This week in the CFL — Week 2

Hey there, time traveller!
This article was published 04/07/2013 (4510 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

BOMBERS (0-1) AT ALOUETTES (1-0)

Thursday, 6 p.m. TV:TSN.

Winnipeg Line: If good teams find a way to win, you can draw your own conclusions from the fact the Bombers found a way to lose 38-33 to Montreal last week in a game they led by 9 points heading into the 4th quarter.

Montreal Line: Als QB Anthony Calvillo looked decidedly average in the 2013 CFL season opener and was sacked 4 times And still Montreal found a way to win. Again, draw your own conclusions.

Bottom Line: The Bombers had a lot more things going for them last week — including a new stadium opening and a sellout crowd — than they will this week.

ARGOS (1-0) AT LIONS (0-1)

Thursday, 9 p.m. TV:TSN

Toronto Line: The Argos didn’t turnover the ball in a wild 39-34 shootout win over the Ticats in Week 1. Full credit goes to Argos QB Ricky Ray, who went 24-34 for 368 yards and 4 TDs.

Lions Line: The Lions defence gave up 438 yards of offence — 200 of it on the ground — to a Calgary Stampeders team that looked like the better prepared team in a 44-32 Calgary win last week.

Bottom Line: Betting on BC at home has been one of the safest bets in the CFL in recent years.

STAMPEDERS (1-0) AT RIDERS (1-0)

Friday, 8 p.m. TV:TSN

Calgary Line: Get these numbers the CFL stats folks dug up this week — ‘In Week #1, the Stampeders had the league’s top rusher (Jon Cornish 172 yards), tackler (Jonathan Hefney 10 tackles), special teams tackler (Karl McCartney with 4), QB sacker (Charles Hughes 3). They scored the most points (44), and drew the fewest penalties (3).’

Saskatchewan Line: The revamped Riders made short work of an Edmonton team that looked like a bad joke in Week 1. Is Edmonton as bad as a 39-18 drumming in Week 1 suggested? Probably. Is Saskatchewan that good? Probably not.

Bottom Line: Saskatchewan is good and will get better. Calgary is already better.

ESKIMOS (0-1) AT HAMILTON (0-1)

Sunday, 4 p.m. TV:TSN

Edmonton Line: Eskimos GM Ed Hervey — who held his mini-camp in April in secret in Florida and then refused for a day late last month to tell his fans who his final cuts were — finally revealed his big secret last week in a 39-18 loss at home to Saskatchewan: His team is lousy.

Hamilton Line: The Ticats finished 6-12 last season despite boasting a starting quarterback who threw 43 TD passes. So they spent the winter rebuilding their defence, only to lose 39-34 in Week 1 in a game in which their QB threw for 361 yards and 3 TDs. Plus ßa change…

Bottom Line: Hamilton’s defence looks lousy again. Edmonton is just lousy period.

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 and football writers Paul Wiecek and Ed Tait:

Irving: Montreal, BC, Calgary, Hamilton

Lyons: Montreal, BC, Saskatchewan, Hamilton

Lawless: Montreal, BC, Calgary, Hamilton

Brown: Montreal, BC, Calgary, Hamilton

Tait: Montreal, BC, Calgary, Hamilton

Wiecek: Montreal, BC, Calgary, Hamilton

Last Week: Irving 3-1; Lyons 2-2; Lawless 2-2; Brown 2-2; Tait 3-1; Wiecek 3-1