Aside from Montreal it looks like eastern division teams can actually play with the west this year. It's going to be interesting if they can keep it up and shut the door on a crossover come November. An actual eastern division playoff would be refreshing but can you imagine the carnage in the west come September/October?
Two weeks in, it does look like 3/4 of the East, will be quite competitive. I'm including the Arg.... who, right now at half-time against CAL, look like they're headed for 0-2. Chances are, though, they'll be better after their upcoming bye week.
With a victory in their home opener, the Cats may well be alone in first place after Week 3 where the two-colours go to CAL and the winless-with-wings three-colours play in Regina. That would be something I certainly didn't expect to happen, going into the season with HAM's tough early schedule.
Toronto is stinking up BMO and now Ray is out.
Argos on their way to a 60-1 - Type loss. 98 yards passing and 40 rushing through 3 quarters.
Ya think Calgary had something to prove tonight?
Its way too early to tell if east can keep up. Usually there is one team in the east that is competitive, rest stink.
So far it looks like it will be Hamilton and Ottawa fighting for 1st. Montreal looks like a disaster again and the Argos could be in deep trouble if Ray's injury is serious.
I'm willing to wager that if indeed Toronto is one of the three teams that miss the play-offs ( Montreal missing is a foregone conclusion) that the third team missing out this year will be Saskatchewan in the West .
My crystal ball is also telling me that it will be either the Eskies or Lions that will crossover .
Calgary once again for the hundredth time it seems will finish first followed by Winnipeg in second in the West .
After that flip a coin between the Lions and Esks for third and fourth and the crossover to the East .
In the East I know it's early but if Ray is out long term based on what I've seen two weeks in I can see a dogfight between us and the TWOCOLOURS for first in the East . Toronto will make a late season surge but will come up just short in catching the final play-off spot in the East . They'll finish up behind us and Ottawa with not enough wins on the season to ward off yet another Western crossover team travelling East for this years Play-offs .
As for Montreal ? Well a few things come to mind.
#1....I'm thinking that our infamous 2003 worst season record of 1-17 is in serious jeopardy of being matched this season or even unbelievably surpassed . Can anybody else say 0 -18 ? :o
#2....The Als going back to last season are currently riding a thirteen game losing streak . They have currently tied the record for most consecutive losses . One more loss to go and the record is all theirs. :o
#2....The CFL has the Alouettes as an answer to the NFL's Cleveland Browns . :o
So in conclusion as an answer to the OP's question about the East being competitive this season ?
I see.....
Two of the four teams ( Ham , Ott ) being competitive with both finishing up with double digit win totals on the season (11 or 12 wins possible for each )
One team (Tor) being rather disappointing and not playing up to the preseason hype that most had for them ( Grey Cup hangover perhaps ? Ray out long term perhaps ? Over-rated ? All of the above ? )
One team (Mtl) See above.......Just might turn out to be the WORST team in CFL history .
Bobo, I hope you are wrong about Montreal going 0-18. Montreal fans are not known for supporting losing teams, and we don’t need another debacle there, forcing us back to 8 teams.
With Toronto attendance shaky, we don’t need similar problems in Montreal. For the good of the CFL, I’m hoping they get the Als back on the right track, the sooner the better.
we're 2 games in. fans were saying the same thing about us last year.
Great read here by Milton, as usual
MILTON: Ticats must translate Western momentum into hometown wins
http://3downnation.com/2018/06/25/milton-ticats-must-translate-western-momentum-hometown-wins/
I don't think we can predict much of anything. We went O-8 and then 6-4 last year.
People forget we were 1-1 in 2016, and had an average season.
We usually stink the first half or second half of the season - cant remember last time we had a complete good season.
Dont bet against Marc Tressman and Jim Popp.
In Ottawa, Harris has another year under his belt and team is only one year removed from being champions.
Montreal, as bad as they look, they have time to gel; they need to get their Oline figured out.
(Jermiah makes our Oline look good, we're not that much better)
And that my friend..... Is why they play the games.
Crash is correct, as usual. Without upsets, sport would be boring. A Rocky Balboa moment is what keeps us engaged in games that would appear to be blowouts . Herm Edwards said "You play to win the game. Hello! ... I don't care if you don't have any wins. You go play to win."
Pat Lynch (congrats to the Als on their upset win)
LOL !!! Wow !!! Well what can I say BUT Go ALS Go . :o ;DI actually only saw the first quarter last night and upon waking up this morning saw what the final score was . I can't say that I was totally shocked but let's say mildly surprised that the Als actually won this game . I think for a good Sunday morning laugh I'll shuffle on over to the RidersFan forum and see what they thought of the game . I'm sure there is more than a few of them ready to leap off the ledge after that final outcome . 
What was the deal with MTL players and the cans of pop on the bench.?
Trying to make a point about someone, something.
I loved it when one did a cheers to the camera and got some on it.
We were wondering about this as well. One guy had a can of diet Dr.Pepper. Hardcore. Lil' Sweet, hardcore.
Maybe Alloutte players prefer a little energy drink instead of hydration. But it was wierd.
(I figured maybe the team has a side deal to market these products)
Is Messam injured or something? I don't see why he wouldn't get touches in a game where they're presumably trying to take heat off the QB.