CFL WEEK 21 PREVIEW & PICKS

BY ADAM GREENE

Oh my God. We did it. We have reached the final week of the Canadian Football League regular season. It almost seems unreal, to make it through 20 weeks of minor league football where only four of the teams in the playoffs hold winning records.

Again, let me just put it out there once more that the CFL should really think about a merger with the NSFL (a merger of the XFL and USFL) so we can get the best possible spring and summer product onto the field and avoid a 21-game CFL season altogether,

But, hey, we’re here and we have the odds, lines and totals with which to make watching this final week play out worth it in spite of every playoff spot already being clinched.

POWER RANKINGS

1. WINNEPEG BLUE BOMBERS (13-4)

Thanks to a victory last week and a BC Lions loss, the Blue Bombers secured the CFL West Division title and at least one home playoff game. Last week: No. 1

2. TORONTO ARGONAUTS (15-2)

With home field already locked up, the Argos will rest starting quarterback Chad Kelly Saturday. A victory this week will tie Toronto for the best CFL regular season of all time with the 1989 Edmonton Elks. Last week: No. 2

3. MONTREAL ALOUETTES (10-7)

Montreal is one of just four teams, in a six-team playoff field, with a winning record. They’ll face the Hamilton Tiger-Cats this week and probably next week too in the opening round of the playoffs. Last week: No. 4

4. HAMILTON TIGER-CATS (8-9)

Hamilton has the chance to enter the postseason at .500 with a victory over the Alouettes Saturday. The Tiger-Cats are probably in for a short playoff stay, but you don’t want to go in as a loser before kickoff. Last week: No. 5

5. BC LIONS (12-6)

BC’s final regular season game bodes ill for their Grey Cup hopes. They were obliterated by the Calgary Stampeders, 41-16, and will have to face that same team in the first round of the playoffs. Last week: No. 3

6. CALGARY STAMPEDERS (6-11)

Calgary emphatically punched its ticket to the playoff bracket with a blowout victory over the Lions last Friday. Last week: 6

7. SASKATCHEWAN ROUGHRIDERS (6-12)

Saskatchewan’s potential playoff run, and first round playoff defeat, came to an end with a close loss to Toronto last Saturday. Last week: No. 7

8. EDMONTON ELKS (4-14)

The Elks season came to a merciful end last week with a 20-point loss to the Argonauts. Edmonton might lose twice, as their record win total from 1989, 16-2, is on the line when Toronto plays at the Ottawa Redblacks this week. Last week: No. 8

9. OTTAWA REDBLACKS (4-13)

Ottawa is just playing out the season now. They do get a break Saturday as the Argos will be resting starting QB Chad Kelly. Last week: No. 9

WEEK 21

Byes: Edmonton Elks, Saskatchewan Roughriders, BC Lions

FRIDAY

WINNIPEG BLUE BOMBERS AT CALGARY STAMPEDERS (+3, O/U: 47)

Winnipeg put the Edmonton Elks out of their 2023 misery, blowing them out 45-25 last Saturday. Zach Collaros was 13 of 15 passing for 125 yards and a touchdown with no interceptions. In relief, Dru Brown was a perfect 7 for 7 passing for 94 yards and two TDs with no picks. Brady Oliveira rushed 14 times for 72 yards and two scores. Kenny Lawler hauled in six passes for 98 yards. Rasheed Bailey had three catches for 24 yards and two touchdowns. Greg McCrae caught two balls for nine yards and a score. Winston Rose led the Argos with five tackles. Evan Holm had three tackles and a sack. Willie Jefferson had two tackles and two sacks. Adam Bighill made two tackles and forced a fumble. Jackson Jeffcoat had a tackle, a sack and a fumble recovery.

The Stampeders literally stampeded over the BC Lions last Friday, securing a playoff spot with a 41-16 blowout win. Jake Maier was just 10 of 21 passing for 123 yards and two touchdowns with no interceptions. He scrambled once for seven yards. Peyton Logan had eight rushes for 105 yards and a TD. Ka’Deem Carey had 15 carries for 88 yards. Tommy Stevens had seven totes for 13 yards and two scores. Reggie Begelton caught four passes for 66 yards and a touchdown. Luther Hakunavanhu caught an eight-yard TD pass. Micah Awe led the team with eight tackles, a sack and a pick. Cameron Judge had six tackles, one interception, one forced fumble and one fumble recovery. Julian Howsare had five tackles and a sack. Derek Wiggan and Mike Moore both had a tackle and a sack.

