CFL after 1st half of the season

[OzSome]

It is now halfway of the season so I figured I should start a thread so we can talk about what is going in the CFL in general and not just the Stampeders.

STANDINGS:
Western: Edmonton (4-3-0), Saskatchewan (4-4-0), Calgary (3-4-0) and BC Lions (3-5-0)

Eastern: Montreal (7-1-0), Hamilton (4-3-0), Winnipeg (3-5-0) and Toronto (2-5-0)

On Week 8: The struggling BC Lions lost again to Winnipeg Blue Bombers 37-10 while Montreal defeated the Saskatchewan Riders 34-25. Those are good news for the Stampeders fans especially if the Stamps beats Toronto Argonauts on their game in Week 9. The other game is going to be Hamilto TigerCats at Edmonton Eskimos.

Speaking of the Stampeders. We all know the Stampeders struggles in run defense so John Hufnagel signed 3 defensive players to try to find the answer in stopping the run. The 3 players he signed are all veteran professional football players. 2 of them played in the CFL before and last season and the other played mostly in the NFL and also played in the Super Bowl. Huffer thinks DE/DT Jim Davis formerly of Edmonton Eskimos can help with the defensive lines because he can play both ends and tackles and were actually pretty good while playing for the Eskimos last season. He got caught in the numbers game in Edmonton and also the new defensive schemes. Another DL Devone Claybrooks formerly of Montreal Alouettes. Claybrooks actually played against the Stampeders last Grey Cup game. The last signing is MLB Tim Johnson (another Johnson.. we now have DT TOM, R TEYO) on our team. Tim Johnson played for Oakland Raiders and Baltimore Ravens. While in Oakland, he played in Super Bowl XXXVIII against Tampa Bay. We all know Jon Gruden's Tampa Bay won that game. Johnson is a 6'4" linebacker and I believed that is what the Stampeders lacking in LB position, the size. All three might play against the Argonauts next week.

The struggling BC Lions are using LB Javy Glatt again as a starter possibly on their next game. Glatt were demoted from the MLB starter position to a special team player. He might be back as a starter next game because of the injuries to Jojuan Armour. If Armour can't play the job is for Glatt.
BC Lions QB situation is actually not doing so well after last game. Starting QB Buck Pierce is injured while Super Backup as TSN calls him Jarious Jackson struggled last game against the Bombers. I guess he is human after all.

In Winnipeg, QB Stefan Lefors took a huge pay cut to be a backup to Michael Bishop. Stefan Lefors signed for $150K contract as a starter (too rich for someone who never played more than 5 games in a season) but were asked by the Bombers to either take a pay cut of $90K (still an overpaid even if he is a starter) or get cut. Lefors took the pay cut instead.

Are we going to see a different Western teams in the 2nd half or are we still going to see the inconsistent plays for every team? With BC Lions struggling big time, is Wally Buono's job on the line?

How about the surprising Hamilton TigerCats? Is the real TigerCats please show up? I am hoping this the real deal for Hamilton. They struggled with bad teams long enough and the fans deserves to see a better team over there. Is there anyone slowing the Als in the East? Calvillo and company are a runaway team in the East even in the whole league. How about Bart Andrus of Toronto? Are the Argonauts ownership stay patience with him or will they bring Don Matthews again? Okay that was a joke on Matthews comment. Can someone learn to stop Bombers RB Fred Reid?

Here are the leaders in every department:

QB in passing yardage: MTL Anthony Calvillo(2175), Cgy Henry Burris(2064) and Edm Ricky Ray(2054).

RUSHING: Wpg Fred Reid(535), Mtl Avon Coubourne(534), BC Martin Mallett(492), Stamps Joffrey Reynolds is 6th with 424.

RECEIVING in Yardage: Mtl Kerry Watkins(577), BC Paris Jackson(530), Mtl Ben Cahoon(524) and Calgary's Copeland(5th with 485) and Nik Lewis(8th with 417).

RECEIVING Touchdown: Cgy Jermaine Copeland(6), BC Paris Jackson(5), Edm Fred Stampsand Mtl Kerry Watkins are tied with 4 TDs.

SCORING TD Points: Mtl Avon Coubourne and Cgy Joffrey Reynolds are tied with 42 points each, while Cgy Copeland and Edm Calvin McCarthy are tied with 36 points each.

