CFL Week 21 predictions! (CFL)

Well, it's the last week of the regular season in the Canadian Football League. Let's get right into the predictions, and see how things shape up heading into the playoffs.

1) Montreal @ Ottawa

The RedBlacks have been a train wreck this year, and I fully expect to see the coaching staff let go at season's end. That being said, the Alouettes win this one to gain some needed momentum going into the playoffs. If the game turns into a runaway for Montreal, head coach Khari Jones might just rest some of his starters as well.

PICK: Alouettes

2) Edmonton @ Saskatchewan

The Roughriders will most likely want to lock up first place overall in the West, and try to beat up on the Esks in the first half. As I mentioned in the previous match up, the Riders could quite possibly start pulling their starters off the field as well, most likely late in the second half.

PICK: Roughriders

3) Toronto @ Hamilton

The Tiger-Cats have everything locked up at this point, and would be more than foolish to put in any of their starters for more than a series or two at the most. The Argonauts are playing for pride and roster spots for next season, and have nothing to lose.

PICK: Argonauts

4) Calgary @ B.C.

Bo Levi Mitchell might play the whole game, then again he might not. Stampeders' head coach Dave Dickenson is a smart man and strategist who doesn't seem likely to risk his star QB for no reason. Calgary has enough depth on the roster to let them go past the Lions regardless. Hopefully, we'll see a more organized and potent Lions team next season.

PICK: Stampeders

BYE: Winnipeg

LAST WEEK: 4-0
SEASON: 58-19

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Three takeaways from NFL this week. (NFL)

This season has already been an interesting one in the National Football League, but not for the right reasons. That being said, the weekend's action contains some interesting points that all focus on the football aspect, and that's a refreshing change. TTS breaks down the top three things we got from said action, and what it means.

1) A cool Brees. Saints' starting quarterback Drew Brees returned from injury, having missed several games due to a thumb ailment in his throwing hand. The Saints beat the Arizona Cardinals 31-9 in New Orleans, with Brees making an impact. He was 34 for 43, with 373 yards and 3 touchdowns. Most of us are beginning to think that Brees is immortal, and will probably play several more seasons before calling it quits. This is man that can come back from an injury, show no rust at all, and dominate like he never left.

2) The San Francisco treat. The 49ers are still undefeated, destroying a one-dimensional Carolina Panthers team that is headed in the opposite direction. The 49ers racked up 51 points on the hapless Panthers, with QB Jimmy Garoppolo going 18 of 22, with 175 yards and 2 touchdowns. The bigger story was on the ground, with RB Tevin Coleman finishing the day with 105 yards and 3 touchdowns. The defence was solid as well, as the wheels keep on turning in San Francisco.

3) J.J. Watt has left the building. Houston Texans defensive back J.J. Watt has suffered a season-ending injury to a pectoral muscle, leaving the game against the Raiders late in the first half. An anchor on defence, Watt will definitely be missed. The Texans currently sit second in the AFC South with a 5-3 record, and have a lot of uncertainty around them now.

3.5) Cleveland rocks.....wait a sec. Various players on the Browns almost guaranteed that they would win in Foxborough on Sunday. I'm going to go out on a limb and say it didn't work out....


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Breaking down the CFB rankings, 24/10/19 (NCAA)

We are now seven weeks into the NCAA college football season, and as always, the rankings do not reflect how good or bad some of the teams in the Top 25 really are. Below are some of the main issues that TTS has with the rankings, and why.

1) Alabama. The annual 'elephant in the room' is on top of the CFB rankings yet again (*yawn*), and not because they are some proficient team. The Crimson Tide get the easiest schedule season after season, beating up on Tier 3 teams or schools with lacklustre football programs that are nowhere near the $1.2 billion dollar mark that the Alabama program commands. As we've said time and again, money heavily influences the Committee, and it makes us sick.

2) Penn State. Sitting at #6 in the rankings, the Nittany Lions have been playing lights out football the whole year. Their offence puts up points consistently, and their defence has been awesome, to say the least. I've caught a couple of their games, and I'm so impressed by this team, and firmly believe they should be sitting at #3 or #2 without a shadow of a doubt.

3) Texas. The Longhorns were somehow in the T25 two weeks ago while sitting at 3-2. While they are now 5-2, I don't believe they should be sitting at #15, ahead of two 7-0 teams and one 6-1 team. This is one of the bigger issues we have with the rankings this year, with more than one team with two losses sitting too high in the rankings, and should be dropped out of the T25 altogether.

