CFL Beat: Week 12

After two weeks away, I am at last back in Canada once more, and I think that while this was a very successful trip with wife and baby, it’s safe to say we will not be doing any more large-scale travelling any time soon. On another note: if anyone has infant-sized shock collars… please drop me a line. Need to start building the boy’s character now if we want him to truly make a go of it in professional sports later on, unlike his father…

In league news this week:

• Ottawa REDBLACKS team president Adrian Sciarra has stepped down amidst the team’s winless start to the season. While Sciarra will remain with parent company Ottawa Sports & Entertainment Group in his role as president and alternate governor of the Ottawa 67s major junior hockey club, OSEG hopes to fill his football role by the end of the 2026 season; considering the hopelessness that fans have seen since the 2019 season, I hope new leadership brings life to this team once more. Not easy to see someone who’s been with the franchise since day 1 of its existence step resign, but his tenure as team president was unfortunately well past its best-before date.
• Scott Milanovich, head coach of the Hamilton Tiger-Cats, will be away from the team this week as he deals with an undisclosed personal matter, and will not coach this week’s game. It appears that Bob Dyce, the team’s special teams coordinator and assistant head coach, will fill in during his absence.

Onto the games!

WEEK 11 RECAPS

BC 30 vs. Calgary 26: The Lions started this game slowly, but rallied as time went on and ended up coming out on top in a back-and-forth battle which saw Nathan Rourke throw the game-winning score to Keon Hatcher with just over two minutes left in the fourth quarter to clinch it for the Leos. Rourke was excellent once again, throwing two TDs and rushing for another, while RB Zander Horvath continued to shine in a breakout season, with 134 total yards and a TD score on 18 touches in the game. Calgary had a good start, with three field goals from Jude McAtamney in the first quarter, but couldn’t sustain their momentum once the Lions got on the board. It ended up being a tight contest with several lead changes – but when it mattered most, the Stamps’ D didn’t have an answer for Rourke and company. Also tough news was Stampeders QB Vernon Adams, Jr. and RB Dedrick Mills each going down with an apparent head injury – while always tough to see, perhaps the fact the team is going into a bye week might mean they may not end up missing extended time.

PICK: Calgary

RESULT: BC

Ottawa 21 vs. Winnipeg 33: The REDBLACKS were within five points of the Blue Bombers in the fourth quarter of this game, but couldn’t complete the comeback, and Winnipeg’s Bryce Perkins plunged into the end zone from two yards out to cap off an excellent final drive of the game to clinch the victory for the home side. In Zach Collaros’ return to the field after several weeks away due to injury, he didn’t throw a TD but still helped the Bombers sustain drives with some good throws, while RB Brady Oliveira proved to be a workhorse once again with 154 yards and a TD on 19 touches. For Ottawa, Brett Lauther kicked three field goals and Jake Maier had two TDs and a pick on 28-44 passing for 314 yards… and it all ultimately didn’t matter considering their disappointing red zone performance once again.

PICK: Winnipeg

RESULT: Winnipeg

Toronto 12 vs. Edmonton 42: The Elks were up by just two points at halftime with a narrow 11-9 lead, but they found their groove and blew this game wide open in the second half, with Justin Rankin and Cody Fajardo rushing and throwing for touchdowns, respectively, while DB J.J. Ross had a huge pick-six on Sex Pest Chad Kelly to really twist the dagger even further. The Argos struggled mightily to put up points in this game – they managed only a single touchdown and two field goals all game – not even a successful convert, to boot. Credit to the Elks’ D for really locking in over the final two quarters.

PICK: Edmonton

RESULT: Edmonton

Saskatchewan 19 vs. Hamilton 26: In one of the most surprising results of the season, the Ti-Cats took down the visiting Roughriders thanks to Tre Ford coming off the bench late in the third quarter to erase a nine-point deficit and steal a win. The Ti-Cats’ D also did a stellar job of shutting down Trevor Harris and his offensive weapons in the final frame, as Saskatchewan failed to score a point in the final quarter while Hamilton got a stellar TD from Ford to Keric Wheatfall and three field goals from Marc Liegghio to seal the win late.

