I love the CFL Playoffs. Always have. Always will. As a fan of the Edmonton Elks it’s disappointing to be on the outside looking in as the final four teams in the CFL get ready to square off in the Eastern and Western Finals. This time of year used to be a given in Edmonton.
Fans of the Green and Gold could always count on their team being in the thick of things as Grey Cup Sunday got closer. Unfortunately, the Elks are in the position where winning a home game has now turned into a big deal.
But Chris Jones didn’t fall off the turnip truck overnight and lose his ability to coach and win, and I’m still confident that Jones along with Elks assistant general manager Geroy Simon can help turn the ship around.
Going into next season with Running Back Kevin Brown and Quarterback Tre Ford has given me more optimism than the year before. After the Elks and the CFL endured a canceled 2020 season, a shortened 2021 season, and went through labour issues before the start of the 2022 CFL season, one has to hope that the 2023 CFL season could provide a clean slate to the Edmonton Elks, their fans and really to fans of the CFL across the league.
Looking Forward to 2022 CFL East and West Division Finals
To me, the most intriguing storyline of the CFL playoffs is whether BC Lions Quarterback Nathan Rourke can lead the Lions to victory over two time defending Grey Cup Champion Winnipeg Blue Bombers. Rourke has been such a breath of fresh air for the CFL this season, and even though he still may be playing injured, you wonder if he has enough to lift the Lions past the Bombers.
The Bombers led by their legendary defense and resilient Quarterback Zach Collaros look primed to win three Grey Cup Championships in a row but you just never know. If the Bombers do make it to the Grey Cup and win their 3rd in a row, it would be safe to say they could go down as one of the best teams in CFL history.
The Eastern Final between the host Toronto Argonauts and visiting Montreal Alouettes is a complete toss up. Marshall Ferguson of TSN and cfl.com is saying the East Final comes down to how many changes of possession come via the kicking game and how much of a factor the wind off Lake Ontario will be Sunday. I’m also thinking that if the Argo’s get a strong fan turnout for the game, that alone could help tilt the scales in their favour.
Predictions for the 2022 Grey Cup
Just going with a gut feeling here, but I believe the 109th Grey Cup on November 20 will feature the Winnipeg Blue Bombers and the Toronto Argonauts, with the Bombers taking their 3rd Grey Cup in a row.