4) Wake Forest. Huh? The Demon Deacons are 6-1 and ranked at #25??? Wake Forest should easily be sitting somewhere between #10 and #15 in the T25 without hesitation. At 6-1, they have been a pleasant surprise this year, continuing on with last year's momentum. The fact that they are sitting right at the bottom of the T25 shows just how inept the AP and Committee really are, and it's a crying shame. I keep holding out hope that one day, the T25 rankings will be set by merit and overall team achievement instead of anything else, but I'm not holding my breath.


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CFL Week 20 predictions! (CFL)

1) Calgary @ Winnipeg

I would like to believe that the Blue Bombers are going to win their last game, especially when it's at home and right before the playoff run, but it's hard to say. This game is also against the team that beat them last week, and I'm hoping the revenge juices are present for this one. They might just pull it off, but only by a few points or less.

PICK: Blue Bombers

2) Hamilton @ Montreal

Will the Tabbies take it easy now that they've clinched the division, and franchise-best win/loss record? Probably not. They might want to keep the gas pedal down to continue the momentum going right into the playoffs. Hamilton hasn't slowed down all year, so why start now?

PICK: Tiger-Cats

3) Ottawa @ Toronto

This could be a game that the Argonauts actually win, due to the downward spiral that the RedBlacks seem to be in these days.

PICK: Argonauts

4) Saskatchewan @ Edmonton

QB Trevor Harris is back for the Esks, but will it help? I don't think so.

PICK: Roughriders

BYE: B.C.

LAST WEEK: 3-1
SEASON: 54-19

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CFL Week 19 predictions! (CFL)

1) Toronto @ Montreal

The Alouettes have clinched a playoff spot and secured second place in the East (which I predicted before the start of the season), but they'll still run over the hapless Argos in this one.

PICK: Alouettes

2) Saskatchewan @ B.C.

Mike Reilly is out for the season due to injury, with the Lions signing Brandon Bridge to be their QB until at least the end of the year. The Roughriders should be able to pad their W-L record with a victory here.

PICK: Roughriders

3) Ottawa @ Hamilton

I feel really bad for the RedBlacks.....

PICK: Tiger-Cats

4) Winnipeg @ Calgary

The Stamps look quite beatable these days, their record notwithstanding. They got into first place in the West due to two other teams having some lacklustre performances. Look for Chris Streveler and the Bombers to play hard and make a statement.

PICK: Blue Bombers

BYE: Edmonton

LAST WEEK: 3-1
SEASON: 51-18

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Bombers make an odd move at the deadline. (CFL)

One minute before yesterday's official CFL trade deadline, the Winnipeg Blue Bombers have acquired QB Zack Collaros from the Toronto Argonauts for a third round pick in the 2020 draft, and first round pick should Collaros re-sign with the Bombers. Winnipeg also receives a fifth round pick from the Argos as well. While some will see this deal as significant, TTS gives a few reasons why this deal is actually not very good at all.

1) Damaged goods. Zach Collaros is one concussion away from an early retirement, and shouldn't be anymore more than a back up at this point in his career. He's had at least three (or four, or five, depending on how many he's hidden) concussions thus far, and has shown to be quite injury prone over the length of his career. If he chooses to not re-sign at the end of the season, he'll walk away, and it will have cost the team crucial draft picks.

2) Draft picks and depth. Giving up draft picks that could potentially bring young, star players out of college for an older QB that is broken on the best of days makes little sense. In addition to having QB Matt Nichols, as well as QB Chris Streveler, the Blue Bombers should be amassing draft picks to get younger, more affluent players that can quickly be developed into stars. They've done it before, and need to stop trying to rely on stop-gap measures and quick fixes.

3) Money. It's more than likely that the Bombers will pay Collaros to sit on the bench for the remainder of the season, and Collaros isn't exactly a discount either. This money should have been put aside to re-sign Streveler in the off-season, as well as key personnel to keep the nucleus of the team together. It's another reason why this trade makes almost no sense for Winnipeg.

Unfortunately, we may never know the reason why the Blue Bombers did this, or get some half-truths at the next media circus. Only time will tell how this all plays out.


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Observations from college football as of late. (NCAA)

Six weeks into the 2019 NCAA season has brought much of the same from last year, with a few interesting points here and there. Below are some things that we at TTS have noticed thus far.

