CFL Week 2 Picks

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 4^th quarter.

PICK SSK -4.5

That's all for this week, see you all again next week.  Good luck & good football!!

DeCorbs