CFL

Michael Sam admitted there were some nerves as he made his first appearance in the Canadian Football League on Friday night. Once he got beyond those debut feelings, he was pleased with his performance despite a limited number of snaps.

Sam, who became the first openly gay player to appear in the CFL, and the Montreal Alouettes lost to the Ottawa Redblacks, 26-23, and sit at the bottom of the East Division with a 2-4 record. Afterward, the defensive end talked about what went through his mind right before the opening kickoff, as noted by the Associated Press.

"I was focusing on my assignments, actually," Sam said. "I'm not going to lie, there were some big jitters out there and I was nervous when I first got on the field. I didn't get any opportunities to make many plays. I had some good pass rushes, I thought, but close enough is not a sack."

He didn't make any tackles in his first game of the campaign. His debut got delayed after personal reasons caused him to leave training camp back in June.

The 25-year-old defender starred at Missouri before breaking barriers for the LGBT community by getting drafted by the St. Louis Rams in the 2014 draft. He also made a stop with the Dallas Cowboys, but didn't stick with either NFL squad.

Now he's at least getting a chance to play in the CFL. His role should steadily increase as he becomes more acclimated with his new surroundings and returns to peak game fitness. He's shown the ability to get after opposing quarterbacks, racking up 11.5 sacks in his final collegiate season.

If Sam can start to make a more consistent impact with the Alouettes, it could eventually earn him another shot in the NFL. 

Canadian football is weird.

It's just little differences, mostly, that separate it from its American counterpart. The hashmarks are wider apart. There are more guys on the field. Each end zone is approximately 15 acres, with sectors reserved for caribou and hooved game.

It's these little things that make an American visitor to the sport feel as though they could take the field with no prior explanation and just figure things out as they go along. "You run that way. You hit people. No stiff-arms to the face or antlers. Got it."

But as A.J. Jefferson found out Monday night, certain key rule differences can leave the average American football player looking very silly indeed playing up north.

Jefferson, an American transplant playing his first year of CFL ball for the Toronto Argonauts, ripped a thunderous brain fart during Toronto's 34-18 loss to the Hamilton Tiger-Cats on Monday night. 

Set back deep to field a punt, Jefferson let the ball bounce when he saw there was no opportunity for a safe return. He walked off after watching Tiger-Cats defensive back Brandon Stewart pounce on the ball, considering the play over.

This is not how Canadian football works, however, and Stewart jumped up and ran into the end zone for a perfectly legal touchdown.

Why does this count? What happened here?

The answer is "Canadian witchcraft," or rather, the CFL's keeping of an old rule once implemented in American football but since abandoned.

The Tiger-Cats lined up with several gunners behind the punter, making them eligible to recover and advance the ball should it fall into their hands on the play. 

Jefferson was unaware of this quirk in the CFL rulebook, allowing what was just the second onside punt return for a touchdown since 1999, according to Yahoo Sports' Andrew Bucholtz.

Walk it off, Jefferson. The CFL rulebook is dark and full of terrors—particularly in the kicking chapter.

So I guess we should consider ourselves about even, Canada. We beat up that freeloading Easy-Bake Oven you sent down here for handouts, and you tricked us at your own weird version of our game. We'll call it a wash.

Dan is on Twitter. They would've never  found HitchBOT if he made it to Baltimore.

The start of another football season in both the NFL and college ranks is still a couple of months away, but our friends north of the border in the Canadian Football League are ready to get another season of action underway in a little more than two weeks.

Doc's Sports has you covered with the latest CFL futures odds to win this season's Grey Cup, and the following is a brief betting report for all nine teams.

Calgary Stampeders: 10-3

Calgary rode a straight-up 15-3 record into last season's Grey Cup playoffs and all the way to a league title with a 20-16 victory over Hamilton in the championship game after closing as a seven-point favorite on Odds Shark's betting odds. The Stampeders were a profitable team to wager on last season with a 13-6-1 record against the spread, including a 7-1-1 record ATS at home.

This team remains stacked on offense behind both Bo Levi Mitchell and Drew Tate at quarterback and Jon Cornish running the ball. The only significant loss on defense was linebacker Shawn Lemon, so there should be little drop-off on either side of the ball in 2015.

Saskatchewan Roughriders: 5-1

The Roughriders finished third in the West Division behind Calgary and Edmonton with a SU record of 10-8. They were a costly 7-12 ATS, and their season came to an end with an 18-10 loss to the Eskimos in the playoffs as 7.5-point road underdogs.