1) Penn State's rank is a joke. Sitting at #10 in the Top 25, Penn State has played lights out football on both sides of the ball, but continues to get no love from the Associated Press. As someone who has watched them play this year, they should be much higher, and if it was me, would easily rank them at #6, ahead of Oklahoma, who even though are undefeated, look very shaky more often than not.

2) Wake Forest hasn't lost - yet. One of the big surprises of this season by far is the fact that the Demon Deacons haven't lost a game. And just like the above mentioned Penn State, they aren't getting any love from the AP, and should be ranked much higher than #19. If you thought the ranking system was dysfunctional year after year, you are correct.

3) Longhorns are a joke. Texas sits 3-2, and yet still has a place in the T25? C'mon AP, get it together. They are the only team in the T24 with two losses, and shouldn't be in the T25 whatsoever. But, as is the case with the AP (just look at #'s 1-4), money talks, and it corrupts everything. Perhaps one day a long time from now it'll be even, but not today.

4) Fighting Irish are on a roll. This past weekend saw the Irish flatten Bowling Green at home in epic fashion. The explosive offence and stingy defence were on full display, as Notre Dame continues to roll. And yet again, they should be ranked ahead of Oklahoma in the T25. I'm not beating a dead horse by any means, I'm just telling it like it is.

5) Hail to the weaklings. Just like every other year, Alabama is #1 not because they are a great team, but because they always draw the world's WEAKEST schedule. They have played Duke, New Mexico State, South Carolina, Southern Miss, and Ole Miss to start the season. Out of all those teams, only Ole Miss was capable of giving them a run for their money, and fell short. As a diehard football fan that just wants to see a decent game between evenly matched teams, let me just say that this kind of thing is garbage - period. Money is valued over competition, and year after year, it shows. The only people who suffer are us - the football fans.


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CFL Week 18 predictions! (CFL)

We're in the home stretch now for CFL football, with only a few weeks left to go before the playoffs start. Some teams are gearing up for a playoff run, some are sputtering suddenly, and a few others won't even make it in. That being said, here's our picks for Week 18!

1) Ottawa @ Toronto

The RedBlacks are in a long, downward spiral. The Argos just got blown out last week by the Lions. Both teams are awful, but I believe that the Argos will come out on top of this one, especially with the news that legend Pinball Clemons is now the GM of the team.

PICK: Argonauts

2) Saskatchewan @ Calgary

After being stunned by the Alouettes in Montreal last week, the Stampeders are back home, and looking for blood. The Roughriders are coming off a fluke win, and need to have a dose of reality check. Bo Levi Mitchell will make the difference here.

PICK: Stampeders

3) Montreal @ Winnipeg

The Alouettes clinched a berth in the playoffs last week, but arrive in Winnipeg to play a Blue Bombers team that came up short last week, and need to get back on track before their playoff run begins. The Bomber run game will be huge this week, and expect Streveler to have a better game.

PICK: Blue Bombers

4) B.C. @ Edmonton

Trevor Harris is still out, and B.C. is on a tear right now. The Eskimos have been in decline since before the middle of the season, and it's mind boggling. Look for B.C. to continue with their momentum and come out on top.

PICK: Lions

BYE: Hamilton

LAST WEEK: 2-2
SEASON: 48-17

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Argos fire GM, then hire GM/Niners remain perfect. (CFL/NFL)

This year has been a big mess for the Toronto Argonauts, and it wasn't much of a surprise early this morning when they fired Jim Popp as General Manager. The real surprise came just minutes ago, when the Argonauts named former player, head coach, and Grey Cup champion (and overall good guy) Michael 'Pinball' Clemons as their new GM.

Straight up, I can say with certainty that this is a very good idea, and might just be what the Argonauts need to rise up out of the gutter next season, and bring respectability back to the team. He's been a great ambassador for the team, the CFL, and the City of Toronto for quite some time, and this move just makes so much sense. Here's hoping the Argos have found that light at the end of the tunnel and come out ahead once again.

Those 'Niners! Last night on Monday Night Football, the San Francisco 49ers dismantled the Cleveland Browns, with the offence running rampant over the hapless Browns, and the defence getting it done with sacks and pass rushing, nevermind what they did against the run. QB Jimmy Garoppolo had a pretty decent game, racking up 181 yards, going 20 for 29 with two touchdowns. Both running backs were studs, while TE Greg Kittle was a superman all by himself as well.

