TORONTO — A lot of times the final weeks of a season can be something of a throwaway. Playoff positions are locked and secured, matchups are set and we’re forced to watch the final grains of sand tumble through the hourglass before the playoffs can start.
That’s not the case with the CFL this year.
This week, we’ll have a preview of the Eastern Semi-Final, as the Toronto Argonauts host the Ottawa REDBLACKS. Expect playoff intensity in Saturday’s game, with both clubs fighting to play host to that Nov. 2 game.
The Montreal Alouettes and BC Lions have their playoff paths pretty well set. The Als know they’ll host the Eastern Final on Nov. 9 and the Lions know that wherever their playoff journey takes them, it’ll be through the prairies, as they’ll travel to either Winnipeg or Regina (ideally both, in their minds) as the West Division’s third-seeded team.
That doesn’t mean there isn’t intrigue in that matchup. The Lions will have Vernon Adams Jr. starting for them this week in their regular season finale, which reopens what we thought was a closed matter on who QB1 will be when the Riders go into the post-season.
Of course, next week when the Blue Bombers and Roughriders come out of their Week 20 bye, they’ll settle who takes the top spot in the West. For now, let’s get into who CFL.ca’s writers think will come out on top this week.
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CGY at HAM
We open Week 20 with a pair of non-playoff teams meeting. Both the Stamps and the Ticats could be looking to the future on Friday night. Matt Shiltz threw for 215 yards and had a touchdown and an interception last week for the Stamps in their loss to the Elks. Stamps’ head coach Dave Dickenson will go back to Shiltz, setting him up to face the team he spent the previous two years with for the first time. What will Ticats’ head coach Scott Milanovich do with the quarterback spot? Bo Levi Mitchell has enjoyed a renaissance season in Tiger-Town this year, but will Taylor Powell get some playing time now that the playoffs aren’t a possibility? While there’s some uncertainty around the lineups for this one, the writers mostly see the Ticats picking up the win.
PICK
Writers: 83% Hamilton
OTT at TOR
Dru Brown took first-team reps with the REDBLACKS on Wednesday, which is a great sign for a team that could use a lift as it battles through a four-game losing streak. With the way the Argos’ defence has played in its last few games, it may not matter which quarterback they’re chasing. In wins over Montreal (Week 17) and Winnipeg (Week 19), the Argos have produced eight turnovers and eight sacks. Their suffocation of Zach Collaros last week was especially impressive. The writers are split on this one but it’s worth noting that the Argos are 6-2 at home, while the REDBLACKS are 2-6 this year on the road.
PICK
Writers: 50-50 split
MTL at BC
Vernon Adams Jr. gets back into the game at a crucial point for the Lions, who have watched that 5-1 start they had to this season dissolve into an 8-9 record as they head into their regular season finale. Lions’ head coach and co-GM Rick Campbell said he’s looking for a different energy with Adams and that if he plays well, he could be their starter when they head out on the road for the Western Semi-Final. Behind Davis Alexander, the Als did a good job of holding off an undisciplined REDBLACKS team. They’ll make the cross-country trip trying to get a win, but likely looking to stay healthy with the Eastern Final inching closer to them by the week. The writers mostly see the Lions pouncing on this one in front of their home fans.
PICK
Writers: 83% BC