- 06:23 AM
- 11/21/24
When all this started, it was the halcyon summer of 2005. I had a summer office job with too much time on my hands, the NHL lockout meant that we'd had nothing to pick in months, and the young Canadian Football League season was too tempting to pass up.
Seventeen years, six computers, many jobs, four houses, one degree, one cat, and two kids later, things around here are a lot different, but the Pick 'Em has always been a wonderful constant of community, punditry, margins of error, no-stakes gambling, and unlikely comebacks. I've appreciated every moment, but my aching fingers say it's time to bring this chapter to a close.
I would like to thank everybody who has ever played along and helped to while away those long Canadian summers. Special thanks to Reever for making it possible for me to go on vacation, and of course to rcade for keeping this whole thing going.
The 2022 CFL season kicks off tomorrow, and who knows? Maybe I'll run into you at the 55 yard line one of these days. Thanks to all of you, and good luck!
posted by DrJohnEvans at 02:07 PM on June 08, 2022
(Sorry this is so late! Having the Grey Cup in December leads to all sorts of scheduling difficulties.)
It's December in the Hammer, which means it's all about the wind. Winnipeg opens with the wind at their backs and carves out an early lead, but when the teams switch sides, it's Hamilton's turn to catch up. Two third-quarter interceptions give Hamilton a 22-10 lead early in the 4th, but with the wind at their backs, the Blue Bombers take to the skies on the arm of Zach Collaros. Field goal, TD, a 44-yard field goal for a 2-point lead, and then a rouge on the ensuing kickoff to make it an even 3 with under two minutes to play. Hamilton takes the ball for the upwind 2-minute drill, and makes it all the way to the Winnipeg 6-yard-line, but can't convert the major, settling instead for a game-tying field goal to send the game to overtime.
In OT, it's the Bombers with first touch, and they quickly score a touchdown and follow with the 2-point conversion. Hamilton takes the ball, but on their third play, Masoli's pass is tipped twice into the arms of Winnipeg's Kyrie Wilson, and the back-to-back celebration is on for the Bombers.
| HAM @ WPG | MVP Bonus | O/U Bonus | Tiebreaker | |
| Result | Winnipeg by 8 | Collaros | Over | 449 |
| Margin of Error | 6 to 10 |
Less drama in our standings as jagsnumberone scores four points to cruise to an easy victory. Congratulations jags!
Congratulations as well to rcade who narrowly beats the pack for the Costanza. Well done!
Shout out to ic23b who was only 1 yard off on the tiebreaker!
| SpoFite | WPG @ HAM | S | MVP | O/U | Tiebreaker Diff | Points | Total Points |
| jagsnumberone | Winnipeg | 6 | Collaros | Over | 37 | 4 | 13 |
| ic23b | Winnipeg | Collaros | Over | 1 | 3 | 8 | |
| tommybiden | Over | 50 | 1 | 8 | |||
| cixelsyd | Winnipeg | 10 | Over | 93 | 3 | 8 | |
| argoal | Winnipeg | Collaros | Over | 54 | 3 | 6 | |
| Reever | Over | 97 | 1 | 6 | |||
| DrJohnEvans | 0 | 6 | |||||
| rcade | 32 | 0 | 5 | ||||
| The_Black_Hand | Winnipeg | 87 | 1 | 1 |
Thanks to everyone for playing. See y'all in June!
posted by DrJohnEvans at 04:17 PM on December 27, 2021
Sorry rcade, my miss. Here's the corrected standings:
| SpoFite | HAM @ TOR | S | SSK @ WPG | S | OWC Bonus | DWC Bonus | Points | Total Points |
| jagsnumberone | Hamilton | 6 | Winnipeg | Winnipeg | 4 | 9 | ||
| tommybiden | Hamilton | 8 | 3 | 7 | ||||
| DrJohnEvans | 0 | 6 | ||||||
| cixelsyd | Winnipeg | Winnipeg | 2 | 5 | ||||
| Reever | Winnipeg | Winnipeg | 2 | 5 | ||||
| ic23b | Hamilton | Winnipeg | Winnipeg | 3 | 5 | |||
| rcade | Hamilton | 7 | Winnipeg | 3 | 5 | |||
| argoal | Winnipeg | Winnipeg | 2 | 3 |
posted by DrJohnEvans at 11:08 AM on December 10, 2021
The Argos chip away to build up a first-half lead, but it all falls apart in the second as the Ti-Cats make a QB switch and complete the comeback. Out west, the Riders make it interesting by forcing six turnovers, but in the end the Bombers shake off the rust and move on to their second straight Grey Cup.
| HAM @ TOR | SSK @ WPG | OWC Bonus | DWC Bonus | |
| Result | Hamilton by 8 | Winnipeg by 4 | MBT | WPG/TOR |
| Margin of Error | 6 to 10 | 3 to 5 |
jags nets a tidy four points to move into first place, and tommy nails the Hamilton spread to jump into second.
| SpoFite | HAM @ TOR | S | SSK @ WPG | S | OWC Bonus | DWC Bonus | Points | Total Points |
| jagsnumberone | Hamilton | 6 | Winnipeg | Winnipeg | 4 | 9 | ||
| tommybiden | Hamilton | 8 | 3 | 7 | ||||
| DrJohnEvans | 0 | 6 | ||||||
| cixelsyd | Winnipeg | Winnipeg | 2 | 5 | ||||
| Reever | Winnipeg | Winnipeg | 2 | 5 | ||||
| ic23b | Hamilton | Winnipeg | Winnipeg | 3 | 5 | |||
| rcade | Hamilton | 7 | 2 | 4 | ||||
| argoal | Winnipeg | Winnipeg | 2 | 3 |
Here we go!
THE 108th GREY CUP
Winnipeg Blue Bombers (11-3) @ Hamilton Tiger-Cats (8-6) (Sunday, December 12, 6pm ET)
This year, we've got a rematch of last year's the most recent Grey Cup: Winnipeg toasted Hamilton 33-12 in 2019. Hamilton lucks out with home-field advantage, so they'll be looking for revenge. But it won't be easy: the Ti-Cats find themselves mired in a quarterback controversy, as they ditch the loyal guy who got 'em here in favour of the hot hand (who, incidentally, started and lost the 2019 game). And don't forget, the Blue Bombers have been the best team in the league this year, far and away.
MVP Bonus
Pick the MVP of the Grey Cup.
Over/Under
The points-scored O/U for the Grey Cup is currently set at 43.5. Will the total points scored be over or under that total?
Tiebreaker
Pick the total yardage thrown by all quarterbacks in the Grey Cup. This is worth no points and will be used only in case of a tie.
Example pick: Hamilton by 21, Evans, Over, 700.
Good luck!
posted by DrJohnEvans at 12:26 PM on December 09, 2021
The Ti-Cats put on a clinic as they keep it close early, score big in the middle, and coast to the win. Things are much crazier out west, as the Riders and Stamps go back-and-forth, giving us lead changes, kick returns TDs, too many turnovers to count (including SIX interceptions), and then finally overtime. While Rene Paredes takes our pick 'em's bonus award, it's his three missed field goals that will haunt him, as Brett Lauther hits the winner in OT and sends the Riders to the final.
| MTL @ HAM | CGY @ SSK | Kicking Bonus | LVP Bonus | |
| Result | Hamilton by 11 | Saskatchewan by 3 | Paredes | Over |
| Margin of Error | 8 to 14 | 2 to 4 |
Three of us nailed the Rider spread so there's plenty of points to go around.
| SpoFite | MTL @ HAM | S | CGY @ SSK | S | Kicking | LVP | Points | Total Points |
| DrJohnEvans | Hamilton | 9 | Saskatchewan | 3 | Paredes | 6 | 6 | |
| jagsnumberone | Hamilton | Saskatchewan | 3 | Over | 5 | 5 | ||
| tommybiden | Hamilton | 9 | Saskatchewan | Over | 4 | 4 | ||
| cixelsyd | Hamilton | Paredes | Over | 3 | 3 | |||
| Reever | Saskatchewan | 3 | 3 | |||||
| ic23b | Saskatchewan | Paredes | 2 | 2 | ||||
| rcade | Hamilton | Saskatchewan | 2 | 2 | ||||
| argoal | Hamilton | 1 | 1 |
It's December and we're still playing Canadian football!
DIVISION FINALS
Hamilton Tiger-Cats (8-6) @ Toronto Argonauts (9-5) (Sunday, December 5, 13:30pm ET)
Who saw this coming? We all figured the Argos were due for another season in the post-Ricky-Ray wilderness, while we didn't know if Jeremiah Masoli could stay on the field long enough to give the Ti-Cats a chance. But lo and behold, MBT has emerged as a quality QB for Toronto, while Masoli has been just healthy enough to keep pace. The Argos won the division, while Hamilton finished the season strong, taking four out of their last six games. But those two losses? Both against the Argos.
CFL.ca Eastern Final Preview »
Saskatchewan Roughriders (9-5) @ Winnipeg Blue Bomders (11-3) (Sunday, November 17, 4:30pm ET)
Ladies and gentlemen, your Winnipeg Blue Bombers: best offence, best defence, best record in the league. They also swept the Riders 2-0 in the season series, but! These two teams haven't faced each other since Week 6. Has Saskatchewan found enough of its groove to put in a good showing?
