Monthly Archives: October 2008

Week 16 in the CFL. The playoff participants could be set this week.

Posted on October 10, 2008 by Scott Taylor| Comments Off

You know are far the Canadian Football League’s Eastern Division has fallen into the abyss when a game between the 5-9 Winnipeg Blue Bombers and the 4-10 Toronto Argonauts has playoff implications.

 

And not just implications. If the Bombers win and get to 6-9, they’re all but guaranteed a shot at the post-season. If the Argos win, they’re tied with the Bombers and back in the hunt.

 

And here’s what’s even uglier. This is not just a fight for the playoffs, but a battle for second place in the East. Second place! The East is a mess, but on the upside, in Week 16 at least, the East plays the East and all the power in the West plays against all the power in the West. That means we should see some pretty good football games.

 

For the most part, it will be a close and competitive Thanksgiving Weekend, except for, perhaps, the opener. Let’s take a closer look…

 

Toronto Argonauts (4-10) at Winnipeg Blue Bombers (5-9)

 

Friday, 7:30 p.m. CT, TSN

 

This has the makings of a rout. Kerry Joseph, with the worst passer’s rating among (sometimes) starting quarterbacks in the CFL with a 69.2 mark, will start for an Argos team that still hasn’t won for Don Matthews. There seems to be a lot of angst in Winnipeg, worrying about this one, simply because Toronto has won two-of-three against the Bombers so far this season, but here’s why Bomber fans should stop worrying. A win tomorrow night against the Argos, a team the Bombers beat 39-9 in Toronto four weeks ago, will wrap up a playoff spot. Forget the mathematics, win ad it’s a done deal. And even if the Bombers don’t win, just one more win down the stretch should lock up that playoff spot. I’ve said it for months, 6-10 makes the grade in the East. I still believe that. However, what’s important to remember is that the last time these two teams met, in Toronto, Winnipeg won 39-9. This could get ugly.

 

Pick: Winnipeg

Edmonton Eskimos (8-6) at B.C. Lions (9-5)

Friday, 10:30 p.m. CT, TSN

The Lions have won five straight games to go from 4-5 to 9-5 and move into a first-place tie in the West although, in fairness, three of the five wins have come against Hamilton and Toronto (yeah, it’s true, you could get 11 of your buddies together and beat Toronto and Hamilton). The Eskimos, who can clinch a playoff spot with a win, whipped Winnipeg at home last week and Ricky Ray looked good in the process, but always remember the home-away scenario in the West, B.C. is at home. 

Pick: B.C.

Hamilton Tiger-Cats (3-11) at Montreal Alouettes (9-5) 

Monday, Noon CT, TSN

Last week, these two teams met in Hamilton. Montreal’s Anthony Calvillo, who absolutely, positively should be the CFL’s most outstanding player, threw for 468 yards and four touchdowns while Hamilton’s new hotshot stud, Quinton Porter threw for 429 yards and FIVE touchdowns. In an amazing football game, Hamilton beat the Als 44-36. Wow! It won’t happen again. Especially in Montreal’s little band-box.

 

Pick: Montreal

Saskatchewan Roughriders (9-5) at Calgary Stampeders (9-5)

Sunday, 3:30 p.m. CT, TSN

Things aren’t getting better in Saskatchewan, they’re getting worse. This week, the Riders had 19 players on the DL. Last week, they had 18 and still the Green Men beat the Stampeders 37-34 in a nasty game that ended with fines, after a number of Stamps got themselves into an altercation with the officials (as bad as the officiating is in the CFL, you just have to fine a way to ignore it, boys). Calgary is the better team and they are playing at home this week.

 

Pick: Calgary

Last Week: 2-2

Season: 33-15

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The CFL’s Week 15 is in the books. Have we learned anything yet?

Posted on October 5, 2008 by Scott Taylor| Comments Off

I love that question. “Have we learned anything yet?” We’ve been chasing around the CFL for 15 weeks and after 15 weeks the only thing we’ve learned is that there are no guarantees.

 

Oh, don’t worry, we certainly  thought there were guarantees. After 14 weeks we thought we had the Conference champions figured out. I mean Montreal and Calgary were red-hot as we passed the midway point of the 2008 Canadian Football League season. Calgary in the West, Montreal in the East, let’s play the Grey Cup right now.

 

Then along came Week 15. Calgary goes on the road and loses 37-34 to Saskatchewan. Montreal goes on the road and loses 44-36 to Hamilton. Now I understand the Calgary loss. Regina is a tough place to play and the Calgary defence is not very good, but the Montreal loss to sad-sack Hamilton was a shocker.

 

Anthony Calvillo went an unbelievable 44-for-53 for 468 yards and four touchdowns  — three receivers had at least 100 yards and three had at least 10 catches — and the Als still lost as Quinton Porter went 27-for-32 for 429 yards and five touchdowns.

 

Montreal rushed for 10 yards in the game. That’s how you lose in the CFL, even when you put up 36 points.

 

Let’s take a look at the five things we learned in Week 15.

