CFL this Week — Week 11

Hey there, time traveller!
This article was published 05/09/2014 (4080 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

B.C. Lions (5-4) at Ottawa Redblacks (1-8)

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

Lions line: The Lions come in off a bye week and are expected to finally have their starting QB Travis Lulay back behind the controls this week — and that instantly makes them a better team. It will be Lulay’s first start since he hurt his shoulder during a game against the Montreal Alouettes on Sept. 13, 2013 — a span of 357 days between starts.

Redblacks line: Ottawa will have the weight of almost two decades of history working against them this week: the last time an Ottawa team beat the Lions was when the Rough Riders did it July 12, 1996 at Landsdowne Park. The Lions were the only team to skunk the Renegades during that Ottawa franchise’s four-year incarnation in the league from 2002-05.

Calgary Stampeders (8-1) at Edmonton Eskimos (7-2)

Saturday, 6 p.m. TV: TSN

Stampeders line: The Stamps have won four in a row and are also the last remaining team in the CFL still undefeated on the road at 4-0. On top of all that, Calgary’s win over Edmonton on Labour Day was their 10th in a row over their provincial rival.

Eskimos line: Eskimos starting QB Mike Reilly, who missed last week’s game with a thumb injury, has been taking limited reps in practice this week and remains questionable for this weekend. The Esks are a 2.5 point underdog.

Hamilton Tiger-Cats (2-6) at Montreal Alouettes (2-7)

Sunday, noon. TV: TSN

Ticats line: The Ticats 13-12 win over Toronto last week was their first victory since a Week 5 win over lowly Ottawa. That’s not good but it’s also deceiving — four of Hamilton’s six losses this season have come by a touchdown or less.

Montreal line: The Als 20-10 win over Ottawa last week snapped an agonizing Montreal losing streak that went all the way back to a Week 2 win over B.C.

Saskatchewan Roughriders (7-2) at Winnipeg Blue Bombers (6-4)

Sunday, 3 p.m. TV: TSN

Riders line: Saskatchewan will be without punter Josh Bartel, longsnapper Levi Steinhauer and DB Mark Legree this week. That stings — particularly the loss of LeGree, who has picked off Winnipeg QB Drew Willy three times this season. On the plus side, the Riders still have the most dominant offensive and defensive lines in the country.

Winnipeg line: The Bombers loss in Regina last Sunday cost them their free-agent SB Nick Moore and arguably their most consistent defensive performer — LB/LS Ian Wild. On the plus side, QB Drew Willy, who hurt his ankle last week but still finished the game, showed himself once again to be a quick healer, answering the bell when the club returned to practice on Thursday.

THE PICKS

The Free Press has assembled a panel to offer their predictions every week in 2014. Joining us once again this year are CJOB’s Bob Irving, and from the Free Press, sports editor Steve Lyons, columnists Gary Lawless and Doug Brown and football writers Paul Wiecek and Ed Tait:

Irving: BC, Calgary, Mtl, Winnipeg

Lyons: BC, Edmonton, Mtl, Winnipeg

Lawless: BC, Calgary, Hamilton, Sask

Brown: BC, Calgary, Hamilton, Wpg

Tait: BC, Calgary, Hamilton Sask

Wiecek: BC, Calgary, Hamilton, Sask

Last week/overall

Irving: 4-0/31-10

Wiecek: 4-0/28-13

Lyons: 3-1/27-14

Lawless: 3-1/27-14

Brown: 2-2/26-15

Tait: 3-1/26-15