CFL.ca Western Final Preview »
Offence Wins Championships Bonus
Pick the quarterback who will throw for the highest yardage on Sunday.
Defence Wins Championships Bonus
Pick the team whose defence will register the most sacks on Sunday.
Example pick: Hamilton by 21, Saskatchewan by 14, Fajardo, Winnipeg.
Good luck!
posted by DrJohnEvans at 09:10 PM on December 02, 2021
Hamilton by 9
Saskatchewan by 3
Parades
Under
posted by DrJohnEvans at 10:34 PM on November 27, 2021
Montreal Alouettes (7-7) @ Hamilton Tiger-Cats (8-6) (Sunday, November 28, 1:00pm ET)
Both of these teams have had their ups and downs this year, but the narrative is pretty clear: Montreal's strength is their offence, with a league-best receiving corps and two-time Grey Cup winner Trevor Harris throwing to them. Hamilton counters with an elite defense led by veteran linebacker Simoni Lawrence. Maybe that home field advantage will pay off for the Ti-Cats: the forecast calls for snow.
CFL.ca Eastern Semi-Final Preview »
Calgary Stampeders (8-6) @ Saskatchewan Roughriders (9-5) (Sunday, November 28, 4:30pm ET)
Here's the classic matchup. Stamps versus Riders. Veteran Bo Levi Mitchell versus upstart Cody Fajardo. These two teams went back and forth all year and they're not stopping now. The Riders got the edge in the standings which means that we have clear skies and calm winds on Sunday, which means I'm looking for bombs all day.
CFL.ca Western Semi-Final Preview »
Swayze Waters Memorial River Salmon Bonus
Pick the kicker who will score the most points this weekend. That includes place-kick field goals, drop-kick field goals, PATs, singles, fake field goals thrown for touchdowns, and wacky safeties. If the kicker's name is next to it, it counts.
Las Vegas Posse Memorial Bonus
The combined over/under on total points scored for both games is 87.5. Will the actual number of points scored this weekend be OVER or UNDER that total?
Example pick: Montreal by 21, Calgary by 1, Bertolet, Over.
Good luck!
posted by DrJohnEvans at 10:37 PM on November 25, 2021
In a game that nobody will ever remember, Edmonton beats Toronto. In a much more exciting game, Ottawa completes the comeback to edge the Alouettes and spoil Montreal's hosting hopes. The road wears down the Elks as they drop the other end of their cross-country trip. Hamilton seizes the home playoff spot with authority, while the Stamps beat the Bombers in their battle of the backups.
| EDM @ TOR | OTT @ MTL | EDM @ BC | SSK @ HAM | WPG @ CGY | |
| Result | Edmonton by 6 | Ottawa by 1 | B.C. by 33 | Hamilton by 21 | Calgary by 1 |
| Margin of Error | 4 to 8 | 1 to 1 | 23 to 43 | 15 to 27 | 1 to 1 |
Despite the five games, two single-point margins make it a tough week for points. It's cixelsyd who ekes out the win and takes home the crown. Congratulations cixelsyd!
At the other end, despite a late charge from yours truly, it's jagsnumberone who grabs the Costanza. Congrats, jags! (The_Black_Hand, while always deserving, did not meet the minimum number of picks submitted to qualify.)
| SpoFite | EDM @ TOR | S | OTT @ MTL | S | EDM @ BC | S | SSK @ HAM | S | WPG @ CGY | S | Points | Total Points |
| cixelsyd | Edmonton | B.C. | Hamilton | 3 | 48 | |||||||
| argoal | B.C. | Hamilton | 2 | 46 | ||||||||
| tommybiden | B.C. | Hamilton | Calgary | 3 | 44 | |||||||
| ic23b | Hamilton | Calgary | 2 | 43 | ||||||||
| rcade | Edmonton | B.C. | Hamilton | 3 | 43 | |||||||
| Reever | Hamilton | Calgary | 2 | 41 | ||||||||
| DrJohnEvans | B.C. | Hamilton | 19 | Calgary | 4 | 40 | ||||||
| jagsnumberone | B.C. | Hamilton | Calgary | 3 | 37 | |||||||
| The_Black_Hand | Hamilton | 1 | 2 |
Thanks to everyone for playing! Stay tuned for the Playoff Pick 'Em!
posted by DrJohnEvans at 01:18 PM on November 23, 2021
Montreal by 12
B.C. by 5
Hamilton by 19
Calgary by 12
posted by DrJohnEvans at 05:55 PM on November 19, 2021
Never in doubt! The Argos walk all over the Ti-Cats to clinch first place in the East. Calgary gets it done in B.C. to clinch a playoff spot. Montreal beats the Bombers to stay in the hunt, while the Riders clinch second place with a win over the Elks.
| HAM @ TOR | CGY @ BC | WPG @ MTL | EDM @ SSK | |
| Result | Toronto by 19 | Calgary by 10 | Montreal by 14 | Saskatchewan by 5 |
| Margin of Error | 13 to 25 | 7 to 13 | 10 to 18 | 4 to 7 |
cixelsyd scores a solid five points to edge into first place. And a special welcome back to The_Black_Hand!
| SpoFite | CGY @ TOR | S | HAM @ EDM | S | WPG @ MTL | S | BC @ OTT | S | Points | Total Points |
| cixelsyd | Toronto | Calgary | 7 | Montreal | Saskatchewan | 5 | 45 | |||
| argoal | Calgary | Saskatchewan | 2 | 44 | ||||||
| ic23b | Calgary | 13 | Saskatchewan | 3 | 41 | |||||
| tommybiden | Calgary | Montreal | Saskatchewan | 3 | 41 | |||||
| rcade | Toronto | 13 | Calgary | Montreal | 10 | Saskatchewan | 6 | 40 | ||
| Reever | Calgary | Montreal | Saskatchewan | 3 | 39 | |||||
| DrJohnEvans | Calgary | 12 | Saskatchewan | 3 | 36 | |||||
| jagsnumberone | Calgary | 11 | Montreal | 10 | Saskatchewan | 5 | 34 | |||
| The_Black_Hand | Saskatchewan | 1 | 1 |
It's all on the line with a five-game final week.
WEEK 16
Edmonton @ Toronto (Tuesday, November 16)
Here's your Final Week Special: the Elks are long eliminated and the Argos are going to rest up. Call this the ultimate coin toss.
Ottawa @ Montreal (Friday, November 19)
Ottwawa is toast, but the Alouettes still have a chance to host their semi-final. Hamilton holds the point differential edge, so Montreal needs to win.
Edmonton @ B.C. (Saturday, November 20)
This game is also scheduled, provided they can dry out the field by the weekend.
Saskatchewan @ Hamilton (Saturday, November 20)
Look for the Riders to rest their regulars, while Hamilton would prefer a win to lock up second place.
Winnipeg @ Calgary (Saturday, November 20)
Nobody you've ever heard of will play in this game.
Good luck!
posted by DrJohnEvans at 01:33 PM on November 16, 2021
Hamilton by 9
Calgary by 12
Winnipeg by 19
Saskatchewan by 19
posted by DrJohnEvans at 07:20 PM on November 12, 2021
Hamilton rolls out to an early lead and cruises into a playoff spot with a win over the Lions. Saskatchewan hangs on in Edmonton for the win, while Toronto completes the comeback in Ottawa. Montreal hangs in there with the Bombers, but it's Winnipeg who gets it done in the fourth.
| BC @ HAM | SSK @ EDM | TOR @ OTT | MTL @ WPG | |
| Result | Hamilton by 8 | Saskatchewan by 2 | Toronto by 3 | Winnipeg by 10 |
| Margin of Error | 6 to 10 | 1 to 3 | 2 to 4 | 7 to 13 |
cixelsyd nails the Winnipeg win and hits the Hamilton margin for a big seven-point week.
| SpoFite | BC @ HAM | S | SSK @ EDM | S | TOR @ OTT | S | MTL @ WPG | S | Points | Total Points |
| argoal | Saskatchewan | Toronto | Winnipeg | 9 | 4 | 42 | ||||
| cixelsyd | Hamilton | 9 | Saskatchewan | Toronto | Winnipeg | 10 | 7 | 40 | ||
| ic23b | Hamilton | Saskatchewan | Toronto | Winnipeg | 4 | 38 | ||||
| tommybiden | Hamilton | Saskatchewan | Toronto | Winnipeg | 8 | 5 | 38 | |||
| Reever | Hamilton | 9 | Saskatchewan | Toronto | Winnipeg | 5 | 36 | |||
| rcade | Toronto | Winnipeg | 2 | 34 | ||||||
| DrJohnEvans | Toronto | Winnipeg | 2 | 33 | ||||||
| jagsnumberone | Hamilton | Saskatchewan | 2 | 29 |
Two! Weeks! Left!
WEEK 15
Hamilton @ Toronto (Friday, November 12)
A Toronto win clinches the division and the first-round bye. But Hamilton's rounding into late-season form with three wins in a row.
Calgary @ B.C. (Friday, November 12)
The Lions have not won since September, but have somehow not been eliminated yet. I have a feeling that time is coming.
Winnipeg @ Montreal (Saturday, November 13)
See preview from last week.
Edmonton @ Saskatchewan (Saturday, November 12)
I have officially run out of things to say about Edmonton.
