Adam Gagnon/CFL.ca
Week 5’s three-game slate, combined with predictable results in Edmonton (Esks win) and Ottawa (Stamps win), meant there was little ground to be gained in #TotalPickEm.
With a full, four-game schedule and a number of toss-ups, this week definitely has the potential to shake things up on the global leaderboard.
NOTE: Beginning this week, the pick’em player with the best individual score for the week will win a pair of tickets, courtesy of Total, to any 2018 regular-season game of their choice.
Thursday | Saskatchewan at Hamilton (7:30 p.m. ET)
Thursday Night Football pits the Riders against the Ticats at Tim Hortons Field, bringing with it a number of key questions.
Can the Ticats close out a ballgame? Is Jeremiah Masoli elite? Will Brandon Bridge-slash-David Watford be able to move the chains consistently for Saskatchewan?
The majority of players are taking the Ticats on home turf.
So should you: Jeremiah Masoli and the Hamilton offence are unlikely to be shut down in back-to-back games by any defence, and the Ticats should come to ball with pole position in the East Division theirs for the taking.
PICK: Hamilton
Friday | BC at Ottawa (7:30 p.m. ET)
The second-half Lions were an entirely different story from the first-half Lions last week against Winnipeg.
The REDBLACKS, meanwhile, were simply inconsequential from start to finish in their 24-point home loss against Calgary.
Week 6 pits the two against each other — BC reinvigorated by the return of Travis Lulay, Ottawa looking for a redemptive performance following last week’s blowout defeat.
It looks like most pick’em players are of the same mind as Bombers fans — that Winnipeg lost last week’s game, as opposed to BC having earned the comeback victory — and don’t see a repeat performance in the nation’s capital.
The skinny: Ottawa has far too many offensive weapons to continue its trend of sub-20-point offensive outings. BC’s defence has been inconsistent at best, and is now without its leader in the six-gamed Solomon Elimimian.
PICK: Ottawa
Saturday | Winnipeg at Toronto (4 p.m. ET)
The Bombers have demons to exorcise, while the Argos are still adjusting to life with James Franklin at the helm.
Saturday afternoon’s contest could well be decided in the trenches; can Winnipeg pressure Franklin and stifle the run; how difficult can the Argos front seven make life for Matt Nichols; will Andrew Harris get the blocking necessary to be his usual tank self on the ground?
The Bombers are favoured and rightly so: Nichols is better than Franklin on paper, as is Harris to James Wilder Jr. (marginally).
But, if you’re looking for an upset pick this week: Think Toronto. The Boatmen tackle well, will be amped up at home and did just beat a western opponent in T.O. two weeks ago.
Of course, the choice is up to you.
PICK: Toronto
Saturday | Montreal at Calgary (9 p.m. ET)
On paper, this is a no-brainer: The 4-0 Stamps against the 1-3 Alouettes.
But keep in mind: QB Bo Levi Mitchell might not play for Calgary, leaving rookie Nick Arbuckle to make his first CFL start, and the Alouettes defence has turned in a handful of decent defensive performances this year.
Welp. Not much faith in Montreal from pick’em players.
I get it: Even without Bo Levi in the lineup, the Stamps still boast elite players all over the field, and have been at the complete opposite side of the success spectrum from Montreal since last season.
On the other side of the matchup, Drew Willy returns at QB for the Als — not exactly a vote of confidence.
This would be the ultimate safe bet if BLM was in the lineup; as is, it’s still pretty much a lock.
PICK: Calgary
