A month of CFL football in the books.
We’ve seen plenty of exciting down-to-the-wire finishes, big plays, touchdowns, interceptions, and much more so far.
What’s in store for Week 5?
Here are four storylines to keep an eye on as the summer heats up across the country.
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CAN VERNON ADAMS JR. THROW A TD IN THE STAMPEDE BOWL?
Winnipeg at Calgary | Thursday, July 3 | 9:00 p.m. ET | TSN/CBSSN/CFL+
The Calgary Stampeders are 2-1 on the season and that’s thanks in large part to a balanced offensive attack, through the air and on the ground, and some timely scores from their defence (I see you, Adrian Greene).
Surprisingly enough though, Vernon Adams Jr. has yet to throw a touchdown pass in 2025. We know that Big Play VA can throw strikes in the end zone. He threw 31 (second-most in the CFL) in 2023 and 16 in 2024. But can he get his first of the year this week?
It’ll be a tough task going against a Blue Bombers defence that has allowed just three touchdowns through the air this season, only Hamilton has fewer with two.
Look for Adams Jr. to try to score his first major through the air in the inaugural Stampede Bowl at McMahon Stadium.
FIRST BATTLE OF THE QEW OF 2025
Hamilton at Toronto | Friday, July 4 | 7:30 p.m. ET | TSN/RDS/CFL+
The first meeting between the heated rival Toronto Argonauts and Hamilton Tiger-Cats features two teams who are coming off their first wins of 2025.
Both squads won last week on the strength of their defences.
Rookie defensive back Derek Slywka was the hero for the Argos, scoring twice in his team’s win: one on a fumble recovery he returned 105 yards to the house and one on a blocked field goal he picked up and ran 120 yards for six points. The 24-year-old became the first player to score a 100+ yard defensive return touchdown and a 100+ yard kick return touchdown in the same game.
The Ticats had a rookie and a vet score their first CFL touchdowns against Montreal. First-year linebacker Devin Veresuk scored a pick-six in his first start and Julian Howsare, in his seventh year, picked up a McLeod Bethel-Thompson fumble in the end zone for a touchdown.
You won’t want to miss the first meeting of the year between these rivals as each will be looking to take the momentum from their Week 4 wins into Week 5.
QUARTERBACK WATCH
BC at Montreal | Saturday, July 5 | 7:00 p.m. ET | TSN/RDS/CTV/CBSSN/CFL+
As we have been doing for the first few weeks of the season, keeping an eye on the quarterbacks in Saturday’s matchup will be front and centre.
Davis Alexander and Nathan Rourke have both been listed as limited in practice to start the week.
According to a report from TSN’s Farhan Lalji, Nathan Rourke took the majority of first-team reps on Tuesday. A report from RDS’s Eric Leblanc notes that Davis Alexander is expected to miss a second-straight game.
We’ll have to keep an eye on the injury reports the rest of the week as the Lions look to improve on a 1-3 record and the Als hope to bounce back from their first loss of 2025 last week against the Tiger-Cats.
IT’S NOT A MUST-WIN..BUT IT SURE FEELS LIKE IT
Ottawa at Edmonton | Sunday, July 6 | 7:00 p.m. ET | TSN/RDS2/CBSSN/CFL+
It’s only Week 5, so there’s no need to hit the panic button for any team yet, but it sure feels like the Ottawa REDBLACKS and Edmonton Elks need a win this week.
Edmonton has lost their first three games of the season and are looking to avoid falling to 0-4. They kept things close with the Winnipeg Blue Bombers in Week 4, with the game tied heading into the fourth quarter. But Winnipeg did what Winnipeg does best and closed out the game, holding Edmonton completely off the score sheet and scoring 13 points of their own.
Ottawa, on the other hand, has still been without their starting pivot Dru Brown. Dustin Crum made his second-straight start last week against the Toronto Argonauts. Who starts behind centre this week remains to be seen, but Brown was spotted taking first-team reps on Wednesday. Whoever starts on Sunday, the REDBLACKS are hoping to avoid falling to 1-4 this weekend.
Neither team will want to dig any further into a hole to start the campaign. Which of them will get the W to wrap up Week 5?
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