2009 CFL Predictions: Week 17

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2009 CFL Predictions: Week 17 By GREG HARRIS, MOP Squad CFL Editor Oct 22, 2009 - 10:15:20 PM	Email this article Printer friendly page
Last Week: 3-1 Season to Date: 33-27 (.550) Last week, I said I'd be disappointed with a 3-1 showing if the Stamps didn't win. As it turns out, they didn't lose either, and I'm not sure how to feel after the tie. Frankly, I don't think ties have a place in CFL football, and I much preferred when CFL overtimes went back and forth until one team scored and the other team didn't. Having a CFL overtime end in a tie is kinda like a hockey game ending in a tie if the teams are even after three rounds of a shootout. But I digress... Week 17 gets underway with a couple meaningful games in the race for the third playoff spot in the Eastern Division. Hamilton was once on the fast track to host their first postseason contest in quite some time, but four straight losses have dropped them back to the pack. Fortunately, Week 17 brings them to the CFL's home away from home, Toronto's Rogers Centre. Granted, the Tabbies were the last team not from Toronto to lose at the dome, but in dropping a 41-38 decision to Montreal last week, they scored more points than the Argos did in Weeks 15 and 16 combined. The Tabbies have finally realized that their playoff hopes rest on the shoulders of Kevin Glenn, who didn't figure in their two losses to Toronto this season. I think the Cats will retake second place with a home-away-from-home win this week. Although the rules prevent them from hosting a playoff game in the Eastern Division, the Edmonton Eskishmoes have a better record than three of the four teams out East, and look primed to capture a crossover spot. That being said, their win in Toronto last week was their first in almost a month and just their second win since Labour Day. Losing back-to-back games to the Stamps sent the Eskies into a tailspin, and guess who they've got on the schedule this week? Those same Calgary Stampeders, who close out the home portion of their schedule (playoffs not included) with the final installment of the Battle of Alberta. The last time these two teams met at McMahon, Edmonton was held without a touchdown until the closing minutes, as Calgary cruised to a 24-point victory. I'd expect more of the same in my Blowout of the Week. While no team was thoroughly embarassed in Week 16, the Most Pathetic Performance of the Week went to the Winnipeg Blue Bombers, who couldn't put up enough points in their home building to get past a BC Lions squad led by an inexperienced third-string quarterback. This week, Winnipeg hosts a more formidable foe: the Montreal Alouettes. Although Ex-Bomber Kevin Glenn torched the Als for 500 yards last week, his team still lost--even with Adrian McPherson playing most of the second half at quarterback for Montreal. Winnipeg laid 38 points on the same Ticat defence who gave up 41 to the Als one week earlier, but I wouldn't expect another slip-up from the league's stingiest D. Montreal might score 41 points again, but if they do, they'll win by 20. Even on the road, I don't consider this an upset. Speaking of BC, third-string QB Travis Lulay got so banged up in the win over Winnipeg that the Lions are seriously considering Casey Printers as their starter for Week 17. That ain't no good thing. Printers is five years removed from his MOP season--three years on the bench in Kansas City, one atrocious season in Hamilton, and several weeks away from the game before the Lions signed him earlier this season. He might have more weapons than he did with the '08 Ticats, but I'm not confident that he'll put them to good use. Unfortunately, this means the Riders will remain tied with Calgary atop the Western Division after a home-field win in Regina. CFL Editor Greg Harris can be reached via email at greg.harris@mopsquad.com. He'd like to remind anyone who's looking to re-design the outdated MOP Squad layout that he's not the one who runs the site. (The front-page image would certainly be of the '08 Grey Cup champs if he was in charge.) Copyright 2007 - MOP Squad Sports Top of Page