Minas Panagiotakis/CFL.ca
Blitz Picks came within one Nyles Morgan tackle away from a winning Week 18, finishing 3-3 and coming into Week 19 with a 76-61 record.
The time has come to end the regular season, so let’s break the huddle and attack this week’s questions.
THANKSGIVING WEEKEND PRESENTED BY PUROLATOR
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» CFL Fantasy Projections: Top players for Thanksgiving Weekend
1) Will Edmonton receiver Eugene Lewis score a touchdown in his seventh straight game when the Elks meet the Stampeders on Saturday?
Yes. The Edmonton offence squares off against a Calgary defence allowing 27.5 offensive points per game while allowing opposing pivots to complete 71.8 percent of their pass attempts. Lewis has at least five receptions in four of his last five games and scored 45.9 fantasy points in the two previous meetings against the Stampeders. So, yes, McLeod Bethel-Thompson ($8,000), who has thrown 10 majors in his last five games, will get Lewis one step closer to approaching former Calgary standout and Hall of Famer Terry Evershen’s record of 10 straight games with a touchdown dating from September 24, 1967, to August 11, 1968.
2) Will Ottawa receiver Justin Hardy finish with at least 5.5 receptions against Montreal on Thanksgiving Day?
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Yes. The league leader with 90 receptions, Hardy has caught at least five passes in five of his last six games. Only Saskatchewan’s Samuel Emilus ($11,300, 121) has been targeted more than Hardy (120), who also has nine games of at least eight targets. Hardy has had games of 27.5 FP and 22,9 FP in two previous games against the Alouettes this season and will continue cementing his case for All-CFL honours.
3) Will Saskatchewan clinch a home playoff game with a win over the Lions on Saturday?
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Yes. The Roughriders have won three straight following a seven-game winless streak and are expected to have human battering ram AJ Ouellette ($11,000) retuning at running back this week. Momentum seems to be on the side of Saskatchewan, while BC is 3-7 after a 5-1 start that had Lions fans dreaming of a Grey Cup Final at BC Place. This game is a coin toss but go with the team with recent success.
4) Will the Toronto defence have at least 1.5 interceptions at Winnipeg on Friday?
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No. Blue Bombers quarterback Zach Collaros ($13,200) has thrown just two interceptions in the last five games. With the former MOP regaining his groove, the Argos will be challenged to get Collaros to revert to his early-season struggles. Don’t be surprised if Toronto gets one interception but don’t on Collaros, who has just one game of multiple interceptions since Week 7, to be in a gift-giving mood to kick off Thanksgiving Weekend presented by Purolator.
5) Will Winnipeg cornerback Tyrell Ford add to his interception total against Toronto on Friday?
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No. Ford leads the league with seven interceptions and has had three in his last four games. The Argos have embraced the pass of late and while Toronto will provide Ford and the Blue Bombers secondary with many opportunities, betting on Ford to keep his trend of turnovers going is too risky.
Ford is second in the CFL in interceptions with seven (Daniel Crump/CFL.ca)
6) Will the Stampeders’ World’s Fastest Cow win the race during Saturday’s game against the Elks?
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Yes. The 11-season tradition of the World’s Fastest Cow hitting the blocks during the first quarter break has become a staple at McMahon Stadium. We couldn’t end the season without bringing this question to the BP faithful, so here’s hoping we can watch this live and see WFC sprint to victory.
7) Will BC pivot Nathan Rourke rush for a major in Saturday’s game against Saskatchewan?
Yes. Rourke ($8,000) has five rushing touchdowns this season while averaging nine yards per carry. William Stanback ($13,000) remains the top option near the goal line for the Lions, but Rourke’s running ability will be a concern for a Roughriders defence that has allowed 15 rushing majors.
8) Will Montreal linebacker Geoffrey Cantin-Arku record a sack against Ottawa on Thanksgiving Day?
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No. Cantin-Arku has five sacks this season and will face off against a REDBLACKS offence which has allowed 33 sacks. He recorded a sack in Week 17, his first since Week 12 and has not recorded sacks in consecutive games. The Alouettes will make life miserable for Ottawa’s passing game, but Cantin-Arku may not be part of the fun.
