CFL WEEK 8: 12-16 ATS // 18-10 ML // 8-3 TEASERS

SK +3.5 @ MTL
What more can you say about the Riders? They don't turn the ball over, play ferocious and take the ball away on defense, and the biggest improvement I've seen is they play a full hard 60 minutes. The Riders will be without Schaffer-Baker but Ajou Ajou is filling in admirably for him. A little background on Ajou, he had rough CFL tryouts but Mace and Ajou have known each other since 2019. Ajou was roommates with Mace's little bro in his final season in high school. This is what Ajou had to say about the injury to Baker: “I gotta perform till big bro get back, that’s all,” said Ajou. “Speedy recovery, he know I’m praying for him. We’ll be alright till he get back.” Ajou had 4 receptions for 110 yards and looks hungry/explosive when he has the ball and I love his energy. The Riders will be without Hardwick for the rest of the season which is a huge blow but Brammer played wonderfully last week in his spot. Sask will also be without Ouellette with Hickson taking over at RB (quite the change of dynamic going from a bruiser to a speedster but Hickson is good). The Riders have the best defence in the league in my opinion. They are turnover machines and held the Bombers/Collaros (highest paid player) out of the endzone last week. I love the mood of this team and so happy we got Mace over Milanovich. I'm 6-0 ML and 5-1 ATS betting my Green Riders this year.

Montreal is coming off a bye and Fajardo and Julien-Grant are doubtful, Dequoy is back. Caleb Evans is not a great QB. It will be a lot of short dumps and screens to Fletcher and Evans likes to run. I like Shea over Evans for the battle of QBs in this game. Both defenses are top 1 and 2 in the league. This should be a great slobber knocking low scoring close game. If Fajardo was playing, I'd take Montreal to win. Without Fajardo, I love my Riders chances of moving to 6-1 as long as they keep doing what they're doing: don't turn the ball over on offense and turn the ball over on defence and play lockdown. The Riders do have a lot of travel here and are playing on a short week with Montreal coming off a bye.  Maas and Fajardo are also ex-Riders.  My head is saying Montreal by 3, but you know where my heart is going. Riders win and cover in a close game.
23-20 Riders

CAL -1 @ OTT
The Stamps looked impressive in their win over BC last week and Maier looked great throwing for 307 yards and 3 TDs. Calgary is 3-0 at home and 0-3 on the road. The RedBlacks are 3-0 at home. I like what Calgary has on defence and if Maier can keep up his play and can continue to improve then Calgary can potentially be a team to be reckoned with. If Mills can have a big game and Maier keeps his play up then Calgary should win this one with Ottawa battling the injury bug.

Ottawa scraped by the Elks last week in a defensive slugfest. These two teams combined for 34 points last week and 71 points the week before. Dru Brown struggled throwing 2 INTs and looked lost against a suspect defence. I love what the RedBlacks have on defence and how they play, Calgary has to be careful. Let's also not forget that 2/3 of Ottawa's wins came against the Elks. I can make cases for both teams easily winning/losing this one. Calgary gets their first road win and the RedBlacks lose their first at home.
27-21 Stampeders

WIN +1.5 @ TOR
Winnipeg looks old, Collaros looks washed, Jefferson lost a step and they need Schoen and Lawler back badly. Seeing the Bombers at 2-5 is weird. They couldn't even get in the endzone last week. Oliveira practiced in full on Wed and should play. Kyrie Wilson is looking doubtful. I like the Bombers to bounce back in this one to get back to pounding the rock successfully and Collaros having a big game against a banged up defensive line for Toronto.  Collaros has more time to throw and picks the Argos apart.  Adam Bighill is also a dirty player and poor sport, I do not like him. CRAZY STAT: both the Bombers and Argos have lost MORE games this year then they did all of last year and we are only in week 8.

Toronto gave the TiCats their first win of the year (the game was a lot more lopsided then the score indicated) and it looks like Cameron Dukes has started to regress. In fact, it looks like Arbuckle is starting this game and he's very hit and miss. That's a big reason I like the Bombers is because of the Argos QB situation and non-existent home field advantage coupled with their DL injuries. The game was a lot closer then it appeared for the Argos and are fortunate they have Janarion Grant who returned another kick/punt for a TD. That is now 3 consecutive games of him returning a kick/punt for a TD. Brinkman DL is also out for the Argos which is a huge blow and Ceresna is playing but not 100%. Bombers run game should be able to take advantage of that. The Argos offense should go through Carey as the Bombers are bad at stopping the run and to take some pressure off a shaky Arbuckle.  Bombers defence is steadily improving.  Bombers with a bounce back win and cover.
30-20 Bombers

HAM +3.5 @ EDM
Hamilton picked up their first win last week coming off the bye against the Argos but they needed a blocked punt, 31 yard fumble recovery TD and to play very physical to barely get the win. Bo Levi continues to put up decent numbers but so far only translated that into 1 win. Hamilton needs to get Butler and White going. It feels like last week was Hamilton's Grey Cup.

Edmonton...what more can you say about this pitiful team. They lose again, but I will give new HC Jackson the benefit of the doubt since he just took the team over on a short week and barely had 3 days to get ready for a road game. Then there is Bethel-Thompson complaining about the CFL schedule...suck it up, it is the same way in the NFL when teams play Sunday then need to play a Thurs night game. I am not rushing to bet this game and wouldn't put much on it. I am rolling with the Elks to pick up their first win, but the TiCats to cover.
24-21 Elks

TEASERS: 8-3 (11-3 including my 2nd pick)
TEASER: 7 pt

SK +10.5
You're giving me SK +10.5 again 2 weeks in a row? This will be a close defensive slugfest type game.

WPG +8.5
Toronto has uncertainty at QB and they may start Arbuckle along with their DL injuries, not good news for the Argos and we have an 8 point cushion with the Bombers who I feel will bounce back.

TOP OFFENSIVE GRADE: Calgary Stampeders - Maier had a huge week throwing 3 TDs and no INTs for 307 yards and looked great against a good BC defence. The Stamps didn't have a much of a run game but there was not a whole lot of offense/scoring last week across the league.

TOP DEFENSIVE GRADE: Saskatchewan Roughriders - holding the Bombers to 9 points (all FGs), Oliveira to 49 yards on 9 carries and Collaros to 266 yards and INT, this was an easy choice.  Winnipeg's offense didn't stand a chance not being able to establish the run.

MY POWER RANKINGS:
1)Montreal (2)
2)BC (1)
3)Saskatchewan (3)
4)Calgary (6)
5)Ottawa (7)
6)Toronto (4)
7)Winnipeg (5)
8)Hamilton (9)
9)Edmonton (8)

MTL moves back to top spot although they were on a bye because BC lost a winnable game dropping them to 2. If SK beats MTL this week they'll jump to 1st.  The only reason SK isn't 2 is because BC beat them.  Calgary jumped up 2 spots with an impressive win over BC and are ahead of Ottawa due to who they've beaten and who Ottawa has beaten. Ottawa also moved up 2 spots with a win. Toronto moved down 2 spots losing to a winless team. Winnipeg dropped 2 spots getting pounded in by SK. Hamilton and Edmonton exchanged spots with Hamilton picking up their first win.

Good luck!

Good write-up as always!  Mostly agree with your picks but trying out a teaser based on top picker of covers contest.  Saskatchewan +16.5, Ottawa +14, Winnipeg +14 and Hamilton +16.5.

I believe that the Calgary/Ottawa game, will be:

VERY high scoring!!!