Joining you throughout the season to share his view on the
CFL with his weekly picks our guest blogger Adrian DeCorby (avid football fan,
and self proclaimed ‘expert’) puts his reputation on the line with bold
predictions against the spread week to week.
WPG @ MTL
Both of the two top running teams from the East in 2011, come
into this battle after suffering rather embarrassing losses in Week 1. Winnipeg comes in still down their top two
running backs, and with Buck Pierce nursing ANOTHER injury in only the second
week of the season. He will likely make
a go of it on Friday night. However, we
are only one hit away from seeing Alex Brink.
With a more inexperienced WR group this season, none of that looks good
for the Bombers. The Alouettes started
slow in Calgary last week. Anthony
Calvillo didn’t hit his groove soon enough, the defense looked like it was still
adjusting to new personnel, and they showed a lack of discipline that a Marc
Trestman team just doesn’t do. They WILL
be better this week, and in their home opener their fans will leave this one
happy. As my pick for the lock of the
week:
PICK MTL -6.5
HAM @ B.C.
B.C started 2012 just as they finished 2011: hot, Hot,
HOT. They are still undefeated at the
newly renovated B.C. Place Stadium.
Travis Lulay looks to be in midseason form already, and with so many
familiar weapons on offense the Lions should remain the class of the league for
the entire season. Hamilton defense was
offensive in week one vs Saskatchewan, especially in the secondary. Coming up against the defending league MOP
and a veteran-laden receiving core they will continue to struggle again this week. In order to have any success Henry Burris is
going to have to find a WR other than Chris Williams to come up with big
catches this year (no pressure Andy).
Prediction Hamilton will be better on offense this week by putting up
some points, keeping it closer than expected for most of the game. In the end, B.C. is too talented and too deep
at all positions, and still riding the Grey Cup high:
PICK B.C. -6.5
CGY @ TOR
After week one, these two squads surprised me the most. Calgary looked more polished and complete
than expected and pounced early and often against Montreal. Toronto looked lost and unprepared in the
ugliest game of the week in Edmonton. I
am looking for both teams to perform more predictably this week. Calgary has struggled in recent years on the
road, especially in the East. Jon
Cornish looks prepared to RUN away with the Most Outstanding Canadian award
this season, and he shouldn’t miss a beat this week with likely a 100yd rushing
game on the way Saturday night. Drew
Tate looked brilliant last week, but is known for forcing too many passes into
tight coverages. If he can avoid turnovers Calgary will win in a route. However, I don’t think he will. Toronto’s rookie Head Coach Scott Milanovich
was embarrassed by their lack of polish and preparation in the opening week
matchup vs the Eskimos. With veteran DC
Mike O’Shea on staff I don’t see this being a problem two weeks in a row. Ricky Ray is at his best with a strong
playaction pass game, so look for Cory Boyd to be fed the rock early and often
at Rogers Centre, then O’Shea’s defense will take over. Look for an upset in this low scoring
affair, with Toronto at work keeping it close:
TOR +4.5
EDM @ SSK
Week one results has given us a battle of 1-0 teams to end
the week, which is far from what most experts predicted going in to 2012. Saskatchewan started slowly on the
scoreboard, but never struggled to move the ball against a young Tiger-Cats
defense. Weston Dressler was the main
offensive catalyst for the Riders, whom also had a pleasant surprise in rookie
RB Kory Sheets. Sheets gives
Saskatchewan their most dynamic back since the Kenton Keith days and gives
Darian Durant more room to roll out of the pocket with the defense having to
respect another threat in the backfield.
Speaking of Durant, he looked a lot more like the 2009-10 version of
himself than the 2011 disaster in week one, if that continues look for the
offense to go as he goes. On the other
side of the ball, Steven Jyles, a former teammate of Durant, gets a chance to
beat his former team for a third straight time.
Jyles was effective but not spectacular in week one, and will need to
use his mobility to his benefit for the Eskimos to move the ball on an improved
Roughrider defense. Roughriders
defensive backs struggled to contain Chris Williams last week and will need to
be much improved to keep Adarius Bowman and Fred Stamps in check on
Sunday. After some juggling around with
personnel in practice this week, Corey Chamblin is still looking for the best
five man group in the secondary, his success in this area will be a key factor
in this game. Prediction: the Riders
will not move the ball as well against a faster and better Edmonton defense but
will do enough to get ahead. While ahead,
Jyles will see too much of Odell Willis, Brent Hawkins, and Keith Shologan,
which will cause turnovers for Saskatchewan.
Behind a strong home biased crowd, Kory Sheets and the offense will put
the game away on the ground in the 4th quarter.
PICK SSK -4.5
That's all for this week, see you all again next week. Good luck & good football!!
DeCorbs
