CFL WEEK 4 PREVIEW & PICKS

BY ADAM GREENE

It’s a light week for CFL action as just six teams will be suiting up for Week 4. The Calgary Stampeders, Saskatchewan Roughriders and Hamilton Tiger-Cats all have the week off.

But we still have three games and the odds, lines and totals to make them even more fun to watch.

POWER RANKINGS

1. TORONTO ARGONAUTS (2-0)

Another week, another cruise to victory for the defending Grey Cup champion Argonauts. Their offense looks unstoppable, but that defense might spell some trouble down the road. Last week: No. 1

2. BC LIONS (3-0)

There’s statements and then there’s emphatic declarations made through a megaphone in front of a microphone at a Metallica concert and that’s what the Lions did when they obliterated the Winnipeg Blue Bombers last Friday. Last week: No. 3

3. WINNEPEG BLUE BOMBERS (2-1)

Winnipeg looked like they were ready to become the best team in the CFL over the first two weeks of the season, but the Lions showed them they aren’t quite ready just yet to claim that mantle. Last week: No. 2

4. MONTREAL ALOUETTES (2-0)

In a battle of the two worst CFL playoff teams from a season ago, the Alouettes look like they don’t much appreciate that designation, embarrassing the Hamilton Tiger-Cats in front of their own home fans. Last week: No. 4

5. SASKATCHEWAN ROUGHRIDERS (2-1)

There’s plenty of season to go, but a 2-1 start from a team that won just six games the season before shows a lot of progress in a single offseason and should give Saskatchewan some hope. Now, they just need to keep it going. Last week: No. 6

6. CALGARY STAMPEDERS (1-2)

No playoff team from 2022 has looked worse this season than the Stampeders, who dropped a field goal decision to the Roughriders last Saturday. Last week: No. 5

7. HAMILTON TIGER-CATS (0-3)

Last year in the playoffs the Tiger-Cats had their season ended by the Alouettes. After getting hammered by that same team in Week 3, that season ending loss might have come early. There are plenty of games to go, 15 to be exact, but an 0-3 start is a hole Hamilton needs to start digging itself out from. Last week: No. 7

8. OTTAWA REDBLACKS (0-2)

The Redblacks had a bye week to figure out how to stop their recent spiral. Of course, they had an entire offseason to do that after winning just four games in 2022. They do get a break this week in facing the Edmonton Elks in a battle for the bottom of the CFL. Last week: No. 8

9. EDMONTON ELKS (0-3)

No team needs a bye more than Edmonton, but they won’t get one this week. Just the next best thing when they travel to Ottawa to take on the Redblacks. Last week: No. 9

WEEK 3

Byes: Calgary Stampeders, Saskatchewan Roughriders, Hamilton Tiger-Cats

FRIDAY

EDMONTON ELKS AT OTTAWA REDBLACKS (-3, O/U: 42)

Edmonton might still be the worst team in the league, but they did put up a battle last week against the Toronto Argonauts. In the end, it wasn’t enough as they fell 43-31 to the defending Grey Cup Champions. Taylor Cornelius and Jarret Doege both took snaps at QB for the Elks, with Doege going 9 of 11 for 163 yards, two touchdowns and an interception. Cornelius was 14 of 18 for 135 yards and a TD before leaving the game with a spleen injury. Football is a rough sport. Cornelius led the team rushing with two carries for 28 yards. Steven Dunbar, Jr caught 12 passes for 98 yards. Vincent Forbes-Mombleau caught two balls for 86 yards and they both went for TDs. Kyran Moore had five receptions for 48 yards. Eugene Lewis brought in six passes for 43 yards. Kevin Brown caught two receptions for 17 yards and a touchdown. AC Leonard had six tackles. Nyles Morgan and Darrus Bratton both had five tackles. Loucheiz Purifoy, Dwayne Thompson II and Adam Konar all had four tackles apiece, with Purifoy picking off two passes.

Ottawa got a week off to think about the beat down they suffered at the hooves of the Calgary Stampeders in Week 2, 26-15. Tyrie Adams and Nick Arbuckle both took snaps under center, with Arbuckle going 12 of 21 for 93 yards and an interception. Adams was 9 of 16 for 122 yards and a pick. Adams added four scrambles for 19 yards. De’Montre Tuggle led the team with four rushes for 20 yards. Quan bray ended his evening with seven catches for 95 yards. Justin Hardy caught 10 balls for 54 yards. Frankie Griffin led the defense with 10 tackles and a tackle for a loss. Damon Webb, Douglas Coleman II and Abdul Kanneh all had five tackles each, with Coleman adding a sack and a tackle for a loss. Webb had three tackles for a loss. Adam Auclair had a tackle, a tackle for a loss an interception and a forced fumble. Alonzo Addae had a tackle, a tackle for a loss and a fumble recovery.

