Perry enters a shortened CFL Week 8 basking in the glow of a perfect 4-0 week of picks.
What a week!
Peerless was feeling mighty good about himself after going 4-0 last week, properly picking the teams that would cover the spread and the ones that wouldn't.
He still wonders how the Lord of the Lines, Randall the Handle, whom he respects as his mentor, would make the B.C. Lions a 1 1/2-point favourite over the Big Bad Bombers. Peerless thought the line was out of whack to begin with, but Randall has been doing this forever so clearly he thought he saw something that swung the Lions into the role of the favourite at home against Team Swag.
But Peerless knows picking winners against the spread is a humbling thing, so he hopes the handicapping gods will allow him this one time to toot his own touting.
So, in the spirit of the first bye week of the season and Runako Reth, who plays his second game for the B.C. Lions under the name Arland Bruce The Third, we give you this week's picks.
Thursday
Saskatchewan (1-6) at Toronto (1-6)
The Bad Bowl, featuring two teams that have really struggled this year, and you have to wonder which team needs the win the most. I'd say the Riders. The Rider Priders have been spoiled by their team the last four years, so this year is a throwback to the bad, old days.
The loss of Andy Fantuz cannot be underestimated, along with the injuries to two projected starting receivers. But that's obvious.
We prefer to talk ad nauseum about the need for quarterback Darian Durant to do some running. He made a play for a touchdown last week escaping from the defence, so do it again. Frankly, the Riders need Durant to step up more than ever.
I suspect he will finally do it Thursday night with some zone-read scampers or flat-out draws or bootlegs. He has to run the ball. The backfield has been decimated by injuries to the top two running backs, so a rookie, Brandon West, likely gets the call tonight, although newly-signed Yvenson Bernard may get a snap or two.
Then again, the Riders have some hungry Canadians, so let 'em loose. There's a bunch of new receivers, so the task falls on veterans Weston Dressler and Chris Getzlaf -- again.
Be interesting to see whether Eddie Johnson gets the call to do the kicking, or will the problem he had last week flair up again and the call goes to rookie Chris Milo?
The Argos are showing signs of improvement on offence. Yes, much-maligned Cleo Lemon has been putting up some decent numbers of late. Cory Boyd gets his second consecutive start at running back and we look for another big game from all-purpose offensive weapon Andre Durie -- the most underrated offensive player in the league. The defence gets its second start with new co-ordinator Orlondo Steinauer, so we wonder if he'll throw a wrinkle or two at the Riders.
Argos favoured by three.
And the pick is: Argos to cover.
Friday
B.C. (1-6) at Edmonton (5-2)
Lions looked helpless against Winnipeg, but which team hasn't? The focus is on young quarterback Travis Lulay and how he will respond to getting pulled in the last game.
Look, if his receivers caught the ball, less attention would be on the pivot. He's frustrated. Running back Tim Brown was hobbled in the last game and he's out for this game.
The projected starting running back is Canadian Andrew Harris, who also doubles as a returner, although it would be hard to fathom he'll do both. Jamal Robertson returns to the lineup, but likely in a backup role. Jamall Lee might also get some touches.
I think Runako will do better with more practices and that can only help Geroy Simon. Receiver Kamau Peterson won't be in the lineup and appears on the outs with the team for making too many mistakes. Paris Jackson, another veteran pass-catcher, is peed off because of a lack of playing time. The whole team seems to be coming apart.
But this is a great time for the Lions to face Edmonton, which is loaded with injuries to its receiving corps while the ever-changing B.C. defensive backfield is slowly taking shape. And, of course, we would be remiss if we didn't mention Solomon Elimimian -- The Eliminator -- Peerless' favourite player. He's on pace to potentially tie or break the league's all-time tackle record of 129.
Eskimos are starting to come apart because of the injuries and problems on the offensive line. This is gut-check time for the Eskimos, who have looked too much like Edmonton teams of years past in their last two games.
Allowing Ricky Ray to get pummeled is what contributed to his declining play the last few years before he rediscovered himself this year. His offensive numbers have declined seriously. But when you lose Fred Stamps, Adarius Bowman and then Jason Barnes to injury, this is simply too many key players.
Signing Prechae Rodriguez and Dobson Collins, both of whom have had consistency issues catching the ball in previous stops looks like a stop-gap measure.
Eskimos favoured by 6 (and that's way too generous).
And the pick is: Lions and the points.
Record last week: 4-0
Record this year: 17-11
