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The CFL season has been one for the record books!
Not that records are being broken, but I can’t remember a more unpredictable and hectic season where teams would go on wild winning streaks and then go on nasty losing streaks.
We’ve had a lot of quarterback drama in the CFL whether that was due to injury, production, suspension, or otherwise.
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And as the CFL regular season wraps up this week, I can’t wait to see the six playoff teams go compete for a Grey Cup because this is a wide open race for the top prize.
For the Roughriders and Blue Bombers, the final Saturday will determine the final piece to the playoff puzzle as we’ll know whether the road through the west will go through Winnipeg or Regina for the Western Final.
Hamilton at Ottawa
Friday, October 25
7:00 p.m. ET
I was thoroughly impressed by how the Tiger-Cats came back from their bye week ready to play. It’s not easy to have a bye week and have no playoff spot to go chase when you come back to work but their intensity was there and Bo Levi Mitchell lit up his former team as he hit the 5,000-yard mark and 30 passing touchdowns.
The REDBLACKS now know they’re off to Toronto for the Eastern Semi Final and they need to sharpen some things up for the playoffs if they’re going to have any success but they’ll also have some players they may want to have a rest this week before the playoffs begin next week.
I saw a Tiger-Cats team who is wanting to end their 2024 season as strong as they can no matter what it means or doesn’t for the playoffs.
I think that momentum continues.
PICK: HAMILTON
Toronto at Edmonton
Friday, October 25
9:30 p.m. ET
Like Ottawa, Toronto may want to save some players to rest up for the playoffs.
Toronto let their foot off the gas pedal a little bit last week with a big lead in the fourth quarter but I won’t fault them too much for that one, although it did get a little too close for comfort.
The Argonauts are getting hot at the right time and while wanting to rest players, they’ll also want to carry some momentum into the playoffs.
As for the Elks, I have no idea what to expect. Will they look like Calgary has, who have struggled to stay on point, or will they come out of the bye week as energized to finish the season as the Tiger-Cats?
I do think they Elks have enough youth in their roster that they want the opportunity to prove they belong on the roster in the off-season with jobs on the line.
I also like Tre Ford getting another chance to show his stuff in what will be an audition for next year for maybe not even the Elks but the rest of the CFL.
PICK: EDMONTON
Winnipeg at Montreal
Saturday, October 26
3:00 p.m. ET
This game is a Grey Cup rematch and the potential for a Grey Cup preview.
The Bombers are trying to clinch first in the West, while the Alouettes have already achieved first in the East.
Cody Fajardo started last week and it didn’t really go all too well for Montreal so we’ll see if the Alouettes opt to put he or Davis Alexander as they get ready for the playoffs.
Winnipeg definitely has much more to play for and will be bringing their starters and wanting to seal the deal to have a week off and host the Western Final.
Brady Oliveira is making a late season push for the Most Outstanding Player and Most Outstanding Canadian. I imagine he’ll be a big piece in Saturday’s game in Montreal. Zach Collaros is also starting to find his game although everything was a struggle against Toronto the last time they played.
I’ll always go with the team who has more to play for…
PICK: WINNIPEG
Calgary at Saskatchewan
Saturday, October 26
7:00 p.m. ET
The Roughriders can’t adjust their roster too much on the fly this week because they have to wait until an hour before kickoff of their game to finalize how much their starters will play.
We do know the team will have to have all the starters available because the Bombers game is that same day and rosters are submitted well in advance.
So Trevor Harris will dress as will all the starters who are healthy and that alone has me leaning Saskatchewan.
Calgary hasn’t won a game since early August and the last few weeks have been a struggle for the Stampeders and it will be interesting to see how they handle their quarterbacks this week.
With the Bombers prediction, I’m thinking we’ll see a lot of roster rotation for the Riders, which will be difficult to get much chemistry but when I look at the talent the Riders will have out there, they’re still the team to pick.
PICK: SASKATCHEWAN