Good luck!
posted by DrJohnEvans at 01:39 PM on November 11, 2021
Toronto by 19
Winnipeg by 19
posted by DrJohnEvans at 07:00 PM on November 06, 2021
Calgary stumbles early but then hits their groove for a solid win in Ottawa, while Hamilton starts hot and just keeps scoring for an easy win in Edmonton. The Argos and Lions go back and forth but it's Toronto that wins in OT to clinch a playoff spot, and the Riders eke out a win in a defensive battle in Montreal.
| CGY @ OTT | HAM @ EDM | BC @ TOR | SSK @ MTL | |
| Result | Calgary by 13 | Hamilton by 16 | Toronto by 2 | Saskatchewan by 5 |
| Margin of Error | 9 to 17 | 11 to 21 | 1 to 3 | 4 to 7 |
argoal notches a tidy six-point week to pad his lead. Reever grabs six too to stay in the hunt.
| SpoFite | CGY @ OTT | S | HAM @ EDM | S | BC @ TOR | S | SSK @ MTL | S | Points | Total Points |
| argoal | Calgary | 14 | Hamilton | 14 | Toronto | Saskatchewan | 6 | 38 | ||
| ic23b | Calgary | Hamilton | Toronto | 3 | 34 | |||||
| tommybiden | Calgary | Hamilton | Toronto | 3 | 33 | |||||
| cixelsyd | Calgary | 9 | Hamilton | Toronto | 4 | 33 | ||||
| rcade | Calgary | Hamilton | 12 | 3 | 32 | |||||
| DrJohnEvans | Hamilton | Toronto | Saskatchewan | 3 | 31 | |||||
| Reever | Calgary | Hamilton | 17 | Toronto | Saskatchewan | 4 | 6 | 31 | ||
| jagsnumberone | Calgary | Hamilton | Saskatchewan | 4 | 4 | 27 |
Three weeks left and two playoff spots still up for grabs.
WEEK 14
B.C. @ Hamilton (Friday, November 5)
The Lions will be in tough to stop their slide, but a loss may mean the season.
Saskatchewan @ Edmonton (Friday, November 5)
Speaking of seasons, Edmonton hasn't had much of one.
Toronto @ Ottawa (Saturday, November 6)
The Argos have enjoyed a late-season surge, but are still only two points up in the division. Can they drop the hammer in Ottawa?
Montreal @ Winnipeg (Saturday, November 6)
The classic dilemma: the Bombers are by far the better team, but they've clinched the division while the Alouettes are still deep in the fight for a home playoff spot.
Good luck!
posted by DrJohnEvans at 05:01 PM on November 04, 2021
Toronto by 12
Saskatchewan by 3
posted by DrJohnEvans at 09:44 PM on October 29, 2021
Blowouts across the board! Montreal dominates Toronto, Hamilton shuts down Ottawa, and Winnipeg shuts out the Lions. The Roughriders are the only team to give us some drama this week, coming back to edge the Stamps.
| TOR @ MTL | OTT @ HAM | BC @ WPG | SSK @ CGY | |
| Result | Montreal by 21 | Hamilton by 29 | Winnipeg by 45 | Saskatchewan by 3 |
| Margin of Error | 15 to 27 | 20 to 38 | 32 to 59 | 2 to 4 |
rcade picks every winner and adds the Hamilton margin for a tidy five point week.
| SpoFite | TOR @ MTL | S | OTT @ HAM | S | BC @ WPG | S | SSK @ CGY | S | Points | Total Points |
| argoal | Hamilton | Winnipeg | 2 | 32 | ||||||
| ic23b | Hamilton | Winnipeg | 2 | 31 | ||||||
| tommybiden | Hamilton | Winnipeg | Saskatchewan | 3 | 30 | |||||
| cixelsyd | Hamilton | Winnipeg | 2 | 29 | ||||||
| rcade | Montreal | Hamilton | 24 | Winnipeg | Saskatchewan | 5 | 29 | |||
| DrJohnEvans | 0 | 28 | ||||||||
| Reever | Hamilton | Winnipeg | 2 | 25 | ||||||
| jagsnumberone | Hamilton | Winnipeg | 2 | 23 | ||||||
| Howard_T | 0 | 19 |
A rainy weekend is forecast for Ontario and Qubec, and we've got three games scheduled within two hours of Kingston. Things could get messy.
WEEK 13
Calgary @ Ottawa (Friday, October 29)
The Stamps missed a golden opportunity to move into second place last week, but a win against 2-9 Ottawa would help to make up for it.
Hamilton @ Edmonton (Friday, October 29)
Edmonton's season isn't over yet, but a Hamilton win this week would make it reeeeeeal tough to make a comeback.
B.C. @ Toronto (Saturday, October 30)
The Lions have scored 20 points in their last 3 games, which does not bode well against Rich Stubler and the Argos.
Saskatchewan @ Montreal (Saturday, October 30)
Is this right? The Alouettes have won four in a row? And are in first place? That snuck up on me.
Good luck!
posted by DrJohnEvans at 12:54 PM on October 28, 2021
The Bombers handle the Elks and clinch a playoff spot in the process. Montreal puts a stop to the Redblacks' mini-streak, and Calgary is all over the Lions.
| WPG @ EDM | MTL @ OTT | CGY @ BC | |
| Result | Winnipeg by 10 | Montreal by 11 | Calgary by 29 |
| Margin of Error | 7 to 13 | 8 to 14 | 20 to 38 |
The standings tighten up this week, with four players within three points of first.
| SpoFite | WPG @ EDM | S | MTL @ OTT | S | CGY @ BC | S | Points | Total Points |
| argoal | Winnipeg | Calgary | 2 | 30 | ||||
| ic23b | Winnipeg | Calgary | 2 | 29 | ||||
| DrJohnEvans | Winnipeg | Montreal | Calgary | 3 | 28 | |||
| cixelsyd | Winnipeg | Calgary | 2 | 27 | ||||
| tommybiden | Winnipeg | Calgary | 2 | 27 | ||||
| rcade | Montreal | 1 | 24 | |||||
| Reever | Winnipeg | 12 | 2 | 23 | ||||
| jagsnumberone | Winnipeg | 1 | 21 | |||||
| Howard_T | 0 | 19 |
Winnipeg's clinched a playoff spot but everybody else is still in play. Even Ottawa.
WEEK 12
Toronto @ Montreal (Friday, October 22)
The Argos seem have to gotten their act together, but October games at the Perc are always tough for visitors.
Ottawa @ Hamilton (Saturday, October 23)
The Ti-Cats, four points out of first, will look to regain some momentum and pad their stats.
B.C. @ Winnipeg (Saturday, October 23)
Can B.C.—or anyone—stop Winnipeg right now?
Saskatchewan @ Calgary (Saturday, October 23)
This is shaping up to be a nice little battle for a home playoff spot.
Good luck!
posted by DrJohnEvans at 02:53 PM on October 21, 2021
Winnipeg by 28
Montreal by 6
Calgary by 9
posted by DrJohnEvans at 09:02 AM on October 15, 2021
Corrected standings:
| SpoFite | OTT @ TOR | S | EDM @ WPG | S | CGY @ SSK | S | OTT @ MTL | S | TOR @ HAM | S | Points | Total Points |
| argoal | Toronto | Winnipeg | Montreal | 3 | 28 | |||||||
| ic23b | Toronto | 13 | Winnipeg | 21 | Toronto | 5 | 27 | |||||
| cixelsyd | Toronto | Winnipeg | Montreal | 3 | 25 | |||||||
| tommybiden | Toronto | 14 | Winnipeg | Montreal | 4 | 25 | ||||||
| DrJohnEvans | Winnipeg | 19 | Montreal | 5 | 4 | 25 | ||||||
| rcade | Toronto | 17 | Winnipeg | Calgary | 4 | 23 | ||||||
| Reever | Montreal | Toronto | 2 | 21 | ||||||||
| jagsnumberone | Toronto | Winnipeg | Montreal | 3 | 20 | |||||||
| Howard_T | 0 | 19 |
posted by DrJohnEvans at 09:01 AM on October 15, 2021
You're quite right tommy - the total points is correct but I had a typo in the "this week" section. Will post corrected standings below.
posted by DrJohnEvans at 09:00 AM on October 15, 2021
Toronto rides a big third quarter to a win over Ottawa. Winnipeg absolutely shuts down the Elks. And the big week wrapped up with three last-minute wins: Calgary shocks the Rider faithful, Montreal completes the two-minute drill, and Toronto absolutely stuns the Ti-Cats.
| OTT @ TOR | EDM @ WPG | CGY @ SSK | OTT @ MTL | TOR @ HAM | |
| Result | Toronto by 19 | Winnipeg by 27 | Calgary by 3 | Montreal by 4 | Toronto by 1 |
| Margin of Error | 13 to 25 | 19 to 35 | 2 to 4 | 3 to 5 | 1 to 1 |
ic23b notches five points to close the gap with argoal.
| SpoFite | OTT @ TOR | S | EDM @ WPG | S | CGY @ SSK | S | OTT @ MTL | S | TOR @ HAM | S | Points | Total Points |
| argoal | Toronto | Winnipeg | Montreal | 3 | 28 | |||||||
| ic23b | Toronto | 13 | Winnipeg | 21 | Toronto | 5 | 27 | |||||
| cixelsyd | Toronto | Winnipeg | Montreal | 3 | 25 | |||||||
| tommybiden | Toronto | 14 | Winnipeg | Montreal | 5 | 25 | ||||||
| DrJohnEvans | Winnipeg | 19 | Montreal | 5 | 4 | 25 | ||||||
| rcade | Toronto | 17 | Winnipeg | Calgary | 4 | 23 | ||||||
| Reever | Montreal | Toronto | 2 | 21 | ||||||||
| jagsnumberone | Toronto | Winnipeg | Montreal | 3 | 20 | |||||||
| Howard_T | 0 | 19 |
A nice, gentle three-game week gives us all a break.
