The Week 11 spotlight in the East Division is shining on the nation's capital as the Montreal Alouettes and Ottawa Redblacks meet at TD Place Saturday night with standings implications on the line.
With the Tiger-Cats falling to 3-6 on the season with a loss to the previously-winless Edmonton Elks, the Redblacks (3-6) have a chance to gain ground in the East. On the opposite side, the Alouettes (5-3) can apply some pressure to the East-leading Argonauts (7-1) with a divisional win of their own Saturday.
Watch Week 11 of the 2023 CFL season LIVE on TSN starting with the Winnipeg Blue Bombers vs. the Calgary Stampeders at 9 p.m, ET/ 7 p.m. PT on Friday Night Football through Sunday, when the BC Lions take on the Saskatchewan Roughriders at 7 p.m. ET/ 4 p.m. PT on TSN1, TSN.ca, and the TSN App.
Cody Fajardo will be a game-time decision for the second straight week for the Alouettes after he missed last week's game with an upper-body injury.
Caleb Evans assumed the quarterbacking duties for the Als, tossing eight completions for 149 yards, a touchdown and an interception. Evans scrambled for another 66 yards and pair of majors in the Als' 41-12 win.
Dustin Crum and the Redblacks are coming off a 44-31 loss to Chad Kelly and the Toronto Argonauts, in what may have been the game of the year thus far into the 2023 season.
Crum put on a season-best performance at BMO Field, completing 21 of his 25 passes for 292 yards and three touchdowns.
West Division action kicks off Friday night
Before Saturday's action gets underway, the Zach Collaros-less Winnipeg Blue Bombers have a meeting with Jake Maier and the Calgary Stampeders.
Collaros suffered a neck injury in the Bombers' Week 10, 38-29, win over the Elks, setting the scene for backup Dru Brown to quarterback the Bombers in Cowtown.
Brown, an accomplished collegiate passer having thrown for 7,962 yards and 65 touchdowns to 24 interceptions, has not seen many meaningful snaps at the CFL level thus far.
Last week was the native California got the call for the first time this season, stepping onto the field in relief of Collaros and throwing for 307 yards and four touchdowns against the Elks.
The Bombers take on a Stampeders squad that, while have had their wide receiving depth tested by the injury bug, Maier remains one of the remaining few starting QBs to have not missed a game this season.
Maier will though be without a pair of pass-catching rookies Friday as Canadian Clark Barnes was recently added to the six-game injury list, alongside fellow rookie Cole Tucker, who remains out as well.
At 3-6 this season, the Stampeders are in the opportunity to not only improve their standing in the West but also play early-season spoiler as a Bombers' loss would present the BC Lions with an opportunity to leapfrog them and sit atop the West Division.
Adams Jr. looks to stay hot vs. Roughriders
The weekend's encore performance features the Lions and the Roughriders on Sunday.
Lions pivot Vernon Adams Jr. returned under centre last week against the Stampeders after missing time with an ankle injury.
The former Oregon Duck threw for the second-most yards of the season with 322 and scored four touchdowns in the Lions' 37-9 rout of the Stampeders.
If the Bombers fall to the Stampeders on Friday Night Football, the Lions will have an opportunity to claim first place in the West with a win over the Riders.
As for the Roughriders, they welcome the Lions to BC Place coming off a one-sided loss to the Alouettes, which was furthered by the loss of starting quarterback Mason Fine.
Fine completed five passes for 20 yards before his exit and was replaced by Jake Dolegala.
The 26-year-old Dolegala threw for 106 yards and an interception in the loss.
Early-game injury reports indicate that Fine will be active Sunday and will see reinforcements to the offence as Canadian wide receiver Kian Schaffer-Baker has been a full participant in practice leading up to the game.
The Mississauga-born University of Guelph product is eyeing his season debut for the Green and White after undergoing a procedure to repair a torn labrum in May and was projected to miss the first three months of the season.
Schaffer-Baker hauled in a career-high 68 passes for a team-best 960 yards for the Riders last season, earning team nominations for the Most Outstanding Canadian Award in 2022.