There is only one essential key to victory, I think.
Execution. It covers everything. Coaches almost always bring it up.
But within that expansive, very general category, their are myriad subcategories. And we are here to look at a few of those as we get ready for Week 9 in the CFL, where a number of teams are seeking a sustained forward gear, while the powers at the top — Edmonton and Montreal — look to keep their momentum going.
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BC AT WINNIPEG
Thursday, July 30
8:30 p.m. ET
TSN/RDS/CFL+
One team ought to get freaky. The other might want to get freaky too. Less, freaky, sure. Just a little freaky.
The BC Lions head for Winnipeg, weighed down with a 1-5 record, a record that most everyone would have scoffed at if you’d predicted that prior to the season beginning.
Quarterback Nathan Rourke is still out. Rookie pivot Kaidon Salter is in, making his first CFL start after trotting out from the bullpen last Saturday in the Lions’ 26-12 loss to Toronto.
Let it fly, is my feeling here. The 23-year-old appears to have a strong arm and a pair of quick getaway sticks, so let the young man cook the way he feels he must. If he needs to run for 120 in order for you to win? Let him. If most of your passing plays wind up off-script? Go for it.
There’ll be time to make him into an all-round QB later.
On the opposite side of the equation, it seems everyone thinks the Winnipeg Blue Bombers need to control things better on offence and that that means handing the ball to Brady Oliveira over and over.
But as coaches will no doubt tell you, even with a guy like Brady in the backfield, running is pretty tough when the other team stacks the box and can zero in on one ball carrier.
Perhaps a little spice could loosen the cap a bit on and that spice could be Nic Demski.
Know how many times Demski has rushed this season? Once. One time, in Week 5, against Hamilton.
A little fancy-pants misdirection with number 10 zipping through the backfield is both fun and an effective way to knock an opposing defence off balance.
Activate “The Demski Effect.”
MONTREAL AT OTTAWA
Friday, July 31
7:30 p.m. ET
TSN/RDS/CBSSN/CFL+
The Montreal Alouettes head for Ottawa on Friday night, looking to keep things rolling like a championship birler. (Look it up if you need to, that reference is a colloquial gem.)
The Als are 6-1, so, no notes really.
Wait a sec. Got one: Quit playing with your food.
There is some concern out there that the powerful Alouettes lack the game-long concentration gene in order to dominate all the way through and that they could be had if they continue on that path.
Against a desperate team coming out of the bye — one that hung with them before ultimately losing 37-35 in Week 4 — that could be costly.
For the Ottawa REDBLACKS, it’s simple even if it is a bit generalized: Do not find yourselves lamenting big mistakes when this one is over.
In an oh-and-six start, the REDBLACKS have packed the first third of the season with untimely, unforced errors that have turned rather competitive outings into L after L after L.
They’ve done enough in at least half their games to win them and that includes that Week 4 loss in Montreal.
Stay out of your own way, is the thing.
CALGARY AT HAMILTON
Saturday, August 1
3:00 p.m. ET
TSN/CTV/CFL+
For Calgary, ride the stallion. For Hamilton, guard that stable door.
The Calgary passing attack is one of the more glorious things to see so far in 2026, especially with Vernon Adams Jr. racking up 20 touchdown passes with zero interceptions, and topping the league with a 128.3 efficiency rating (Shout out to Jarious Jackson, who joined the Stamps as quarterbacks coach this season).
But Hamilton’s pass defence is number one in the CFL and it’s a unit that flexed its muscle against Montreal, limiting the Als’ daring quarterback, Davis Alexander, to a mere 187 passing yards in Week 8.
Calgary running back Dedrick Mills is the CFL’s top rusher (584 yards on 95 totes for an average of 6.1 per), and the Ticat defence is sixth in the league, giving up 100.6 yards per game.
So to the Stampeders I say: You’ve got him, flaunt him.
For the Ticats? Other side of that coin. Don’t let the Calgary Stampeders flaunt their running back.
That’s easier said than done but it doesn’t mean it ain’t a key for Hamilton if they hope to lasso the white horse.
That Ticat defence may have fogged up Alexander’s goggles last week, but Montreal running back Travis Theis romped for 156 yards. A repeat of that sort of thing would make life very difficult for Hamilton indeed.
SASKATCHEWAN AT EDMONTON
Saturday, August 1
7:00 p.m. ET
TSN/CBSSN/CFL+
The Elks would be well-served to follow an old baseball adage: Hit ‘em where they ain’t.
Last week, the Roughriders did a super-duper job in making sure that Edmonton running back Justin Rankin would not be the guy who would beat them, holding one of the most devastating offensive players in the league in check.
So the Elks went airborne and Cody Fajardo threw for 510 yards and four touchdowns.
Sure, do that again, if the Riders will let ya.
But if they make the passing lanes all cloudy don’t insist on a repeat. The Elks could then press ‘play’ on all the Rankin stuff they have in their book and hope the Roughriders get beat the way they swore they wouldn’t get beat the week before.
A key for the Roughriders? Well, as Shoeless Joe said to Moonlight Graham in the movie Field Of Dreams:
“Look for low and away.”
“But watch out for in your ear.”
All in on pass defence means Rankin gets room. All in on Rankin defence and you risk another ‘Cody and the Antler Air Force’ sonic boom.
Tough spot to be in, but defences have been known to strike a real good balance in frustrating both prongs of an opponents’ attack.
Not in 2026, maybe, but they have, you know.
Be a good time for the Roughriders to come up with their best, all-round defensive performance of the season.
