CFL.ca Photo/Jimmy Jeong
Mark’s Labour Day Weekend is upon us in all of its rivalry-filled glory.
Home-and-home series are kicking off in Alberta, the prairies and southern Ontario, bringing with them the start of the second half of the season and passionate picks.
In #TotalPickEm, players are competing for a $5,000 end-of-season cash prize. In addition, the best predictor each week wins two tickets to any 2018 regular-season CFL game of their choice.
So, whether you’ve been invested in this from day one, or you’re just creating your profile and locking in your first picks of the season: You have something to play for.
Let’s take a look at the four games on the docket.
Friday | Montreal at Ottawa
The week gets started in the nation’s capital, where the REDBLACKS (6-3) host the Alouettes (2-8) in an East Division matchup with more intrigue than probably first meets the eye.
Yes, Ottawa is a win or two away from running away with the East — but Montreal is a win or two away from reshaping its 2018 season, and trending in the right direction with Antonio Pipkin under centre.
Listen: The REDBLACKS are a good team which could very well equal their franchise-high 12 wins from 2015. But they don’t make it easy on themselves, as evidenced by their last-second loss to the Argos or 24-17 win over this Montreal team three weeks ago.
Expect a close game: But also expect the team with more talent to come out on top.
PICK: Ottawa…Rick Campbell’s team hasn’t been the model of consistency through the last two-and-a-half seasons (22-21-2), but their offensive playmakers leave Montreal’s in the dust. Trevor Harris over Pipkin/Manziel. Powell over Stone/Logan/whoever ends up at RB for Montreal. You get the idea.
Sunday | Winnipeg at Saskatchewan
It goes without saying the Labour Day classic-slash-Banjo Bowl series is always key for both the Riders (5-4) and Bombers (5-5), but this year’s seems to be especially important: Saskatchewan looks to be turning a corner, while Winnipeg is slumping and facing something of an identity crisis.
Two teams trending in very different directions. How will it all shake down?
We could sit here and tell you about how Winnipeg’s offence will figure it all out, or how Richie Hall’s defence will suddenly stop giving up big pass plays.
Or, we could tell you what the consensus is already thinking: Saskatchewan’s defence is terrifyingly good, and teams have realized that neutralizing Andrew Harris — 13 rush yards on seven carries at Calgary last week — makes the Bombers one-dimensional and offensively inept.
PICK: Saskatchewan…that front seven is alarming, while the secondary has a fair few ball-hawks who could make Matt Nichols and the Bombers’ day difficult. Mosaic will be rocking and the Riders should continue their good run of form.
Monday | Edmonton at Calgary
The Esks (6-4) visit the Stamps (8-1) in what amounts to one last-ditch effort by the rest of the West to keep Calgary within semi-reasonable touching distance.
Edmonton has way more visible flaws than Calgary, but the Stamps did lose a game two weeks ago…
The reasoning is pretty clear: Jason Maas and his team lost to a sub-.500 eastern team last week, and are now facing the juggernaut that is Calgary.
Rivalry games often tend to narrow the gap between teams, however, and it’s never easy to pick against Mike Reilly.
With that said, Bo Levi Mitchell and the first-place Stampeders are fresh off crushing the soul out of Winnipeg in the second half last week.
PICK: Calgary…because defences wins championships and all that. Truth be told, it will be a great matchup at McMahon between two teams likely to feature prominently in the West Division playoffs a few months from now.
Monday | Toronto at Hamilton
The Argos (3-6) head down the shores of Lake Ontario for a date with the Ticats (4-5) on Labour Day, kickstarting a two-game set which could prove decisive in both teams’ seasons.
Toronto was feeling pretty good about itself heading into last week’s game in Montreal — a comeback win, two victories on the hop, etc. — only to fall flat on its face with a 25-22 loss; Hamilton is fresh off a final-play win over Edmonton last week.
Neither offence shone last week, with the Ticats sputtering for much of what ended up being a 25-24 win and Toronto struggling in the loss to the Alouettes.
Still, Jeremiah Masoli instills more confidence than McLeod Bethel-Thompson, and the Ticats have more threats at receiver than the Argos.
PICK: Hamilton…because Orlondo Steinauer’s defence shut Mike Reilly and the Esks down completely in the second half last week, and the Argos are 0-4 on the road this season.
Week 11: 2-2
Season: 25-17 (.595)