WEEK 11
Winnipeg @ Edmonton (Friday, October 15)
First-place Winnipeg is 8-1 and last-place Edmonton is 2-6. Need I say more?
Montreal @ Ottawa (Saturday, October 16)
I was ready to write off this year for Ottawa, but with Montreal QB Vern Jr out for a while, the Als may just be vulnerable.
Calgary @ B.C. (Saturday, October 16)
Ladies and gentlemen, here it is: your official Coin Toss Of The Week.
Good luck!
posted by DrJohnEvans at 01:16 PM on October 14, 2021
Winnipeg by 19
Saskatchewan by 9
Montreal by 5
Hamilton by 12
posted by DrJohnEvans at 09:55 AM on October 07, 2021
Ottawa jumps on the Elks early and rides their way to their second win. The Bombers march into B.C. and hammer the Lions to keep their streak rolling. High drama in Hamilton as the Alouettes' defence keeps them in the game, only to see Hamilton tie it up with a time-expiring field goal, only to win it in overtime. Meanwhile out west, Calgary hangs tough at home to beat the Riders and keep the West standings close.
| EDM @ OTT | WPG @ BC | MTL @ HAM | SSK @ CGY | |
| Result | Ottawa by 10 | Winnipeg by 21 | Montreal by 3 | Calgary by 6 |
| Margin of Error | 7 to 13 | 15 to 27 | 2 to 4 | 4 to 8 |
Three upsets make for tough sledding, but some movement in the bottom half means that everyone's got a shot at the top.
| SpoFite | EDM @ OTT | S | WPG @ BC | S | MTL @ HAM | S | SSK @ CGY | S | Points | Total Points |
| argoal | Winnipeg | 1 | 25 | |||||||
| cixelsyd | Winnipeg | 1 | 22 | |||||||
| ic23b | Winnipeg | 20 | 2 | 22 | ||||||
| tommybiden | Winnipeg | Montreal | 2 | 21 | ||||||
| DrJohnEvans | Winnipeg | Calgary | 5 | 3 | 21 | |||||
| rcade | 0 | 19 | ||||||||
| Howard_T | Winnipeg | 16 | 2 | 19 | ||||||
| Reever | Winnipeg | Montreal | 2 | 3 | 19 | |||||
| jagsnumberone | Winnipeg | 1 | 17 |
It's a Thanksgiving Two-fer as the Argos bookend the week.
WEEK 10
Ottawa @ Toronto (Wednesday, October 6)
Adrenaline vs stamina: Ottawa's finally notched their second win, but the Argos are coming off a much-needed bye week after a grueling first half.
Edmonton @ Winnipeg (Friday, October 8)
Last vs first: the Bombers look unstoppable while the Elks can't seem to keep it together.
Calgary @ Saskatchewan (Saturday, October 9)
If my memory is correct, these two teams have played only each other since Week 3. I may double-check that with the official schedule.
Ottawa @ Montreal (Monday, October 11)
Despite a miserable season so far, an Ottawa win would put them into a tie for a playoff spot.
Toronto @ Hamilton (Monday, October 11)
Meanwhile, the Argos have a golden opportunity to go up 4 points on Hamilton. But with two games in one week, I'd call that a Thanksgiving miracle.
Good luck!
posted by DrJohnEvans at 10:08 PM on October 05, 2021
Edmonton by 12
Winnipeg by 9
Hamilton by 12
Calgary by 5
posted by DrJohnEvans at 11:36 AM on September 28, 2021
Hamilton soaks up the points in rainy Ottawa, Toronto gets the edge over Montreal, while Saskatchewan completes the comeback in Vancouver.
| HAM @ OTT | MTL @ TOR | SSK @ BC | |
| Result | Hamilton by 17 | Toronto by 3 | Saskatchewan by 7 |
| Margin of Error | 12 to 22 | 2 to 4 | 5 to 9 |
In a short week, argoal comes away with four points to get some breathing room at the top.
| SpoFite | HAM @ OTT | S | MTL @ TOR | S | SSK @ BC | S | Points | Total Points |
| argoal | Hamilton | 15 | Toronto | Saskatchewan | 4 | 24 | ||
| cixelsyd | Hamilton | 13 | Toronto | 3 | 21 | |||
| ic23b | Hamilton | 17 | Toronto | Saskatchewan | 6 | 5 | 20 | |
| rcade | Hamilton | 1 | 19 | |||||
| tommybiden | Toronto | Saskatchewan | 9 | 3 | 19 | |||
| DrJohnEvans | 0 | 18 | ||||||
| Howard_T | Toronto | Saskatchewan | 2 | 17 | ||||
| Reever | Toronto | 1 | 16 | |||||
| jagsnumberone | Hamilton | Toronto | 2 | 16 |
A Tuesday game, just for kicks. Why not?
WEEK 9
Edmonton @ Ottawa (Tuesday, September 28)
Five losses in a row for Ottawa. Hard to bet against that streak.
Winnipeg @ B.C. (Friday, October 1)
Whatever happened to the friendly confines of B.C. Place? Opponents used to quake upon entering, but so far this year, the Lions are 1-2 at home.
Montreal @ Hamilton (Saturday, October 2)
Speaking of splits, Hamilton has been beating up the East, with only a one-point decision to Toronto in the loss column.
Saskatchewan @ Calgary (Saturday, October 2)
And speaking of getting beaten up, who saw the Stamps at the bottom of the west? Can this last?
Good luck!
posted by DrJohnEvans at 12:59 PM on September 27, 2021
Montreal by 5
B.C. by 9
posted by DrJohnEvans at 09:32 AM on September 23, 2021
Hamilton hangs tough and rides a big second half to take down the Stamps. Toronto can't get it done in Regina as the Riders cruise to victory. B.C. seems to have turned it around, winning their third straight, but it's the Bombers with all the momentum as they file a no-doubter for their fourth straight win.
| CGY @ HAM | TOR @ SSK | BC @ MTL | WPG @ EDM | |
| Result | Hamilton by 6 | Saskatchewan by 14 | B.C. by 9 | Winnipeg by 15 |
| Margin of Error | 4 to 8 | 10 to 18 | 6 to 12 | 11 to 20 |
argoal nails the Winnipeg win and tiptoes into first place.
| SpoFite | CGY @ HAM | S | TOR @ SSK | S | BC @ MTL | S | WPG @ EDM | S | Points | Total Points |
| argoal | B.C. | Winnipeg | 15 | 4 | 20 | |||||
| DrJohnEvans | Winnipeg | 1 | 18 | |||||||
| cixelsyd | B.C. | 7 | Winnipeg | 3 | 18 | |||||
| rcade | Saskatchewan | B.C. | 7 | Winnipeg | 4 | 18 | ||||
| tommybiden | Hamilton | 7 | Winnipeg | 17 | 4 | 16 | ||||
| Howard_T | Hamilton | Winnipeg | 18 | 3 | 15 | |||||
| Reever | B.C. | 12 | Winnipeg | 3 | 15 | |||||
| ic23b | Saskatchewan | B.C. | 12 | Winnipeg | 4 | 15 | ||||
| jagsnumberone | Hamilton | Saskatchewan | B.C. | 12 | Winnipeg | 5 | 14 |
Haven't you heard? Wednesday is the new Friday.
WEEK 8
Hamilton @ Ottawa (Wednesday, September 22)
Ottawa hasn't registered a win since Week 1, and none of the losses have been particularly close. Maybe the bye week will have helped?
Montreal @ Toronto (Friday, September 24)
Both these teams have been on the win-one-lose-one bandwagon for a while. Anyone want to chance a tie?
Saskatchewan @ B.C. (Friday, September 24)
It's the battle for second place and a chance to close some ground with resting Winnipeg.
Good luck!
posted by DrJohnEvans at 12:09 PM on September 22, 2021
Calgary by 9
Toronto by 11 (that felt weird)
Montreal by 6
Winnipeg by 21
posted by DrJohnEvans at 09:03 AM on September 16, 2021
Toronto scores just enough and then holds off the Ti-Cats for the win. Winnipeg sweeps the home-and-home by a combined score of 56-17. BLM returns and give the Stamps some much-needed mojo, as they dig in against the Elks, while Ottawa gets rocked for the second week straight.
| HAM @ TOR | SSK @ WPG | CGY @ EDM | OTT @ BC | |
| Result | Toronto by 1 | Winnipeg by 24 | Calgary by 16 | B.C. by 32 |
| Margin of Error | 1 to 1 | 17 to 31 | 11 to 21 | 22 to 42 |
Spreads have been tough to hit this year, which means argoal and yours truly are still neck-and-neck.
| SpoFite | HAM @ TOR | S | SSK @ WPG | S | CGY @ EDM | S | OTT @ BC | S | Points | Total Points |
| DrJohnEvans | Winnipeg | Calgary | B.C. | 3 | 17 | |||||
| argoal | Toronto | Winnipeg | B.C. | 3 | 16 | |||||
| cixelsyd | Winnipeg | B.C. | 2 | 15 | ||||||
| rcade | Calgary | B.C. | 2 | 14 | ||||||
| Howard_T | B.C. | 1 | 12 | |||||||
| tommybiden | Toronto | Calgary | 2 | 12 | ||||||
| Reever | Toronto | Winnipeg | B.C. | 3 | 12 | |||||
| ic23b | Winnipeg | 17 | 2 | 11 | ||||||
| jagsnumberone | Winnipeg | B.C. | 2 | 9 |
Is this the midway point of the shortened season? Is it next week? Somebody should look that up.
