2022 CFL DIVISION SEMIFINAL PICKS

CALGARY STAMPEDERS AT BC LIONS, SUNDAY

Home field wasn’t an advantage this season when the B.C. Lions and Calgary Stampeders squared off.

In each of the three regular-season meetings, the road team emerged victorious as B.C. won the season series 2-1. In fact, the road team has won the last seven meetings between these two clubs.

On Sunday, the Stampeders (12-6) visit the Lions (12-6) in the West Division semifinal. The winner will take on the defending Grey Cup-champion Winnipeg Blue Bombers (15-3) at IG Field in the conference final Nov. 13.

This will mark the first playoff meeting between the two teams since 2015, when Calgary hosted B.C. in the West Division semifinal, winning 35-9. The Lions find themselves in the CFL post-season for the first time since 2018 and last hosted a semifinal contest in 2016.

The Lions, appear to be getting healthier. Rourke returned to start in last week’s 24-9 loss to Winnipeg in the regular-season finale for both teams. Rourke finished seven-of-11 passing for 68 yards but, more importantly, took some shots in the contest and bounced back up each time.

The Lions’ receiving corps — which features three 1,000-yard performers in Dominique Rhymes, Keon Hatcher and Lucky Whitehead — should be bolstered by wideout Bryan Burnham’s return from a wrist injury. Burnham had 19 catches for 323 yards and a TD in three games versus Calgary this season.

The Stampeders counter with a CFL-best ground game (135.3 yards per game) that’s anchored by league rushing leader Ka’Deem Carey (1,088 yards, 6.6-yard average, 10 TDs). Overall, Calgary is averaging a stellar 6.4 yards per attempt and should Carey need a breather, the rushing game certainly doesn’t drop off any with Dedrick Mills (67 carries, 459 yards, 6.9-yard average) in the game.

What’s more, Calgary allowed a CFL-low 17 sacks, 12 fewer than the second-place squad (Winnipeg).

Pick: Calgary.

HAMILTON TIGER-CATS AT MONTREAL ALOUETTES, SUNDAY

At Montreal, Hamilton (8-10) has won four straight and five of its last six, the only blemish being a 23-16 loss to the Als. Quarterback Dane Evans will start but in July, former Al Matt Shiltz played a huge role in his squad’s only head-to-head win of the series. The Ticats have been plagued by turnovers all season and are 2-7 on the road. The Alouettes will host their first home playoff game since ’19 and receiver Eugene Lewis — the East’s outstanding player nominee — has 22 catches for 305 yards and three TDs in three games versus the Steeltown crew.

Pick: Hamilton.

Last week: 3-1.

(Canadian Press)