CFL.ca Photo/Johany Jutras
Week 5 played out just as most people expected it to — until its final quarter.
On the global leaderboard, oilslick remains in first place despite dropping a game (Calgary-Ottawa) this week; former leader eyeofthetigercats went 3-0 and now sits a single game point swing behind him in first.
Reminder: That leaderboard matters, because #TotalPickEm has a $5,000 cash prize.
Let’s take a look at how players did this week.
The Stampeder defence dominated Ottawa from start to finish, preventing the REDBLACKS from capitalizing on the fact Bo Levi Mitchell left the game in the second quarter.
The vast majority of players went with the safe bet — Calgary was 16-0 off a bye week dating back to 2005, and generally has a better roster — but a decent minority did take the REDBLACKS as an underdog bet.
Thursday’s contest was never close; most players should think twice before picking against the Stamps, who now have Montreal at home, Sask. away and BC at home. Three winnable contests.
Whether it was due to the torrential downpour in Edmonton or not, neither the Esks nor Argos got going offensively on Friday night as the team’s battled to a 16-15 decision in favour of the hosts.
Few gave Toronto a chance of sweeping the back-to-back, but #TotalPickEm players voted overwhelmingly against the Argos — a vote share likely based more on historic trends and pedigrees, think Reilly vs. Franklin, than actual on-field results this season.
The Argos now have a home-and-home with an inconsistent Winnipeg outfit, while Edmonton heads into a bye then a visit to Montreal. Interesting matchups across the board.
The return of Travis Lulay resulted in a ridiculous, 17-point comeback for the hosts that virtually nobody saw coming.
With the 10 p.m. ET start time, and 17-0 Bomber lead at the half, I understand why some people might have tuned out; in doing so, however, they missed the finish of the season thus far.
Credit where it’s due: 32 per cent of players stuck with the Lions, and were rewarded.
Going forward, it’s tough to tell whether Mike O’Shea’s Bombers can be classified as a great team — and whether BC might be a viable option against Ottawa on the road next week.
Week 5: 2-1
Overall: 13-6