WEEK 7
Calgary @ Hamilton (Friday, September 17)
Two two-win teams, both dealing with QB injuries, both struggling to find some consistency in the early going. Not gonna be early for much longer.
Toronto @ Saskatchewan (Friday, September 17)
Saskatchewan has scored 17 points in their last two games and Toronto has Rich Stuuuuuubler. Have any of us ever picked the Argos to win in Regina before?
B.C. @ Montreal (Saturday, September 18)
Through this entire season it just feels like the B.C. Lions have been living in an alternate reality. Is it just me?
Winnipeg @ Edmonton (Saturday, September 18)
Winnipeg's been on some kinda roll lately, winning three in a row, while Edmonton's struggled to get on any kind of streak. You gotta go with the hot hand.
Good luck!
posted by DrJohnEvans at 07:28 PM on September 15, 2021
Winnipeg by 8
Calgary by 3
B.C. by 12
posted by DrJohnEvans at 08:18 AM on September 11, 2021
It's a good old-fashioned barnburner in Ottawa, but it's Montreal who runs up the score. Talk about swagger: the Bombers walk into Saskatchewan and hold the Riders to a single TD for the win. In Labour Day action, Hamilton takes down the Argos, and Edmonton takes care of business in Calgary.
| MTL @ OTT | WPG @ SSK | TOR @ HAM | EDM @ CGY | |
| Result | Montreal by 22 | Winnipeg by 15 | Hamilton by 13 | Edmonton by 12 |
| Margin of Error | 15 to 29 | 11 to 20 | 9 to 17 | 8 to 16 |
rcade scores in every game for a nice five-point week to move into the top 4.
| SpoFite | MTL @ OTT | S | WPG @ SSK | S | TOR @ HAM | S | EDM @ CGY | S | Points | Total Points |
| DrJohnEvans | Winnipeg | Hamilton | 2 | 14 | ||||||
| argoal | Montreal | Hamilton | 2 | 13 | ||||||
| cixelsyd | Montreal | Hamilton | 9 | 3 | 13 | |||||
| rcade | Montreal | Winnipeg | Hamilton | Edmonton | 10 | 5 | 12 | |||
| Howard_T | Hamilton | 1 | 11 | |||||||
| tommybiden | 0 | 10 | ||||||||
| ic23b | Hamilton | 1 | 9 | |||||||
| Reever | Montreal | Winnipeg | 2 | 9 | ||||||
| jagsnumberone | 0 | 7 |
This week's narratives nearly wrote themselves, but I still had to step in at the last minute.
WEEK 6
Hamilton @ Toronto (Friday, September 10)
Nice for the Arogs to get the Labour Day Classic over with this early in the season. The rematch at home is always a little more managable.
Saskatchewan @ Winnipeg (Saturday, September 11)
It's a two-team fight for first in the west, and these are those two teams.
Calgary @ Edmonton (Saturday, September 11)
The Stampeders just can't get anything going with Bo-Levi Mitchell on the sidelines. Watch the ticker for his possible return this week.
Ottawa @ B.C. (Saturday, September 11)
This game is also scheduled.
Good luck!
posted by DrJohnEvans at 01:55 PM on September 09, 2021
Ottawa by 8
Winnipeg by 10
Hamilton by 6
Calgary by 12
posted by DrJohnEvans at 12:09 PM on September 02, 2021
Hamilton logs a big fourth quarter to shock the Montreal faithful. B.C. hangs tough in the rain to beat the Redblacks in Ottawa, while the Bombers complete the comeback against Calgary.
| EDM @ TOR | HAM @ MTL | BC @ OTT | CGY @ WPG | |
| Result | Postponed | Hamilton by 17 | B.C. by 12 | Winnipeg by 2 |
| Margin of Error | 12 to 22 | 8 to 16 | 1 to 3 |
A short week tightens things up, with four players within two points of first.
| SpoFite | EDM @ TOR | S | HAM @ MTL | S | BC @ OTT | S | CGY @ WPG | S | Points | Total Points |
| DrJohnEvans | 0 | 12 | ||||||||
| argoal | Hamilton | Winnipeg | 2 | 11 | ||||||
| tommybiden | Hamilton | Winnipeg | 2 | 10 | ||||||
| cixelsyd | B.C. | 9 | Winnipeg | 3 | 10 | |||||
| Howard_T | B.C. | 11 | Winnipeg | 3 | 10 | |||||
| ic23b | Winnipeg | 1 | 8 | |||||||
| Reever | B.C. | Winnipeg | 2 | 7 | ||||||
| rcade | B.C. | Winnipeg | 2 | 7 | ||||||
| jagsnumberone | Hamilton | B.C. | 10 | 3 | 7 |
It's the earliest Labour Day Classic in league history!
WEEK 5
Montreal @ Ottawa (Friday, September 3)
A lot of things about this season are different, but one constant: three teams in the East having losing records. Here are two of them.
Winnipeg @ Saskatchewan (Sunday, September 5)
Speaking of records, the Roughriders are the last undefeated team standing. But Winnipeg's no patsy and can grab top spot with a win.
Toronto @ Hamilton (Monday, September 6)
The Argos have tasted early success, but are they for real? And Hamilton has struggled, but will it last? Add the Hamilton home edge and I call this a coin flip.
Edmonton @ Calgary (Monday, September 6)
Who had "Calgary in the basement" on their bingo cards? But with a point differential of only -5, I don't think it'll last.
Good luck!
posted by DrJohnEvans at 01:11 PM on September 01, 2021
Montreal by 28
Ottawa by 3
Calgary by 12
posted by DrJohnEvans at 04:09 PM on August 27, 2021
Thanks to Reever for filling in last week!
The air's always better in B.C., at least when the Elks are in town. Calgary tops the Alouettes in Montreal. The Argo offence comes to life at home against Winnipeg, and the Riders put away the Redblacks in a tidy win.
| EDM @ BC | MTL @ CGY | WPG @ TOR | OTT @ SSK | |
| Result | Edmonton by 5 | Calgary by 6 | Toronto by 7 | Saskatchewan by 13 |
| Margin of Error | 4 to 7 | 4 to 8 | 5 to 9 | 9 to 17 |
A big Saskatchewan win makes for good eatin' among the faithful.
| SpoFite | EDM @ BC | S | MTL @ CGY | S | WPG @ TOR | S | OTT @ SSK | S | Points | Total Points |
| DrJohnEvans | Edmonton | 7 | Calgary | Saskatchewan | 4 | 12 | ||||
| argoal | Toronto | Saskatchewan | 11 | 3 | 9 | |||||
| tommybiden | Edmonton | Toronto | Saskatchewan | 16 | 4 | 8 | ||||
| cixelsyd | Saskatchewan | 9 | 2 | 7 | ||||||
| ic23b | Saskatchewan | 10 | 2 | 7 | ||||||
| Howard_T | Edmonton | Saskatchewan | 2 | 7 | ||||||
| Reever | Saskatchewan | 12 | 2 | 5 | ||||||
| rcade | Saskatchewan | 11 | 2 | 5 | ||||||
| scooby10672 | 0 | 4 | ||||||||
| jagsnumberone | Saskatchewan | 17 | 2 | 4 | ||||||
| rumple | 0 | 3 |
We've got our first COVID postponement on the books. I, for one, am looking forward to a late-season doubleheader.
WEEK 4
Edmonton @ Toronto (Postponed)
Hamilton @ Montreal (Friday, August 27)
Holy cow the Ti-Cats have been baaaad. They've scored only fourteen points over two games this season. Maybe this week Montreal won't have to worry too much about its leaky defence.
B.C. @ Ottawa (Saturday, August 28)
Both these teams have been struggling to get going, but the Lions have been scoring some points and Ottawa's been leaning on their defence. Something's gotta give.
Calgary @ Winnipeg (Sunday, August 29)
Calgary finds themselves in the basement but don't be deceived: both their losses (and their win) were one-score differences. They could start to turn things around this week.