It’s a battle for the bottom and I can hardly believe it myself, but I’m going with Edmonton, based entirely on what they showed on offense last week. Elks 24, Redblacks 20

SATURDAY

WINNIPEG BLUE BOMBERS AT MONTREAL ALOUETTES (+6, O/U: 48)

Winnipeg roared out of the gate this season, but found an animal with a much louder voice last week as they were completely decimated by the BC Lions in a playoff rematch, 30-6. Zach Collaros looked like a USFL quarterback (and, yes, that’s an insult), going 15 of 26 for 191 yards, no touchdowns and a pick. Dru Brown got some snaps, finishing 4 of 7 for 33 yards. Brady Oliveira rushed 10 times for 52 yards. Carlton Agudosi and Nic Demski caught seven passes each, with Agudosi piling up 61 yards and Demski 55. On defense, Adam Bighill had six tackles and one for a loss. Evan Holm had five tackles and two for a loss. Ricky Walker and Malik Clements finished with four tackles each. They both recorded a sack and Clements added a tackle for a loss.

The Alouettes showed up in a big way off their bye, putting the hammer down on the Hamilton Tiger-Cats with a 38-12 blowout last Friday. Matthew Schlitz carved up the Tiger-Cats to the tune of 19 of 25 for 292 yards and two touchdowns and no picks. William Stanback rushed nine times for 69 yards. Cody Fajardo had four rushes for just 11 yards, but he did score. Kaion Julien Grant had eight receptions for 94 yards. Austin Mack had six catches for 81yards and two TDs. Kabion Ento ended his night with eight tackles. Tyrice Beverette had six tackles with three for a loss. Najee Murray also finished with three tackles. Ciante Evans recorded two tackles and an interception.

Winnipeg came out on fire to open the season and ran into a busted fire hydrant last week. Montreal put on a solid show of their own, but I think the Blue Bombers bounce back. Still, I don’t like the spread. Blue Bombers 34, Alouettes 30

MONDAY

BC LIONS AT TORONTO ARGONAUTS (+2, O.U: 48)

In a rematch of last season’s Division Finals, the BC Lions got revenge and served it up cold in a 30-6 beat down of the Winnipeg Blue Bombers last Thursday. The complete (and shocking) domination was due in large part to a terrific performance from Vernon Adams, Jr. who finished 20 of 29 passing for 237 yards and two touchdowns with no interceptions. He scrambled twice for 30 yards. Taquan Mizzell led the team with 10 rushes for 50 yards. Dominique Davis had three carries for six yards and a TD. Alexander Hollins caught 10 passes for 83 yards and a score. Lucky Whitehead and Justin McInnis had eight receptions apiece, for Whitehead piling up 72 yards and McInnis posting 54 yards and a touchdown. Gary Peters and Boseko Lokombo wrapped their night with seven tackles each. TJ Lee had six tackles. Emmanuel Rugambam Ben Hladik and Mathieu Betts all recorded four tackles, with Rugamba posting a sack and Betts recording three sacks. Sione Teuhema and Nathan Cherry both had two tackles and a sck. David Menard had a tackle and a sack.

The Edmonton Elks made it interesting on the final scoresheet, if not in the actual game. Toronto kept its record perfect with a 43-31 win over the Elks last Sunday. Chad Kelly continues to show he was the right choice at quarterback for the Argonauts, though he was a little too generous with the ball last week. He finished 13 of 23 for 264 yards, one touchdown and two interceptions in the win. He scrambled three times for 21 yards. AJ Ouellett rushed 18 times for 84 yards and three touchdowns. David Ungerer III caught three passes for 75 yards and a TD. Dejon Brissett caught eight balls for 63 yards. Cam Phillips hauled in five passes for 61 yards. Adarius Pickett wrapped his night with eight tackles, two sacks and a tackle for a loss. Royce Metchie had seven tackles. Jonathan Jones recorded five stops. Dolarin Orimolade and Dewayne Hendrix each had two tackles and a sack. Robertson Daniel had three tackles and forced two fumbles. Jamal Peters had one tackle and recovered a fumble.

British Columbia made a statement last week against the Blue Bombers and have a chance to really shake up the league at the Argos this week. I like their chances, but I’m not picking them to do it. This one will be fun to watch, though. Argonauts 31, Lions 27

Last week

Straight up: 2-2

Against the spread: 2-2

Season

Straight up: 9-3

Against the spread: 9-3

Follow Adam Greene on Twitter @TheFirstMan.

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