Contenders vs Pretenders – Week 6

Contenders vs Pretenders – Week 6

Published: Monday, Jul 10th 2023, 5:07pm

By Alex Dormuth (@RealAlexD) 

 

It was kind of a ho hum week in the CFL… not a lot of great football played, but we still have some changes this week. A winning team drops to a Pretender and a loser moves to a Contender? Here is Week 6 of Contenders vs Pretenders (listed in alphabetical order)

 

BC Lions – Contenders (Last Week – Contenders)

Last week’s 6 INT game was just a blip on the radar for Vernon Adams Jr. (thankfully for him he got bailed out on a pick-6 on his first pass of the game vs Montreal this weekend) as the best team in the league enters their first bye of the year. This roster is loaded with talent on both sides of the ball and they have to be considered the Grey Cup favourites from the West right now.

 

Calgary Stampeders – Pretenders (Last Week – Pretenders)

According to Kate Beirness and the TSN panel, the Calgary Stampeders are the only team in history that has injuries. Newsflash, Kate… other teams are hurt just as much or worse than the Stamps. The difference is the Stamps aren’t good enough to overcome them… and it all begins and ends with the QB. Jake Maier ain’t it (this is a recording) and as long as he’s running the show, the Stamps continue to pretend.

 

Edmonton Elks – Pretenders (Last Week – Pretenders)

Giving up a rouge to lose a game… that’s a new one. Awful coaching, awful players, just an awful on field product. Is there a level lower than Pretenders? If so, that’s where the Elks should be.

 

Hamilton Tiger-Cats – Pretenders (Last Week – Pretenders)

They barely beat a team that is without their top 2 QBs. At home. In a Grey Cup year. I know they have their own issues with their starting QB out, but they still aren’t a good team. That said, things seem to be trending up after last week’s win and as long as they can keep themselves close to Montreal, they’ll at least be in the playoff conversation later.

 

Montreal Alouettes – Contenders (Last Week – Pretenders)

So how does a pretender from last week lose a game and become a contender? Well, welcome to the East Division in the CFL. Montreal is clearly the 2nd best team in the East and they can hang around with the good teams in the West. They won’t beat any of them, but they’ll stay competitive. Cody Fajardo looks better than he did last year, he just needs some protection at some point.

 

Ottawa Redblacks – Pretenders (Last Week – Pretenders)

Jeremiah Masoli wasn’t the saviour of this team, but seeing him get hurt again is absolutely crushing. I truly feel for him and Redblacks fans. Dustin Crum and Nick Arbuckle are now the top 2 QBs in Ottawa and that gives me absolutely no hope that they win another game any time soon.

 

Saskatchewan Roughriders – Pretenders (Last Week – Contenders)

I always say that good teams find a way to win and I guess the Riders did that against the Elks. But I think this game showed us who the true Riders are. They are still clearly a work in progress that has benefited from playing an awful team twice early on this season. With games looming against the BC Lions and Toronto Argonauts, I just can’t see how the Riders can keep up until they get healthy. I want to keep them as a contender because of their record, but I just can’t this week.

 

Toronto Argonauts – Contenders (Last Week – Contenders)

Who’s bright idea was to give the Argos their 2nd bye week of the year in week 5? Come on… No changes here, this is the most complete team in the CFL and they run the East.

 

Winnipeg Blue Bombers – Contenders (Last Week – Contenders)

For now, they stay as a contender. For now. They are very beatable and have looked quite vulnerable in all 5 of their games this season, despite being 4-1 to begin the year. They’re still a good team, but other teams are starting to catch up to them and narrow that gap. They just don’t feel like world beaters anymore.