Good luck!
posted by DrJohnEvans at 10:36 AM on August 26, 2021
Winnipeg by 7
Saskatchewan by 7
posted by DrJohnEvans at 05:35 PM on August 20, 2021
Calgary by 9
Winnipeg by 7
Edmonton by 12
Saskatchewan by 21
posted by DrJohnEvans at 05:32 PM on August 12, 2021
Winnipeg scores early and often to keep the Tigers-Cats at bay. Saskatchewan opens up the big lead, then hangs on tight to frustrate the Lions' comeback. Toronto stuns the Calgary faithful with a big fourth-quarter comeback, while Ottawa locks down their defence to get a tough road win in Edmonton.
| HAM @ WPG | BC @ SSK | TOR @ CGY | OTT @ EDM | |
| Result | Winnipeg by 13 | Saskatchewan by 4 | Toronto by 3 | Ottawa by 4 |
| Margin of Error | 9 to 17 | 3 to 5 | 2 to 4 | 3 to 5 |
The Toronto upset throws a wrench into most of our plans, but some of us got luckier than others.
| SpoFite | HAM @ WPG | S | BC @ SSK | S | TOR @ CGY | S | OTT @ EDM | S | Points | Total Points |
| DrJohnEvans | Winnipeg | 10 | Saskatchewan | Ottawa | 3 | 5 | 5 | |||
| tommybiden | Saskatchewan | Toronto | Ottawa | 3 | 3 | |||||
| cixelsyd | Winnipeg | Saskatchewan | Ottawa | 3 | 3 | |||||
| ic23b | Winnipeg | 10 | Saskatchewan | 3 | 3 | |||||
| argoal | Saskatchewan | 4 | 3 | 3 | ||||||
| Howard_T | Saskatchewan | Ottawa | 2 | 2 | ||||||
| Reever | Saskatchewan | 3 | 2 | 2 | ||||||
| scooby10672 | Saskatchewan | 1 | 1 | |||||||
| jjzucal | Saskatchewan | 1 | 1 | |||||||
| jagsnumberone | 0 | 0 | ||||||||
| rcade | 0 | 0 | ||||||||
| wfrazerjr | 0 | 0 | ||||||||
| rumple | 0 | 0 |
Too early to look at playoff seeding? Never!
WEEK 2
B.C. @ Calgary (Thursday, August 12)
Calgary wasted their first home opener so they get a do-over. A quick scroll through the B.C. Lions' roster confirms that I do not in fact know any of their players.
Toronto @ Winnipeg (Friday, August 13)
No longer pining for Zach Collaros, the Argos seem to have found their starting QB after many years in the post-Ricky-Ray wilderness. But MBT will be in tough to repeat his 354 yarder against a solid Winnipeg defence.
Montreal @ Edmonton (Saturday, August 14)
Maybe someday I will stop referring to this as the 2005 Grey Cup rematch, but today is not that day.
Hamilton @ Saskatchewan (Saturday, August 14)
The Ti-Cats are smarting after managing only 6 points in Winnipeg, and it's unlikely that Regina will be any kinder to them.
Good luck!
posted by DrJohnEvans at 05:07 PM on August 10, 2021
Winnipeg by 10
Saskatchewan by 14
Calgary by 5
Ottawa by 3
posted by DrJohnEvans at 11:08 AM on August 05, 2021
THE PICK 'EM - What we do
The Canadian tradition is back! Every summer, we celebrate the reappearance of the sun by drop-kicking a frozen pig through the last remaining pair of icicles. Then we go back inside to watch football. We kill time by picking winners and spreads for each game. Why not join us?
THE SEASON - When we do it
This season has been shortened to better match the Canadian summer. There were just too many snow-outs in previous Julys. Also something about a virus. There are generally four games per week, mostly running from Thursday to Sunday.
THE RULES - How we do it
Here's how it works. You pick who you think will win, and by how much. You then get points based on the result:
What's the Margin of Error?
It's a window around the spread that's defined as
spread - round(0.3 * spread) <= Margin of Error <= spread + round(0.3 * spread)
So you can get rewarded for being close to the spread even if you're not spot-on. The bigger the spread, the bigger the margin of error, so you don't have to be as accurate when predicting a blowout as you would when predicting a close game. Here are some examples:
| Actual Spread | Margin Starts at | Margin Ends at |
| 1 | 1 | 1 |
| 4 | 3 | 5 |
| 7 | 5 | 9 |
| 11 | 8 | 14 |
| 20 | 14 | 26 |
So if you picked Toronto by 15, here's how you'd fare given certain outcomes:
| Outcome | Your score |
| Toronto by 20 | 2 points (winner + spread within MoE) |
| Toronto by 10 | 1 point (winner only) |
| Toronto by 15 | 3 points (winner + nailed spread) |
| Hamilton by 43 | 0 points (and deservedly so) |
Any questions?
THE GAMES, WEEK ONE - Where we start
In lieu of attempting to sum up each team's status in a single sentence, for this opening week I'm just linking to season preview pages for each of 'em. Some previews are still in the works; will update as they become available.
All times are EDT.
Hamilton Tiger-Cats (Preview) @ Winnipeg Blue Bombers (Preview) - Thursday, August 5, 8:30pm
B.C. Lions (Preview) @ Saskatchewan Roughriders (Preview) - Friday, August 6, 9:30pm
Toronto Argonauts (Preview) @ Calgary Stampeders (Preview) - Saturday, August 7, 7:00pm
Ottawa Redblacks (Preview) @ Edmonton Elks (Preview) - Saturday, August 7, 10:00pm
Good luck!
posted by DrJohnEvans at 05:19 PM on August 03, 2021
Who saw that coming? Winnipeg intercepts Dane Evans on Hamiton's opening drive, and that sets the tone for the whole game. The Bombers brought stifling defence (7 turnovers), productive special teams (6/7 field goals made), and an MVP performance by local hero Andrew Harris (134 yards rushing, 35 receiving, 2 touchdowns). After a late-season swoon in which they fell to third place, the Bombers found their groove in the playoffs, getting better every game they played, and coming away with the Grey Cup.
| HAM @ WPG | MVP Bonus | O/U Bonus | Tiebreaker | |
| Result | Winnipeg by 21 | Harris | Under | 437 |
| Margin of Error | 15 to 27 |
So, who saw that coming? bender did, picking the winner and MVP to break the tie and take home the (imaginary) trophy. Congratulations, bender!
At the other end, it's first to worst for jagsnumberone, who ends up at the wrong end of the tiebreaker to grab the Costanza. Congratulations jags!
| SpoFite | HAM @ WPG | S | MVP | O/U | Tiebreaker Diff | Points | Total Points |
| bender | Winnipeg | Harris | 210 | 2 | 10 | ||
| tommytrump | 262 | 0 | 8 | ||||
| rcade | Winnipeg | Under | 176 | 2 | 6 | ||
| argoal | 184 | 0 | 5 | ||||
| ic23b | Under | 153 | 1 | 4 | |||
| Reever | 188 | 0 | 4 | ||||
| Howard_T | 236 | 0 | 4 | ||||
| DrJohnEvans | 243 | 0 | 4 | ||||
| jagsnumberone | 268 | 0 | 4 |
Thanks to everyone for playing. See y'all in June!
posted by DrJohnEvans at 10:26 AM on November 27, 2019
Hamilton by 12
Evans
Over
680
posted by DrJohnEvans at 09:35 AM on November 22, 2019
Edmonton's defence has no answer for the Ti-Cats, as Hamilton piles up 13 points before you can even blink. They give up one second-quarter touchdown, but keep Edmonton out of the end zone for the rest of the game. Finally, Hamilton gets its revenge on Trevor Harris.
It's a gritty nailbiter out west: both Winnipeg and Saskatchewan brought a solid team defence (3 sacks each) punctuated by a great long game on offense. Both teams' D put the clamp down in the red zone, but Winnipeg gets the edge: two massive goal-line stands in the final two minutes are enough to turn away the Riders and send the Bombers to the Grey Cup.
| EDM @ HAM | WPG @ SSK | OWC Bonus | DWC Bonus | |
| Result | Hamilton by 20 | Winnipeg by 7 | Evans | HAM/WPG/SSK |
| Margin of Error | 14 to 26 | 5 to 9 |
We had a three-way tie for the DWC Bonus, so everybody gets points! But tommytrump and bender get most of 'em.
| SpoFite | EDM @ HAM | S | WPG @ SSK | S | OWC Bonus | DWC Bonus | Points | Total Points |
| bender | Hamilton | 18 | Winnipeg | Hamilton | 4 | 8 | ||
| tommytrump | Hamilton | 19 | Winnipeg | 6 | Evans | Hamilton | 6 | 8 |
| argoal | Winnipeg | 8 | Hamilton | 3 | 5 | |||
| DrJohnEvans | Hamilton | Evans | Saskatchewan | 3 | 4 | |||
| Howard_T | Hamilton | 17 | Saskatchewan | 3 | 4 | |||
| jagsnumberone | Hamilton | 17 | Evans | Hamilton | 4 | 4 | ||
| rcade | Hamilton | Winnipeg | Evans | Saskatchewan | 4 | 4 | ||
| Reever | Hamilton | Winnipeg | Evans | Hamilton | 4 | 4 | ||
| ic23b | Hamilton | Saskatchewan | 2 | 3 |
Here we go!
THE 107th GREY CUP
Hamilton Tiger-Cats (15-3) @ Winnipeg Blue Bombers (11-7) (Sunday, November 24, 6pm ET)
Everything's gone according to plan for Hamilton (despite, you know, multiple quarterback injuries). The league leader in both points scored and points given up, they easily dispatched Edmonton in the final and are cruising as favourites into the Grey Cup. But not an overwhelming favourite: Winnipeg led the West for much of the year, held the West powerhouses Calgary and Saskatchewan to 14 points, and has a resurgent Zach Collaros taking snaps, making them a sexy underdog pick.
MVP Bonus
Pick the MVP of the Grey Cup.
