- Can the Edmonton Elks continue their winning streak?
- Will the BC Lions regroup and dominate?
- The Argos better not sleep on the Hamilton Ticats.
The CFL Gods must be toying with us. Once again, we went with the BC Lions last week to beat another lowly CFL team in the Ticats, and once again, BC decided they’d rather take a nap and get smashed at home. That means it was another 3 for 4 week, putting our overall record at 34-13. We’re still on a nice run, but it’s perfection we demand and perfection we must have.
As for our Power Rankings, look at these musical chairs. Toronto remains on top, but it’s in the middle of the pack where we’ve seen some changes. The Elks have moved up to sixth, and why not? They’re on a two-game win streak and looking great. The Ticats beat the Lions, so their stock rose; however, the same can’t be said for the Stampeders, who fall down to eighth, while the Redblacks secure the ninth spot in the basement of shame. Now, we are looking at the matchups for the Labour Day Weekend and into the CFL season’s second half.
CFL Week 13 Predictions
BC Lions at Montreal Alouettes
The BC Lions seem to be struggling lately, which is confusing given that only a few weeks ago they had one of the most feared defenses in the league, to now where they’ve looked soft and slow. That said, I wouldn’t hit the panic button just yet. It’s possible that the team has become too comfortable and needs a mental reset. With such an experienced coaching staff, I’m confident they’ll be able to turn things around soon enough.
As for the upcoming game, it’s a tough one to call. Both teams have experienced some setbacks, with the Als sitting in second place in their conference and struggling to find wins since their four-game streak ended a few weeks ago. They’ve been unpredictable at home with a 3-2 record, while the Lions have won only three out of six games on the road. Despite this, both teams still boast some of the top defenses in the league, with The Lions allowing an average of 19.7 PPG and the Alouettes allowing an average of 22.6 PPG. However, they’ve coughed up 60 points combined in their last two meetings. I predict that this game will be high-scoring, and if it becomes a shootout, the Lions are still the more dangerous team, in our opinion.
Prediction: BC Lions
Winnipeg Blue Bombers at Saskatchewan Roughriders
The Bombers have had a few close games in the last few weeks, but they finally put together a dominant performance against the Montreal Alouettes. It was no easy task, but they made a big statement by showing that they are still the bar in the West. With one more win, they’ll become the first team to clinch a playoff spot.
Their next opponent is the well-rested Saskatchewan Roughriders, who are coming off a bye week. In week 11, the Riders upset the BC Lions 34-29 and want to build off that momentum. Unfortunately for them, the Bombers have dominated them in the last few years, winning nine of the last ten games. If the Riders want to be successful in this matchup, they’ll need to stop the run, as the Bombers’ back, Charles Oliveira, leads the CFL with 902 rushing yards.
The Bombers’ offense looks potent, while the Riders seem sporadic on both sides of the ball. They average the third-fewest yards allowed per game (340.5) and a CFL-high 27.2 points allowed per game. We expect a similar game to the last time these two teams met, with the Bombers coming out on top with a dominant win.
Prediction: Winnipeg Blue Bombers
Toronto Argos at Hamilton Tiger-Cats
Two Ontario rivals go head-to-head for the third time this season, with the Argos winning both previous matchups, including a decisive 31-15 win in Hamilton back in week 7. The Argos have owned the Ticats, having won eight of nine meetings, and over the last four times they’ve played, Toronto has only surrendered 14.3 points per game.
The Argos got revenge against the Stampeders last week, narrowly beating them 39-31. That continues the trend of scoring more than 30 points in each of their eight wins, with an average of 41.5 points per game during their current 2-0 run. However, they’ve also surrendered 31 points in their past two contests, and if they’re not careful, this Ticats team could surprise them.
Were the Lions that bad, or were the Ticats that good? It’s tough to say, but they’ve only allowed just 25 total points in their last two road games. However, they can’t seem to find that kind of efficiency at home, having only gone 1-4 this season. They’ll need quarterback Taylor Powell to be lights out and for their star running back James Butler to put up similar numbers as he did against BC when he scored a couple of TDs and ran 154 yards. This has the makings of a closer game than many people are predicting, but we see the Argos doing enough to pick up another win.
Prediction: Toronto Argos
Edmonton Elks at Calgary Stampeders
What did we say? We predicted the Elks would finally win a game at home; look at that: they did it and are on a two-game winning streak. In doing so, they might have stumbled upon a new star quarterback in the making in Canadian Tre Ford. Last week, Ford completed 15 out of his 18 passes for 317 yards and a touchdown without turning the football over. They’ll need that same kind of output, if not more if they want to beat a scrappy Calgary Stampeders team, who we feel are better than their 3-8 record.
The Stamps should have beaten the Argos last week. That has been the season’s story for this squad; they do enough to win only to find ways to lose. Quarterback Jake Maier hasn’t been the problem; he completed 25 out of his 42 passes for 387 yards and four touchdowns without an interception against T.O. Those are some baller numbers, but on the other side of the ball, the defense has looked vulnerable. They’ve allowed 26.7 points per game and have already given up 294 total points on the season to their opponents. That’s the most in the CFL. This smells like an upset. We’re going to stick with the Elks for another win.
Prediction: Edmonton Elks