PICK: Saskatchewan

RESULT: Hamilton

BYE: Montreal (8-1)

WEEK 12 PREVIEWS

Ottawa (0-9) vs. Montreal (8-1), Thursday, August 20th, 7:30 PM EDT (TSN, CBSSN, CFL+): I fully expect this to be a lopsided Montreal win. We’re not even into September yet and this season is already over for the REDBLACKS – so perhaps the only things left for us to look for this year is for them to go full Benny Hill on the field. With the absolute Swiss cheese O-line they have, it’s not out of the question… Dating back to last season, Ottawa has now lost fifteen consecutive games, a CFL record.

PICK: Montreal

Winnipeg (5-4) vs. Edmonton (7-3), Friday, August 21st, 9:30 PM EDT (TSN, CBSSN, CFL+): It’s been fun to see the Elks’ resurgence this season after so many years in the basement of the league. It makes me believe that the same might one day be possible for my dear REDBLACKS – but I’m still not holding my breath any time soon. The biggest factor for their turnaround has been their steady defensive play – something that has been the hallmark of Winnipeg teams of late as well, particularly with the litany of QB injuries they’ve had to deal with in recent years. Fortunately for the Bombers, Zach Collaros is healthy now, so it means that Winnipeg will never truly be out of it – even if perhaps his best years of football are behind him now. Still like the home field advantage that Edmonton will likely have here – fans rightfully want to support a winning team, and the club has finally delivered some on-field results to generate buzz in the city once again.

PICK: Edmonton

Hamilton (4-6) vs. Toronto (4-5), Saturday, August 22nd, 7:00 PM EDT (TSN, CBSSN, CFL+): The last time these two teams met, the difference was all in a single missed field goal – Lirim Hajrullahu’s kick went wide as time expired, and the Tiger-Cats hung on for the victory. There’s never, ever a dull moment in the battle of the Queen Elizabeth Way – and this game will prove a great dress rehearsal for their upcoming Labour Day Classic tilt very soon as well. Hamilton still has a ton of question marks about quarterback play with Bo Levi Mitchell still not likely to return any time soon, but last week’s upset win over Saskatchewan was certainly a big step in the right direction for this team as they chase a playoff berth.

PICK: Toronto

Saskatchewan (6-3) vs. BC (4-5), Sunday, August 23rd, 7:00 PM EDT (TSN, CFL+): The Lions have won three in a row and are back at home with a healthy Nathan Rourke, which I certainly think counts for something, but those previous wins – over Calgary, Hamilton, and Winnipeg, respectively – have not been against a quality of opponent on Saskatchewan’s level. True, the Riders did suffer a surprising loss last week, so they shouldn’t overlook a single sub-.500 team in this league except for perhaps Ottawa, but I think there’s much that they’ll show to make up for that surprising defeat, even considering all of their key injuries they’re currently experiencing.

PICK: Saskatchewan

BYE: Calgary (4-6)

STANDINGS AND STATS

East Division Standings

West Division Standings

Passing Yards

1. Alexander, MTL – 3140
2. Fajardo, EDM – 3109
3. Kelly, TOR – 2937

Passing TDs

1. Adams, Jr., CGY – 22
2. Harris, SSK – 20
3. Alexander, MTL – 18

Rushing Yards

1. Mills, CGY – 756
2. Oliveira, WPG – 737
3. Theis, MTL – 700

Receiving Yards

1. Philpot, MTL – 11154
2. Snead, MTL – 940
3. Mack, EDM – 824

Defensive Tackles

1. Pickett, TOR – 58
2. Brooks, Jr., SSK – 53
3. Darkangelo, TOR – 50

Sacks

1. Hicks, CGY – 7
2. Betts, BC – 7
3. Jefferson, WPG – 6

Interceptions

1. Ford, EDM – 5
2. Labrosse, CGY – 5
3. Katsantonis, HAM – 4

Field Goals

1. Blanchard, EDM – 29
2. Castillo, WPG – 29
3. Maltos Diaz, MTL – 23

PICK POOL

No perfect weeks once again – I blame the Tiger-Cats for our predicament here this time around.

Remember to submit your picks here! https://www.officepooljunkie.com/picks-pickem.php?Pool=NFA9D4OXO6C2U0A1

CFL FANTASY

In Week 11 matchups, BC Dick’s Dead Horse  took down first-place O Spamada by a final score of 101-63 in a massive upset. RoughRougesGTD defeated Superfluous “U”s  , 77-53, and my dear Maestrottawa bested Sacre Blew 74-52. With only five weeks left until playoffs, and tight standings still, we’re going to see a lot of close contests over the final stretch of this fantasy season…

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Enjoy the games, everyone.