The BC Lions muddied many a #TotalPickEm slate in Week 9, and will be looking to stay hot this week in a Saturday afternoon trip to Toronto.
Elsewhere around the league, three other matchups offer plenty of intrigue.
In #TotalPickEm, players are competing for a $5,000 end-of-season cash prize. In addition, the best predictor each week wins two tickets to any 2018 regular-season CFL game of their choice.
So, whether you’ve been invested in this from day one, or you’re just creating your profile and locking in your first picks of the season: You have something to play for.
Let’s take a look at the Week 10 matchups.
Friday | Ottawa at Winnipeg
The REDBLACKS will head west for a date with the Bombers at IGF to kick off Week 10 play.
Both squads sit at 5-3 — Ottawa atop the East Division, Winnipeg tied for second in the West — but have gone about their business differently; the Bombers are plus-98, while Ottawa is plus-15.
Given their respective performances last week — Winnipeg downing a game Hamilton team, the REDBLACKS struggling against last-place Montreal — it’s no surprise pick’em players are favouring the Bombers heavily.
The ground game could factor heavily: Both Trevor Harris and Matt Nichols are firmly planted in that second tier of starting quarterbacks, so the difference on offence could come down to the production of Andrew Harris vs. William Powell.
PICK: Winnipeg
Saturday | BC at Toronto
Wally Buono’s Lions have been a different team since Travis Lulay returned under centre in Week 5, and the Toronto Argonauts appear (small sample size) to be headed in the same direction with McLeod Bethel-Thompson at QB.
Saturday’s contest at BMO Field should be Toronto’s biggest attendance of the season — the ‘ex’ is on, and the team is expecting a bumper crowd.
Don’t call it a toss-up, but this is certainly a tougher one to call than, say, the second game of Saturday’s doubleheader.
BC looked very, very good defensively against Mike Reilly and the Esks last week; Toronto is fresh off a bye, which may have doused some of the momentum from the incredible comeback against Ottawa in Week 8.
Tough call, but we’re all-in on the Travis Lulay comeback train.
PICK: BC
Saturday | Montreal at Edmonton
Johnny Manziel and the Alouettes head west for a date with Edmonton at Commonwealth Stadium in the Saturday nightcap.
At 1-7, Montreal’s season is hanging in the balance of these next few games (@ EDM, v TOR, @ OTT); the Esks, meanwhile, need to sort their disciplinary issues out ASAP.
This is one of the most lopsided pick’em matchups in recent memory, and it’s easy to see why: This is a 5-3 western team — angry off a loss, which they probably see as self-inflicted (14 penalties, 132 yards) — against a 1-7 eastern team.
As some of our previous pick’em leaders who’ve since tumbled down the standings can tell you: Take the automatic points.
PICK: Edmonton
Sunday | Calgary at Saskatchewan
Week 10 closes in Regina with an intriguing West Division matchup between the undefeated Stamps and wayward Riders.
Calgary’s fresh off a bye week, and the terrifying thing is Dave Dickenson’s team still hasn’t hit its stride offensively; Saskatchewan is anchored to the bottom of the West and just cut its best player.
That said, Saskatchewan’s defence is usually good enough to keep the team in games — which might account for the 26 per cent of pick’em players taking the Riders on home turf. Then again, it might just be the team’s passionate fan base.
Calgary is a fairly safe bet, especially if Bo Levi Mitchell and the offence can work out their kinks.
PICK: Calgary
Week 9: 1-2
Season: 22-12 (.647)
