CFL WEEK 11 PREVIEW & PICKS

BY ADAM GREENE

Is this the halfway point? Oh man, I think so. Our northern slog through 21 weeks of Canadian Football League action has officially hit the line of demarcation, right as the NFL is halfway through it’s own preseason.

But, hey, we’re not just watching because we like football. Oh no, we want to make some cash too and have the odds, lines and totals with to make that magic happen.

Before we get there, we’ll take a look at our current CFL stat leaders.

Passing: Zach Collaros is the league’s top passer, with 2,208 yards and 16 touchdowns. Vernon Adams, Jr. leads in completion percentage with 71.4 and Chad Kelly has the highest QB rating at 120.2.

Rushing: Brady Oliveira leads the league with 703 rushing yards and has scored four touchdowns. Chad Kelly actually leads the CFL with five touchdowns.

Receiving: Austin Mack is currently two yards up over Dalton Schoen for the league lead with 657 yards. Schoen, Nic Demski, DaVaris Daniels and Dominique Rhymes are all tied with five touchdown catches. Shawn Bane, Jr. is in command with 51 receptions.

Defense: Micah Awe leads the league with 67 tackles. Mathieu Betts has 10 sacks, but Willie Jefferson and AC Leonard are right on his tail with eight sacks. Demerio Houston is up on the league with six interceptions.

Special teams: Lewis Ward and Rene Paredes have both made 27 field goals. Sean Whyte has 25. Whyte leads the league with a 96.2 successful conversion rate and points scored with 95. Cody Grace leads the way with a 49.4 yards per punt average and eight punts inside the 10. Javon Leake is your top punt returner with 612 total yards and averaging 15.3 yards per return. Mario Alford leads the CFL with 627 kick return yards, but Tyreik McAllister leads with a 28.6 yards per return average. Javon Leake has returned three kicks for touchdowns. Alford has two returns for a TD.

POWER RANKINGS

1. WINNEPEG BLUE BOMBERS (7-2)

Winnipeg has rediscovered its offense at exactly the right time. They’ve scored 88 points in two games since their bye. It’s a good thing, because starting quarterback Zach Collaros, the highest paid player in the league, could miss some time with an injury. Last week: No. 1

2. TORONTO ARGONAUTS (7-1)

A third bye already? CFL schedule makers really missed the opportunity here to consistently showcase the league’s best team while no one else was playing football on the planet. Last week: No. 2

3. BC LIONS (7-2)

The Lions bounced back from their shocking loss to the Winnipeg Blue Bombers by embarrassing the Calgary Stampeders last week, holding them to a single digit score. Last week: No. 3

4. MONTREAL ALOUETTES (5-3)

Montreal has officially crossed the Rubicon into winning territory, stacking up multiple victories to pull two games ahead of .500 and show that, while they might not be serious Grey Cup contenders, they’ll get into the playoff bracket. Last week: No. 4

5. SASKATCHEWAN ROUGHRIDERS (4-5)

With a chance to come into the second half of the season with a winning record, the Roughriders stumbled on offense, scoring just one touchdown in a blowout loss to the Montreal Alouettes. Last week: No. 5

6. HAMILTON TIGER-CATS (3-5)

Hamilton took the week off to lick their wounds before it’s so cold their tongue’s get stuck like Flick in A Christmas Story. Last week: No. 7

7. CALGARY STAMPEDERS (3-6)

While a couple of teams left their offenses on the starting blocks last week, I’m not sure the Stampeders had their unit even in the province. Someone needs to set a couple more alarms on the old iPhone. Last week: 6

8. OTTAWA REDBLACKS (3-6)

Give Ottawa credit. When the teams ranked above decided to leave their offenses back at the ranch, the Redblacks showed up to play. They still lost to the Toronto Argonauts, as you’d expect. But at least they made it entertaining. Last week: No. 6

9. EDMONTON ELKS (0-9)

Nothing should be more heartbreaking for the Elks than actually putting up a solid offensive score while their defense is up in the stands ordering bratwurst with fries and gravy on the side. Last week: No. 9

WEEK 11

Byes: Toronto Argonauts

THURSDAY

EDMONTON ELKS AT HAMILTON TIGER-CATS (-4.5, O/U: 45.5)

Edmonton knocked out the Winnipeg Blue Bombers quarterback early after picking him off and went on to score 29 points on offense. And they still lost. Such is the fortunes of the worst professional football team on the face of the Earth as the Elks fell 38-29 to the Blue Bombers last Thursday. Tre Ford delivered his usual USFL worthy performance, going 12 of 16 passing for 189 yards, a touchdown ad a pick. He scrambled five times for 50 yards and a score. Kevin Brown rushed 10 times for 98 yards and a TD. Kyran Moore led the receivers with five catches for 96 yards and a touchdown. Dillon Mitchel had four receptions  for 67 yards. Nyles Morgan finished with 10 tackles. Loucheix Purifory had four tackles and an interception. AC Leonard had three tackles and a sack. Elliot Brown had a tackle and a sack.

The Tiger-Cats might not have needed the bye to prepare for Edmonton, but they had to enjoy it anyway after getting manhandled by the Montreal Alouettes in Week 9. Taylor Powell wrapped his day going 20 of 31 passing for 202 yards, no TDs and two interceptions. He scrambled four times for 29 yards. James Butler led the team rushing with nine carries for 51 yards and a touchdown. Terry Godwin caught six passes for 89 yards. James Butler had eight grabs for 61 yards. Simoni Lawrence led the defense with 11 tackles, a sack and a fumble recovery. Chris Edwards had five tackles, two for a loss and a sack. Richard Leonard had two tackles and two interceptions.

