Samwise CFL Newsletter
Saturday, July 11, 2026
Rankin's Hat Trick Fuels Edmonton Elks' 40-17 Rout of Winless Ottawa Redblacks
Justin Rankin found the end zone three times and the Edmonton Elks defence forced four interceptions in a 40-17 victory over the Ottawa Redblacks at Commonwealth Stadium on Thursday. Rankin carried 14 times for 107 yards and two rushing touchdowns while adding three receptions for 43 yards and a third score. Quarterback Cody Fajardo completed 19 of 24 passes for 340 yards and two touchdowns. Ottawa’s Jake Maier was picked off four times, completing 26 of 39 passes for 293 yards and one touchdown. Edmonton scored 24 points in the fourth quarter, improving to 4-1 atop the West Division, while Ottawa remains winless at 0-5.
Brown Delivers 339 Yards as Winnipeg Blue Bombers Top Toronto Argonauts 30-21
Backup quarterback Dru Brown threw for 339 yards and the Winnipeg Blue Bombers defeated the Toronto Argonauts 30-21 at Princess Auto Stadium on Friday. Brown completed 25 of 31 passes with receiver Ontaria Wilson his primary target with 10 catches for 133 yards. A pivotal moment came when Toronto kicker Lirim Hajrullahu missed a 40-yard field goal attempt in the fourth quarter, and Winnipeg returner Trey Vaval caught the ball in his end zone and returned it 129 yards for a touchdown with under nine minutes remaining. Chad Kelly finished 24 of 36 for 320 yards and two touchdowns in defeat. Winnipeg improved to 3-2.
'I Don't Know': Jake Maier at a Loss as Ottawa Redblacks Remain Winless at 0-5
Ottawa Redblacks starter Jake Maier offered little hope for a turnaround after throwing four interceptions in Thursday’s 40-17 loss to Edmonton. “I don’t know yet. I don’t know,” Maier said when asked postgame on TSN 1200’s post-game show how to fix the winless team’s struggles. The starter completed 26 of 39 passes for 293 yards but was routinely picked off, with veteran backup McLeod Bethel-Thompson taking snaps at the end of the fourth quarter. Questions have begun circulating about whether Maier should be benched in favour of Bethel-Thompson. Ottawa, the only CFL team yet to win in 2026, faces a long road back into playoff contention.
Sources: 3DownNation Share ↗ ✉︎ Email 💬 Text
Collaros Ruled Out With Neck Injury; Brown Delivers in First Bombers Start
Winnipeg Blue Bombers quarterback Zach Collaros was ruled out for Friday’s home game against the Toronto Argonauts with a neck injury sustained when he was sacked in the second quarter of the previous week’s 14-13 win over Hamilton. Backup Dru Brown, acquired in a trade from the Ottawa Redblacks in late June, was named the starter. Brown called his first official start for the Bombers “definitely quite the experience,” with family watching in the stands as he delivered 339 yards on 25 of 31 passes in Winnipeg’s 30-21 win. The Blue Bombers are now 3-2, having won consecutive games while managing without their starting quarterback.
Sources: Global News Share ↗ ✉︎ Email 💬 Text
Missed Field Goal Proves Fatal as Toronto Argonauts Fall to 2-3 With Winnipeg Loss
The Toronto Argonauts fell to 2-3 on Friday after a 30-21 loss to the Winnipeg Blue Bombers, with a pivotal special teams error helping doom their chances. Kicker Lirim Hajrullahu’s missed 40-yard field goal in the fourth quarter was caught in the end zone by Winnipeg’s Trey Vaval and returned 129 yards for a go-ahead touchdown with under nine minutes to play. Chad Kelly completed 24 of 36 passes for 320 yards and two touchdowns for Toronto, but the Argonauts could not overcome the turnover in field position. Analysis from 3DownNation highlighted multiple issues the team will need to resolve.
Sources: 3DownNation Share ↗ ✉︎ Email 💬 Text
Canadian Starters Greene and Burns Return for Saturday's Calgary-Montreal Showdown
The Calgary Stampeders will have Canadian defensive back Adrian Greene back in their starting lineup when they visit the Montreal Alouettes at Percival Molson Stadium on Saturday. Greene’s return bolsters Calgary’s secondary for a crossover game between the two divisions. Montreal’s Lorenzo Burns is also confirmed to return from injury. The Stampeders, at 2-2 but winners of their last two games, seek a third consecutive victory against the rested 3-1 Alouettes, who lead the East Division. The game also features a twin brother matchup: Calgary’s Jalen Philpot will face his twin, Montreal’s Tyson Philpot, for just the third time in their CFL careers. Kickoff is 7:00 p.m. EDT.
Sources: 3DownNation Share ↗ ✉︎ Email 💬 Text
Edmonton Elks Surge to 4-1 to Lead West as CFL Standings Tighten
The Edmonton Elks moved to the top of the West Division at 4-1 after Thursday’s win over Ottawa, edging ahead of Saskatchewan on points. The Roughriders sit at 3-1 ahead of their Sunday home game versus Hamilton. Winnipeg improved to 3-2 with Friday’s win over Toronto, and the BC Lions are alone at 1-3 on a bye this week. In the East, Montreal leads at 3-1 after their bye week. Hamilton holds second at 2-2 ahead of Toronto at 2-3 on the tiebreaker, while Ottawa remains the league’s only winless team at 0-5. Calgary, at 2-2, visits Montreal on Saturday in a cross-division contest.
Eastern Conference
Eastern Division
1. Montreal Alouettes — 6 pts (3-1-0)
2. Hamilton Tiger-Cats — 4 pts (2-2-0)
3. Toronto Argonauts — 4 pts (2-3-0)
4. Ottawa Redblacks — 0 pts (0-5-0)
Western Conference
Western Division
1. Edmonton Elks — 8 pts (4-1-0)
2. Saskatchewan Roughriders — 6 pts (3-1-0)
3. Winnipeg Blue Bombers — 6 pts (3-2-0)
4. Calgary Stampeders — 4 pts (2-2-0)
5. BC Lions — 2 pts (1-3-0)
Curated by JD · samwise.agency
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