WEEK 18 IN THE CFL WITH ED TAIT

By: Ed Tait Posted: 1:00 AM CDT Friday, Oct. 30, 2009

TORONTO ARGONAUTS (3-13) at EDMONTON ESKIMOS (7-9)

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TORONTO ARGONAUTS (3-13) at EDMONTON ESKIMOS (7-9)

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Hey there, time traveller!
This article was published 30/10/2009 (5804 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

TORONTO ARGONAUTS (3-13) at EDMONTON ESKIMOS (7-9)

When: Friday, 8 p.m.. TV: TSN.

Streaks: Tor: 6L; Edm: 1L

Vegas line: The Eskimos are favoured by 7.5 points.

The storyline: Esks are playing for their playoff lives while the Argos are playing for… actually, just what the heck are these guys playing for, anyway? Things are getting ugly in the Alberta capital and they’ll be grotesque if these guys miss the playoffs for the third time in the past four years — this after going 34 straight Novembers with a berth in the post-season. "It’s time to knuckle up and beat the guy in front of you and get in (the playoffs)," Esks receiver Kamau Peterson told the Edmonton Journal this week. "Because once we get in… when we play well, we can beat anybody. We just haven’t played well in so long that we forget. It’s time that we remind ourselves." And in Toronto… no other way to describe the mess there but absolutely ugly. Cleanup in Aisle 3 and 4 and 5 and…

SASKATCHEWAN ROUGHRIDERS (9-6-1) at HAMILTON TIGER-CATS (7-9)

When: Saturday, 1 p.m. TV: TSN.

Streaks: Sask: 1W; Ham: 1W.

Vegas line: This game is listed as a pick ’em.

The storyline: Big tilt for both squads, but especially the Riders and their quest to finish first and play host to the West Final for the first time since 1976. Saskatchewan continues to be productive despite key injuries, most notably to game-breaking receiver Weston Dressler and veteran defensive back Eddie Davis, who had his knee scoped this week and will likely be gone until the playoffs. Great test for the Ticats — even though their game in Winnipeg on Nov. 8 will be for second — to see if Kevin Glenn & Co. can put up big numbers against the Riders’ deadly defensive front seven. Glenn has completed 69.5 per cent of his passes for 828 yards over his past two games.

CALGARY STAMPEDERS (9-6-1) at B.C. LIONS (8-8)

When: Saturday, 9 p.m. TV: TSN.

Streaks: Cal: 1W; B.C.: 1L.

Vegas line: The Stampeders are favoured by 2 points.

The storyline: Love the Stamps and Lions rivalry and this one, given the West playoff stakes, should be a dandy. The champion Stamps have teased us for large chunks of the season but the team that manhandled the Eskimos last week looks more repeat-capable than at any other time this season — although head coach John Hufnagel did lose it on his troops earlier this week and ended practice early. There’s a big push in Calgary for RB Joffrey Reynolds, the league’s leading rusher over Fred Reid, to not only get the Stamps’ nod for most outstanding player, but the West honour. Expect Casey Printers to start again at QB for the Lions, even though both Jarious Jackson and Buck Pierce are close to returning. Printers will be working behind a revamped O-line with centre Angus Reid (broken) foot missing a game for the first time in 146 and Dean Valli sliding over to take his place.

WINNIPEG BLUE BOMBERS (7-9) at MONTREAL ALOUETTES (13-3)

When: Sunday, Noon. TV: TSN/RDS. Radio: CJOB.

Streaks: Wpg: 1W; Mtl: 1L.

Vegas line: No line.

The storyline: Don’t tell the Alouettes they have nothing to play for, what with first place in the East having been locked up weeks ago. They’ve been socked in the mouth over the last couple of weeks by the two teams they could meet in that game — Hamilton and Winnipeg. Expect the Als to get some help back from the infirmary with QB Anthony Calvillo, CB Davis Sanchez and LB Shea Emry all scheduled to return. The Bombers will be without WR Adarius Bowman (knee) and may need to rely on some of the fresh faces in the receiving corps — Titus Ryan, Otis Amey, Aaron Hargreaves or Dudley Guice, Jr. — to step up and complement Terrence Edwards and Brock Ralph.