A CFL playoff spot - and Perry's prognosticating record - is on the line this weekend.
Okay, it's the final week of the regular season in the Canadian Football League, the final chance for the Peerless One to finish with more wins than losses.
Peerless has had a roller-coaster season, starting off brutally bad, turning it around with back-to-back undefeated weeks, which were promptly followed by another run of highs and lows.
Not only has it been a challenge picking against the spread -- believe me, picking straight up is not that difficult -- but it has also been a test to stay away from the favourites. Peerless' mentor Randall the Handle, also known as the Sensei of Selections, has drummed it into his to pick the underdogs because of the difficult task that the favourites faces of having to win and cover the spread.
Peerless has tried his to heed Randall's wise words, but still reverts back to his bad habits.
- Perry's quick picks:
- Calgary minus 3
- Hamilton plus 4
- Saskatchewan
- Montreal minus 7
However, the Peerless One finds it amusing when he picks an underdog and the points and gets ripped by his critics who can't believe he can pick a team with a losing record against one with a winning record. Last week, Peerless took Winnipeg and the points against the favourite Edmonton Eskimos. Some people found that incredible, but fortunately at least one person pointed out that Peerless didn't think Winnipeg could win, only that Edmonton wouldn't cover the 7½-point spread.
And the Eskimos didn't, in no small part because Jared Zabransky played like Cleo Lemon, which Peerless thought might happen.
So enough about last week. It's on to this week, which provides some interesting challenges because some teams will be playing second- and third-stringers, while the Eskimos may have clinched the playoffs before they take to the field against Saskatchewan if B.C. loses to Hamilton.
Yes, the Crazy Football League will be crazy indeed in the last week.
Then again, could it possibly be any crazier than last week when Montreal covered the spread, much to Peerless' delight, by recovering a loose ball in the end zone after three consecutive punts that provided a tutorial on the rouge.
By the way, because it's the final week of the regular season and the Peerless One is looking to finish strongly going into the playoffs, he will not give way to all the backups who think they can do better.
Friday
Calgary (12-5) at Winnipeg (4-13)
Stamps have little to play for having locked up first and getting a bye next week. An emphatic win over Hamilton last week allows Stamps' head coach John Hufnagel to play his backups, but he's got so much talent that many of these second-stringers could play first-string on other teams. So even if quarterback Henry Burris plays, it will likely be no more than a half, if that at all.
This is a chance for Drew Tate to gain some valuable playing time. He has done quite well this year, but has had the benefit for the most part of working with a healthy lead. Tate is a future starter down the road for some team -- we won't mention any one in particular but we could think of the Argos, for example -- and if he has the benefit of some of the Stamps' starting offence he'll do well.
Running back Joffrey Reynolds needs more work because he's been somewhat forgotten in recent weeks, so you can be sure he'll be used some. Backup Jon Cornish might start. We hear Jesse Lumsden will see considerable action, certainly as a returner and possibly in the backfield.
The Stamps as a whole are dynamic on both sides of the ball and this is an opportunity for the defence to chalk up some stats against a team playing for nothing more than pride and with its fourth-string quarterback.
The Bombers have been close for most of this season, but have found ways to lose by failing to stay focused for the entire 60 minutes. Rookie head coach Paul LaPolice will want to finish off with a win because it's been few and far between this year. How a team could possibly have the leading rusher, leading receiver and sack leader in the same season and have such a brutal record is beyond belief.
Randall has the Stamps by 3.
Prediction: Stamps to cover.
Saturday
B.C. (7-10) at Hamilton (9-8)
This is it for the Lions. Win this game and they have a chance to be in the playoffs if Edmonton loses to Saskatchewan later in the day. You can see the difference in the Lions' play with Travis Lulay solidified as the starting quarterback, all-purpose player Yonus Davis providing a spark on special teams and running back Jamal Robertson using his bulk to wear down opposing defences.
The field-goal kicking is solid. But the Lions' receiving corps has never really got it going this year. The defence has given up way too much yardage on the ground.
The Tiger-Cats can't afford to use their backups because they were embarrassed last week against Calgary and need a strong finish to get mentally ready for next weekend's East semi-final against Toronto. Quarterback Kevin Glenn had a game he'd like to forget, which is why his intensity should be strong.
Maybe Arland Bruce will be in the lineup after missing last week with a wonky hammy. If he's not in there, the Cats' other receivers need to step up. And though I believe Glenn does better when he's throwing 40 or more passes, I think the ground game with DeAndre' Cobb is imperative.
Backup Marcus Thigpen needs some touches, too. And if last week was any indication, the defence needs to pull up its socks. Rush end Stevie Baggs didn't look like Shakespeare because he didn't make any plays. Now he has to regroup, along with the entire group.
As an aside, the matchup between Cats' offensive lineman Jason Jimenez and Lions' rush end Brent Johnson should be interesting after what happened in the first meeting between these two teams earlier this year. Jimenez was fined and faced the wrath of the commissioner for his questionable hit on Johnson. We won't make any comment, because Jimenez has already threatened one writer with a lawsuit and I'm not looking to be added to the list. I'm already in trouble with the Baggs Nation.
Randall has the Lions by four.
Prediction: Cats and the points.
Edmonton (7-10) at Saskatchewan (9-8)
The outcome of this game may be moot if the Lions lose, giving Edmonton an automatic berth in the playoffs the following week in Regina again. Eskimos have won five of their last six and have quarterback Ricky Ray back at the controls after missing two weeks with a bum shoulder. If the Eskimos have won the playoff berth, there really is no reason to play Ray that much.
Backup Jared Zabransky came crashing to earth last week and his playing time could be predicated on various circumstances. Either way, he has to learn to throw the ball away to the sidelines or take a sack instead of making foolish decisions. That said, the Eskimos can easily go with the running game, which is strong, and take away the Roughriders' blitzing defence.
With four consecutive losses, the Roughriders have fallen apart. Much of it has to do with quarterback Darian Durant and his turnovers. He alone can help turn the tide, and there's no better time or place to do it than at home. Having lost back-to-back home games in the first half of this slide, the Roughriders need to reclaim their turf. Rider Nation is holding its collective breath.
Randall has this as a pick-em, but this is a game in which you can't truly choose until the Lions' game is over.
Prediction: Saskatchewan
Sunday
Toronto (8-9) at Montreal (12-5)
Word has it Argo head coach Jim Barker will rest many of his key players, which likely means running back Cory Boyd, who has a wonky groin, will not play. Cleo Lemon will play. Make of that what you will. Many special teamers will be out as well.
The Argos may want to win this game, but they are clearly sacrificing a meaningful outing to rest up for the East semi-final in Hamilton. The Als will play with backup quarterback Adrian McPherson, but many of the regular are expected to see some time.
Als favoured by seven.
Prediction: Als to cover
Last week: 3-1
Record to date: 32-35-1
