CFL Week 10 Recap: It Was 22-0

The heart of the 2023 CFL season began with the Winnipeg Blue Bombers in Edmonton facing the hapless Elks. So I figured that it would be quite the bloodbath to kick off Week 10. Sure enough, I was right. When I tuned in to this game for the first time, it was quite one-sided. It was the second quarter, and the score was 22-0 in favor of the Edmonton Elks.

Wait, what did I just say? Let me look at that again. 22-0 in favor of...the Edmonton Elks?! Oh man! The Edmonton Elks are up 22-0 over the Winnipeg Blue Bombers...the same team who represented the West three straight years in the Grey Cup game. The same team who put up 50 points a week prior against the BC Lions--in a game that decided first place. It looked like the Bombers were going to bomb out and actually become the first road team to lose in Edmonton since October 2019.

Then reality hit them--in the form of a 38-7 run by Winnipeg. The Bombers went on to win, 38-29, handing the Elks their 22nd straight home loss. Edmonton turned a 22 point lead until their 22nd straight loss on their home turf. My goodness.

The week was followed by a pair of games that were over on the first kickoff. First off, a Friday meeting between the Saskatchewan Roughriders and the Montréal Alouettes, and the Birdies absolutely laid it on big time on the Riders. 41-12 was the final score. The Als continue to prove that they are a big deal in the East Division, and the same can be said about the BC Lions out West. The following day saw the aforementioned Lions absolutely dismantle Calgary Stampeders in a Western battle; 37-9 was the final score in Vancouver.

Week 10 ended with 2023's first meeting between the Toronto Argonauts and the Ottawa Redblacks. I knew this would be a battle, and as an Argos fan, I was looking forward to this, because we were coming off our first loss of the season. It didn't look good for the Argos, as the team was down 10-0 early. Thank God we have Chad Kelly. I swear, when I saw him in relief in the Grey Cup game last year, I didn't think he'd end up being what I have been seeing this whole season. McLeod Bethel-Thompson's departure to the USFL opened the door for Kelly to take the reins, and oh boy, has he impressed this season! Regarding this week, Kelly threw for 417 yards, four touchdowns, and a pick, and his efforts led the Boatmen to a 44-31 victory at home over Ottawa. A QB wearing #12 leading a team to a dominant victory. Giving me flashbacks as a Packers fan.

Here's how things stand after 10 weeks. In the West, the Winnipeg Blue Bombers and the BC Lions have identical 7-2 records, but below that is a mess. The Saskatchewan Roughriders are 4-5 after getting blasted, the Calgary Stampeders are 3-6 after getting blasted, and the Edmonton Elks are halfway into complete futility (0-9). So the West really does come down to just Winnipeg and BC for the rest of the way. My goodness.

In the East, the Toronto Argonauts lead the way at 7-1, the Montréal Alouettes are right behind them at 5-3, and the idle Hamilton Tiger-Cats remain at 3-5 and escape the cellar due to the Ottawa Redblacks' loss dropping them to 3-6. There is a possible chance that the crossover could come from the East Division this year. Ottawa isn't that far behind Saskatchewan in the overall standings. If they piece together a few more wins, they could end up above that crossover line, meaning that the entire East Division could be playoff bound this year.

Week 11, the direct center of the season, will kick off on Thursday, August 17 with the Hamilton Tiger-Cats hosting the Edmonton Elks. On Friday, August 18, the Calgary Stampeders will host the Winnipeg Blue Bombers, while the Montréal Alouettes and Ottawa Redblacks face each other in an Eastern battle on Saturday, August 19. The week ends on Sunday, August 20 with a Western battle between the BC Lions and the Saskatchewan Roughriders.

If you like this story, click the heart and the subscribe button, and feel free to comment below! Tips and pledges would be greatly appreciated, but only if you want to do so!