FIELD GOAL POINTS: Mtl Damon Duval(95), Cgy Sandro DeAngelis(77), Ham Nick Setta(64)

PUNTING: Wpg Mickey Renaud(2633), Sask Jamie Boreham(2184), Edm Noel Prefontaine(2053) and Cgy Burke Dales is 5th with 2031 yards.

PUNT RETURNS(Yards): Edm Tristan Jackson(410), Mtl Larry Taylor(395), Ham Marquay McDaniel(342) and Cgy Titus Ryan is in 4th with 187 yards.

KICKOFF RETURNS(Yards): Cgy Titus Ryan(627), Edm Tristan Jackson(589), Ham Marquay McDaniel(469)

INTERCEPTIONS: Wpg Siddeq Shabazz(4), BC Ryan Phillips, Cgy Dwight Anderson, Ham Markeith Knowles, Wpg Jovon Johnson and Ian Logan all have 3 INT each.

QB SACKS: Cgy Odell Willis(6), 7 players are tied for 2nd with 5 sacks each. BC Brent Johnson and Ricky Foley, Mtl Anwar Stewart and John Bowman, Sask James Quick and Stevie Baggs, and Winnipeg Darian Smith.

[You Need a Thneed]

not quite halfway yet, halfway is 9 games played for each team.

[Saint Troy]

This season has been pretty awful for fans of well played football. Montreal aside every team is mostly crappy.

[Jesse834]

The Lions will continue to suck into the second half of the season, Squinty does not have the talent he used to have.

[troutman]

I still forsee a CGY-MTL Grey Cup re-match.

[Swayze11]

I am pretty happy to see Ryan and Willis leading in return yards and sacks respectably, that was something we lacked last season. Its nice to have a good return man and a stand out pass rusher for once.

[JohnnyFlame]

Lions were expected to have a rough go of it this season after cutting good player after good player. Stamps should have never released Armour. Esks are better. Riders look very similar. I'd say it really is wide open.

In the East Montreal looks like they will be returning to the Cup game and if it was played this week likely winning it.

Lots of time to go though and the Stamps could get it back together.

[OzSome]

Originally Posted by JohnnyFlame

Lions were expected to have a rough go of it this season after cutting good player after good player. Stamps should have never released Armour. Esks are better. Riders look very similar. I'd say it really is wide open.

In the East Montreal looks like they will be returning to the Cup game and if it was played this week likely winning it.

Lots of time to go though and the Stamps could get it back together.

I am still not convince that Armour is as good as what others think. He is overrated linebacker. From what I've seen last season, most of the games he wasn't visible and when he was it was because he missed an easy tackle. I think he is just an average player. The Stamps actually missed the 3 defensive linemen they had last season. Charleston Hughes. He is a big complement of Labinjo. Eddie Freeman were pretty good stopping the run and Howard Hodges. Hodges is not a starter but he is a good relief player.
I am a bit surprised on the BC Lions. I thought they will be okay without Cam Wake but more surprising though was their lack of offense this season. They probably have the best 1-2 QB tandem in the CFL but the supporting cast were not playing the way they supposed to. I am not complaining though. The more BC Lions struggle the better for us.
My #1 surprise so far is the Hamilton Tigercats. I know it is early but finally this guys are playing as a team. Their QB is not flashy and no more relying on Jesse Lumsden too much. Their OLines are a lot better this season though.

[CGYNHL]

Originally Posted by troutman

I still forsee a CGY-MTL Grey Cup re-match.

Agreed. Calgary will get their act together and repeat as Grey Cup champs!

[OzSome]

It sucks watching the Eskimos and TigerCats game. TiCats blew the lead and I thought Kevin Glenn were just brutal in the 4th quarter. Ricky Ray I hate to admit it tends to show up when his back on the wall. What's up with those great passes to the middle of the field to Fred Stamps. With Eskimos and Stamps win, the Esk are still in first place with 5-3-0, Cgy 4-4-0 and Sask 4-4-0 are tied for 2nd while BC 3-5-0.

[troutman]

I hear Charleston Hughes was cut in the NFL, and could be coming back to the Stamps.

[OzSome]

Originally Posted by troutman

I hear Charleston Hughes was cut in the NFL, and could be coming back to the Stamps.

Yeah! Tomorrow(Sunday) is more like a deadline. If he doesn't get picked up by any other NFL team, his rights go back to the Stampeders.

That would be awesome!