CFL WEEK 19 PREVIEW & PICKS

BY ADAM GREENE

I have good news and bad news as you crack open this week’s Canadian Football League action. We’re in Week 19 and there is only one open playoff spot left. The bad news? We still have three more weeks of CFL regular season left.

Why does a league with just nine teams play so many weeks? Who can say? Should they merge with the USA based spring and summer football leagues? I’ve already made my case. Regardless, you and I still have the odds, lines and totals with which to make watching all this play out over the next month or so worth our time.

POWER RANKINGS

1. WINNEPEG BLUE BOMBERS (12-4)

We’ve got a new No. 1 thanks to a lights-out offensive performance from the Blue Bombers against one of the few winning, and talented, teams in the CFL. They’ve earned the top spot. Last week: No. 3

2. TORONTO ARGONAUTS (13-2)

Hey, look! Chad Kelly played in Friday’s game and the Argos won in a walk. It’s too bad the books had no idea that was happening ahead of time. And, hey, guess what, we don’t know again. Still probably picking Toronto to win. Just to spoil the end of the article for you. Last week: No. 1

3. BC LIONS (11-5)

Yes, the Lions lost in a shootout, but how far am I supposed to drop them when no other team has more than nine wins in the league? There are three real contenders here and British Columbia is one of them. No one else is close. Last week: No. 2

4. MONTREAL ALOUETTES (9-7)

Montreal got back over .500 and that was all it took to punch their ticket to the playoffs in this CFL season. The gap between the haves and the have-nots is pretty large. Last week: No. 4

5. HAMILTON TIGER-CATS (8-8)

Thanks to a victory that got them to .500, the Tiger Cats officially landed a spot in the CFL playoffs. They’ll probably make a quick exit, but, hey, better than being left out of the postseason Last week: No. 5

6. EDMONTON ELKS (4-12)

Edmonton fell to the best team in the league as we all expected them to do, in spite of the fact that the books refused to give us a line for this one. We knew. We all knew. Still, the fact that the Elks have piled up a few dubs in the final half of the season is good for the league, in comparison to the other Spring/Summer leagues (that have recently joined forces). Last week: No. 7

7. SASKATCHEWAN ROUGHRIDERS (6-10)

There’s one last CFL playoff spot available and the Roughriders have the inside track. What’s it worth to make the postseason and immediately be blown out in the opening round? I’m guessing it’s not good, but it’s probably better from watching everything from home Last week: No. 8

8. OTTAWA REDBLACKS (4-12)

With a legitimate postseason position on the line every week, the Redblacks posted just three points on offense. All but three teams in the CFL make the playoffs and Ottawa is doing all they can to make sure they’ll be watching the postseason on their Barcaloungers. Last week: No. 6

9. CALGARY STAMPEDERS (4-11)

Calgary got the week off to sit in the basement of the Power Rankings and stew after losing to the Hamilton Tiger-Cats in Week 18. Last week: 9

WEEK 19

Byes: Winnipeg Blue Bombers

FRIDAY

BC LIONS AT HAMILTON TIGER-CATS (+3.5, O/U: 48.5)

It was a tough night last week for the Lions as they fell in overtime to the Winnipeg Blue Bombers. 34-16. Vernon Adams, Jr. was 19 of 33 for 252 yards, a touchdown and no picks. Taquan Mizzell led the team rushing, if you can call it that, with six carries for 23 yards. Dominique Davis had three carries for four yards and a touchdown. Dominique Rhymes caught five passes for 107 yards. Jevon Cottoy hauled in two passes for 88 yards and a score. On defense, TJ Lee recorded eight tackles. Josh Woods and Jalon Edwards-Cooper both had seven tackles apiece. Woody Baron, Matthieu Betts and Sione Teuhema both all two tackles and a sack. Teuhema added two forced fumbles. Barron and Betts had fumble recoveries. Adrian Greene had a tackle and an interception.

Hamilton is getting hot at the right time. Knocking off the Saskatchewan Roughriders last week. 38-13, in a walk. Matthew Shiltz, the most dangerous name in sports media was 16 of 19 passing for 27 yards, two touchdowns and a pick. Bo Levi Mithell saw some action in the blowout, going 4 of 6 passing for 129 yards and a touchdown. Shitlz scrambled four times for 38 yards. James Butler rushed 25 times for 107 yards. Kai Loksley had two carries for three yards and a TD. Tim White caught three passes for 129 yards. James Butler hauled in five balls for 77 yards. Terry Godwin caught two balls for 71 yards. Omar Bayless had three receptions for 51 yards and two TDs. Sean Thomas Erlington caught four balls for 32 yards and a score. Jameer Thurman had six tackles. Simoni Lawrence. Casey Sayles and Will Sunderland had five tackles apiece, with Lawrence adding two tackles and a fumble recovery. Sayles added three tackles for a loss. Stavros Katsabtonis had four tackle and one pick. Jamal Davis II had three tackles and a sack. Penei Pavihi had two tackles and a forced fumble.

