Hello, Ben Major.
No need to say “hello” back, I know you’ve probably got no voice after Friday night’s penalty fest between Toronto and Saskatchewan. 30 penalty announcements!
Tea with honey is good for vocal cords.
And maybe see someone about the repetitive stress injury to your microphone switch hand.
Here are the Week 3 takeaways.
RELATED
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» Mario Alford‘s late kick return touchdown TD pushes Riders past Argos
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NOT ALL BIG MAN TOUCHDOWNS ARE CREATED EQUAL
BIG MAN TD ALERT! 🚨
Zach Collaros finds OL Asotui Eli in the end zone!#CFLGameDay
📆: @Wpg_BlueBombers vs. Lions LIVE NOW
🇨🇦: TSN, CTV
🇺🇸: CBSSN
🌎: CFL+ pic.twitter.com/y9lyzxYv6l— CFL (@CFL) June 22, 2025
Winnipeg offensive lineman Asotui Eli set a standard in his team’s win over the BC Lions on Saturday night.
Most tackle-eligible majors I’ve seen over the years consist of the big guy leaking out into an open area, the defence overlooking his presence, and a tear drop lob coming his way.
No shade intended, by the way. That’s just the way it goes so often. All you can do is make the play that’s presented to you.
The play presented to Eli, though, was a different animal.
He was on the run towards the sideline, in tight coverage, with a rolling Zach Collaros forced to zip the ball at him in order to have any chance at all of a completion.
Eli stabbed that thing with his sure hands just like he was Dalton Schoen, for cryin’ out loud. And he hung onto that ball even though BC defensive back Christophe Beaulieu got a hand in there to try and knock it out.
There’s a new leader in big-boy touchdowns, gentlemen. Who’s up for a diving one-hander?
SOMETIMES, LIFE IS A JUST LIKE A GRISWOLD FAMILY VACATION
The BC Lions, Toronto Argonauts, Edmonton Elks and Calgary Stampeders all experienced losses in Week 3, and all suffered the frustration of having impressive drives die with turnovers at or beyond the opponent’s goal line.
Those failures, in large part, led to their respective demises.
The Argos, in particular, felt the sting of denial when a second quarter drive from their own 13-yard line saw them possess the ball for over seven minutes and 17 (!) plays only to have them stuffed at the Saskatchewan one-yard line, coming away empty-handed.
Sometimes you drive across the country only to find that Walley World is closed for renovations.
YOU’VE GOTTA RUN BETWEEN THE RAINDROPS IF YOU WANNA SEE THE SUN
June-tober in Calgary can be lovely, can’t it?
It sure can be if you’re the Ottawa REDBLACKS and you find the formula to come out with a win on a day where it’s eight degrees, the wind is angry and it is pouring.
With 31 rushes for 239 yards, and a field goal kicker who could deal with the whirling gale, the REDBLACKS were the equivalent of that shirtless fan you see in the stands even though it’s snowing and the temperature is minus ten.
Weather? What weather?
Run, baby, run.
Might just work in good weather too.
HE’S NOT ANGRY, JUST DISAPPOINTED. NOPE, CHECK THAT. HE’S PRETTY ANGRY
On the heels of their third straight loss to open the season, Argos’ head coach Ryan Dinwiddie let loose in his post-game media conference in a way I don’t believe we’ve seen before.
He was seething, working that chewing gum of his like he was trying to tear it to shreds. I think it was gum, anyway. He was so angry he might actually have been chewing nails.
Dinwiddie was especially unhappy with the undisciplined nature of his team’s play (11 penalties for 129 yards).
“We had more penalty yards than freakin’ offence,” said the coach, who went on to announce that the effort — he was especially angry about misconduct and roughness penalties — will have consequences.
“I told the guys ‘someone’s goin’ home tomorrow,” he fumed. “Heads are rollin’. I ain’t putting up with that stuff no more.”
Asked if he was certain that was the action that needed to be taken, Dinwiddie replied: “I think that might open up some eyes.”
“We’ll get it fixed,” he vowed. “We’re men and we’re pros and we get paid to do this. But I’m not happy right now.”
That was plain to see.
THE SHORTEST DISTANCE BETWEEN TWO POINTS IS MARIO ALFORD
There were whispers during training camp.
It was possible, just possible, that the Saskatchewan Roughriders might part ways with veteran kick returner Mario Alford.
Young Drae McCray had turned in a terrific effort in the team’s two preseason games, with 12 total returns for 241 yards.
Alford returned two kicks for a total of 28 yards and even he was unsure what his future was. He was on the bubble and it was unclear what would happen on cutdown day.
Twenty days later, though, on a Friday night in Week 3, the 34-year-old was a hero once again, lifting the Roughriders onto his shoulders to provide the winning points with a 99-yard kick-off return in the final few seconds, in Toronto.
Good thing for the Roughriders that bubble Alford was on didn’t burst.
McCray is on the practice roster. But if he is the heir apparent, it is apparent the heiring will have to wait.
AND FINALLY… It’s not a “panic button.” Not at this stage of the season, anyway. More like a “Cause For Concern” button.