didn’t just catch a couple balls, hit the milestone and call it a day. He was a big part of Calgary’s 26-point comeback, leading the team with seven receptions, 54 yards and earning several key first downs that helped extend second half drives.
Hat tip to one of the most exciting CFL receivers of the last couple decades.
A tribute to Pigskin Pete
If you grew up watching the CFL, whether you were a Hamilton Tiger-Cats fan or not, you know the famous Oskee-Wee-Wee cheer that’s led by Pigskin Pete (to this day, that cheer is a surefire way to give an Argos fan heart burn).
Paul Weiler, who died last week at age 80, served as Pigskin Pete from 1976 to 2006. On Sunday, the current Pigskin Pete, Dan Black, paid tribute to his predecessor prior to the Ticats-Riders game.
Sportsnet’s CFL stars of Week 12
OFFENCE
1) John Cornish, RB, Stampeders
2) Ricky Ray, QB, Argos
3) Mike Reilly, QB, Eskimos
DEFENCE
1) Juwan Simpson, LB, Stampeders
2) Solomon Elimimian, LB, Lions
3) Shane Horton, LB, Argos