Welcome to the latest edition of Three Downs, the Last Word on Sports roundup of what’s to come in CFL Week 3. This week, we’ll look at the Game of the Week, the Player to Watch, and as the Countdown to Kickoff topic: Mike O’Shea’s future with the Winnipeg Blue Bombers.
Three Downs, CFL Week 3
Game to Watch: Calgary at Ottawa
This week’s CFL games all have their own interesting stories and match-ups, but the Calgary Stampeders and the Ottawa Redblacks on Friday are the game to watch.
The Redblacks are at the top of the East and Calgary is second in the West. Both teams are similar in offence and defence. Ottawa’s Trevor Harris, who is in for an injured Henry Burris, has led the way with the same confidence that Calgary’s Bo Levi Mitchell showed this past week. Both quarterbacks have a few different receivers from which they can choose as well. Chris Williams and Greg Ellingson both lit up the end zones last week. And on Calgary’s side, Marquay McDaniel and Simon Charbonneau-Campeau put up big yards for the Stampeders. Both teams’ defences also had a good showing last week.
Most of the discussion now is unfortunately surrounding the Rick Campbell and Duron Carter incident, but hopefully by Friday, things will have simmered down and fans can enjoy two very good teams, both equally matched.
– Gina Schiltz
Player to Watch: Mike Reilly
Mike Reilly’s decision making will be tested in week three against his former head coach Chris Jones and the Saskatchewan Roughriders. Jones will no doubly disguise looks and have a few special plays up his sleeve to mess up Reilly’s read progression. In week one Reilly made a choice in overtime to pull up and throw an incomplete pass rather than run for a first down. Reilly will be the first to say he must be better.
Gone is the controlled passing game and green light to run for Reilly. In its place an aggressive offense that demands Reilly make quick reads and spread the ball around to playmakers. Last week Reilly had a 108.7 quarterback rating, completing 70 percent of his passes throwing for 383 yards, a touchdown, and no interceptions. Reilly needs to do as well and make no errors on Friday, or the Eskimos start the season in a big hole.
– Darren Popowich
Countdown to Kickoff: Mike O’Shea’s Future with Winnipeg
After 37 games as head coach of the Winnipeg Blue Bombers, Mike O’Shea has passed his expiration date. His squad has failed to make the playoffs in that time and have a woeful .480 winning percentage.
The first question is — when exactly will general manager Kyle Walters be forced to part ways with O’Shea? This Thursday’s result should bring clarity to that question.
The second question is — why has he failed after a successful three-year term in Toronto as the Argonauts special teams coordinator? Too often when the Bombers management have sought to support O’Shea and improve their football club, Walters looks west to the Saskatchewan Roughriders for answers.
The list of former Riders is long. No one has provided an answer so far – not coaches Paul LaPolice, Ritchie Hall, Avon Cobourne, Tony Missick; quarterback Drew Willy; offensive linemen Patrick Neufeld, Dominic Picard, Devin Tyler; linebackers Sam Hurl, Ejiro Kuale, Abraham Kromah; safety Graig Newman; long-snapper Chad Remple; or receivers Troy Stoudermire, Kris Bastien, Weston Dressler, or Ryan Smith.
It’s time to quit poaching the Riders former GM, Brendan Taman, who was responsible for that long list of names and the Bombers’ own scapegoat eight years ago. Walters definitely needs to pass on promoting LaPolice, or interviewing Corey Chamblin.
– Kelly Bale
