Patrick Doyle, CFL.ca
TORONTO — Despite their injury-riddled receiving corps, Calgary won’t be feeling as much pressure on their shoulders as Toronto might. However, with a win over the Argos in Week 16, the Stamps cam clinch a playoff spot with their record from here on out being good enough to at least rank fourth in the West Division.
Part 2 of the battle between the felines will shift its way to Hamilton this week when the Lions head to the Hammer to take on the Tiger-Cats. Can we be rewarded with yet another exciting finish?
This week, the CFL.ca writers and you, the fans, are seeing eye-to-eye with each of the matchups tabbed for this weekend with each of the projected winners earning at least 82 per cent of the overall fan votes.
Total CFL Pick ‘Em is back in 2018 with $5,000 to be awarded to the winner who’s able to Pick ‘Em better than all the rest.
*View rules and regulations, including prizing.
RELATED
» LISTEN: The Waggle, Episode 126
» CFL Pick ‘Em: Get your picks in!
» Be the GM in CFL Fantasy
» Your guide to Week 16 of CFL Fantasy
TOR at CGY
A win here secures a playoff spot for the Calgary Stampeders. At the very least, a fourth seed would be secured although it’s unlikely the Stamps will let their predominantly great season slip away in the final month before playoffs.
Eric Rogers’ return will have to wait another week as the team released their depth chart for Friday’s game. Markeith Ambles will get the start in the Stamps lineup. The starting receiving corps have a combined 116 games in the CFL. Comparing that to their Argos counterpart in S.J. Green, they fall short up against his 146 games.
Nonetheless, the pressure will be on McLeod Bethel-Thompson and whether he can get rolling with Green and James Wilder Jr, while also utilizing his newest target in Duron Carter. Bo Levi Mitchell will have much less pressure on his shoulders as he’ll be able to relax with the Stamps dominant defensive unit backing him up.
PICK
Writers: 100% Calgary
Fans: 97% Calgary
BC at HAM
Round 2 of the CFL’s feline rumble will head to Hamilton for the concluding game of this back-to-back series.
The Lions came away with a rather exhilarating game last week as they played the thief in the final seconds of the game, tying the game on the final play of the game and forcing overtime, in which they capitalized off of a missed field goal by Hamilton and kicked their own to win.
The Tiger-Cats will have a sour taste in their mouth this week as they’ll play host. Brandon Banks will also return to the lineup for the Tabbies, which will certainly help Jeremiah Masoli. Banks’ return will also force the Lions to make some defensive adjustments, making them unable to focus on Mike Jones who went off on a 100-yard performance with two touchdowns last week.
PICK
Writers: 83% Hamilton
Fans: 86% Hamilton
WPG at EDM
The Eskimos are coming off of an upsetting loss in the nation’s capital, which could be a fearsome situation for the Blue Bombers, especially when taking in the fact the Esks have only lost once at home all season.
The two teams haven’t met since their Week 1 overtime thriller in a rain-delayed opener to the CFL regular season, and much has changed for either side since then.
The Eskimos are without Derel Walker, which could lead to Duke Williams getting a lot of attention from the Bombers defence. That could open things up for both Bryant Mitchell and running back C.J. Gable, who may have some extra space to work with as the defence gets drawn to Williams.
As for the Bombers, Andrew Harris will likely be leaned on heavily, especially as they go up against one of the worst run defences in the league.
PICK
Writers: 83% Edmonton
Fans: 82% Edmonton
SSK at MTL
Currently sitting in the third spot of the West Division standings, the Saskatchewan Roughriders will head to Montreal on Sunday to take on the Alouettes, a team whose hopes of making the playoffs is slim to none at this point in the season.
The Roughriders have been leaning heavily on their defensive unit, letting their offence be average in terms of production, which certainly won’t fly in the event that they secure a playoff spot to stay in the West, especially if it’s against teams like Calgary or Edmonton.
Johnny Manziel has yet to record a touchdown, whether it be through the air on the ground. Going up against a strong defensive front, however, it could be a game we all see glimpses of that Heisman-winning style as he works around the Saskatchewan pass-rush.
PICK
Writers: 100% Saskatchewan
Fans: 90% Saskatchewan