The Lions are coming off a bad loss to one of the top teams in the league. If they want to stay in the Grey Cup conversation, and you know they do, they must make an example of a Hamilton team they’ll likely meet again in the postseason. Lions 38, Tiger-Cats 23

SASKATCHEWAN ROUGHRIDERS AT CALGARY STAMPEDERS (-3.5, O/U: 48)

The playoffs are still possible for the Roughriders, but they’re probably not set for an extended stay after a 38-13 blowout loss to the Hamilton Tiger-Cats last week. Saskatchewan got a 15 of 25 passing day from Jake Dolegela for 154 yards. Mason Fine took some snaps at QB and went 2 of 4 for 25 yards, no TDs and a pick. Jamalo Morrow had 18 rushes for 120 yards and a TD. Sameul Emilus and Shawn Bane, Jr. both caught four passes. Emilus had 43 yards and Bane had 42 yards. Jayden Dalke led the defense with seven tackles and a fumble recovery. Derrick Moncreif had six tackles. Pete Robertson and CJ Reavis both had five tackles apiece with Reavis adding a fumble recovery. TJ Brunson had four tackles and a fumbler recovery. Larry Dean had three tackles and a pick. 

Calgary had a week off to stew on how awful they’ve been after falling 22-15 to the Hamilton Tiger-Cats in Week 17. Jake Maier was 26 of 44 passing for 239 yards, no touchdowns and no interceptions in the loss. Dedrick Mills rushed six times for 47 yards. Tre Odoms-Dukes caught seven passes for 83 yards. Marken Michel had seven grabs for 82 yards. Micah Awe led the defense with five tackles. Cameron Judge had four tackles and a pick. Mike Rose had two tackles and two sacks.

There is a point where Saskatchewan has to claim the official title of the best bad team in the CFL. This week must be that moment. There’s one more playoff spot up for grabs and the fact that all four of these scrubs could possibly claim it is a black eye for the entire league. The Roughriders could help a lot by going ahead and doing their part to seal the deal Friday night. Saskatchewan, whatever reputation the CFL has left, it’s all in your hands.  Roughriders 31, Stampeders 24

SATURDAY

MONTREAL ALOUETTES AT EDMONTON ELKS (+2, O/U: 47.5)

Montreal solidified their playoff position with a 28-3 beat down of the Ottawa Redblacks last week. Cody Fajardo was 28 of 32 passing for 272 yards, one touchdown and an interception. He scrambled three times for 27 yards. Walter Fletcher had 14 carries for 43 yards. Caleb Evans carried the ball six times for 14 yards and a TD. Tyson Philpot caght six passes for 90 yards and a score. Tyler Snead had seven tackles and 78 yards. Ciante Evans finished the game with six tackles. Tyruce Beverette had four tackles and a sack with a forced fumble. Lwal Ugak, Mustafa Johnson both had three tackles and one sack. Shawn Lemon had two tackles and a sack. Reggie Stubblefield had two tackles, a sack and a fumble recovery.

The fact that Edmonton had a solid month to get back into a potential playoff race is fantastic. The fact that the lost in blowout fashion to the Toronto Argonauts should be expected. The Elks didn’t light up the scoreboard in a 35-12 loss to the Argos last Friday. Tre Ford wrapped his night with a 19 of 31 passing for 220 yards, one touchdown and two interception. Ford led the team with seven carries for 47 yards. Gavin Cobb caught four passes for 79 yards and a TD. Emmanuel Arcenaux caught four balls for 50 yards. AC Leonard and Ed Gainey led the team with five tackles apiece, with Leonard adding a sack and a fumble recovery. Jake Ceresnba had four tackles and a sack. Jake Ceesna had four tackles and a sack.

While Montreal has already secured a playoff spot, they’re still playing for pride and Edmonton, as proud as they should be for shaking off their first half winless-ness, is no match. There’s a part of me that wants Edmonton to sneak into that final postseason bracket just because it took them so long to win a game. There was a time where they were arguably the worst football team in North American. Not anymore, but they’re still losing Saturday. Alouettes 34, Elks 24

OTTAWA REDBLACKS AT TORONTO ARGONAUTS (xx, O/U: xx)

There was a point where Ottawa had some real hope this season. That time is over as the Redblacks dropped a 29-3 loss to the Montreal Alouettes last week. Nick Arbuckle, fresh from serving his cat Garfield some lasagna, finished 9 of 13 passing for 90 yards. Dustin Crum was 5 of 13 passing for 72 yards. Neither guy tossed a TD or a pick. Devonte Williams rushed 10 times for 45 yards. Siaosi Mariner and Jaelon Acklin both caught four passes. Mariner had 46 yards. Acklin had 35 yards. Jovan Santons-Knox and Frankie Griffin had six tackles apiece. Douglas Coleman III had five tackles. Bryce Carter had four tackles, one sack and four tackles for a loss. Brandin Dandridge had a tackle and a pick.

Chad Kelly made the start for the Argos and it made all the difference as Toronto knocked off the Edmonton Elks 35-12 last Friday. Kelly finished 11 of 16 for no touchdowns and no picks in the win. AJ Oullette had 14 carries for 65 yards. Deonta McMahon had five rushes for 26 yards and a touchdown. Cameron Dukes had four hauls for five hauls and two TDs. Demonte Coxie caught four passes for 83 yards. On defense, Jamie Harry and Shawn Oakman had six tackles apiece, with Oakman adding two sacks. Jonathan Jones had five tackles and two sacks and three tackles for a loss. Adarius Pickett had four tackles and a sack. Wynton McMans had three tackles and a pick. Mason Pierce had a tackle and an interception.

It doesn’t matter who is starting for Toronto in this game, Ottawa is going down. It’s just a matter of how hard and the books are reacting to that by not putting up a point spread or total. The Argos are winning and I’m saying by double digits. Argonauts 31, Redblacks 13

Last week

Straight up: 2-2

Against the spread: 2-2

Season

Straight up: 51-19

Against the spread: 37-33

Follow Adam Greene on Twitter @TheFirstMan.

Connect with us our socials on Twitter and Instagram for the latest sports news, viral moments, betting odds and the occasional memes.