Larry MacDougal/CFL.ca
Berg vs. Ferg returns for another season on CFL.ca as columnists Pat Steinberg and Marshall Ferguson debate over some of the league’s most contentious storylines. This week they weigh in on which of this week’s rematches is more exciting.
A week after Mark’s Labour Day Weekend, revenge is on the minds of the Edmonton Eskimos and Winnipeg Blue Bombers.
Two exciting matchups arrive in Week 12 with annual rematches in Edmonton and Winnipeg, including the always highly-anticipated Banjo Bowl. But which one is more exciting?
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In Alberta, all eyes will be on the Eskimos, who failed to live up to the hype in last week’s Labour Day Classic. After a 7-0 start, the Green and Gold have dropped three straight and will use Saturday’s rematch with the Stamps as an opportunity to measure where they stand in the West.
A couple of provinces over, the Riders and Bombers are putting much more than their three-game season series on the line. With only four points separating second through fifth in the West, the outcome of Saturday’s matchup will alter the West Division landscape in a big way.
With bragging rights on the line, the debate heats up for Pat Steinberg and Marshall Ferguson in this week’s Berg vs. Ferg:
| BERG VS. FERG: LAST WEEK’S RESULTS |
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CFL.ca |
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TOTAL |
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Ferguson – 5,505 (71%) Steinberg – 2,245 (29%) |
Ferguson – 663 (53%) Steinberg – 587 (47%) |
Ferguson – 6,168 (69%) Steinberg – 2,832 (31%) |
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FERG (4-8): PLENTY OF DRAMA FOR THE BANJO BOWL
Marshall Ferguson, CFL.ca
@TSN_Marsh
The Saskatchewan Roughriders and Winnipeg Blue Bombers arguably have more to play for this weekend than any two teams have in the last five weeks of the CFL season.
The Riders’ win at home on Mark’s Labour Day Weekend improved their winning record against the West division once again while Winnipeg’s loss called into question whether those Blue Bombers that crept up many people’s power rankings through the summer were for real or just a mirage.
If the win and loss implications of the matchup don’t do it for you, how about the individual storylines?
Kevin Glenn won yet another Labour Day game for yet another CFL team as a starting quarterback and looks to be exactly the veteran presence needed to harness the youth and excitement oozing from the Riders’ locker room onto the field on game day.
His opposing quarterback, Matt Nichols, has been efficient and effective through the summer months but struggled on Labour Day, completing only two passes deeper than 14 yards down field. Game plan aside, Nichols has to set the trend NOW that he can lead a team into cold weather and be more than a check down artist.
As always, there is controversy and a plethora of off-the-field storylines going into this one, but they are the bun which surrounds the delicious two-foot-long Regina hot dog know as on-field competition.
The Banjo Bowl will be won or lost on a couple of big plays in the fourth quarter in front of a packed house in Winnipeg. The game features two teams desperate to stay in the West Division conversation, individual matchups which make your mind twist and some of the game’s best fans.
How could it get any better than that?!
BERG (8-4): YOUR MOVE, EDMONTON, AND WE’RE ALL WATCHING
Pat Steinberg, CFL.ca
@Fan960Steinberg
I’m really looking forward to the annual Labour Day rematch between the Calgary Stampeders and Edmonton Eskimos. The atmosphere was electric in Monday’s opening act, at least until the Stampeders took total control of the game. But, despite the convincing nature of Calgary’s 39-18 Labour Day win, there’s still plenty to sink your teeth into for Saturday’s rematch.
This is a huge game for the Eskimos. Because they were outmatched in so many different areas on Monday, Edmonton has to be looking at this as a true measuring stick for where they truly are. The two areas I’ll be looking at most, though, will be on either side of the line, because that’s where the Esks had their biggest issues against the Stamps.
On the offensive line, Edmonton struggled keeping Calgary’s pass rush at bay and quarterback Mike Reilly was on the run all day. And the once-dominant, now-injury ravaged Eskimos’ defensive line really had trouble getting any type of penetration on the other side.
The Stampeders are the class of the league right now, so Edmonton has a benchmark to measure against. For me, the Eskimos’ performance on Saturday will go a long way in how I view them down the stretch.
This is a pretty crucial game for Calgary, too. The Stamps were so good in virtually every area on Monday and seem to keep getting better during this six-game win streak. But can they have a similar performance again? More importantly, though, the Stamps have an opportunity to strike a huge blow in the West Division. Not only will a win move Calgary two games clear of its provincial rivals, it will also seal the season series in its favour with one more game to come. That’s some pretty solid incentive to bring a similar effort from last weekend.
I was hoping Monday’s Labour Day Classic would be a little more competitive because it was so hyped and because the atmosphere was so great. As things flip to Commonwealth this weekend, I still think the ingredients exist for a great rematch. It’ll be loud, both teams will be fired up and I’m expecting a much more competitive ball game. I still think this is must-see-TV.
DON’T SIT ON THE FENCE!
While both sides are pretty convincing, someone’s got to take it. Whose argument convinced you the most?
You can vote for this week’s winner both on CFL.ca and Twitter. Meanwhile, continue the conversation by tweeting @Fan960Steinberg and @TSN_Marsh.
The winner will be revealed in the following week’s Berg vs. Ferg.