The defence was solid, with high draft pick  Nick Bosa making a huge statement. Richard Sherman also was top notch, picking off Browns' QB Baker Mayfield as well. The 49ers haven't started 4-0 since 1990, when some guy (just kidding!) named Joe Montana (GOAT!) was tossing touchdown passes to a wide receiver named Jerry Rice, whoever that was. (another GOAT!) The fans were loud and proud, and going nuts in the stands at Levi Stadium.

As far as Monday night games go, that one was awesome.

Heads are rolling, starting with Jay Gruden. (NFL)

As predicted by almost every sports outlet since the beginning of the 2019 NFL season, Jay Gruden has been fired as coach of the Washington Redskins. With an 0-5 start and a team that looks horribly confused even on the best of days, it was inevitable. The Redskins have been described as nothing more than a large dumpster fire as of late, and their inability to win games (or even put points on the board) has now cost people their jobs.

With this in mind, TTS looks at the next likely head coaches that will join the annual 'soup kitchen' line before the end of the season:

1) Zac Brown, Cincinnati Bengals. Another coach that is 0-5 to start the season, Brown could potentially be sacked sooner rather than later, as the Bengals are the picture of dysfunction right now. It's not all the coach's fault however, as the Bengals need to figure out that QB Andy Dalton is not, and never was the answer they needed to become successful.

2) Mike Tomlin, Pittsburgh Steelers. Tomlin is so far past his best before date, that it's a small wonder he hasn't been shown the door up to this point. The Steelers have fallen into irrelevancy (good!), and this should spell the end of his tenure in Pittsburgh.

3) Brian Flores, Miami Dolphins. Can you say blown out? That's what the Dolphins have been doing this season - getting blow out by everyone. Players want out, the fans are leaving in droves, and the team stinks so bad, the stench won't go away anytime soon. Will firing Flores fix the team? Probably not, but what else can you do?


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TIME OUT! Winless Teams/Patriots/Brown (again) (NFL)

1) You losers you. The Redskins, Bengals, and Broncos all have one thing in common - they haven't yet won a game this season. The Redskins are beyond legendary in their ineptitude, with head coach Jay Gruden (who will probably hit the soup kitchen line first and foremost this year) on the thinnest ice possible. The Broncos have GM John Elway to blame, constantly bringing in QBs that don't cut the mustard (we're looking at YOU, Flacco!).

Lastly, the Bengals have been terrible, making some of us wonder when they'll finally admit that QB Andy Dalton really does suck! How long has he been there, and accomplished nothing? Dalton never was the answer, yet the ownership doesn't see it that way. TIME OUT, CINCY! Do yourselves a favour and get rid of carrot-top already!

2) Clam chowder, redux. As someone completely sick and tired of the Patriots (haven't watched the last two Super Bowls because of this, which is a shame in itself), let me just say ENOUGH ALREADY! They get weak schedules, every break imaginable, and if that isn't bad enough, ram Tom Brady (I don't care what you say, that cheating SOB isn't the GOAT!) down our throats.

People don't want to tune in and see the same junk year after year, so TIME OUT on all this New England Nonsense! It makes me want to throw up....

3) Again with the Brown. Seriously? Antonio Brown is still making headlines? TIME OUT to every sports network/paper/etc. that gives this fool mention. PLEASE. STOP. IT. NOW.


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CFL Week 17 predictions! (CFL)

1) Edmonton @ Hamilton

How do you think this will go? Badly, for the Eskimos.

PICK: Tiger-Cats

2) Calgary @ Montreal

The Alouettes suffered a brutal loss to a lesser team last week against the Lions. Even with QB Vernon Adams back, they won't have enough gas in the tank to stop Bo Levi Mitchell and the Stampeders. Regardless of the situation, the Stamps still have a lot of depth to contend with.

PICK: Stampeders

3) Winnipeg @ Saskatchewan

The Blue Bombers need a bounce-back game, and need it now. Currently in a two game slide, they need the momentum back on their side for their upcoming playoff run. Beating the 'Riders at Mosaic would be a huge confidence boost, and I think they can do it.

PICK: Blue Bombers

4) Toronto @ B.C.

The Lions have been on a late season roll, and I expect it to continue this week.

PICK: Lions

BYE: Ottawa

LAST WEEK: 3-1
SEASON: 46-15


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