Weekly Predictor: Who wins in Week 17?

Week 16 saw the Alouettes pull away from the pack in the East Division for second place, the Roughriders got a huge favour from the BC Lions beating up on the Stampeders, and a historic win by the Winnipeg Blue Bombers, as the Bombers helped their own playoff chances with a win over Ottawa.

But the game of the week last week was the Edmonton Elks against the Hamilton Tiger-Cats. Cody Fajardo had the Elks competing with the best in the league, and it was just another ho-hum game-winning drive at the end of the contest for Bo Levi Mitchell.

While the East race is starting to clear, the race for the crossover spot and, now, second place in the West will be interesting to follow the rest of the way as we get set for Week 17.

CALGARY AT MONTREAL

Friday, September 26
7:00 p.m. ET
TSN/RDS/CFL+

You have to be worried as a Stampeders fan with Vernon Adams Jr. unable to finish last week’s game with an injury, and his backup P.J. Walker reportedly done for the season.

We’ve seen far too many starters miss time already, and it would come at the worst time for the Stampeders, who still have a shot to chase down Saskatchewan for first in the division.

But now all of a sudden, the Bombers and Lions are just one win behind Calgary in the chase for second spot in the West Division.

The Stampeders are now on a two-game losing streak. The first losing streak earlier this season came when they lost Vernon Adams Jr. to injury. This time, the team didn’t play particularly well against the Elks or the Lions.

The Alouettes will likely still roll with McLeod Bethel-Thompson to give Davis Alexander another week and then a bye to rest before ramping it up for the playoffs.

The Alouettes have already defeated Calgary, even though Adams Jr. didn’t finish that game, but I really like what I see from the Alouettes defensively after wins over the Riders and Argonauts. I think they can frustrate whoever is at quarterback for the Stamps this week.

PICK: MONTREAL

TORONTO AT BC

Friday, September 26
10:00 p.m. ET
TSN/CFL+

As we know, Jarret Doege will likely start again.

But instead of a team’s backup, like last week against Montreal, the quarterback opposite Doege is lifting his stock as a potential Most Outstanding Player candidate.

Nathan Rourke absolutely lit up the Stampeders defence last week, and it isn’t like the Argonauts are playing all that well. They’re definitely not playing as well as Calgary had been playing up and to that point.

Doege does show some moxie once in a while, but he does leave a lot to be desired as far as consistency is concerned. That’s the least of the Lions’ worries.

This isn’t a battle I think I need to spend too much time thinking about.

PICK: BC

HAMILTON AT WINNIPEG

Saturday, September 27
3:00 p.m. ET
TSN/CTV/CFL+

This game is a rematch of when Tiger-Cats dominated the Bombers two weeks ago. The Bombers may have found a way to win without Zach Collaros this past week: give Brady Oliveira the ball as much as possible.

Out of the 34 offensive touches by the Bombers in last week’s unbelievable win, 20 of them went to Oliveira.

You really shouldn’t win a game when you complete just three passes, but you can, once in 50 years, if you’re a Blue Bomber.

Winnipeg had their defence and special teams step up, while their offence again sputtered without Collaros.

Hamilton, however, is among the class in the league. Their defence may actually be improving at the right time, while they’ve never had trouble scoring points.

Yes, it’ll be in hostile Winnipeg, but the Tiger-Cats are just too good.

PICK: HAMILTON

SASKATCHEWAN AT EDMONTON

Saturday, September 27
7:00 p.m. ET
TSN/CFL+

As I mentioned earlier, the Elks are giving everyone a run for their money right now, and this won’t be any different for the Roughriders.

Can Corey Mace come up with a plan to shut down Justin Rankin? The Tiger-Cats did for the most part, aside from the huge touchdown play at the start of the game.

Rankin is the straw that stirs the drink for the Elks offence, though Cody Fajardo is the calming force behind it all.

The Elks are still in the mix, but they’re in must-win mode right now.

The Roughriders, meanwhile, had a week off to stew on that tough loss to Montreal in Week 15, but if there is something we’ve learned about the Roughriders, it’s that they don’t like to lose and they do respond.

The Riders haven’t lost two straight games this season, and are moving closer to hosting the Western Final. Despite having a two-game lead in the division, Saskatchewan still has plenty to play for.

A well-rested Trevor Harris and AJ Ouellette, with the prospect of getting Kian Schaffer-Baker and Samuel Emilus back soon, should terrify opponents of the Roughriders down the stretch.

PICK: SASKATCHEWAN

Weekly Predictor: Who wins in Week 17?

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