By Jamie Nye
What do we have here??
The Hamilton Tiger-Cats have LIFE!
The Tabbies still have outside shot at making the playoffs but they’re making it very interesting as they slowly bring the Argos back to the pack, and keep the backdoor open for a crossover (though extremely unlikely).
The Roughriders finally ended their seven-game winless streak and now very much sit in the driver’s seat to end their two year playoff drought, while the Stampeders limp into their bye week staring at their near two decade long playoff streak coming to an end.
This week brings us the rematch of the Elks and Bombers, the Lions trying to get back to their winning ways against the hottest team in the league, Ottawa hoping to finally clinch a playoff berth with a tough road trip to Saskatchewan and a rematch of last year’s Eastern Final with Chad Kelly and the Argos facing Montreal!
I can’t wait for Friday!
Edmonton at Winnipeg
Friday, September 27
8:00 p.m. ET
View the stats
The Winnipeg Blue Bombers went to Edmonton and wiped the floor with the Elks if you just looked at the score. But truth is that the Elks completely shot themselves in the foot with six turnovers. The stats were all pretty similar except Edmonton couldn’t hold on to the football, while Tre Ford struggled in his return as the starting quarterback for Edmonton.
Will we see a different result for the Elks, as I doubt they give the ball away that often in the rematch. However, they now have to deal with the loudest stadium in the CFL, which give several teams fits as they try to communicate at the line of scrimmage.
Winnipeg had a great game plan to keep Tre Ford under control as he had just two carries for nine yards. But to be fair, it’s not like Ford has been taking off to run that much.
I expect the Elks to try and make that more of a game plan with a run attack that has been impressive all season with the league-lead in rushing.
However, the Bombers counter with Brady Oliveira who has now finally tasted touchdowns. I expect now that the damn has broke, more touchdowns are on the way.
PICK: WINNIPEG
Hamilton at BC
Friday, September 27
10:30 p.m. ET
View the stats
The Hamilton Tiger-Cats have all of a sudden strung three-straight wins together, while the BC Lions have only won twice in the their last seven games.
Nathan Rourke, however, had a bye week to go back through the good and the bad of his return to the CFL. There will be nothing that will drive him more than the frustration of the Lions’ last game out, where they struggled against the Argos and saw Rourke moved to the sideline.
But I liked what Rick Campbell did out of the bye week, unequivocally saying he wants Rourke to be the starter for the rest of the season. Vernon Adams Jr. is being a great teammate, but he’s the ultimate competitor and wants to be the man on the field. But Campbell can’t have quarterback controversy derail a team that does have a shot to go on a run.
The Lions do need to start looking like that team because a 2-5 record through the middle part of the season has put them in danger of losing a home playoff game.
The Tiger-Cats move in red hot. Bo Levi Mitchell is finally getting some support by the other two phases of the ball and his receivers are holding on to the ball.
Shemar Bridges and Tim White are now both in the top six of receiving as Bridges gets closer to locking up Most Outstanding Rookie.
The one thing you’d like to see is a more committed run game, but the Tiger-Cats are a team more prone to dump it off and allow receivers to make plays. They have the most passing plays and second-fewest run plays. That’s just not who they are.
And while it didn’t matter for the Argos… the kickoff is 10:30 p.m. ET and will end around 1:30 a.m. ET. We’ve seen that impact eastern teams in the past. It has to be a factor on Friday night.
PICK: BC