Ticats All Access Game Day Predictor, presented by Sports Interaction: Week 20 vs. Alouettes
Think you know Tiger-Cats football inside and out? In the hours leading up to every Tiger-Cats game, Ticats All Access members can log in and lock in their picks as part of our Game Day Predictor contest, presented by Sports Interaction. Prove you’re the most knowledgeable fan by answering a series 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. Each week, the Predictor player with the most correct answers wins four Club Level tickets to an upcoming Tiger-Cats home game.
Here are five of the questions for this week’s game, 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: allaccess.ticats.ca/gameday.
- How many points will both teams score combined? Over or under 54.5?
This week the over/under is set at an aggressive 57.5 points, but it’s easy to understand why. Although the Alouettes have had the league’s worst offence by a wide margin, there is reason to believe the Ticats and Als will combine for a lot of points in the final game of the regular season.
Here’s why.
The Alouettes are undeniably abysmal offensively. Montreal has scored a total of 314 points this season, managing over 200 points fewer than both the first and second place teams. They’ve scored less than 60% of the Blue Bombers’ total points. With their starting quarterback, Darian Durant, missing the game due to injury, Matthew Shiltz, who went just 5 of 13 for 47 yards in relief of Durant last week, will likely get the start for the Als. To be fair to Shiltz, his numbers were affected by lackluster play from his receivers; passes were hitting their hands only to fall incomplete.
In short, the Alouettes’ scoring touch will not be the reason anybody picks the over. I will instead be considering a made-up stat of my own creation: blowout percentage.
Depending how you define “blowout”, the Alouettes blowout percentage can range anywhere from bad to really bad.
If you consider a loss of three major scores or more (21+ points) to be a blowout, then the Alouettes own a blowout percentage of 60% in their current ten-game losing streak.
If you abide by a looser definition and consider a loss of two major scores or more (14+ points) to be a blowout, then the Alouettes own a shocking blowout percentage of 90% in the same time span.
The Alouettes’ average margin of defeat in the last ten games is over 23 points. It would be even higher, if not for one game back in Week 10 in which the Als managed to keep pace with the Bombers, losing by a margin of just three points.
The Tiger-Cats on the other hand, have been scoring more and more as the season has progressed and the tandem of Jeremiah Masoli and Brandon Banks is only trending upwards.
If the Alouettes score an average amount, and the Ticats are able to maintain the Alouettes’ average margin of defeat, the teams are projected to combine for about 42 points. However, the Ticats ravaged the Als in their last meeting two weeks ago, winning by 27 points and combining with the Als to post 59 total points in the game.
Prediction: Over
- How many yards will Jeremiah Masoli throw for?
- 240 or fewer
- 241-280
- 281-320
- 321-360
- 361-400
- 401+
Jeremiah Masoli earned CFL Top Performer of the Month honours for October. Both he and Brandon Banks were honoured for the Ticats and the stats make it clear why.
Masoli had 1,422 yards, eight touchdowns, and 112 rushing yards in four games this month. He is coming off one of the best performances of his CFL career, passing for 438 yards, four touchdowns, and zero interceptions last week in Ottawa. The only other Masoli start that may come close is his record-setting comeback victory over the Eskimos last year in which he set the CFL record for most consecutive completions with 23 while erasing a 25-point deficit.
The Alouettes’ secondary has been leaky in recent weeks despite a strong start to the season, and Masoli may be able to exploit it for big yardage.
I’m expecting Masoli to close the season in style in Hamilton.
Prediction: 361-400
- How many defensive tackles will Ticats’ middle linebacker Larry Dean record? Over or under 6.5?
The sophomore slump is a term Larry Dean doesn’t recognize. Dean leads the Tiger-Cats in tackles with 93 in his second year in the CFL. He averages over five tackles a game, but with just one game left to play his average production will leave him just shy of the century mark. In order for Dean to break the 100 tackle barrier, he has to make seven tackles against Montreal on Friday.
Dean has recorded seven or more tackles in a game seven different times this season, including five consecutive games from mid-August to mid-September.
In his last game against the Alouettes, Dean posted just four defensive tackles.
I think the motivation to surpass 100 tackles will carry Dean over the top.
Prediction: Over
- How many Tiger-Cat receivers will go over 100 yards receiving? Over or under 1.5?
Last week, numerous Ticat receivers had excellent games. Brandon Banks led the Ticats with 193 receiving yards and two touchdowns. Luke Tasker wasn’t far behind him, posting 139 receiving yards and one touchdown. Jalen Saunders almost joined the 100-yard party, as he finished the game with 96 yards. Saunders was just four yards shy of putting three Ticat receivers over the 100-yard mark.
That game was a departure from Coach June Jones’ traditional offense. Normally, a handful of different receivers make a large impact on the game, instead of the top-heavy targets we saw last week in Ottawa, when Masoli leaned on his stars more than usual.
I expect Masoli to spread the ball around a little more in the Ticats’ upcoming game against Montreal, however, I wouldn’t bet against either Banks or Tasker posting a second consecutive 100-yard game.
Prediction: Over
- Who will score the Ticats’ first offensive touchdown of the game?
- Brandon Banks
- Alex Green
- Jeremiah Masoli
- Luke Tasker
- Jalen Saunders
- Other
Alex Green straight up the pipe. Four-yard run through a mess of Alouettes’ defenders. TOUCHDOWN!
Prediction: Alex Green
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