CFL Week 4 Recap: Canada Day Weekend

The first holiday that the CFL just happens to land on is, of course, Canada Day. The holiday is celebrated every July 1, and in this calendar year, it took place on a Saturday. Even with Canada celebrating the grand holiday, Week 4 of the 2023 season was abbreviated. Only three games took place, beginning with a Friday night matchup between the Edmonton Elks and the Ottawa Redblacks. Edmonton was coming off yet another home loss against the Toronto Argonauts, though they would be on the road this time, playing in the Canadian capital.

Unfortunately, that did not help matters. The Elks were definitely not ready for a Redblacks team who was coming off a bye. Ottawa was up 16-0 at halftime, and Edmonton just couldn't get anything done. The final score was 26-7 in favor of the Redblacks, and it's a funny thing. Ever since these two teams met in the Grey Cup in 2015, I often watch these matchups and think back to that game, but Edmonton's most recent Grey Cup Championship is becoming more and more of a distant memory.

Canada Day Saturday saw the Montréal Alouettes host the Winnipeg Blue Bombers, but the evening kicked off with a bad weather delay. The Blue Bombers were coming off being decimated by the BC Lions on their home turf, so they were looking to answer big time, and after the delay ended, the Bombers got right to work against the Als--quick work, at that. The game was quite low-scoring, but it did end with the Bombers victorious, by a score of 17-3. It was a perfect bounce back win for Winnipeg, while the Alouettes suffered their first loss of the season.

Week 4 ended with Monday Night Football in Toronto (just had to say that). The defending champion Toronto Argonauts face off against the BC Lions in a battle of unbeatens, with some talking heads saying that this could be the Grey Cup matchup. The Lions did score first, Toronto had two scores to take the lead, but BC tied it at 14. That would be the last time BC had any chance in this game. Toronto took the lead at halftime and would not look back, going on to win 45-27 to remain unbeaten.

A line in old cartoons that stays with me is, "I should have stayed in bed." Something tells me that Lions QB Vernon Adams, Jr. was uttering those words throughout the entire game. Adams threw for 388 yards and three touchdowns, but he would also throw six interceptions. Even worse, two of those INTs were returned all the way! The Argos defense had an absolute field day on the Lions, it was just crazy all the way through.

Can you believe it? We are four weeks into this season. Here's how things stand. In the West Division, the BC Lions and the Winnipeg Blue Bombers are tied at 3-1, the Saskatchewan Roughriders are close behind at 2-1, the Calgary Stampeders are 1-2, and then there's the Edmonton Elks at 0-4. Again, only four weeks in, but...Edmonton's season is over. Unless they go on a big time winning tear, I can't see the Elks surviving past Labour Day.

In the East Division, the Toronto Argonauts are 3-0 entering the Week 5 bye, and the Montréal Alouettes are right behind at 2-1. The Ottawa Redblacks' victory was their first of the year and improves them to 1-2, while the Hamilton Tiger-Cats stand alone at 0-3. The East is pretty close and wide open, and yes, that includes Hamilton. The TiCats aren't like the Elks. Hamilton actually plays with some get up and go. They can mess with teams if they have the chance. I expect the East to be pretty close throughout the entire season.

Week 5 kicks off on Thursday, July 6 with a West Division battle between the Edmonton Elks and the Saskatchewan Roughriders. Another West Division battle takes place on Friday, July 7, as the Winnipeg Blue Bombers host the Calgary Stampeders. On Saturday, July 8, the Hamilton Tiger-Cats host the Ottawa Redblacks in what should be an interesting East Division battle, and on Sunday, July 9, the BC Lions will play host to the Montréal Alouettes.

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