Samwise CFL Newsletter
Sunday, July 5, 2026
BC Lions End Winless Run, Defeat Edmonton Elks 36-24 in Kelowna
James Butler rushed for 135 yards and two touchdowns as the B.C. Lions earned their first win of the 2026 CFL season, defeating the previously unbeaten Edmonton Elks 36-24 Saturday in Kelowna. Zander Horvath added two scores, quarterback Nathan Rourke surpassed 300 passing yards, and Sean Whyte kicked three first-half field goals. Cody Fajardo countered with three touchdown passes for Edmonton, twice finding Kaion Julien-Grant and once connecting with Austin Mack, as the teams combined for 50 first-half points. Darnell Sankey’s interception at B.C.’s goal line late in the fourth quarter sealed the Lions’ victory in front of more than 19,000 fans at the sold-out Apple Bowl.
Sources: Global News 3DownNation Share ↗ ✉︎ Email 💬 Text
Sexton’s 101-Yard Punt Return Lifts Roughriders Past Redblacks 27-22
The Saskatchewan Roughriders came from behind to defeat the Ottawa Redblacks 27-22 Thursday in Ottawa, with Mathew Sexton’s 101-yard punt return for a touchdown in the third quarter providing the decisive swing. Saskatchewan had trailed 10-0 before rallying, with quarterback Trevor Harris throwing for 243 yards and two touchdowns despite one interception. Head coach Marc Mueller leaned on Tommy Stevens to close things out, the running back carrying five times for 29 yards on the final drive to seal the win. Ottawa quarterback Jake Maier completed 23 of 30 passes for 259 yards and one touchdown, but Redblacks mistakes left the home side at 0-4.
Sources: 3DownNation Global News Share ↗ ✉︎ Email 💬 Text
‘It’s Just Beyond Me’: Ryan Dinwiddie Blasts Redblacks’ Football Intelligence
Ottawa Redblacks head coach Ryan Dinwiddie delivered a pointed assessment after Thursday’s 27-22 loss to Saskatchewan dropped his team to 0-4. Dinwiddie was particularly sharp in his criticism of what he called poor “football intelligence” from his players, saying certain errors were simply “just beyond me.” The Redblacks have now lost all four of their games in 2026, with mental lapses and self-inflicted mistakes featuring in each defeat. Ottawa has scored 102 points while allowing 137, and Dinwiddie’s frustration signals an urgent need for improvement as the team falls further behind the rest of the East Division in the early weeks of the season.
Sources: 3DownNation 3DownNation Share ↗ ✉︎ Email 💬 Text
Jamal Peters Returns from Scary Head Injury as Tiger-Cats Make Roster Moves for Bombers
Hamilton Tiger-Cats cornerback Jamal Peters is back in the lineup for Sunday’s game against the Winnipeg Blue Bombers, returning after suffering a frightening head injury in Week 2 that required him to be stretchered off the field and taken to hospital. Peters, 29, has since been cleared by medical staff. Veteran linebacker Wynton McManis also makes his 2026 regular-season debut Sunday after missing Hamilton’s first three games with a bone bruise in his knee. To create a roster spot for McManis, rookie Jordan Crook was demoted to the practice roster. The Tiger-Cats enter Sunday’s game second in the East Division at 2-1.
Sources: 3DownNation Share ↗ ✉︎ Email 💬 Text
Blue Bombers Reshuffle Offensive Line With Patrick Neufeld Returning for Tiger-Cats Matchup
The Winnipeg Blue Bombers are making changes to their offensive line ahead of Sunday’s game in Hamilton, headlined by the return of veteran guard Patrick Neufeld. The 37-year-old missed last week’s loss to the Edmonton Elks after he and his wife welcomed twins — one girl and one boy — in the days before the game. Neufeld’s return gives Winnipeg an experienced presence back at a key position as the Bombers look to stop a two-game losing skid and return to the West Division playoff picture. Winnipeg enters Sunday’s road trip at 1-2 and faces a Hamilton team that has won two of its last three games.
Sources: 3DownNation Share ↗ ✉︎ Email 💬 Text
Ottawa Redblacks Sole Winless Team in CFL as East Division Takes Shape
Ottawa is the only winless team in the CFL after four games, sitting at the bottom of the East Division with 0 points after a 27-22 loss to Saskatchewan on Thursday. The Redblacks have allowed 137 points while scoring just 102, a differential of minus-35 across the season. The East Division is led by the Montreal Alouettes at 3-1, while the Toronto Argonauts at 2-2 and Hamilton Tiger-Cats at 2-1 have both found their footing. Ottawa head coach Ryan Dinwiddie faces mounting challenges as his team searches for answers through what has been a difficult opening to the 2026 regular season with each game growing more urgent.
Sources: 3DownNation 3DownNation Share ↗ ✉︎ Email 💬 Text
Fajardo Backs Austin Mack Despite Drops as Elks Absorb First Loss of 2026
Quarterback Cody Fajardo defended Edmonton Elks wide receiver Austin Mack following Saturday’s 36-24 loss to the B.C. Lions in Kelowna, arguing that intangibles matter more than drops when evaluating Mack’s contributions to the team. Fajardo threw three touchdown passes in the defeat — connecting twice with Kaion Julien-Grant and once with Mack — but the Elks could not slow James Butler, who rushed for 135 yards and two scores. The loss was Edmonton’s first of the 2026 CFL season, ending the club’s unbeaten start and dropping the Elks to 3-1 in the West Division standings.
Sources: 3DownNation 3DownNation Share ↗ ✉︎ Email 💬 Text
Western Conference
West Division
1. Saskatchewan — 6 pts (3-1-0)
2. Edmonton — 6 pts (3-1-0)
3. Calgary — 4 pts (2-2-0)
4. Winnipeg — 2 pts (1-2-0)
5. B.C. Lions — 2 pts (1-3-0)
Eastern Conference
East Division
1. Montreal — 6 pts (3-1-0)
2. Toronto — 4 pts (2-2-0)
3. Hamilton — 4 pts (2-1-0)
4. Ottawa — 0 pts (0-4-0)
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Curated by JD · samwise.agency
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