Rick Zamperin: Week 9 of the CFL season could be the best slate of games thus far

Eight weeks into the 2019 CFL season, and by the looks of things up until this point, it could be anyone’s year.

Well, let me backtrack for a sec — anyone except for Toronto’s and B.C.’s year.

The Argonauts and Lions have struggled mightily out of the gate, winning just once in their first seven outings, and are six points behind Edmonton for the last playoff spot.

If the playoffs started this weekend — I know, it’s way too early to have this conversation — the Eskimos would cross over into the East Division, again, and would visit Montreal while Hamilton would get a first round bye.

Out west, Winnipeg would get the week off while Calgary would host Saskatchewan in the Western Semifinal.

Those playoff games are a ways away but it’s games like this weekend’s matchups that will go a long way to determining where teams are slotted when the regular season comes to a close.

This week’s marquee game happens to be the first one out of the gate when the Blue Bombers and Stampeders, both 5-2, hook up at IG Field. Winnipeg, losers of their last two games, are silently saying thank you that they won’t have to face Stamps QB Bo Levi Mitchell, who is still not ready to return from a pectoral muscle injury he suffered in Week 3.

On Friday night, the Roughriders (4-3) visit the Alouettes (3-3) while the Eskimos (4-3) host Ottawa (3-4) in two tilts that could end up leaving us with three teams at the .500 mark entering the midway point of the campaign.

The Tiger-Cats (5-2) host the Lions (1-6) in the the final game of Week 9 on Saturday night in what is also this week’s biggest mismatch, at least in terms of the standings. But B.C. is coming off a bye week and Hamilton remains without injured star quarterback Jeremiah Masoli and running back Sean Thomas Erlington.

Which four teams will come out on top this week? Your guess is as good as mine, but if I was forced to make a wager I’d bet on Winnipeg, Saskatchewan, Edmonton and Hamilton.

Then again, if this season has shown us anything, it’s that anything can happen on the football field and that’s why we love the game.

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