THE CANADIAN PRESS
CFL.ca Staff
TORONTO — The halfway point of 2015 is almost here, which means the points in CFL Pick ‘Em are only getting bigger and bigger.
The matchup to watch this weekend is between the Saskatchewan Roughriders and Ottawa REDBLACKS, cross-division opponents facing enormous implications in their respective division standings.
The Riders are coming off yet another heartbreaking loss, this time to the Calgary Stampeders as they’ve now lost eight in a row to start their season. Yet despite the losing streak, they’ve remained competitive in virtually every game while they sit only three games out of a playoff spot in the West. The REDBLACKS, meanwhile, were once a top dog in the East but have fallen back slightly after back-to-back losses, including one in the final minutes to the Argos.
On Sunday afternoon, one team will break out of the slump and get a potentially season-altering win.
The CFL.ca writers feel strongly that this is the week the Riders pick up win number one of 2015, despite going a long way from home to face an Ottawa team that’s been pretty good this season outside of a one-sided loss in Calgary two weeks ago.
Ottawa is particularly strong at home, where it has secured three of its four wins this season, but that’s not enough to prevent fans from also siding with the Riders entering this key Week 10 matchup.
Here are where our writers are leaning:
Saskatchewan Roughriders:
Pedersen Steinberg Landry Morris Nye
Ottawa REDBLACKS:
Cauz
Matchup Overview:
After a 48-3 loss on the road to Calgary two weeks ago, the REDBLACKS more closely resembled the contender some suspected they were in a loss to the Argos last week. Henry Burris completed 32 of 36 passes for over 400 yards while Greg Ellingson and Ernest Jackson each had over 100 yards receiving. The REDBLACKS will enter this Sunday afternoon matchup at home, where they’ve a strong team this season, with plenty of energy after probably feeling like they deserved a win in Week 9.
The Roughriders will have equal urgency, however, knowing that their time is running out to get back in the race. We remember the Als starting 1-7 last year and eventually still playing in the Eastern Final, so it’s still too early to say the Riders are out. But the players know the ‘us against the world’ mentality can only stay in play for so long if the Riders lose too many more close games.
This Week 10 cross-division matchup has the potential to serve as a spark plug for either of these two teams. Which one will it be?
