- Can the Tiger-Cats knock off the Toronto Argos?
- The Elks look to upset the Lions
- Will it be the Roughriders or Redblacks who get the must-win?
We’re back for another week of CFL action, and can you believe it’s already week 16? Last week, we went 3 for 4 again; thanks a lot, Winnipeg. Kudos to the Hamilton Tiger-Cats; they’ve looked impressive and beat another top-ranked team again. Can they do the same against the Toronto Argos? Find out in our CFL week 16 predictions.
There were some movers and shakers in our power rankings. The aforementioned Ticats have bumped themselves up to 4th from 8th, and the Elks have gone from 6th to 5th. Both teams have been great so far late into this season. Meanwhile, we’ve decided that the Lions should have the number 2 spot after their impressive comeback win over the Redblacks, while the Bombers slip to third after losing to Hamilton.
CFL Week 16 Predictions
Saskatchewan Roughriders at Ottawa Redblacks
Both teams come into this matchup searching for wins, especially Ottawa, who ride a seven-gamer. Offensively, the Redblacks haven’t been that bad, and they nearly took out the BC Lions last week. But their kryptonite this year has been their defence. They are dead last in yards allowed per play (7.14) and yards allowed per pass attempt (10.3). Not to mention, they’ve also allowed the most big plays in the league (39).
But it’s not like the Roughriders are much better. The Riders have given up the most points this season (29.9 PPG) and are coming off a loss where they coughed up 36 points. They’ve been so bad on the defensive side of the ball they’ve given up 34.6 PPG over their last seven matchups. However, like the Redblacks, each team’s offense has shown moments of brilliance, so we might see a high-scoring game here.
This feels like a coin flip, but it’s hard to back the Redblacks, who do everything they can to find creative ways to lose games. For now, we’ll stick with the Riders in this matchup, but this is a hunch more than anything analytical.
Prediction: Saskatchewan Roughriders
BC Lions at Edmonton Elks
It’s easy to look at this matchup and think the Lions will shut out the Elks again for the third time in a row. But that was the old Edmonton team, not the one that has won four out of their last five with Tre Ford as their QB, who hasn’t faced the Lions’ defence yet this year. It’s a defence that hasn’t looked that good for a few weeks.
The Leos allowed 30.8 PPG over their last six games and will be in tough against an Elks team that loves to run the ball. Yet, the Elks aren’t that great at stopping the run either and are dead last in the league at 131.8 rushing yards surrendered per game on 5.8 yards per carry.
The Elks are improved, and it’s hard to write them off in this matchup because we love to ride the hot hand. However, the Lions’ offense has been pretty good at outscoring their defensive mistakes, and if the Elks allow them to not only run the ball but allow QB Vernon Adams Jr. access to all his weapons, that’s a recipe for a loss. It might be a closer game, but we’ll run with the Lions.
Prediction: BC Lions
Montreal Alouettes at Calgary Stampeders
Two teams with so much promise are now both looking to salvage their seasons. The Als enter this matchup having lost four games in a row, while the Stamps, who are coming off a bye week, are just 1-4 in their last five games. This is another coin flip, and the keys will be which quarterback will be better: Montreal’s Cody Fajardo or Calgary’s Jake Maier.
Back in week 8, when these two teams faced each other, Fajardo threw for 158 yards and only completed 55.3 percent of his passes. Maier was better yardage-wise (256), but it took him 44 attempts to get there, and he also threw a pair of interceptions while taking three sacks.
Montreal’s offensive line started the season as their strong suit, but injuries have now made them a tad porous, and if Calgary can pressure Fajardo, they might have enough on the offensive side of the ball to squeak out a victory. In what should be another close matchup, we’re going with the well-rested Calgary team at home.
Prediction: Calgary Stampeders
Hamilton Tiger-Cats at Toronto Argos
How does a team like the Toronto Argos get motivated after wrapping up first place in the East with six weeks left to play? That’s a question that weighs heavily on this matchup. Meanwhile, the Ticats have much to play for and have turned their season around. They’re looking to secure a playoff spot and are playing their best football of the season by winning three out of four games, which includes impressive wins over the BC Lions and Winnipeg Blue Bombers.
Toronto’s Chad Kelly won’t let the early playoff birth stop him from putting up big numbers. This guy wants to win the CFL’s MOP and get another shot in the NFL one day. And let’s be honest, the Argos have OWNED the Tiger-Cats, winning 32-14 in Week 2, 31-15 in Week 7 and 41-28 in Week 13. They’ve actually beaten them five games in a row, all by double digits; let that marinate.
That said, this smells like a trap game for Toronto. We’re not ready to make the “upset” call here, but we won’t stop you from going with Hamilton. For now, we’ll stick with the Argos, knowing full well, that this seems to be set up perfectly for another Ticats win.
Prediction: Toronto Argos
