- Can the Elks win a game at home?
- The Alouettes look to show they’re for real against the Bombers.
- The Lions are licking their chops against the Tiger-Cats.
We almost had another perfect week of picks, but the BC Lions’ defense decided they would make the Saskatchewan Roughriders look like world-beaters. That said, we were spot on in our Edmonton Elks prediction, who finally got their first win of the season! That pushes our overall record to 31-12, and now we dive into our CFL Week 12 predictions.
We have a couple of changes in our CFL Power Rankings. Toronto is back on top while the Riders move up to fifth. The Elks are moving up from the basement, which means the Tiger-Cats have hit rock bottom. What will change after week 12?
CFL Week 12 Predictions
Montreal Alouettes at Winnipeg Blue Bombers
Montreal is rolling! They’re on a four-game winning streak and now face a tough Blue Bombers team who should have their starting QB and reigning MOP, Zach Collaros, back in the fold. The Als will also have their starting quarter-back Cody Fajardo returning from injury, making this an intriguing matchup. The last time these two teams went head-to-head was back in week four, where the Bombers won 17-3, but this time around, it should be a closer contest.
Montreal still has a few injuries on the defensive side of the ball, but it hasn’t slowed them down as they continue to have one of the top defences in the league. As good as the Bombers have been at times, they barely squeaked out victories against the Elks and the Stampeders, two of the weaker teams in the CFL. We feel like this is set for a Bombers loss, but we’ll lean on Winnipeg’s offense and the Collaros’ spark to get the job done.
Prediction: Winnipeg Blue Bombers
Calgary Stampeders at Toronto Argos
The Argos are looking for revenge! Back in week 9, the Stamps beat the boatmen 20-7 to secure the upset win. It was a shock to the system for Toronto, who also lost their QB Chad Kelly in the same game. It has been the highlight of the year for Calgary, who can’t seem to find the same offensive consistency so far this season. It’s odd considering Stampeders’ QB Jake Maier leads the CFL in passing yards (2,398), but unfortunately, he can’t find the endzone and has thrown 12 interceptions.
Meanwhile, the Argos have Chad Kelly back behind center, and in week 10, the 29-year-old didn’t miss a beat, piling up four touchdowns and 417 yards against the Redblacks. Styles make fights, as they say, and it’s possible Calgary might be a bad matchup for Toronto, but with Kelly at the helm and revenge on the mind, we think it’ll be an Argos win.
Prediction: Toronto Argos
Hamilton Tiger-Cats at BC Lions
Last week, the Lions tripped and fell and were on the losing end of a surprise Saskatchewan victory. The offense did its job as Vernon Adam Jr. put up 455 yards, three touchdowns, and almost executed a 16-point comeback in the fourth quarter. Weirdly, the Lion’s defense decided to take the night off and coughed up 34 points. Undoubtedly, the best defense in the league is a prideful bunch and will most likely take it out on the terrible Hamilton Tiger-Cats.
Yeah, we said terrible. The Ticats are ranked dead last in our power rankings for a reason. They have the second-worst offense (18.9 PPG) and the worst defense (27.6 PPG), and not only that, they have faced a rash of injuries, including at the QB position, and their rookie Taylor Powell has yet to throw a touchdown pass in his last two starts. The Lions are snarly and licking their chops, which spells bad news for Hamilton.
Prediction: BC Lions
Ottawa Redblacks at Edmonton Elks
The Edmonton Elks did it! They finally got their first win of the season and looked good in doing it. Are things starting to turn around? Is their hope on the horizon? They face a Redblacks team that had a similar feeling over a month ago until they went on a four-game losing skid. The Elks’ turnaround seems to be hinged on the play of Canadian QB Tre Ford, who completed 73.5% of his passes over the last two games.
Ottawa’s QB Dustin Crum went from hero to zero in weeks, but don’t underestimate this offense. They lost a heartbreaker last week to a good Montreal squad and have shown glimpses of brilliance but can’t find the consistency needed to pick up a win. Yet the momentum seems to be on the side of Edmonton, who are looking to FINALLY win their first home game in 22 games. We’d understand if you’re leaning towards Ottawa with this pick, but we are going with the Elks to exorcise some demons.
Prediction: Edmonton Elks
