Ryan Dinwiddie raised eyebrows when he named Jake Maier as the Ottawa Redblacks' starting quarterback after training camp, leading to the eventual trade of predecessor Dru Brown.
The results have not been good for the Redblacks and their first-year general manager/head coach. They could get even worse Sunday, when Brown comes to the nation's capital with the Winnipeg Blue Bombers to face the last-place Redblacks.
With Blue Bombers star QB Zach Collaros suffering a neck injury two games ago, Brown got the start last week. He was terrific (25-for-31 passing for 339 yards with one touchdown and one interception) in a win over the Toronto Argonauts.
Brown, who originally left the Blue Bombers to become the Redblacks starter in 2023, got first-team reps on the first two days of practice this week and seems to be the likely starter for what could be a fun game to wrap up Week 7.
The Redblacks, meanwhile, at 0-5 are the CFL's only winless team. Maier, a backup with Saskatchewan last year after previously being a starter with Calgary, threw four interceptions last week in an ugly loss to the Edmonton Elks.
"I knew (this potential storyline) was going to be coming weeks ago. You kind of understand where the schedule's at," Dinwiddie told reporters earlier this week. "I only worry about the guys in this building. Obviously, we wanted to keep Dru around, and it didn't work out. He got a chance to go to Winnipeg and we got McLeod (Bethel-Thompson) in here. So we got the veteran backup guy.
"But we still believe in Jake. Obviously, the four interceptions are not what we wanted. A few of them were pushing the ball down the field ... with where we were at later in the game. We've got to find a way to play better football at the quarterback position, but we've got to stay out of second and long. We're asking him to make all these throws in tight windows in second-and-forever."
In fairness to Maier, the Redblacks have plenty of problems across the roster.
Running back Greg Bell, signed to be a difference-maker after an 1,000-yard season last year in Hamilton, is averaging just 3.7 yards per carry. The offensive line has not opened holes consistently for Bell, putting the Redblacks behind the chains.
Maier also hasn't been able to find much chemistry with four-time 1,000-yard wide receiver Eugene Lewis, who has just 13 catches for 174 yards.
Brown, upon learning he had lost the starting job with Ottawa despite not playing a pre-season game, requested his release. The Redblacks didn't want to lose him for nothing, and eventually got a first-round pick back from Winnipeg.
After the trade, Dinwiddie said arm strength was a factor in his decision and added the whole situation was a "little bit of a distraction."
However, Brown wasn't about to make headlines when chatting with reporters this week.
"If I get a chance to play, it'd be awesome because I get to compete, and I love to do that. It doesn't really matter that it's versus Ottawa or versus Toronto," Brown said, per Paul Friesen of the Winnipeg Sun.
If Brown does start, he'll face a beat-up Redblacks defence that will be missing standout linebacker Nyles Morgan, who broke his hand last week. Defensive lineman Habakkuk Baldonado (ankle) and defensive back Adrian Frye (hand) also are out.
Although Brown may not say as much, you can be sure he'd like nothing more than to show his former team what it's missing.
"Any game he's going to want to play well, but especially this game. He's probably got an axe to grind with it," Dinwiddie said. "But that's not in our control. We're focused offensively on their defence and defensively, whoever is in there, Zach or Dru, we've got to have a good performance."
Dinwiddie inherited a roster with plenty of holes, but the two-time Grey Cup-winning coach with Toronto has been charged with turning the program around.
A loss at home against Brown would be a crushing blow for a Redblacks team that desperately needs wins to try to re-energize a fan base that has seen way too much bad football this decade.
Wacky weather week
The Hamilton Tiger-Cats and Argonauts both were forced to hold limited practices indoors the past two days because of poor air quality in southern Ontario due to wildfire smoke.
It will be interesting to see how that impacts the teams in Saturday's game in Hamilton.
The Ticats also are dealing with a short week, having played Sunday in Saskatchewan, where they suffered a blowout loss.
Ticats coach Scott Milanovich said the last two days basically were walk-throughs. The plan, if the air co-operates, will be to hold a regular practice on Friday instead of the usual walk-through on the day before a game.
A former Argonauts coach, Milanovich was used to dealing with many challenging circumstances while in Toronto, which at times didn't have a regular practice field, from 2012-16.
"There was a year where we had about seven different homes," he told reporters Thursday. "We were meeting in indoor soccer fields, players were getting taped in bathroom locker rooms at hockey facilities. That was this for a whole year. I can relate."
The current Argos, meanwhile, will be playing their third home game of the season at a road venue with BMO Field having been unavailable because of the World Cup. They've also relocated their practice home to Guelph, Ont., until they return to Toronto early next month.
The forecast for Saturday night calls for rain and potential storms, which could create another twist in the battle for second in the East.
Milanovich didn't name his starting quarterback on Thursday after Jake Dolegala struggled in Saskatchewan following a serious ankle injury to star QB Bo Levi Mitchell the previous game.
Canadian Tre Ford also is on the roster, and the Ticats brought back Harrison Frost from the UFL this week.
The Argos, meanwhile, will be missing returner Janarion Grant (knee) and punter John Haggerty (hamstring).
Week 7 schedule
B.C. Lions (1-3) at Edmonton Elks (4-1), Friday, 9 p.m. ET / 7 p.m. MT
The Lions recorded their first victory of the season two weeks ago against the Elks, winning 36-24 in Kelowna, B.C., before enjoying a bye last week. Elks star running back Justin Rankin was held to 19 rushing yards versus the Lions before exploding for three touchdowns last week against Ottawa.
Montreal Alouettes (4-1) at Calgary Stampeders (2-3), Saturday, 4 p.m. ET / 2 p.m. MT
The second game of a home-and-home series following Montreal's entertaining 37-30 win last week. There could be some bad blood. On Thursday, the CFL handed Als linebacker Micah Awe a maximum fine for his high hit on Stamps QB Vernon Adams Jr.
Toronto Argonauts (2-3) at Hamilton Tiger-Cats (2-3), Saturday, 7 p.m. ET
The Ticats have won five of the past six in the QEW rivalry. Ticats star linebacker Wynton McManis, who played for Toronto the previous four seasons, plays his first game against his former team.
Winnipeg Blue Bombers (2-3) at Ottawa Redblacks (0-5), Sunday, 7 p.m. ET / 6 p.m. CT
The game features two of the league's best returners in Ottawa's Kalil Pimpleton and Winnipeg's Trey Vaval, who had a 129-yard missed field goal return for a TD last week.
