Last week six out of eight CFL teams agreed to have their head coaches and quarterbacks mic’d up for unique, real-time sound on television. The Edmonton Eskimos claimed they were on board until game day when Jason Maas and Mike Reilly left the microphones in the visiting locker room at Percival Molson Stadium. When the broadcaster went to use the natural sound from Maas and Reilly all they got were ambient locker-room tones.
The point? We would never leave you hanging with our picks. Time to create a buzz.
Ottawa Redblacks (6-7-1) @ Hamilton Tiger-Cats (6-8)
Two stars won’t see action at the donut box Friday night: Zach Collaros and Chris Williams. The former has a mild concussion and the latter suffered a torn ACL that ended the speedy receiver’s season in Week 16.
After being released last Wednesday by the Redblacks, Khalil Paden was at his Ottawa apartment when a call came Sunday night asking if he would be willing to return to the Redblacks. That’s who will take Williams’s spot in the lineup.
Meanwhile, Jeremiah Masoli, who has six starts this season in place of Collaros, gets the call at quarterback. Hamilton went 3-3 in the first six games of the season under Masoli while Collaros was recovering from a torn ACL. The Ole Miss product ran hot and cold as the Ticats’ starting QB—more consistency and ball security needs to be shown from the dual-threat pivot.
A bevy of reinforcements were brought to the Hammer, via trade and signings, during the bye week. Veteran Keon Raymond will start at strong-side linebacker, same for Xavier Fulton at left tackle and Justin Capicciotti boosts the pass rush and Canadian depth.
Fresh faces plus rest equals a Tabbies cover at home.
Line: Ticats -3
Pick: Hamilton
Winnipeg Blue Bombers (9-6) @ BC Lions (9-5)
The Leos laughed off a completely blown call that cost them a likely victory in the first part of the home-and-home set with Winnipeg.
There’s a lot riding on this game: Whoever wins gets pole position in the race to host the West semifinal.
After being released by Toronto and snatched up by Winnipeg, import receiver Tori Gurley will join the Bombers’ starting lineup. The six-foot-four, 230-lb. pass catcher adds a physical presence to a Winnipeg corps that needed one. Matt Nichols must be excited to have a target like Gurley to throw the ball up to.
Line: Lions -5.5
Pick: Winnipeg
Saskatchewan Roughriders (4-10) @ Toronto Argonauts (5-10)
Saskatchewan won their third game in a row, 32–30 in overtime against Ottawa, then rubbed it in by practicing on Parliament Hill with Prime Minister Justin Trudeau as an onlooker.
It took some time and a 1-10 start, but Chris Jones has found pieces that fit what he wants to do on defence. The offence has also been rolling along thanks to Darian Durant remaining consistently productive with new and different skill players around him seemingly on a weekly basis.
Toronto has had the complete opposite season journey. The Argos began the year 4-2 and looked like a strong contender in the East, but after losing eight of their last nine games the ship has been blown way off course.
Line: Argos -1
Pick: Saskatchewan
Montreal Alouettes (4-10) @ Calgary Stampeders (13-1-1)
Calgary’s average margin of victory in their last three games against East Division opponents: 24 points. The Stamps play Montreal at home after the Als got beat down 40–20 there last week by Edmonton.
Two converted touchdowns plus a rouge might seem like a daunting number to cover, but Calgary is focused on tying the CFL single-season wins record (16).
Line: -15 Stampeders
Pick: Calgary
Overall record against the spread: 37-27-1