Around the CFL: Quarterback depth to be tested

After a great start to the season for CFL quarterbacks, we're about to find out whether some teams are capable of overcoming injuries at the most important position on the field.

Shea Patterson, 27, will be first under the microscope as he replaces injured Saskatchewan Roughriders veteran Trevor Harris (knee, six-game injured list) for his first career start on Thursday against the visiting Toronto Argonauts.

Meanwhile, the winless Winnipeg Blue Bombers have star quarterback Zach Collaros (thorax) listed as the third-stringer for their Friday home game against the improved Ottawa Redblacks. Veteran Chris Streveler gets the start.

The Blue Bombers and Roughriders are in similar yet different situations, considering the teams' records and resumes of the quarterbacks.

First-year Roughriders coach Corey Mace, interestingly, installed a virtual unknown — Patterson has had limited playing time with Saskatchewan, Montreal and B.C. — as his backup ahead of veterans like Mason Fine and Antonio Pipkin, who were previously on the roster.

After Harris suffered a sprained MCL in the second quarter of Saskatchewan's last game, Patterson did enough to help the Roughriders improve to a surprising 3-0 with a victory over the Hamilton Tiger-Cats.

“The kid does everything right,” Mace said about Patterson, per Darrell Davis of the Regina Leader-Post. “His vehicle is here sometimes before mine (at the Riders’ facility), which is crazy. I’m so excited for the kid and the team’s excited to rally around him.”

The Roughriders are hopeful Harris, 38, will be able to return within the six-game IL window, but considering his age and his injury history (he missed most of last season with an injury to his other knee), the situation bears watching.

Streveler, meanwhile, became a fan favourite in Winnipeg in 2018 and '19 as part of a multi-headed quarterback monster that won a Grey Cup in the latter year, starting a string of dominance for the Bombers that finally seems to be letting up. He then got an NFL opportunity, even starting a game for Arizona before earning rave reviews for one of the best pre-seasons ever with the New York Jets in 2022 — though it wasn't enough for him to keep a job at the time.

Streveler returned to Winnipeg this year and took over in the second half last week after Collaros was hurt, falling just short of leading the Blue Bombers (0-4) to victory against the Calgary Stampeders.

When Bombers coach Mike O'Shea was asked earlier this week if the team could win with Streveler, his thoughts turned to a fellow coach he grew close with during their shared time in Winnipeg.

“Absolutely,” he said, per Paul Friesen of the Winnipeg Sun. “This is when I’m about to give you some Paul Maurice expletives for asking the question. We’ve won a lot with Chris Streveler. It’s not all on his shoulders. That’s the part people have to realize. He knows our offence, and he’s one piece of a group that’s got to go out there and play hard and get it done.

“Everybody has to be sharp and play well, regardless of who the trigger man is.”

It won't be easy for Streveler as the Bombers' top two receivers, Dalton Schoen (knee) and Kenny Lawler (arm), are out with long-term injuries. Schoen likely is done for the season.

The Roughriders also aren't at full strength at receiver with Shawn Bane Jr. (personal reasons) out this week.

Saskatchewan surely will try to establish a run game to help Patterson out. It just so happens the Roughriders made a marquee signing at running back in the off-season by hammering out a deal with former Argo A.J. Ouellette.

Toronto D-lineman Jared Brinkman got the CFL's highest mark among defensive players on the league's honour roll for the first month of the season. He anchors a strong run defence.

"We've got to be gap sound and got to get some penetration and catch him in the backfield and make him put some jump cuts so he loses a bit of momentum," Argos coach Ryan Dinwiddie said after practice this week.

"We're going to dress an extra D-lineman this week to make sure we handle the run game and we can get some guys on a nice rotation and keep them fresh."

Circle the dates

The B.C. Lions know they will host the Grey Cup and are a strong contender to host the West final, too.

It will be a busy week for Vancouver sports.

The good news: The West final is scheduled for Nov. 9 at 3:30 p.m. PT, which, if at BC Place, would lead right into an Edmonton Oilers-Vancouver Canucks Hockey Night in Canada showdown across the street at Rogers Arena at 7 p.m. PT. This potential fun sports doubleheader became possible when the NHL released its schedule earlier this week.

Also, three Canucks home games take place in Grey Cup week before the CFL title tilt, which always is a nice option for travelling fans. Connor Bedard and the Chicago Blackhawks are in town the night before Grey Cup Sunday.

The bad news: The Grey Cup is Nov. 17 at 3 p.m. PT. Two hours later, the Canucks start a home game against Steven Stamkos and the Nashville Predators.

Ticat turnover

Hamilton Tiger-Cats special teams coordinator Paul Boudreau paid the price for a bad ending to the team's fourth loss in a row to open the season when he was fired this week.

After the Ticats' go-ahead touchdown in the final minute in Ottawa, Hamilton didn't execute a good squib kick or return coverage. That opened the door for the Redblacks to drive for a walk-off field goal.

Dennis McKnight, a former Ticats assistant coach, has been hired to return to the same position he held in 2017.

The Ticats, Blue Bombers and Edmonton Elks are all 0-4, marking the first time in CFL history three teams have started a season with that record.

Close calls

The CFL is at its best when games are close in the final three minutes when the clock stops after every play. So far, so good this season.

Three of four games last week were decided by walk-off field goals and 12 of 16 games overall have been decided in the final three minutes. The average margin of victory this year is 7.7 points, which would be the smallest in history if it holds.

Game of the week

Mace was the defensive co-ordinator under Dinwiddie in Toronto for the past two years, including a Grey Cup win in 2022, so the Roughriders-Argos contest gives the friends a chance to battle it out.

With Ouellette and a couple of former Argos assistant coaches now wearing green, this is a fun one.

Here's a look at the full week 5 schedule.

Thursday, July 4: Toronto Argonauts (2-1) at Saskatchewan Roughriders (3-0), 9 p.m. ET / 7 p.m. local
Friday, July 5: Ottawa Redblacks (2-1) at Winnipeg Blue Bombers (0-4), 8:30 p.m. ET / 7:30 p.m. local
Saturday, July 6: Calgary Stampeders (2-1) at Montreal Alouettes (4-0), 7 p.m. ET
Sunday, July 7: B.C. Lions (3-1) at Hamilton Tiger-Cats (0-4), 7 p.m. ET