Week 18 CFL Picks

A 3-1 week last week leaves me at 40-24 going into the penultimate week of the season. Here's the thought process going into Week 18

TORONTO AT EDMONTON

Oh goody! What a barn-burner this should be. The only highlight of this one as far as I'm concerned is what I'm sure will be an emotional night for long-time Eskimos broadcaster Bryan Hall as he delivers play-by-play from the booth for the last time at home and gets the press box at Commonwealth named after him. Jamie Nye worked with Hallsy at 630 CHED before he came here and he has a very nice tribute to him on the CJME website. The Eskimos will win this one not because of their play, but because to me it looks like the Argos are just putting in the time. This team needs a drastic overhaul from top to bottom and then some. By the way, it would be nice if we saw Ricky Ray throw some deep passes tonight. The guy can throw the deep ball, but he's been rather reluctant to do that lately. Is he hurt? Could this be his last home game in Edmonton as well?

SASKATCHEWAN AT HAMILTON

The Riders are fighting for first in the west, the Ti-Cats are battling for second in the East. This is not a nothing game as some have suggested. The Riders certainly won't take their fans on a roller-coaster ride that ends in overtime for a 3rd straight week will they? The offence is clicking and the defence is playing well when it needs to. After a great start, the Ti-Cats have really fizzled out. That being said, Kevin Glenn is capable of putting up some big numbers as he did against Montreal a couple of weeks ago. Look for the Riders to win this one, but it will be close and it will be a high scoring affair. Let's say 40-32 just for the heck of it.

CALGARY AT B.C.

I'm guessing the Rider Nation will be tuning this game in amongst the Hallowe'en revelry. This should be a pretty good football game. If Casey Printers outplays Henry Burris, the Lions will win this game. With the exception of that last play brainfart, Printers played very well last weekend in Regina and arguably out-performed Darian Durant, Burris has been hot and cold, but he seems to have gotten his game back together in the last two weeks. On a feeling, I say B.C wins this game and if they do, they could conceivably host the Western semi against the Stamps.

WINNIPEG AT MONTREAL

Is Calvillo playing this week? Fans of the Alouettes are seeing their worst fears confirmed and that is Montreal clinched first way too early and now bad habits are setting in---especially on defence. Marc Trestman can't be happy with what he has seen. This is a big game for Montreal at home as they can send Winnipeg a message if the two teams should meet in the Eastern final. I will take Montreal.