By Jamie Nye
Well, here we go again!
Welcome to another CFL season and another year of getting shady CFL Pick ‘Em presented by Old Dutch advice from this prognosticator.
I have whittled it down to this when it comes to predicting the 2023 CFL season: it’s Winnipeg and then everyone else.
Each team has some major questions and all eight teams not named the Blue Bombers have those questions at quarterback.
So, let’s just say for Week 1, this feels a lot like flipping a coin to see who beats who… except for the game that includes the Bombers.
BC at Calgary, Thursday, June 8, 9:00 p.m. ET
We start with a Thursday night at McMahon Stadium where the Jake Maier era officially begins for the Stampeders and the Lions begin with Vernon Adams Jr. officially in charge of the BC offence.
I’m trying to not have the preseason influence me too much, but can you ignore a 12 for 12 and three touchdown performance from Adams? No. You can’t.
Ka’Deem Carey can dominate a football game and gives an edge at the running back position over the Lions.
But my biggest concern is what the Stamps defense looks like without Folarin Orimolade and Jameer Thurman, two players who made that defense tick last season.
I think there will be some growing pains with the changes in Calgary, at least to begin the season.
PICK: BC
Hamilton at Winnipeg, Friday, June 9, 8:30 p.m. ET
ZACH COLLAROS AND THE BLUE BOMBERS START THEIR SEASON AT HOME AGAINST THE HAMILTON TIGER-CATS (BLUEBOMBERS.COM)
The thing to watch this week, before making your pick, is how many of the Bombers who haven’t been participating in training camp will actually be playing in this game.
I believe it’ll be a majority of them, though they’ll be without receiver Kenny Lawler for the time being.
Quarterback Bo Levi Mitchell and the new Tiger-Cats offence have a very difficult start to their campaign to try and make a good first impression. They’re another team that I think will take a week or so to find a rhythm after Mitchell took limited reps in the preseason games.
My pick is quite simply: go with the team you know and expect to have chemistry early.
PICK: Winnipeg
Ottawa at Montreal, Saturday, June 10, 7:00 p.m. ET
CODY FAJARDO GETS SET TO MAKE HIS REGULAR SEASON DEBUT IN MONTREAL ALOUETTES COLOURS THIS WEEKEND (TICATS.CA)
Now it gets interesting. I have zero feel for how these two teams will do overall in 2023.
I believe Ottawa has to be better! Khari Jones and Barron Miles were fantastic hires by new head coach Bob Dyce.
And in Montreal, you have experienced head coach Jason Maas now leading a team that has also gone under much change since the end of 2022, starting with quarterback Cody Fajardo.
But to begin the season, the Alouettes should rely heavily on a healthy William Stanback. Without Eugene Lewis and Jake Wieneke, there is no reason to not give Stanback the ball 20 to 30 touches a game.
And with a newer look defensive line and linebacker group in Ottawa, I believe this will be the difference.
PICK: Montreal
Saskatchewan at Edmonton, Sunday, June 11, 7:00 p.m. ET
TREVOR HARRIS AND CO. WILL LOOK TO KEEP EDMONTON’S HOME LOSING STREAK ALIVE THIS SUNDAY (RIDERVILLE.COM)
Guaranteed win night in Edmonton! (Well, sort of)
I love the promotion in Edmonton of the guaranteed win ticket, where you’re guaranteed to see an Elks win … however long that happens to take.
Their last home win was October of 2019. That is an unbelievable streak and why Chris Jones has slowly rebuilt this roster from the one he took over going into the 2022 season.
There are still questions about what Taylor Cornelius does with a full camp under his belt as the No. 1 quarterback for the first time in his career.
They take on a Saskatchewan team with Trevor Harris leading the charge and he looked extremely comfortable in his one series in the preseason. My biggest question for the Riders is their offensive tackles, as it still seems to be up in the air after bringing in Colin Kelly after training camp.
Maybe it’s the fact I was able to watch Riders training camp and have seen the talent level general manager Jeremy O’Day has brought in… but I’m going to say Edmonton’s home losing streak lasts at least one more game.