We shouldn’t be surprised, but Nathan Rourke has reclaimed his spot as one of the CFL’s elite quarterbacks. And while we absolutely should have seen it coming, Rourke’s return to form was anything but a guarantee following his return to the league last season.
That seems like a thing of the past now.
Rourke threw for 345 yards and two touchdowns as BC took out Edmonton 32-14 on Sunday night. It was another strong outing for Rourke who has thrown for less than 300 yards only once this season. Overall, Rourke is up to 1,270 passing yards in four starts, a number which has him on pace for over 5,000 yards despite missing two games due to injury.
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Ranked the league’s top quarterback by Pro Football Focus entering Week 6, Rourke looks at ease for the first time since returning to the league. It was one of the top stories I was going to be tracking throughout the 2025 season, because what we saw from Rourke in his protracted 2024 campaign just didn’t feel indicative of the player in question.
I wanted to see what Rourke could make happen with a full off-season and training camp under his belt. And I wanted to see how he would mesh in an offence with new head coach and offensive coordinator Buck Pierce. All of it has combined for a stellar start to the season.
One of the marks of Rourke when he’s on is his use of receivers. As such, I don’t think it’s a coincidence to see the Lions make up one-third of the league’s top 12 receivers right now. A fully healthy Keon Hatcher Sr. leads the way, sitting second overall with 514 yards. Along with him are Justin McInnis (334), Stanley Berryhill III (290) and Jevon Cottoy (289).
Rourke will be the first to tell you his return to the league in August 2024 was anything but ideal. He threw just four touchdowns against nine interceptions in eight starts and relinquished the starting role just prior to the playoffs.
But coming to a different league, playbook, and group of teammates midway through a season isn’t easy for anyone. That includes some of the league’s best quarterbacks, which is exactly what Rourke is back to be being in 2025.
STRONG ACROSS THE BOARD
When I submitted an article last week highlighting the 10 best defensive players entering Week 6, a member of the Calgary Stampeders wasn’t included. And perhaps that’s exactly the way it needs to be right now for the 4-1 Stamps, because this defence has been so much more than a few individuals.
Right now, especially after Saturday’s statement 24-10 win over the Roughriders, Calgary is making a strong case as the CFL’s number one defence.
Of course, that’s not to say the Stampeders don’t have impressive individual talent on the defensive side of the ball. Folarin Orimolade is one of the league’s best edge rushers. Safety Damon Webb earned his first All-CFL nod last season. And Derrick Moncrief has been one of the league’s best SAM linebackers for more than half a decade.
But it’s the entire unit that’s been a driving force to Calgary’s resurgence to first place. Case in point: the Stamps now sit first overall allowing just 16.6 offensive points per game. And they entered Saturday’s win over Sask being strong against the pass, but maybe not quite as proficient defending the run. That script flipped over the weekend, as the Riders were able to gain just 16 rushing yards on nine carries.
So, while the Stampeders didn’t have a player listed in last week’s article, that doesn’t take away from how strong this defence has been thus far. And it’s a pretty good bet if this trend continues, they won’t be shutout the next time we do a similar exercise.
QUICK HITS
A healthy Kenny Lawler is still as good as it gets. How about two more touchdowns in Hamilton’s 23-20 win over Ottawa on Saturday night, which brings his season total to seven in five games so far. The league’s leading receiver reeled in a highlight reel touchdown grab in the first half before catching the eventual game winner late in the fourth quarter.
Finally, Week 7 has some outstanding matchups to look forward to.
Of note is Calgary’s gauntlet continuing on the road in Winnipeg, which is set to be another stiff test. And Rourke faces another tough matchup when the Lions take on an ornery Saskatchewan group coming off their first loss of the season.