The stretch run is on in the Canadian Football League, Montreal is the only team to clinch a playoff spot with six weeks left in the regular season. That said, the standings aren’t the only place uncertainty prevails: Ottawa, Hamilton, Calgary, Edmonton, and B.C. have experimented with multiple quarterbacks.
Let’s take a look East to West, starting in the nation's capital. The RedBlacks have generally been happy with Dru Brown and his progression as a starting QB. However, an injury and an off game last week against Hamilton has given a fully healed Jeremiah Masoli an opportunity to direct the offence. In limited time, Masoli has completed 74 percent of his passes, but his touchdown to interception ratio 3-2 hasn’t given him the outright nod, as head coach Bob Dyce has already named Brown the starter this week against the Alouettes.
In Hamilton, the Tiger-Cats have the most proficient offence in terms of net yards and passing yards. Bo Levi Mitchell leads the league in passing, however, his penchant for throwing interceptions has hurt the team at critical times and cost them games. Head coach Scott Milanovich went to backup Tyler Powell to find a spark and a way to protect the ball. Powell’s injury, though, has kept him sidelined, derailing Milanovich’s plan.
In Calgary, Jake Maier has been hot and cold. Unfortunately, the Stamps' quarterback insurance policy, Matt Shiltz, was placed on the six-game injured list and just returned last week. Maier was good in that Stamps tie against Montreal but there are definite question marks after he was benched in the Labour Day rematch for Logan Bonner.
In Edmonton, the team has gone back and forth between McLeod Bethel-Thompson and Tre Ford after starting the year 0-7. In a twist, after MBT beat Calgary in back-to-back weeks before their bye, the Elks said they will go back to Ford, who will get the call this week when Edmonton opens a home-and-home series with Winnipeg.
Lastly, on the west coast, B.C. has committed long-term to Canadian pivot Nathan Rourke but insist the team will not move Vernon Adams Jr., who was playing at a Most Outstanding Player pace before getting hurt. To add further intrigue, Adams Jr. is healthy and was inserted into the game at halftime in the Leos loss to Toronto on Saturday. That was after Rourke had directed a touchdown drive going into halftime. Who will be QB1 in Vancouver? It's an open question.
How does this uncertainty at quarterback affect a team? Legendary Saskatchewan Roughriders receiver Jeff Fairholm was in the huddle with the best two-quarterback tandem in Rider history, Kent Austin and Tom Burgess.
“When we were playing with Kent and Tommy, it was 1A and 1B, we had a great team. Everyone was all in, we had very selfless players and it was all about teamwork," Fairholm said.
In that 1989 season, Austin completed 56.7 percent of his passes for 2,650 yards with 16 touchdowns and 12 interceptions. Burgess completed 47.4 percent of his throws for 2,540 yards with 22 touchdowns and 18 interceptions. Fairholm believes it was their teamwork in the play-offs that was special.
“When Kent didn't play that great in the Western Final and got nicked up, Tommy came in and won the game for us. Then to start the Grey Cup game, they put Kent in. Tom never said a word, but Tom during the Grey Cup was very helpful.”
So helpful that he set up the highlight catch of Fairholm’s career.
“The touchdown pass for 75 yards, it was Tom that came over to me and said: 'Can you beat so and so over the top?' And I said: 'Yes.' Next play, guess what happened? Kent threw the ball over the top, and it was a touchdown.”
As magical as the time was for the Riders, Fairholm knew the two-quarterback system would not last.
“Look what happened to Tom the year after; he asked for a trade and was traded to Winnipeg and went on to win the Grey Cup with them. Two quarterbacks are not going to last. As good a guy as Tom is and was, that's not going to last because they all want to play.”
Are two quarterbacks better than one? The Riders have proven the short-term success that system can bring, but over the long haul, it likely would not be sustainable.
The Roughriders are back on the field Friday night when Saskatchewan heads to Calgary to take on the Stampeders. Countdown to Kick-off begins with Justin Dunk and Wes Cates at 4:30 p.m. Luc Mullinder, and I will join in at 6:30 p.m. with the kick-off to follow at 7:30 p.m. on the Co-operators Roughrider Radio Network.
