Jamie Nye
CFL.ca
Can you believe it’s the best against the worst in the 2011 Grey Cup?
It is if you go by the theory of the season doesn’t start until Labour Day.
On that basis, I took a look at the ‘real’ season standings from Week 10 on.
Here they are:
B.C. (9-1)
Edmonton (6-4)
Montreal (5-5)
Calgary (5-5)
Toronto (4-6)
Saskatchewan (4-6)
Hamilton (4-6)
Winnipeg (3-7)
That’s why so many people are picking the B.C. Lions to beat the Winnipeg Blue Bombers. Reality is the Winnipeg Blue Bombers just haven’t been the dominant force they were at the start of the season.
The downturn comes on the defensive side of the ball. Many of their top playmakers in the first half of the season were banged up in the second half. Odell Willis went from a sack a game average in the first eight games to having just four in the last 11, including the Eastern Final.
The Bombers defence held opponents to 20 points or less five times in the first half of the season. They only accomplished that same feat twice in the past 11 games.
However, there is an x-factor for the Blue Bombers heading into the 99th Grey Cup.
He goes by the name of Chris Garrett.
The 25-year old running back needs to be a big factor if the Bombers are going to be successful on Sunday. Garrett’s ability to stretch a defence from sideline to sideline will be a key for the Bombers to slow down the best front seven in the Canadian Football League.
Lions’ defensive linemen Keron Williams, Aaron Hunt and Khalif Mitchell are going to be on the prowl to hit Buck Pierce as much as possible. And if the Bombers don’t have the threat of a play-action in the passing game, the Lions ears will be pinned back.
On the flip side, there is no doubt Travis Lulay is going to put up points when needed for the Lions. In his two playoff starts, Lulay has thrown for a total of 651 yards, four touchdowns and two interceptions.
The Lions scored 78 points in those games.
Pierce has only led his team to over 20 points in a playoff game once in his career. That was back when he was a Lion in 2008.
It’s hard to ignore all the factors in favour of the Lions: momentum, home field advantage and consistency.
The Blue Bombers have one thing very much going for them and that’s the fact a championship game is never a sure thing because football isn’t played on paper. That’s the beauty of it.
We’ll watch 84 men, 150 plays and 60 minutes or more before the Grey Cup is handed out. A lot is going to happen in that amount of time that nobody can predict.
I am picking the B.C. Lions to beat the Winnipeg Blue Bombers. But it’s not going to be a blowout.
Sunday’s 99th Grey Cup will be must see TV.
