Weekly Predictor: Time to earn their stripes

Jamie Nye

CFL.ca

@jamienye

Week 19 treats us with a battle in the East as the top spot has still yet to be determined between the Ottawa REDBLACKS and Hamilton Tiger-Cats. They’ll get the first of their back-to-back underway this week at TD Place.

It’s do or die time for the Edmonton Eskimos. A loss to the BC Lions will just about bring an end to their season. A win, and it will certainly stir up the pot and make things even more interesting than they already are in the West Division. That being said, however, the BC Lions have won five of their last six and show no signs of slowing down.

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With the first game tabbed to kick off on Friday, here are my picks for Week 19 of the CFL season.

HAMILTON @ OTTAWA

Friday | 7:00 p.m. ET

It’s time for this Tiger-Cats team to earn their stripes in the East Division and knock the REDBLACKS off of their reign as the Beast of the East. (Johany Jutras, CFL.ca)

The schedule makers gave us a heck of a finish in the East Division by putting these two teams against each other in back to back weeks. They just so happen to be tied for top spot as well.

Ottawa is coming off back to back losses against West Division opponents, while the Tiger-Cats just beat up on the Toronto Argonauts. These two teams have had very different back halves of the season. Hamilton has won five of their last seven, while Ottawa has won just two of their last six.

I think the trend continues as the Tiger-Cats are starting to look like the team some had predicted to get to the Grey Cup with a full season of June Jones on the sideline.

I do think the Ottawa REDBLACKS are a dangerous team with a lot of weapons to match what Hamilton has. I could see this being a 35-33 type game.

PICK: HAMILTON (33% confidence)

EDMONTON @ B.C.

Friday | 10:00 p.m. ET

The BC Lions are a scary team right now. That’s bad news for the Edmonton Eskimos who will be in a must-win situation this week in order to keep their playoff hopes alive. (The Canadian Press)

Two big wins for both these teams and the Edmonton Eskimos are pretty well playing for their playoff lives the next two games against B.C. and Winnipeg. A loss by the Eskimos is much more dire for Edmonton than it would be for B.C., but the Lions can still eye a shot at the second spot in the division.

The Lions have won five of the last six games, while the Eskimos offence finally found a spark last week and are looking to carry the momentum into this one.

Tyrell Sutton‘s debut in B.C. should strike fear into the rest of the West Division as he ran hard and hungry. I think that is a trend that could cause major problems for the Eskimos defence.

PICK: B.C. (50% confidence)

MONTREAL @ TORONTO

Saturday | 4:00 p.m. ET

With nothing to lose, James Franklin and the Boatmen will be looking to boost their stats with a tilt against the Montreal Alouettes on Saturday. (Adam Gagnon, CFL.ca)

This will have to be a struggle for both these non-playoff teams to go head to head the next two weeks but they’re playing for jobs.

Especially the quarterbacks of James Franklin and Johnny Manziel. They both want to show their respective teams and others around the league who could be interested for next season.

You’ll notice in my fantasy team, I think the Argonauts at home can put up some offence despite the Alouettes holding the Stamps to 12 points two weeks ago.

PICK: TORONTO (75% confidence)

SASKATCHEWAN @ CALGARY

Saturday | 7:00 p.m. ET

We’re still talking about the Stamps here, and the Roughriders are struggling to find their identity on offence after a shutout to Winnipeg. (Johany Jutras, CFL.ca)

I’m not going to put much thought into this game. The Stampeders can clinch first place in the division and they have a good defensive line against a banged up offensive line for the Riders.

The Stamps should be able to attack Zach Collaros and make him sweat. As long as Bo Levi Mitchell and company protect the ball, it should a good one for Calgary.

Saskatchewan’s lengthening injury list after that 31-0 pounding by the Bombers isn’t helping things.

PICK: CALGARY (80% confidence)

TSN Fantasy Picks

QUARTERBACK – James Franklin – He ran the ball well and threw two touchdowns last week to show some flashes of what we saw from Franklin in Edmonton last year. I think Franklin can build on that and with decent value allows you to take some bigger value elsewhere

RUNNING BACKS – Don Jackson / Branden Burks – The Calgary Stampeders should run the ball at the Riders interior with Mic’hael Brooks and Zack Evans injured. The latter is probable to play but if not the run game should be a big part of the game plan. The Bombers ran well with a lead on the Riders last week. Branden Burks has shown some good things taking over from James Wilder Jr, after the injury and with a good value, I think he’s a fine play this week against a bad Montreal defence.

RECEIVERS – Brandon Banks / Armanti Edwards / Chris Matthews – Banks is a must play every week because his speed makes all secondaries crazy and this week should be no exception. Armanti Edwards had a big game the last time out between the Alouettes and the Argos so I think he can find some holes again in the Montreal secondary. As for Chris Matthews, his $2,500 value is great and I think Mitchell can build on the chemistry with the exceptional receiving talent, who is adjusting to life back in the CFL.

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