Winnipeg isn’t playing for anything at this point and it’s hard to see them putting any of their key players at risk in this one. As for Calgary, they’re entering the playoffs with a losing record and nothing will change that, but certainly 7-11 feels a lot better than 6-12. Stampeders 24, Blue Bombers 20

SATURDAY

HAMILTON TIGER-CATS AT MONTREAL ALOUETTES (xx, O/U: xx)

The Tiger-Cats slipped back below .500 two weeks ago, falling 33-30 to the BC Lions before they took their final bye of the season. The most dangerous name in sports, quarterback Matthew Shiltz, went 14 of 19 passing for 180 yards and a touchdown with no interceptions. He added three scrambles for 26 yards. After an injury, Shiltz was replaced by Bo Levi Mitchell who went 13 of 18 passing for 135 yards and two TDs. James Butler rushed 15 times for 67 yards. Tim White caught seven passes for 112 yards and two scores. Kiondre Smith had six receptions for 70 yards. Terry Godwin nabbed six passes for 64 yards and a touchdown. Dexter Lawson, Jr. led the defense with seven tackles and an interception. Jameer Thurman and Simoni Lawrence both had six tackles, with Thurman adding a sack. Three of Lawrence’s tacklers were for a loss. Casey Sayles had three tackles, all for a loss and two sacks.

Montreal went into its final bye off a 35-21 victory over the Edmonton Elks in Week 19. Cody Fajardo was 23 of 29 passing for 258 yards, a touchdown and an interception in the win. He added six carries for 30 yards. Walter Fletcher rushed 13 times for 88 yards. Tyler Snead caught four passes for 69 yards. Austin Mack had five receptions for 57 yards. Cole Spieker caught five balls for 56 yards. Tyson Philpot hauled in four passes for 38 yards and a touchdown. Tyrice Beverette and Darnell Sankey both recorded seven tackles apiece. Beverette added a sack and four tackles for a loss. Wesley Sutton had six tackles. Mustafa Johnson had five tackles, two sacks and a forced fumble. Lwal Ugak had four tackles, a sack and a fumble recovery.

They’re playing this game in back-to-back weeks, first here in the final week of the regular season and then the playoffs. Hamilton doesn’t’ want to go into the postseason with a losing record, but Montreal will probably see to it that they do. And make short work of them next week too. No lines or totals are out for this one, probably because the books don’t know how seriously the Alouettes will take it. Alouettes 34, Tiger-Cats 24

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

Toronto outlasted the Saskatchewan Roughriders, 29-26, last Saturday in a game that cost Saskatchewan a shot at the postseason. Chad Kelly did plenty of work at QB, finishing 18 of 25 passing for 275 yards, a touchdown and a pick. Cameron Dukes came in and was 10 of 15 passing for 113 yards, no TDs and no interceptions. Daniel Adeboboye rushed nine times for 109 yards and a score. AJ Oullette had 10 caries for 50 yards and a touchdown. Damonte Coxie caught five passes for 105 yards and a TD. DaVaris Daniels had six receptions for 84 yards. Dejon Brissett hauled in six passes for 56 yards. Royc Metchie and Qwantez Stiggers both led the defense with seven tackles apiece. Stiggers added an interception. Jordan Williams had six tackles, with three for a loss. Wynton McManis had four tackles and a forced fumble. Mason Pierce had three tackles, a sack and a pick.

This game already happened two weeks ago as the Argonauts sent the Redblacks into their final bye with a 40-27 spanking. Dustin Crum was 13 of 16 passing for 183 yards, one touchdown and an interception. He scrambled twice for 13 yards. Devonte Williams rushed 16 times for 125 yards and a touchdown. Justin Hardy caught five passes for 98 yards. Jaelon Acklin had four receptions for 83 yards. Bralon Addison caught two balls for 19 yards and a score. Damon Webb had nine tackles with four for a loss. Jovan Santons-Knox had six tackles. Frankie Griffin had five tackles. Michael Wakefield had three tackles and a sack.

Again, we have no betting details yet simply because the Argos are resting all their key players. I don’t think it’ll make a difference and Toronto ties with the 89 Elks for the all-time best regular season record in CFL history. Argonauts 27, Redblacks 20

Last week

Straight up: 2-1

Against the spread: 1-2

Season

Straight up: 56-21

Against the spread: 40-37

Follow Adam Greene on Twitter @TheFirstMan.

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