- BC Lions are still eying the West.
- Riders and Stamps battle it out for a playoff spot
- Elks want to finish the season strong.
Not too shabby last week; we went 3 for 4 with our picks. Our one glaring loss was the BC Lions, who had the game in their hands but lost to the Bombers in OT, and with that, probably lost their chance of winning the West. There are only two weeks left in the season, so let’s finish strong in our CFL Week 19 predictions.
Power Rankings-wise, not much has changed, with the only switch being between BC and Winnipeg. The Lions will be looking to win out the season and hope that the Bombers lose at some point, as the West is still up for grabs.
BC Lions at Hamilton Tiger-Cats
This is a tough matchup to call. The Lions might seem the easy pick on paper, but the Tiger-Cats are playing their best football these last few weeks, and they do seem to have BC’s number, having beat them earlier in the season. The Ticat’s running game has been on point with James Butler, and their offense is about to get a big boost with their number one QB, Bo Levi Mitchell, returning from injury. That could be a problem for a Lions defense that has not been good the last few months.
The Leos have been fantastic on the offensive side of the ball and can outscore their defensive mistakes. BC will need to stop the run if they want to win. I don’t see it happening. Styles make fights as they say in the combat sports world; the same goes for football. Stylistically, Hamilton has what it takes to beat BC, so we’re going off the board and picking the upset.
Prediction: Hamilton Tiger-Cats
Saskatchewan Roughriders at Calgary Stampeders
It’s the battle of the Dickensons and a battle for a playoff spot in the west. When these two teams play each other, they usually put up points, with the Riders winning 29-26 in Week 3 before losing 33-31 in Week 6. So we expect another shootout-type game here. The Stamps aren’t that great against the run and have been subpar on defense as a whole. But they can find solace in the fact they aren’t as bad as the Roughriders!
Both these teams have been wildly inconsistent on both sides of the ball. The Stamps are at home and are coming off of a bye week, so they’ll be well rested. Meanwhile, the Riders are feeling the pressure of a five-game losing streak and a defense that can’t stop my son’s junior team. This game should be close, with playoff intensity, but we like the Stamps.
Prediction: Calgary Stampeders
Montreal Alouettes at Edmonton Elks
This is a tough prediction to make until we know the result of the Lions vs. Ticats game on Friday. If Hamilton loses, the Als clinch home-field advantage in the East, and thus, Montreal could end up resting some starters. As improved as the Elks have looked over the last few months, they are still last in their division and aren’t quite elite enough to beat a good Montreal squad.
It’s going to come down to defence, and right now, the Elks have one of the worst defenses in the league, sitting seventh at 27.3 ppg allowed and 6.86 yards allowed per play. Meanwhile, Montreal is solid on both sides of the ball, and although they have troubles against the top-tier teams in the league, they have feasted on sub-.500 teams all season long.
If Montreal needs the win for home-field advantage, we will take the Als. If the motivation takes a dip because of a Ticats loss, we could see the Elks squeak it out. For now, we’ll go with a motivated Montreal squad.
Prediction: Montreal Alouettes
Ottawa Roughriders at Toronto Argos
It’s a meaningless football game, but we must make a prediction. The Argos will most likely be resting their starters, and Ottawa players will be playing for jobs for next season. The Redblacks are losers of nine of their last ten, but they are a dangerous team on offense.
The Argos will be in cruise control, and although they might be resting some starters, they can beat the Redblacks even with their “B” team. The oddsmakers like Ottawa in this matchup, but in our minds, Toronto is too good at home, and even if the motivation isn’t quite there, they can still win.
Prediction: The Toronto Argos
