Week 15 CFL Picks For PumpJacks

WINNIPEG AT HAMILTON, Friday

At Hamilton, the Ticats (7-5) snapped a three-game losing streak with last week’s 26-9 road win in Montreal. Greg Bell ran for 154 yards and a TD as part of a 234-yard rushing performance. Ticats receiver Kenny Lawler faces his former team for the first time. The big question for Winnipeg is how the team will fare without veteran quarterback Zach Collaros, who’s been ruled out with injury. Chris Streveler will get the start, and the Bombers could pose a definite rushing threat with him and Brady Oliveira (657 yards, 5.3-yard average).

Pick: Hamilton.

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OTTAWA AT BC, Friday

At Vancouver, Ottawa looks for the home-and-home sweep following last week’s 34-33 comeback win on Dustin Crum’s 10-yard TD pass to Eugene Lewis with 17 seconds remaining. With Dru Brown (knee) still limited in practice, Crum could make another start for the Redblacks. B.C., which has lost two straight, leads the CFL in offensive scoring (27.7 points per game) and fewest passing yards allowed (263.9) but is last in offensive points allowed (27.8) and second-last against the run (107.6 yards per game).

Pick: B.C.

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EDMONTON AT TORONTO, Saturday

Toronto (4-8) hosts the Edmonton Elks (5-7) Saturday afternoon in an important game for both teams. The Alberta crew comes in following a 31-19 home win over the Calgary Stampeders as Justin Rankin rushed for 204 yards and two touchdowns.

Rankin stands fourth in CFL rushing with 688 yards (5.9-yard average per carry) with six TDs and a CFL-high 10 runs of 20-plus yards. But the five-foot-10, 215-pound dynamo is also Edmonton’s leading receiver with 43 catches for 533 yards (12.4-yard average) and two touchdowns.

Defensively, Toronto is ranked last against the run (108.3 yards per game) and sixth in average yards per carry (5.2). The Argos are also eighth in offensive points surrendered (27.6 per game) and average yards per game (7.13) but Edmonton is ninth overall in second-down conversions (43.8 per cent) and second-down conversions allowed (52.7 per cent).

Quarterback Nick Arbuckle, who will make a 13th straight start, has completed 166-of-224 passes (74.1 per cent) for 2,137 yards with 14 TDs and two interceptions over his last six starts. Toronto is 3-3 over that stretch, including two straight wins.

Edmonton is 4-3 with veteran Cody Fajardo under centre. The 2023 Grey Cup MVP with Montreal is the league’s most accurate passer (75.8 per cent) and led the Elks past Toronto 28-20 on Aug. 15 at Commonwealth Stadium, a game that saw Rankin run for 92 yards and a TD while registering five catches for 87 yards.

Toronto is currently tied with Ottawa (4-8) for third in the East Division, two points behind second-place Montreal (5-7). Edmonton is tied with B.C. (5-7) for fourth in the West, just two points behind third-place Winnipeg (6-6).

Toronto is 2-4, both at home and versus the West Division. Edmonton is 4-2 facing East Division rivals but 2-4 on the road.

Pick: Edmonton

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MONTREAL AT SASKATCHEWAN, Saturday

At Regina, the Riders (10-2) have the CFL’s best record and sit atop the West Division, four points ahead of idle Calgary (8-4) after consecutive wins over Winnipeg. Saskatchewan is a stellar 5-0 versus East Division rivals but Montreal counters with a defence that’s third in fewest offensive points allowed (23.7 per game). Still, the Als have lost five straight and are 2-5 against Western rivals. Veteran quarterback McLeod Bethel-Thompson comes off the injured list but is only 1-4 as a starter this season.

Pick: Saskatchewan.

(With files from Canadian Press)