The outlook for 2015 remains positive as the second overall favorite to win a title. Much of Saskatchewan's chances will hinge on the health of quarterback Darian Durant, who missed a good part of last season due to injury.

Edmonton Eskimos: 11-2

Edmonton could bring a ton of value to the table this season as a third favorite to win the Grey Cup after posting a SU 12-6 record last season. Calgary ended up hammering the Eskimos, who were 6.5-point road underdogs, 43-18 in the West Division final, and Edmonton's season ended at 13-7 ATS. This included a 9-2 record ATS as favorites.

Mike Reilly should remain Edmonton's primary signal-caller for 2015, but the Eskimos also have a solid arm in Matt Nichols, so they should once again be one of the top scoring teams in the league.

British Columbia Lions: 6-1

The Lions finished fourth in the West last season at an even 9-9 both SU and ATS. They are expected to hold that position as the fourth favorite to win a title in 2015 with some stiff competition ahead of them in the division standings.

Jeff Tedford takes over the reins as BC's new head coach after a successful career in the college ranks at California. The key to turning things around will be the play of Travis Lulay at quarterback. He should have no problem racking up the passing yards as long as he can stay healthy.

Hamilton Tiger-Cats: 13-2

Hamilton may be the fifth team on the list when it comes to the Grey Cup futures odds, but it should once again be the class of a watered-down East Division after going 9-9 SU last year. The Tiger-Cats made a strong showing in last season's Grey Cup loss after closing out the season with a 6-1 record ATS in their final seven games.

Zach Collaros is rapidly developing into one of the best young quarterbacks in the CFL, and the addition of wide receiver Spencer Watt gives him another solid weapon in the passing game. Better play on the road could be the key to another division crown after going just 2-7 SU in 2014.

Montreal Alouettes: 8-1

Montreal was able to overcome a painfully slow start to pull to an even 9-9 on the year, but it made an ugly exit from the postseason with a 40-24 loss to Hamilton in the East Division final as a three-point road underdog. The Alouettes were another team that struggled to win on the road at 3-6 SU (3-5-1 ATS).

Jonathan Crompton is penciled in as the team's starting quarterback, but Brandon Bridge could move into the starting role if the Alouettes offense once again struggles out of the gate.

Toronto Argonauts: 8-1

The Argonauts missed the playoffs last season after falling to 8-10 SU on the year, and they were slightly worse ATS at 7-11. Like most of the teams in the East, they knew how to win at home with a record of 6-3, but they went just 2-7 SU in nine road games.

Ricky Ray is probably the top gunslinger in the CFL at quarterback, so much of Toronto's chances to turn things around will depend upon how his surgically repaired shoulder holds up.

Winnipeg Blue Bombers: 17-2

The Blue Bombers improved to 7-11 SU (8-9-1 ATS) on the year in their first season in the West Division after winning just three games the season before as bottom-dwellers in the East. They started the season on a 5-1 SU run. However, as their offense basically ground to a halt, they proceeded to lose 10 of their final 12 games.

The outlook for a winning season in 2015 remains in doubt mainly because of the stiff competition Winnipeg will face in the stacked West Division. Richie Hall was brought in as the team's new defensive coordinator to help clean up a unit that allowed a total of 481 points last season.

Ottawa Redblacks: 20-1

The expansion Redblacks played true to expectations in their inaugural season in the CFL with a SU record of 2-16, but they did cover in six of their 18 games as an underdog in every contest. The lone ray of hope was a 4-4-1 record ATS at home.

It will be a couple more seasons before Ottawa will legitimately compete for a playoff spot in the East, but hiring Jason Mass as its new offensive coordinator has to be seen as a step in the right direction. The Redblacks scored an average of just 15.4 points a game last year.

Former Alabama quarterback Blake Sims wasn't chosen in the 2015 NFL draft and is now taking his talents north of the border to the Canadian Football League.   

Everett Sports Marketing announced Wednesday that Sims has signed with the Toronto Argonauts on a three-year contract:

Sims stuck with the Alabama program and showed exemplary patience before finally getting his shot to lead the Crimson Tide as a fifth-year senior in 2014. He guided Alabama to the inaugural College Football Playoff, posting a 12-2 record as starter with 35 total touchdowns.

Once his time in Tuscaloosa had ended, Sims reflected on his days at the school and the road ahead, per Alabama offensive coordinator Lane Kiffin:

Although Sims has to put his NFL dreams on hold for the time being, he still has a chance to play professional football and hone his craft against some of the better players in the world.

