WEEK 4 IN THE CFL

Hey there, time traveller!
This article was published 18/07/2012 (4832 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

WINNIPEG BLUE BOMBERS at TORONTO ARGONAUTS

Tonight, 6:30 p.m. TV: TSN. Radio: CJOB.

Vegas line: Toronto -7.5

Bombers line: No Buck Pierce, as he’s out for a while. Alex Brink takes over. The offence has scored a CFL-low 56 points in three games. Defensively, the club has given up a CFL-high 116 points. Put ’em together and you get a big, fat goose egg in the win column.

Argos line: Cory Boyd rushed for 168 yards on 19 carries against Hamilton last Saturday. Ricky Ray, meanwhile, seems to have found some chemistry with Andre Durie. They’ll be going with a new, fantastically named placekicker. With Noel Prefontaine injured, please welcome Swayze Waters to the fold.

Bottom line: It’s hard to forget about that Edmonton game, isn’t it?

SASKATCHEWAN ROUGHRIDERS at CALGARY STAMPEDERS

Thursday, 8 p.m. TV: TSN.

Vegas line: Calgary -3.5

Riders line: Have to admit, that was an impressive win against the Lions last weekend, and they deserve full marks for being the only unbeaten team left. Maybe there’s something to locking the fans out of practice, no? Two more wins and they equal their 2011 total.

Stamps line: Drew Tate is out for four months with a left-shoulder injury, leaving Kevin Glenn to lead the club on offence. Hmm. How do Stamps fans feel about that after watching him cough up that game in Montreal with the late pick and the brutal clock management at the end?

Bottom line: Glenn’s hiccups aside, writing off Calgary would be a mistake.

EDMONTON ESKIMOS at B.C. LIONS

Friday, 9 p.m. TV: TSN.

Vegas line: B.C. -8.5

Eskimos line: As evidenced last week, this is a pretty good team when Steven Jyles doesn’t have to move the football or put points on the board. OK, that’s not fair, but the Eskimos’ defence is the truth. Those guys can play. Something to worry about: Fred Stamps remains on Edmonton-area milk cartons.

Lions line: After a gruelling one-game road trip, the Orange are back in Vancouver, where they seemingly never lose anymore. Not sure what Paul McCallum said to his team after missing two field goals in Regina, but it probably wasn’t needed. The guy was due for a bad game.

Bottom line: Geroy Simon says he’s going to play after dislocating a knuckle last week.

MONTREAL ALOUETTES at HAMILTON TIGER-CATS

Saturday, 6 p.m. TV: TSN.

Vegas line: Hamilton -1.5

Alouettes line: If Anthony Calvillo keeps taking this kind of pounding, he may not make it to his 60th birthday. Old joke, literally. He’s taken some big shots already this year and is dealing with a left-shoulder issue now. That shouldn’t matter against Hamilton’s ‘no-pressure-at-the-line of-scrimmage’ defence.

Ticats line: Something just doesn’t look right in Hamilton. It’s almost like there is a cohesion issue — and we don’t mean between the players and coaches. Maybe they just need some time to jell. Chris Williams is the key for this club; he finds a way into the end zone.

Bottom line: Still waiting for that big game from Jamel Richardson.

THE PICKS (straight up)

The Free Press has assembled a panel this season to offer their fearless predictions every week. Joining us this year are CJOB’s Bob Irving, and from the Free Press, sports editor Steve Lyons, columnists Gary Lawless and Doug Brown (who also serves as the ‘OB football game analyst), lead football writer Paul Wiecek and reporter Adam Wazny.

Irving: Toronto, Calgary, B.C., Hamilton

Lyons: Toronto, Saskatchewan, B.C., Montreal

Lawless: Toronto, Saskatchewan, B.C., Montreal

Brown: Toronto, Saskatchewan, B.C., Montreal

Wiecek: Toronto, Saskatchewan, B.C., Montreal

Wazny: Toronto, Calgary, B.C., Montreal

Last week (overall): Irving 2-2 (8-4); Lyons 3-1 (9-3); Lawless 3-1 (9-3); Brown 2-2 (8-4); Wiecek 2-2 (7-5); Wazny 3-1 (7-5).

— Adam Wazny