 

1. Home teams are still a safe bet. Western Conference teams are now 20-7 at home. In the East, teams are 13-16 (Toronto and hamilton are a combined 4-11), but that has more to do with the fact that the East is just plain lousy. Western teams are now 18-6 against the East. It doesn’t matter where they play.

 

2. The Calgary defence is the only thing that will keep the Stampeders out of the Grey Cup. It’s not that the Calgary defence is awful. The Stamps have allowed only 352 points in 14 games. It’s just that when they need it, they don’t get it. The Stamps have five losses. The defence collapsed in the final minute in a 32-28 loss to Winnipeg (and, don’t forget, the Bombers had Ryan Dinwiddie at quarterback), it collapsed late in a 34-31 loss in Edmonton and gave up 37 at home in another loss to Edmonton. In five losses, the Stampders have given up 162 points. In nine wins, only 190. There is a lesson in all that. 

 

3. The Bombers still aren’t a lock — although, they should be. Winnipeg added Jason Armstead, Kai Ellis, Zeke Moreno and Joe Smith and should be better. For three weeks, they were, with wins over 3-11 Hamilton and 4-10 Toronto on the road and 7-5 Edmonton at home. But on Friday night, the Bombers did the things they did when the team was 2-8: they didn’t run the ball enough, they were awful on special teams, they committed a couple of turnovers that led to 14 points and their kicking game — once again — was dreadful. Winnipeg should have second place in the Least Division locked up by now, but with games against Toronto and Hamilton at home and Calgary and Montreal on the road, anything can happen.

 

4. Saskatchewan isn’t going to roll over. Just when we thought the banged-up Roughriders were about to go down for a third and final time, they get a sensational effort from Michael Bishop and 128 yards receiving from Weston Dressler and beat Calgary 37-34. The Riders are 9-5, still tied for first and still in a legitimate race for first place. 

 

5. The B.C. Lions just might be the surprise of the West. They don’t do much of anything, at least not anything remarkable, (although DE Cameron Wake is pretty impressive) and yet, the Lions find ways to win. Friday night, they went into Toronto and should have blown the wonky Argos away. Instead, they were lucky to beat a team that hasn’t won since Week 10 — and hasn’t won at all for Don Matthews. But in B.C.’s case, the emphasis should be on the word “win.” They found a way and that’s what makes a champion (remember the 1988 Blue Bombers and the 2001 Calgary Stampeders and the 2007 Saskatchewan Roughriders?). There is a lot to be said for a team that can win a close game on the road. Of their nine wins this season, the Lions have won five games, each by less than a converted touchdown. That’s a team that will be tough in the playoffs. 

 

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It’s Week 15 in the CFL and with Hamilton and Toronto done, the final six are jockeying for playoff position…

Posted on October 3, 2008 by Scott Taylor| Comments Off

With only five weeks left in the CFL season, it’s apparent the Argos and  Ticats are done, the Als and Stamps are on a collision course to the Grey Cup and the Bombers and Eskimos are just trying to lock up playoff spots.

Last week we went 4-0. Need we say more?

Let’s take a closer look at Week 15…

B.C. Lions (8-5) at Toronto Argonauts (4-9) 

 

Friday, 6 p.m. CT, TSN

 

Toronto head coach Don Matthews is now 0-3 since his return to coaching with the Argos. He’ll be 0-4 after Friday night’s game at Rogers Centre.  The Argos have lost four in a row and six of their last seven and the Boatmen just might be the worst team in football (if not, it’s their neighbors down the QEW). Kerry Joseph will start at quarterback this week, but it won’t much matter. B.C. has won four straight and not only is the offence starting to click with Charles Roberts in the backfield but the defence, behind big Cameron Wake is playing as well it has in years.

Pick: B.C.

Calgary Stampeders (9-4) at Saskatchewan Roughriders (8-5) 

Friday, 9 p.m. CT, TSN

The Roughriders have lost three straight and are now tied for second in the West and, amazingly, they’re now only two points ahead of last-place Edmonton. The Riders are still banged up and now they can’t decide if Michael Bishop or Derian Durant is their quarterback. Calgary, meanwhile, is playing as well as it has in years. The Stamps have won four straight and scored 157 points in those four games. This might not be close.

Pick: Calgary

Montreal Alouettes (9-4) at Hamilton Tiger-Cats (2-11) 

Saturday, 3 p.m. CT, TSN

Montreal gets back-to-back games with the worst team in all of football (most high school leagues included). The Als have won seven of their last eight games. Their only loss came at the hands of the red-hot Stampeders. The Alouettes have already beaten Hamilton twice, 33-10 in Hamilton and 40-33 in Montreal. The Als will win again.

 

Pick: Montreal

Winnipeg Blue Bombers (5-8) at Edmonton Eskimos (7-6)    

Saturday, 6 p.m. CT, TSN

The re-match of last week’s 30-23 Bombers win in Winnipeg, this is a much bigger game than one might think. If the Bombers win, they almost lock down second place and leave Edmonton dead last in the West. If the Eskimos win, it’s likely they catch Saskatchewan and might not have to play in Winnipeg again in the first round of the playoffs. Of course, if the Eskimos don’t shut down punt/kick returner Jason Armstead, they’ll get thumped.

