Last week I was 1-3 on my picks, mainly because I cross-threaded my favorites and long shots. It’s time to walk off last week and get things right this weekend.
Tonight’s game features two of the elite teams in the league as Montreal visits Calgary. I would have picked Calgary in this one, then I watched last week’s game against B.C. The Stamps looked very mortal in that game and I have to pick Montreal in tonight’s battle.
It is doubtful that Henry Burris will have such a brutal game again this season, but there is something missing from the Stampeder team right now. They lost to a Lions team that has yet to define their No. 1 quarterback, but still found enough solid special team and defensive play to blow out the Stamps.
Look for an Alouette road win as doubt begins to set in on the not-so-humble Stampeders. A healthy Nik Lewis could bring back some of the swagger, but the Stamps have lost their edge.
Saturday’s game features a fan bonanza for the Argonauts as the Roughriders come to town. The general mood in Toronto is “who cares?” when it comes to football of any sort, particularly because the Leafs are about to begin another season of futility next week.
So the extra people in the stands will be green people and they will leave Rogers Center very happy. The Argos have experimented with Cleo Lemon at quarterback and that has been a mistake. His understudy Dalton Bell has not played enough to become a No. 1 quarterback. He may never be a top guy, but he may get a baptism by fire this weekend against his old team. It will not be pretty.
’Riders will win this game against an Argonaut team that plays erratic football on offense. The Argos win ugly and have little or no skill inside the red zone. The ’Riders have plenty of red zone skill and will light up the Argos in this one.
The late Saturday game is a tough one to pick. The Lions play at home against the Blue Bombers in a very crucial game for both teams. The Leos have learned how to win lately, despite a quarterback-by-committee approach necessitated by injury and incompetence.
The Bombers lost a close game to the Alouettes while the Lions mauled the Stampeders in their last game. So either team is capable of victories against the big boys of the CFL.
However, I lean toward Winnipeg in this game.
The Bombers will have a full complement of receivers to test the B.C. secondary, and their defense will put a lot of pressure on the suspect B.C. O-line. It should be close, but I believe that Winnipeg is a better team.
The last game of the weekend has Edmonton at home against Hamilton. Edmonton found some serious hospitality in Moncton against the Argonauts. A generous supply of lobster and Argonaut incompetence made a good road trip great for the Esks. Home cooking will not be as good for them.
I believe that the ‘Cats will claw their way to a victory against Edmonton on Sunday afternoon. Hamilton is a better team than Toronto and will not be as generous with mistakes on the field. Look for a ‘Cat win.
Jim Sutherland is a local freelance writer whose columns appear on Tuesdays and Fridays. He can be reached at mystarcollectorcar.com