CFL THIS WEEK

MONTREAL AT HAMILTON, THURSDAY

Hamilton (6-2) has won 10 straight at Tim Hortons Field, including a 40-24 victory over Montreal (3-5) in the ’14 East Division final. The Ticats have won five straight overall and are excelling in all three phases of the game, having outscored their last three visiting opponents 124-48. Alouettes GM Jim Popp makes his first appearance on the sidelines this season after head coach Tom Higgins was fired following last weekend’s 23-13 road win over B.C.

Pick – Hamilton.
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TORONTO AT EDMONTON, FRIDAY

Toronto (6-2) heads west on a short week – it beat Ottawa 30-24 at home Sunday – and should expect to face an ornery Edmonton (5-3) squad coming off a lopsided 49-20 home loss to Hamilton. The Argos beat the Eskimos 26-11 at Fort McMurray. Alta., in the season opener for both teams. Rookie James Franklin starts at quarterback for the home team despite suffering a lung contusion versus the Ticats.

Pick – Edmonton.
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CALGARY AT WINNIPEG, SATURDAY

Don’t look now but the defending Grey Cup champions are all alone atop the West Division standings.

The Calgary Stampeders assumed sole possession of first with a 34-31 win over the Saskatchewan Roughriders last week while the Edmonton Eskimos (5-3) were on the losing end of a 49-20 home decision to the Hamilton Tiger-Cats.

Calgary (6-2) faces the Winnipeg Blue Bombers on Saturday night and heads into weekend action tied with Hamilton and Toronto for the best record in the CFL.

Robert Marve will make his second straight start at quarterback for Winnipeg (3-5), which comes off the bye tied for third in the West Division standings with B.C. Marve was 18-of-29 passing for 203 yards with a TD and interception in his CFL debut, a 27-20 home loss to Toronto that it won by outscoring the Bombers 13-3 in the final quarter.

Pick – Calgary.

SASKATCHEWAN AT OTTAWA, SUNDAY

It Saskatchewan (0-8) didn’t have back luck, it wouldn’t have any luck at all. Six of its losses have been by four or less points. Combined, those six defeats have been by 19 points. Ottawa (4-4) has dropped two straight but quarterback Henry Burris was 32-of-36 passing for 428 yards Sunday in Toronto. Earnest Jackson had six catches for 114 yards while James Ellingson finished with four receptions for 110 yards, but Ottawa took 20 penalties for 228 yards.

Pick – Saskatchewan.

Last week: 4-0.

Overall: 21-15.

(Canadian Press/Dan Ralph)