 

Pick: Edmonton

Last Week: 4-0

Season: 31-13

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Week 5 NFL Picks: Still haven’t got this mess figured out, but still some great games this week…

Posted on October 1, 2008 by Scott Taylor| Comments Off

There are a number of big games on the slate this weekend, but none bigger than the NFC East matchup between Washington and the Eagles in Philadelphia.

 

The Eagles are coming off a tough Sunday night loss at Chicago and are 2-2. The Redskins are coming off a huge 26-24 upset win at Dallas and are now 3-1.

 

There are few rivalries bigger in all of sports than the rivalries within the NFC East. This year, however, this is arguably the best conference in the game and every game – just like this Sunday afternoon’s game – will be more a game of heart and emotion than talent and experience.

 

Meanwhile, there are a number of games on the slate just like this one. Take, for instance, the Bucs at Denver.

 

Often we look at NFL games and figure, oh one team has a better quarterback than the other or maybe one team’s defence is better than the other. But to really determine a winner, all you need to do is look at the turnovers.

 

Here’s an example: Since 2002, under head coach Jon Gruden, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers are 17-0, when not committing turnover. That’s the key stat in any NFL game. 

 

Then there is Buffalo at Arizona.

 

At the start of the season, you might have picked Arizona as an easy home winner in this one, but the Bills are beginning to make believers out of a lot of people.

 

At 4-0, Buffalo is one of the strongest teams in the league and while they have trouble at the start of most games, they are extremely good at the finish. In fact, In the fourth quarter this season, quarterback Trent Edwards has completed 27 of 35 passes (77.1 per cent) for 350 yards with three TDs, no interceptions & 136.6 passer rating

 

With a win Sunday in Phoenix, the Bills will be 5-0 for only the fourth time in franchise history and for the first time since 1991.

 

We struggled last week, but we intend to make like the Bills this week.

 

On to Week 5…

 

SUNDAY AFTERNOON

Tennessee Titans (4-0) at Baltimore Ravens (2-1) 

The Titans are 4-0 for the first time in franchise history. I might not be a believer in Joe Flacco quite yet, but I am a believer in the Ravens defence.

Take Baltimore

 

Kansas City Chiefs (1-3) at Carolina Panthers (3-1)

Larry Johnson rushed for 198 yards and three touchdowns at home in Week 4. He won’t do it on the road in Week 5.

Take Carolina

 

Chicago Bears (2-2) at Detroit Lions (0-3)

The Bears defence is superior to every other team in the NFC North. Against Detroit, this will look like the greatest defence in NFL history. 

Take Chicago

 

Atlanta Falcons (2-2) at Green Bay Packers (2-2)

Matt Ryan vs. Aaron Rodgers (if the banged-up Rodgers plays). In three years, this will be the game of the week.

Take Green Bay

 

Indianapolis Colts (1-2) at Houston Texans (0-3)

Is this Matt Schaub’s coming out party? The Texans won’t lose every game and, amazingly, this is Houston’s first home game of 2008. Thanks Ike.

Take Houston

 

Seattle Seahawks (1-2) at New York Giants (3-0)

Seattle has played better recently, but the Giants are the defending Super Bowl champs at home. 

Take the Giants.

 

San Diego Chargers (2-2) at Miami Dolphins (1-2)

I’m going to guess that Ronnie Brown and the blow-out of the Patriots were both real.

Take Miami

 

Washington Redskins (3-1) at Philadelphia Eagles (2-2)

The game of the week (see above).

Take Philadelphia.

 

Tampa Bay Buccaneers (3-1) at Denver Broncos (3-1) 

It’s the Bucs, who lost their first game and then won their next three against the Broncos who won their first then lost 33-19 to Kansas City last week. It’s also Brian Griese’s return to Denver. Still…

Take Denver

 

Buffalo Bills (4-0) at Arizona Cardinals (1-3)

The second best game this week. 

Take Buffalo

 

Cincinnati Bengals (0-4) at Dallas Cowboys (3-1)

The Bengals lost to Cleveland at home last week. Act accordingly.

Take Dallas

 

New England Patriots (2-1) at San Francisco 49ers (2-2) 

The Pats were blown away at home by the Dolphins. It’s hard to ignore the Mike Martz-coached Niners esecially when you consider New England has lost two of their last four games.

Take San Francisco

 

SUNDAY NIGHT

Pittsburgh Steelers (3-1) at Jacksonville Jaguars (2-2)

Still not sold on the Steelers and it’s hard not to like Jacksonville at home. 

Take Jacksonville

 

MONDAY NIGHT 

Minnesota Vikings (1-3) at New Orleans Saints (2-2)

Maybe, if the Vikings lose this week, Zygi Wilf will finally fire Brad Childress. 

Take New Orleans.

 

Last week: 6-7

 

Season: 32-28

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