Scott Mitchell of the Calgary Sun believes Sims' athleticism could translate to his being an effective running back if he can't stick under center:

Wednesday's announcement indicates Sims fully intends to play quarterback for Toronto. Based on the team's current circumstances, he should at least have a chance to gain valuable reps before the 2015 season starts.

Incumbent Argonauts starting QB Ricky Ray underwent offseason shoulder surgery and reported to Wednesday's rookie minicamp only to watch, per the Canadian Press (via CTVNews.ca). Ray guided Toronto to the Grey Cup in 2012, so he'll have every opportunity to continue leading the team if and when he's healthy enough.

In the meantime, Sims will vie for time with presumptive Ray successor Trevor Harris and Mitchell Gale. There figures to be a lot of competition for Sims to see the field for the Argonauts, but he is no stranger to that given his time in Tuscaloosa.

Former NFL quarterback Pat White has decided to call it a career in the Canadian Football League after a brief stint with the Edmonton Eskimos. 

Michael David Smith of ProFootballTalk reported the news on Thursday, throwing some shade at former Miami Dolphins general manager Jeff Ireland in the process:

Eskimos general manager Ed Hervey sent his best to the 29-year-old White upon hearing of his retirement.

"Pat was a true professional during his time in Edmonton, on and off the field," said Hervey, via the CFL's official website. "We wish him much success in the future."

Defensive lineman Mathieu Boulay praised White's humility for playing special teams during his time in Edmonton:

In White's final action with the Eskimos in 2014, he completed five of his nine passes for 54 yards and a touchdown and logged 35 carries for another 159 yards and four scores, according to CFL.ca.

White was the 44th overall pick in the 2009 NFL draft and was meant to figure into a Dolphins QB competition and utilize his unique athleticism as a Wildcat threat and receiver. None of this ever came to fruition.

The West Virginia college star never found success in the pros. After failing to complete a pass on five attempts as a rookie in Miami, he was waived the following year and returned to the NFL only briefly with Washington in 2013.

Because of the spread system he played in during his college heyday, White never quite adjusted to pro-style schematics, had marginal arm talent and a slight 6'0" frame. These factors stacked the deck against White's evolution into a prolific passer.

While it might be a slightly bitter end for White on the gridiron, those who witnessed his collegiate career won't soon forget the dual-threat dynamo who starred in Morgantown.

The Calgary Stampeders are the Canadian Football League champions in 2014. The Stampeders knocked off the Hamilton Tiger-Cats 20-16 to claim the 102nd Grey Cup.

Stampeders quarterback Bo Levi Mitchell didn't throw a touchdown pass, but he threw for 334 yards and earned game MVP honors.

Throughout the game, Mitchell showed escapability and the penchant for extending drives. He proved himself to be a leader in the truest sense of the word. His accuracy was key. At one point, he completed 10 straight passes.

After jumping out to a 17-0 lead, the Stampeders had to turn back a determined Hamilton squad to hold on to the four-point win. The Tiger-Cats would score nine points in the fourth quarter, but couldn't punch the ball into the end zone.

That and a special teams miscue cost them the game. Brandon Banks returned a punt for an apparent touchdown, but it was called back because of a blocking in the back penalty against Taylor Reed. That penalty negated the big return and took the Tiger-Cats out of range to take the lead.

In defeat, Zach Collaros threw for 342 yards. He hit Banks for a 40-yard score in the second quarter. Hamilton wide receiver Andy Fantuz was named top Canadian in the game. He caught six passes for 81 yards.

Stampeders leading rusher Jon Cornish had only 23 yards on the ground as it appeared Calgary used his presence as a decoy. Cornish said as much during a postgame interview on ESPN 2. The use of play action bought Mitchell time and was partially responsible for the quarterback not taking a single sack in the game.

Backup quarterback Drew Tate did all of the scoring on the ground for the Stampeders. He was able to find paydirt twice from short yardage. 

The win gave Calgary its seventh Grey Cup in team history. It was its first since 2008 when current head coach and general manager John Hufnagel was in his first year as the head man for the team. Hufnagel now has four total Grey Cup titles to his credit. One came as a player with the Winnipeg Blue Bombers.

He is the favorite to be named coach of the year for the second time when the award is announced in February. This latest accomplishment has only added to his case as a sure-shot CFL Hall of Famer.

During the acceptance of the CFL's top trophy, Hufnagel paid tribute to team founder John Forzani, who passed away on Oct. 31 after suffering a heart attack.

Calgary was the best team throughout the 2014 CFL regular season. It put up an impressive 15-3 record and was expected to win the Grey Cup. Hufnagel's team was able to get the monkey off its back after disappointing postseason performances since 2008.

