Lefko's peerless picks return and he looks to recover after a .500 showing in Week 10.
Halfway through the Canadian Football League season and Peerless is holding his own.
Week 10 was crazy with all the upsets, but Peerless wasn't caught off guard, although he was kicking himself for overlooking the fact Saskatchewan had changed coaches off a gritty effort, while Winnipeg was all out to beat Hamilton. So in retrospect, the Riders' win over the Bombers, while a bit lopsided, wasn't entirely a surprise.
As for the Eskimos' trouncing of Calgary, well, Edmonton did a variety of things to at least show they didn't squander their bye-week. Full credit to the Eskimos' coaching staff for making good on their "action and accountability" following two games with a collective scoring of only five points.
If you had the Eskimos winning, good on you.
Every one of the games is a re-match this week, and more often than not there isn't a sweep, but that doesn't necessarily help if you're picking against the spread.
So, enough education. It's time to move on to this week's Peerless Predictions, as always done in tribute to Runako Reth.
Friday
Calgary (6-3) at Edmonton (6-3)
The Stamps simply cannot be as bad as they were on Monday. Maybe playing on the road, where they have yet to lose, will make the difference, even if it's only a three-hour distance from home. Quarterback Henry Burris had a game to forget after lighting it up for three consecutive weeks. He's been booed twice this year at home in losses to the Eskimos. You know he'll be stoked to prove a point.
Edwin Harrison replaces rookie Tony Washington at left tackle. That will help, but it's really about ball control and making plays and letting Joffrey Reynolds run. Give him the darn ball, please or, as I've suggested, put him and Jon Cornish in the backfield and create something different. The Stamps are deluding themselves if they think they can win without a more dominant run game, and Burris making effective use of the zone reads (and holding the ball).
The Eskimos have already won both games in Calgary this year, principally by forcing turnovers. Fred Stamps, who was arguably the best in the league prior to his injury, is slated to return to the lineup. That's huge because he really changes the dynamics of the game. The Eskimos' receiving corps was lighting it up prior to Stamps' injury, and they fall apart without him.
Edmonton showed some different looks in personnel and schemes on Monday, so Calgary can prepare for that. Turning Greg Peach into a linebacker was a thing of genius for the Eskimos. Logic would suggest a team cannot beat another one three times in a season and twice in five days. But the Stamps are simply a hard team to handicap.
Stamps favoured by three.
And the pick is: Edmonton and the points.
Saturday
Toronto (2-7) at B.C. (3-6)
Okay, the Steven Jyles era begins in Toronto. No Cleo Lemon to blame anymore, which isn't a bad thing. Jyles will be able to do far more than Lemon because of his mobility and awareness of the CFL game. The change alone might just charge up the Argos.
The other thing is, the Argos looked far worse in the last game because head coach Jim Barker left backup Dalton Bell in the game despite four turnovers to essentially pave the way for Lemon's release. Better ball control and using running back Cory Boyd with more purpose won't produce the same results. The other thing is, the Lions will likely try to keep the ball away from returner Chad Owns after he ripped them apart last week, so the Argos may benefit from good field position or errant kicks.
The Lions have been reborn because of personnel changes and schemes in their last two games. But they've only beaten Toronto and Edmonton, so it's really hard to truly gauge their ability. They seem to have problems playing at Empire Stadium, too. I've liked this team from the start and I see them making positive strides, although the West has suddenly become way more competitive with Saskatchewan getting some key players back.
Lions favoured by 7½ points.
And the pick is: Toronto and the points.
Sunday
Hamilton (5-4) at Montreal (5-4)
The Tiger-Cats are for real. They nearly upset Winnipeg on the road and trounced Montreal at home. The Cats are playing with a renewed vigour and energy and have had the Als' number in Hamilton. When their best players are playing like their best players -- yeah, it's a cliché -- it's a huge difference. Cats' defensive co-ordinator Corey Chamblin is also starting to inject some new looks, and rush end Stevie Baggs is playing better than ever.
Als' quarterback Anthony Calvillo was absolutely pummeled last game and he's taken a few good licks this year, so you have to wonder if he's been thrown off his game. His stats have been declining in recent weeks, which is not good considering the team is built around his consistency. There is also some discord among the defence, notably in the front four. The bigger issue is the back end. It's full of holes due to injuries and replacement players.
This game may be the most important one for the franchise in several seasons. If the Als lose, they give away the season series to Hamilton and fall two points behind them. Their character will be put to the test. Playing in front of their home crowd, the Als will get the support they need. The Als are on a two-game slide and have not been dominant at home. They are also having some issues playing against the upper-echelon teams.
Als are favoured by five.
And the pick is: Ticats and the points.
Saskatchewan (2-7) at Winnipeg (7-2)
The Riders came to life in their last game following the coaching changes. Now they get receiver Andy Fantuz back and likely Cary Koch as well. What's starting to take shape is a lineup similar to the one that did so well the last two years.
Quarterback Darian Durant looked incredibly poised and confident in the last game. It makes all the difference. Combining the final quarter against Toronto, Durant looks like he's regaining his form. Receiver Chris Getzlaf is also getting back on track, and he'll only improve with Fantuz back. This might be a team that will make huge gains in the second half.
The Bombers were embarrassed in Week 10 and now come home where the fans will be noisy for the Banjo Bowl. The offence needs to come alive again. Quarterback Buck Pierce hasn't been dominant in the last two games. The running game has dried up, too. This is gut check time for the Bombers. Swaggerville has been put to the test of late in all three phases of the game. The kicking game, by the way, may end up costing them some games. It is the weakest part of the team and one of the least effective overall in the league.
Winnipeg is favoured by 5½.
And the pick is: Riders and the points.
Record last week: 2-2.
Record this year: 22-13-1.