Over/Under
The points-scored O/U for the Grey Cup is currently set at 52.5. Will the total points scored be over or under that total?
Tiebreaker
Pick the total yardage thrown by all quarterbacks in the Grey Cup. This is worth no points and will be used only in case of a tie.
Example pick: Hamilton by 21, Evans, Over, 700.
Good luck!
posted by DrJohnEvans at 04:48 PM on November 21, 2019
Hamilton by 12
Saskatchewan by 3
Evans
Saskatchewan
posted by DrJohnEvans at 10:24 PM on November 16, 2019
Who expected an air show, outdoors in Montreal in November? Trevor Harris and Vernon Adams Jr combine for 650 yards in the air. Edmonton jumps out to an early lead, but Montreal's right on their tails the whole game, coming within 5 points with minutes left in the fourth quarter. But with one minute on the clock, Sean Whyte kicks his fifth field goal to send Edmonton to the East finals.
Out west, halftime arrives with Calgary leading 14-8, and their fans booking seats for a fourth straight Grey Cup appearance (at home this year!) But in the second half, it all falls apart. Bo Levi Mitchell throws two interceptions, Justin Medlock kicks three 40+ yard field goals, and all of a sudden Winnipeg's cruising into the West Final.
| EDM @ MTL | WPG @ CGY | Kicking Bonus | LVP Bonus | |
| Result | Edmonton by 8 | Winnipeg by 21 | Whyte | Over |
| Margin of Error | 6 to 10 | 15 to 27 |
One pick 'em plus one upset make for a tough week for points. But bender hits the Edmonton margin on the way to four points and the lead.
| SpoFite | EDM @ MTL | S | WPG @ CGY | S | Kicking | LVP | Points | Total Points |
| bender | Edmonton | 7 | Whyte | Over | 4 | 4 | ||
| argoal | Whyte | Over | 2 | 2 | ||||
| tommytrump | Winnipeg | Over | 2 | 2 | ||||
| DrJohnEvans | Edmonton | 1 | 1 | |||||
| Howard_T | Edmonton | 1 | 1 | |||||
| ic23b | Over | 1 | 1 | |||||
| jagsnumberone | 0 | 0 | ||||||
| rcade | 0 | 0 |
The Argos aren't in the playoffs and yet we're the ones with all the snow. What gives?
DIVISION FINALS
Edmonton (8-10) @ Hamilton Tiger-Cats (15-3) (Sunday, November 17, 1:00pm ET)
The Ti-Cats (the team) have been the class of the East. Jeremiah Masoli goes down with a torn ACL? No problem, here comes Dane "Who?" Evans to save the season. However: if anything can stop them, it's a red-hot (former Argo) Trevor Harris, who has personally dominated the Ti-Cats in his last few appearances. With clear skies and a mild forecast, this one will come down to the quarterbacks.
CFL.ca Eastern Final Preview »
Winnipeg Blue Bombers (11-7) @ Saskatchewan Roughriders (13-5) (Sunday, November 17, 4:30pm ET)
This is the match-up that the Bombers dreamt of all season, although they kinda hoped it would be at home. The division's best offence rolls into Regina to take on the division's best defence, coming off a big upset win thanks for (former Argo) QB Zach Collaros. Saskatchewan's got QB dreams of their own, though: Cody Fajardo, shaking off a mysterious oblique injury, is almost certain to start. The Riders are the favourites, but by how much?
CFL.ca Western Final Preview »
Offence Wins Championships Bonus
Pick the quarterback who will throw for the highest yardage on Sunday.
Defence Wins Championships Bonus
Pick the team whose defence will register the most sacks on Sunday.
Example pick: Hamilton by 21, Winnipeg by 14, Harris, Ottawa.
Good luck!
posted by DrJohnEvans at 11:53 PM on November 14, 2019
Edmonton by 3
Calgary by 12
Medlock
Under
posted by DrJohnEvans at 10:00 AM on November 08, 2019
Edmonton (8-10) @ Montreal (10-8) (Sunday, November 10, 1:00pm ET)
One of the more intriguing crossover matchups in recent history: you could argue that Edmonton has underperformed this year, but in the much tougher division, and (former Argo) Trevor Harris can pile up points in a hurry. But don't count out the Alouettes, who have rebounded from complete disarray to become surprisingly entertaining. Where the heck did Vernon Adams Jr. come from? No snow in the forecast yet, but if that front moves through and the temperature drops, things could get slippery on the Molson turf.
CFL.ca Eastern Semi-Final Preview »
Winnipeg Blue Bombers (11-7) @ Calgary Stampeders (12-6) (Sunday, November 10, 4:30pm ET)
No fresh faces, this will be the third time in four games these two teams match up. Winnipeg slipped out of first place thanks in part to QB chaos, with injuries first to Matty Nichols and then Chris Streveler; but they picked up (former Argo) Zach Collaros at the trade deadline, and he led them to a nailbiting victory over these Stamps two weeks ago in his Bomber debut. Calgary, on the other hand, missed first place by inches, but they've made three straight Grey Cups and you have to believe they're firing on all cylinders. Note the weather forecast: game time high of -10 Celsius in Cowtown.
CFL.ca Western Semi-Final Preview »
Swayze Waters Memorial (Take 2) River Salmon Bonus
Pick the kicker who will score the most points this weekend. That includes place-kick field goals, drop-kick field goals, PATs, singles, fake field goals thrown for touchdowns, and wacky safeties. If the kicker's name is next to it, it counts.
Las Vegas Posse Memorial Bonus
The combined over/under on total points scored for both games is 100.5. Will the actual number of points scored this weekend be OVER or UNDER that total?
Example pick: Edmonton by 1, Winnipeg by 21, Medlock, Over.
Good luck!
posted by DrJohnEvans at 10:45 PM on November 07, 2019
Montreal piles on the points to win in Ottawa. Edmonton keeps it close, but Saskatchewan breaks it open in the fourth quarter to clinch the division. Hamilton needs last-minute drama to close out their season with a win, while Calgary hangs on in B.C. to grab that home playoff date.
| MTL @ OTT | EDM @ SSK | TOR @ HAM | CGY @ BC | |
| Result | Montreal by 10 | Saskatchewan by 10 | Hamilton by 3 | Calgary by 5 |
| Margin of Error | 7 to 13 | 7 to 13 | 2 to 4 | 4 to 7 |
jagsnumberone finishes the season in style, taking the crown by a full fifteen points. I believe that's two new regular season Pick 'Em records: total points scored and margin of victory. Congratulations jags!
At the other end, not even a Costanza Runoff Spreadsheet can stop rcade's march to the Costanza. Congrats, rcade!
| SpoFite | MTL @ OTT | S | EDM @ SSK | S | TOR @ HAM | S | CGY @ BC | S | Points | Total Points |
| jagsnumberone | Montreal | 11 | Saskatchewan | Hamilton | Calgary | 7 | 6 | 88 | ||
| DrJohnEvans | Montreal | 7 | Saskatchewan | 12 | Hamilton | Calgary | 6 | 73 | ||
| tommytrump | 5 | 1 | 72 | |||||||
| ic23b | Saskatchewan | 3 | Calgary | 3 | 71 | |||||
| argoal | Montreal | Saskatchewan | Calgary | 3 | 62 | |||||
| JPR | Montreal | Saskatchewan | Hamilton | Calgary | 4 | 5 | 61 | |||
| cixelsyd | Saskatchewan | 10 | Hamilton | 4 | 60 | |||||
| Reever | Montreal | Saskatchewan | 3 | Calgary | 4 | 57 | ||||
| bender | Montreal | 10 | Saskatchewan | 11 | Hamilton | Calgary | 7 | 55 | ||
| Howard_T | Saskatchewan | Hamilton | Calgary | 3 | 53 | |||||
| rcade | Hamilton | 1 | 46 |
Thanks to everyone for playing! Stay tuned for the CFL Playoff Pick 'Em!
posted by DrJohnEvans at 09:03 PM on November 05, 2019
Montreal by 7
Saskatchewan by 12
Hamilton by 12
Calgary by 16
posted by DrJohnEvans at 01:50 PM on November 01, 2019
Winnipeg edges the Stamps with a time-expiring game-winning field goal to stay in the hunt for a home playoff date. Hamilton cruises in Montreal, while Toronto does the same, and Saskatchewan hangs on against Edmonton to hang onto first place.
| CGY @ WPG | HAM @ MTL | OTT @ TOR | SSK @ EDM | |
| Result | Winnipeg by 1 | Hamilton by 12 | Toronto by 30 | Saskatchewan by 3 |
| Margin of Error | 1 to 1 | 8 to 16 | 21 to 39 | 2 to 4 |
tommytrump's Hail Mary is a good throw, but is intercepted in the end zone and run back for a touchdown. jags has an eleven-point lead heading into the final week.
| SpoFite | CGY @ WPG | S | HAM @ MTL | S | OTT @ TOR | S | SSK @ EDM | S | Points | Total Points |
| jagsnumberone | Winnipeg | Hamilton | 10 | Toronto | Saskatchewan | 5 | 82 | |||
| tommytrump | 0 | 71 | ||||||||
| ic23b | Winnipeg | Hamilton | Toronto | Saskatchewan | 4 | 68 | ||||
| DrJohnEvans | Hamilton | Toronto | Saskatchewan | 3 | 67 | |||||
| argoal | Hamilton | Toronto | Saskatchewan | 4 | 4 | 59 | ||||
| JPR | 0 | 56 | ||||||||
| cixelsyd | Winnipeg | 1 | 56 | |||||||
| Reever | 0 | 53 | ||||||||
| Howard_T | 12 | Toronto | 2 | 50 | ||||||
| bender | Toronto | Saskatchewan | 2 | 48 | ||||||
| rcade | Toronto | Saskatchewan | 2 | 45 |
The final week! And we've got a 50% Meaningful Ratio, which is pretty good compared to historical trends.