The team reached the playoffs in each season but made just one Grey Cup since its last title. Finally, the Stampeders have reached the pinnacle of the CFL again.

Hamilton again got to the doorstep of a Grey Cup triumph, but couldn't produce the victory. In 2013, Hamilton reached the final game but fell 45-23 to the Saskatchewan Roughriders. Because of how close the team came this year, the most recent loss is likely the toughest to swallow.

The Tiger-Cats' future is uncertain after yet another near-miss. On the winner's side, things look far more stable.

Mitchell's time with the Stampeders doesn't appear to be coming to an end anytime soon. The team signed the 23-year-old to an extension in January. With him at the helm and with Hufnagel presumably returning to his role, the Stampeders have to be seen as the team to beat again next season.

For the fifth time in as many seasons, a new CFL champion will be crowned Sunday when the Calgary Stampeders and Hamilton Tiger-Cats square off in the 102nd Grey Cup.

As expected, both teams have the look of champions entering Sunday. The Stamps (15-3) took care of business against the Edmonton Eskimos behind five total touchdowns from Bo Levi Mitchell on the way to the 43-18 victory.

The Ti-Cats (9-9) put on an impressive show against the Montreal Alouettes on the way to a 40-24 triumph thanks to a pair of touchdowns from both Brandon Banks and Nic Grigsby.

The results set up a rematch of the 1999 Grey Cup, where the Ti-Cats will look to hoist their first title since 1999, the Stamps since 2008.

Game Info

When: Sunday, November 30, 6 p.m. ET

Where: BC Place Stadium, Vancouver, British Columbia

Watch: TSN, RDS

Live Stream: RDS.CA

Preview

These two know each other quite well.

In fact, the two sides met twice this season. Week 4 was a gritty 10-7 win for Calgary, with a second meeting four weeks later going to a 30-20 finish in favor of the Stamps once more.

Still, it can be difficult to take too much away from the season sweep. Since then Hamilton has dropped just three games and Calgary has its known issues when it comes to finishing. Last year the team collapsed after a 14-win season and dropped the West final to the Saskatchewan Roughriders, 35-13.

The good news for Calgary is that it has won six of its last seven and allowed just 19 points per game in that stretch. As a whole, the team ranks second in points allowed and second in red-zone defense.

Even better, questions under center have been answered. The aforementioned 24-year-old Mitchell had a breakout game last time out and has the full trust of head coach John Hufnagel, as captured by Arash Madani of SportsNet.ca:

Even if Mitchell should struggle under the bright lights of the Grey Cup, he is sure to have some serious help from his backfield. 

Calgary averages 28.4 points per game and 144 rushing yards per game thanks to the efforts of running back Jon Cornish, who has now led the league in rushing for three consecutive seasons. 

His 1,082 rushing yards in just nine games of work were enough to secure the Most Outstanding Canadian award, as his team captures on Twitter:

None of this is to suggest one should count out Kent Austin's team, though. Despite the .500 mark, it is easy to forget that the Ti-Cats made it this far last season only to be upended by those same Roughriders.

Zach Collaros is the man under center for the Ti-Cats, who replaces Henry Burris this season. He was sound in last week's win with 199 yards and was only helped by Banks, who took a pair of punts back for touchdowns, the second one being of the must-see variety.

Both teams have plenty of big-game experience, momentum and have grown by leaps and bounds since their two encounters earlier this season.

The third has everything swinging in the balance.

Prediction

One man can swing a game like this on his own.

That could apply to either Cornish or Banks by the time Sunday is over, though.

The thing that decides this game, as is the case with any quality football, is the play in the trenches. Calgary has 50 sacks to date on the year, while Hamilton's line has surrendered a gaudy 65.

Now add in the fact Collaros is inexperienced, and one can see why the Stamps have a major advantage. A few pocket breakdowns in a championship match can prove the difference.

Banks will get his on returns, but with Cornish grinding away on the ground and Mitchell capitalizing on lapses through the air, Calgary will be able to pull away in the second half.

Prediction: Calgary 36, Hamilton 28

All stats and info via CFL.CA unless otherwise specified.

Following a pair of decisive victories in the CFL's Division Finals last weekend, the Calgary Stampeders and Hamilton Tiger-Cats will face each other on November 30 in the 102nd Grey Cup.

The Stamps (15-3) and Ti-Cats (9-9) were the top teams in their respective divisions and played like it on Sunday. Hamilton handily dispatched the Montreal Alouettes 40-24 while Calgary beat the Edmonton Eskimos 43-18.