If Edmonton has a chance to end its losing streak, this would be a great time to do it. Unfortunately, while Hamilton is bad, they’re not that bad. The Elks are going to need some breaks to get that victory and you just can’t predict when that will happen. Tiger-Cats 27, Edmonton 23

FRIDAY

WINNIPEG BLUE BOMBERS AT CALGARY STAMPEDERS (-6.5, O/U: 47.5)

Winnipeg is rolling through the CFL since their bye. Last week, they rocked the winless Edmonton Elks to the tune of 38-29. Quarterback Zach Collaros was knocked out early after starting 2 of 5 for 6 yards and a pick. Dru Brown took over the rest of the way and played lights out, going 17 of 24 passing for 307 yards, four touchdowns and one interception. He scrambled once for 15 yards. Brady Oliveria rushed 14 times for 110 yards. Dakota Prukop rushed five times for 13 yards and a TD. Rasheed Baily caught five passes for 85 yards. Nic Demski hauled in three passes for 61 yards and a score. Kenny Lawler had two receptions for 49 yards and a touchdown. Dalton Schoen had three grabs for 45 yards and a TD. Adam Bigill led the defense with six tackles. Evan Holm had three tackles and a pick. Jake Thomas had two tackles and a sack.

Calgary decided to take the entire first quarter off on offense, trailing 17-0 early on their way to a 37-9 beat down at the paws for the BC Lions last week. Jake Maier auditioned to be the next Michigan Panthers quarterback, going 17 of 31 passing for 131 yards, no touchdowns and no picks. He scrambled three times for 13 yards. Ka’Deem Carey rushed seven times for 44 yards. Marken Michel caught four passes for 36 yards. On defense, Tre Roberson had seven tackles and two for a loss. Micah Awe had five tackles, four for a loss and an interception. Mike Rose, Derek Wiggan and Brandon Dozier all had two tackles and a sack.

Calgary’s flirtation with being relevant early in the season seems to be at an end. They’ll be lucky if Winnipeg doesn’t put 60 on them. Blue Bombers 42, Stampeders 20 

SATURDAY

MONTREAL ALOUETTES AT OTTAWA REDBLACKS (+1.5, O/U: 47.5)

Montreal made an emphatic statement last week, completely dominating the Saskatchewan Roughriders 41-12. Caleb Evans didn’t have to do much in the blowout, completing just 8 of 13 passing for 149 yards, a touchdown and an interception. Walter Fletcher had 15 carries for 73 yards. He added a 68-yard reception. Caleb Evans carried the ball 11 times for 66 yards and two TDs. Jeshrun Atnwi had seven rushes for 47 yards and a score. Austin Mack caught a 56-yard touchdown pass. Tyrice Beverette closed out his defensive stat sheet with eight tackles, one forced fumble and a tackle for a loss. Marc-Antoine Dequoy had three tackles, a forced fumble and a fumble recovery. Avery Ellis had two tackles, a sack and a fumble recovery. Kabion Ento had a tackle and an interception.

Ottawa showed up ready to play and came out of the blocks streaking, taking an early 10-7 lead. Ultimately, they just couldn’t keep up with the Toronto Argonauts, falling 44-31 last week. Dustin Crum ended his afternoon 21 of 26 passing for 292 yards and three touchdowns with no interceptions. He scrambled nine times for 42 yards. Devonte Williams led the team rushing with 10 carries for 47 yards. Jaelon Acklin caught six passes for 157 yards and a TD. Justin Hardy had seven grabs for 63 yards and a score. Jackson Bennett caught an 11-yard touchdown pass. Adam Auclair led the defense with seven tackles. Jovan Santos-Knox had six tackles. Cariel Brooks had two tackles and a pick.

Ottawa is the one team that might not be as bad as their record, they just can’t build up any momentum because the schedule keeps tossing teams like Montreal in their way. Alouettes 27, Redblacks 24

SUNDAY

BC LIONS AT SASKATCHEWAN ROUGHRIDERS (+8, O/U: 45)

The Lions used their blowout loss to the Winnipeg Blue Bombers as fuel for the fire. Then they used that fire to burn the Calgary Stampeders beyond all recognition, winning 37-9 last week. Vernon Adams, Jr. wrapped his day 12 of 32 passing for 322 yards, four touchdowns and in interception. Taquan Mizzell rushed 12 times for 42 yards. Keon Hatcher caught nine passes for 170 yards and a TD. Alexander Hollins had seven grabs for 80 yards and a score. Lucky Whitehead had three receptions for 29 yards and a touchdown. Boseko Lokombo led the defense with eight tackles with one for a loss. Emmanuel Rugamba had six tackles, with one for a loss. Ben Hladik had six tackles. Amir Siddiqi had two tackles and a sack.

Saskatchewan picked the wrong week to leave the offense on the bus. The Roughriders were blown out by the Montreal Alouettes, 41-12, last Friday. Jake Dolegala was 11 of 20 for 107 yards and a pick, in a stat line that would embarrass an XFL quarterback.He did scramble twice and scored a TD on the ground. Mason Fine didn’t light it up when he got his shot, going 5 of 9 for just 20 yards. Jamal Morrow rushed 18 times for 81 yards. Jerreth Sterns caught four passes for 41 yards. On defense, Larry Dean finished with seven tackles. Miles Brown had four tackles, three for a loss and a sack. Amari Anderson had two tackles and a pick.

This spread is no joke. BC, Winnipeg and Toronto are so far ahead of the rest of the league, they might as well start the playoffs today. Saskatchewan might return to the postseason, but it’ll likely be with a losing record and a quick exit. Lions 37, Roughriders 17

Last week

Straight up: 4-0

Against the spread: 3-1

Season

Straight up: 31-8

Against the spread: 25-14

Follow Adam Greene on Twitter @TheFirstMan.

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