WEEK 21
Montreal @ Ottawa (Friday, November 1)
Not Meaningful: Montreal rests the starters while Ottawa plays for next year.
Edmonton @ Saskatchewan (Saturday, November 2)
Meaningful: Edmonton has clinched the crossover, but Saskatchewan is still defending first place.
Toronto @ Hamilton (Saturday, November 3)
Not Meaningful: nobody really wants to go to Hamilton anyway.
Calgary @ B.C. (Saturday, October 28)
Meaningful: Calgary's in a tight spot. A win combined with a Saskatchewan loss gives them first place. A loss bumps them down to third. Safe to say they're motivated.
Good luck!
posted by DrJohnEvans at 11:15 PM on October 30, 2019
Calgary by 6
Hamilton by 6
Toronto by 9
Saskatchewan by 6
posted by DrJohnEvans at 12:47 PM on October 25, 2019
Montreal rides a big fourth quarter to guarantee a non-losing record heading into the playoffs. Saskatchewan beats the Lions to stay in the hunt for first. Hamilton cruises over Ottawa, while Calgary wins the back-and-forth over Winnipeg to reclaim first.
| TOR @ MTL | EDM @ BC | OTT @ HAM | WPG @ CGY | |
| Result | Montreal by 3 | Saskatchewn by 8 | Hamilton by 21 | Calgary by 4 |
| Margin of Error | 2 to 4 | 6 to 10 | 15 to 27 | 3 to 5 |
jags breaks it open, nailing the Calgary games on the way to a great eight points.
| SpoFite | TOR @ MTL | S | SSK @ BC | S | OTT @ HAM | S | WPG @ CGY | S | Points | Total Points |
| jagsnumberone | Montreal | Saskatchewan | 6 | Hamilton | 22 | Calgary | 4 | 8 | 77 | |
| tommytrump | Montreal | Saskatchewan | Hamilton | 3 | 71 | |||||
| DrJohnEvans | Montreal | Saskatchewan | Hamilton | 16 | Calgary | 5 | 64 | |||
| ic23b | Montreal | Saskatchewan | Hamilton | 17 | Calgary | 3 | 6 | 64 | ||
| JPR | Montreal | 4 | Saskatchewan | Hamilton | 4 | 56 | ||||
| cixelsyd | 0 | 55 | ||||||||
| argoal | Saskatchewan | Hamilton | 15 | Calgary | 5 | 5 | 55 | |||
| Reever | Saskatchewan | 9 | Hamilton | 15 | Calgary | 3 | 6 | 53 | ||
| Howard_T | Montreal | Saskatchewan | Hamilton | 3 | 48 | |||||
| bender | 0 | 46 | ||||||||
| rcade | 0 | 43 |
Two weeks left and we have tons of unfinished business. Better put on a fresh pot of coffee.
WEEK 20
Calgary @ Winnipeg (Friday, October 25)
This is it: Winnipeg's last chance at first. Maybe their last chance at even hosting a playoff game.
Hamilton @ Montreal (Saturday, October 26)
A possible East Final preview, except with better quality post-game beers.
Ottawa @ Toronto (Saturday, October 26)
All are excited for the annual "Who Can Get More Than Three Wins" bowl.
Saskatchewan @ Edmonton (Saturday, October 26)
Saskatchewan's trying to keep pace with Calgary, while Edmonton plays crossover chicken.
Good luck!
posted by DrJohnEvans at 10:06 PM on October 24, 2019
Montreal by 9
Saskatchewan by 26
Hamilton by 16
Calgary by 6
posted by DrJohnEvans at 09:24 AM on October 18, 2019
Toronto holds off the Ottawa comeback to notch a rare win. Calgary hangs on for the win against the Riders to move into first place. Winnipeg solves the Montreal mystery, while Edmonton keeps the Lions out of the end zone.
| OTT @ TOR | SSK @ CGY | MTL @ WPG | BC @ EDM | |
| Result | Toronto by 7 | Calgary by 2 | Winnipeg by 11 | Edmonton by 13 |
| Margin of Error | 5 to 9 | 1 to 3 | 8 to 14 | 9 to 17 |
tommy and jags continue to move in lockstep — while Howard_T stays true to his word and scores 7 to move out of the basement.
| SpoFite | OTT @ TOR | S | SSK @ CGY | S | MTL @ WPG | S | BC @ EDM | S | Points | Total Points |
| jagsnumberone | Toronto | Calgary | Winnipeg | Edmonton | 10 | 5 | 69 | |||
| tommytrump | Toronto | 5 | Calgary | Winnipeg | Edmonton | 5 | 68 | |||
| DrJohnEvans | Toronto | Calgary | 3 | Winnipeg | Edmonton | 5 | 59 | |||
| ic23b | Toronto | Winnipeg | Edmonton | 3 | 58 | |||||
| cixelsyd | Calgary | Winnipeg | 2 | 55 | ||||||
| JPR | 0 | 52 | ||||||||
| argoal | Toronto | Calgary | 2 | 50 | ||||||
| Reever | 0 | 47 | ||||||||
| bender | Toronto | 6 | Winnipeg | 10 | Edmonton | 5 | 46 | |||
| Howard_T | Toronto | 9 | Calgary | Winnipeg | 14 | Edmonton | 16 | 7 | 45 | |
| rcade | Toronto | Edmonton | 2 | 43 |
Three! Weeks! Left!
WEEK 19
Toronto @ Montreal (Friday, October 18)
Montreal's locked into second place and a home semi-final. Do they rest the big guns? That would depend on knowing exactly who the big guns are.
Saskatchewan @ B.C. (Friday, October 18)
The Riders got knocked out of first place, but a visit to B.C. might get them right back.
Ottawa @ Hamilton (Saturday, October 19)
Can't we just sim the rest of the East-vs-East games?
Winnipeg @ Calgary (Saturday, October 19)
Uhh if Winnipeg wins and Saskatchewan loses, the Bombers are back in first place. That can't be right, can it?
Good luck!
posted by DrJohnEvans at 10:56 PM on October 17, 2019
Toronto by 12
Calgary by 3
Winnipeg by 3
Edmonton by 19
posted by DrJohnEvans at 02:37 PM on October 10, 2019
What Western dominance? Edmonton doesn't even get close in Hamilton, and Montreal locks it down against Calgary. Saskatchewan keeps the Bombers on the skids, and, wow, that's a lot of points.
| EDM @ HAM | CGY @ MTL | WPG @ SSK | TOR @ BC | |
| Result | Hamilton by 30 | Montreal by 4 | Saskatchewan by 15 | B.C. by 47 |
| Margin of Error | 21 to 39 | 3 to 5 | 11 to 20 | 33 to 61 |
jags and tommy manage to pick almost opposite and still end up neck-and-neck.
| SpoFite | EDM @ HAM | S | CGY @ MTL | S | WPG @ SSK | S | TOR @ BC | S | Points | Total Points |
| jagsnumberone | Hamilton | Saskatchewan | B.C. | 3 | 64 | |||||
| tommytrump | Hamilton | Montreal | 3 | 3 | 63 | |||||
| ic23b | Hamilton | 4 | Saskatchewan | B.C. | 4 | 55 | ||||
| DrJohnEvans | Hamilton | Saskatchewan | 2 | 54 | ||||||
| cixelsyd | Hamilton | Saskatchewan | B.C. | 3 | 53 | |||||
| JPR | 0 | 52 | ||||||||
| argoal | Hamilton | 4 | Saskatchewan | B.C. | 4 | 48 | ||||
| Reever | Hamilton | Saskatchewan | B.C. | 3 | 47 | |||||
| rcade | 0 | 41 | ||||||||
| bender | Montreal | Saskatchewan | B.C. | 3 | 41 | |||||
| Howard_T | 0 | 38 |
Given recent trends, the West won't be decided until the last week of the season, and it will be B.C. sneaking up to grab it. (Or not.)
WEEK 18
Ottawa @ Toronto (Friday, October 11)
Getting this game out of the way early. Consider making dinner reservations for Friday night.
Saskatchewan @ Calgary (Friday, October 11)
The fight for first: Calgary currently owns the tiebreaker, so whoever wins claims sole possession of first place in the division.
Montreal @ Winnipeg (Saturday, October 12)
Winnipeg's got their sights set on a home playoff date, but the resurgent Alouettes are making a late-season push.
B.C. @ Edmonton (Saturday, October 12)
Speaking of late-season trends, Edmonton has won one game out of their last six. That said, there's nothing like hosting the Lions for a quick refresher.
Good luck!
posted by DrJohnEvans at 11:47 AM on October 10, 2019
The 17th Annual chicobangs Memorial CFL Pick ‘Em
Thanks everyone! And rcade, I'm thrilled that you're carrying on. (Sorry I didn't give you more notice!)