Brandon Banks swung the tide of battle for the Ti-Cats by returning two punts for touchdowns en route to 226 punt return yards, a new playoff record.

Quarterback Zach Collaros had a solid game in his first postseason start, going 18-of-27 for 199 yards through the air. But it was Banks and running back Nic Grigsby (93 rushing yards, 22 receiving yards and two touchdowns) who made the difference offensively.

Hamilton's defense snagged three interceptions to short-circuit Montreal's offense, which actually produced 43 more yards than that of the Tiger-Cats.

Hamilton has now won eight of its last 10 games and appears to have some good momentum built up going into the Grey Cup.

The Stampeders are also on a bit of a roll. They've won six of their last seven, giving up only 19 points per game during that stretch while scoring 29.6 points per game.

In addition to the success, Calgary will be going into the Grey Cup with as healthy a roster as they've had in quite some time.

Running back Jon Cornish, who led the league in rushing with 1,082 yards despite playing in just nine regular-season games, appears to be healthy and ready to go after picking up 174 all-purpose yards and two TDs last weekend in the Division Final against Edmonton.

Bo Levi Mitchell, who was sidelined for three games during the season, threw for 336 yards and four TDs in his first postseason start last weekend.

After missing all of October and most of November, linebacker Charleston Hughes was back in the lineup last Sunday, earning a tackle in the win.

For the Tiger-Cats, this will be their second straight trip to the championship game after getting trounced 45-23 by the Saskatchewan Roughriders in last year's Grey Cup. Although they are still fairly young—and they have a different QB this year, with Collaros replacing Henry Burris—they should be able to use last year's experience to their advantage.

The Stamps made it to the Grey Cup in 2012, where they too were soundly defeated, losing 35-22 to the Toronto Argonauts. 

Like Hamilton, they also have a different quarterback now—Kevin Glenn was Calgary's QB in 2012—but largely feature the same roster which will be drawing on that Grey Cup experience when it takes the field on Sunday.

Calgary and Hamilton faced each other twice in the regular season, with the Stampeders winning both matchups. However, both came in the first half of the season while the Ti-Cats were struggling.

With both teams currently on a roll, it is really anybody's game to win.

The 102nd Grey Cup gets underway at BC Place in Vancouver, British Columbia, at 6:00 pm ET on Sunday.

Follow me on Twitter @calgaryjimbo.

In my humble opinion, one of the big differences between how Canadian football and American football are played is the way quarterbacks do their jobs. With the longer, wider field, if a QB finds an opening, he's going for a run. And those runs rarely end with him sliding feet-first to avoid the hit.

Bo Levi Mitchell of the Calgary Stampeders is a perfect example.

As the starter for the Stamps this year, Mitchell is making a case for consideration as the CFL's MVP. He's currently third in passing (2,426 yards), second in touchdown passes (15) and first in QB rating (100.5). 

Mitchell has also set a CFL record as of Saturday's decisive 41-34 win over the Edmonton Eskimos—he has now started his career with a 12-1 record, which no one has ever done. Not Warren Moon, not Ron Lancaster, not Joe Thiesmann, not Doug Flutie and not Jeff Garcia.

Another facet where he has excelled this year has been running the ball. He has rushed 25 times for 186 yards and four touchdowns, in spite of the fact that backup QB Drew Tate has been handling most of the short-yardage duties this season.

Part of what Mitchell is doing when running the ball—what many CFL quarterbacks do—is putting his head down and going for the extra yardage while scrambling, rather than wimping out and trotting to the sidelines or sliding when the defense gets close.

This was the case once again on Saturday in Edmonton.

In the third quarter, with Calgary already up 24-10, Mitchell took the snap on Edmonton's 20-yard line. Seeing no open receivers, Mitchell scrambled through a seam in the pocket. Slipping a tackle at the line of scrimmage, he scampered forward, beating three more Eskimos by juking and powering forward before finally diving at the goal line to sneak the ball past the goal-line pylon for the major.

See the play on CFL.ca here. 

And that's not the first time this year Mitchell has powered through the defense for a touchdown. Check out this play on a faked field goal where Mitchell takes the snap, sprints left around the O-line and takes three pretty good shots on his 10-yard run to the end zone.

And that, to me, is just classic CFL-style football.

In spite of the fact that the league has always played a pass-first style, in spite of how critical it is to have a quality passer under centre to win games, QBs in the CFL game are rarely pure pocket passers. If you can't scramble and use the big field to your advantage, this is not the league for you.

Bo Levi Mitchell seems to have that part of the Canadian game pretty well figured out.

Follow me on Twitter @calgaryjimbo