During each Tiger-Cats game, fans who sign up for Ticats All Access have the opportunity to participate in our gameday predictor challenge. Fans will have the chance to prove that they are the most knowledgeable (or luckiest) fan, by answering a number of props questions prior to kickoff. The more questions you get right, the more yards you collect for your All Access account, which increase your chances for game day and weekly prizes.
This week we have a number of bonus opportunities available:
- Earn 100 bonus yards for making your Predictor Game picks before midnight tonight (Wed, Oct. 7)
- Earn 50 bonus yards for making your Predictor Game picks before midnight tomorrow night (Thurs, Oct. 8)
- Earn 50 bonus yards for logging in to your All Access account on the Tim Hortons Field WIFI during Friday’s game
- Earn 50 bonus yards for correctly predicting both combined points and final score outcome (Questions 1 and 20)
- Earn 40 bonus yards for correctly predicting completions for Jeff Mathews and receiving yards for Terrell Sinkfield Jr. (Questions 9 and 10)
- Earn 30 bonus yards for correctly predicting total yards for Jerome Messam and the Roughriders receiving yards leader (Questions 16 and 17)
Here are five of the questions for this week’s home game against Saskatchewan, and which answers I’ll be choosing. For a full list of questions and to participate in the game, sign up for Ticats All Access and get your answers in-> http://allaccess.ticats.ca/
1. How many field goals will Justin Medlock successfully kick? Over or under 2.5 field goals? (Question #14)
Justin Medlock connected on a career-long field goal in Week 15, hitting from 57 yards out in the first quarter of the game. The veteran kicker did miss another field goal further along in the game, a rarity for the CFL’s most accurate kicker. With Jeff Mathews at the helm the Ticats still have a potent offence, but it’s hard to ignore the fact that they lost the league’s TD drive leader in Zach Collaros. The Ticats offence will still produce at a high rate, but with a rookie quarterback under centre there’s a good chance that Medlock’s field goal attempts will increase over the remainder of the season. At the same time, there’s no reason to expect the veteran kicker’s efficiency to decrease with the increased workload.
Prediction: Over
2. Who will lead the Ticats in receiving yards? A) Luke Tasker B) Terrence Toliver C) Bakari Grant D) Terrell Sinkfield Jr. E) Other (Question #18)
Following Week 15, Luke Tasker has overtaken the team lead in receiving yards, becoming the first receiver on the team to surpass 700 yards this season. Tasker leads the team in receptions (50) as well and would have led the team in receiving yards last week if Michael Ford had not gained 57 yards on a single reception in the fourth quarter. The connection between quarterback Jeff Mathews and Tasker cannot be overlooked, and Mathews seemed to favour Tasker in the receiving game last week against the Stampeders. For the second straight week, I’m predicting Tasker to lead the team in receiving yards on Friday night.
Prediction: Luke Tasker
3. How many interceptions will both teams record, combined? Over or under 2.5? (Question #3)
Through 14 games the Saskatchewan Roughriders have thrown the second-most interceptions in the league (18), averaging 1.3 per game. The Ticats defence has been full of ballhawks in 2015, picking off 18 passes through 13 games and returning six of those for touchdowns. On the other side of the ball, the Ticats have been conservative and efficient over the full course of the season with just 12 interceptions, but four of those interceptions have come in the last two games. With more wind expected at Tim Hortons Field on Friday and a couple of teams who’ve combined for 17 turnovers in their last two games, I’m predicting the over for this question.
Prediction: Over
4. How many sacks will the Tiger-Cats defence record? Over or under 2.5 sacks? (Question #12)
The Roughriders have had a tough time keeping opposing teams out of the backfield all season, allowing a league-high 48 sacks to opponents through 14 games. Allowing an average of 3.4 sacks per game, the Riders are already suspect, and when you add in the fact that the Ticats are likely to have defensive end Eric Norwood back in the lineup to round out their starting defensive line, the over is a no-brainer here.
Prediction: Over
5. What will be the final score outcome?
A) Ticats +8, B) Ticats +4, C) Even (3 or less by either team) D) Roughriders +4, E) Roughriders +8 (Question #20)
The Ticats topped the Roughriders by 10 points in Week Five on the road, playing in one of the toughest road venues in the CFL. Since that game the team has suffered a number of significant injuries, but the talent level on the team remains very high. Hamilton is playing in front of their home fans, fighting for the East Division lead, while Saskatchewan is eliminated from the playoff race and must come into the hostile Tim Hortons Field environment. Despite sustaining their first back-to-back losses of the season over the last two weeks, I expect the Ticats to get back to their winning ways at home against the Riders.
Prediction: C) Ticats +4