What's going to happen in the CFL's division finals?

Everyone has an opinion, so send along those predictions

Last Updated: Friday, November 20, 2009 | 4:53 PM ET

By Malcolm Kelly, CBC Sports

Having gone a brilliant, confidence building 1-1 in last week's picks, and not planning any trips to Regina in the near future, we present our choices for this Sunday's Canadian Football League division finals.

Please don't hesitate to disagree and add your own thoughts below.

EAST DIVISION FINAL

Prediction: The Montreal Alouettes (15-3) will defeat the B.C. Lions (8-10) n the cross-over final at Stade Olympique on Sunday at 1 p.m. ET.

Montreal Alouettes running back Avon Cobourne leaps in the arms of teammates after scoring a touchdown against the B.C. Lions during the final minutes of a CFL game Sept. 13. The Alouettes won that encounter 28-24, while B.C. won the other meeting 19-12. (Paul Chiasson/Canadian Press)

There's been some fairly hysterical stuff in the press and on fan blogs about the return of quarterback Casey Printers to hero status after he signed late in the year to bail out the injury ravaged B.C. Lions.

Yes, the former most outstanding player (2004) did throw for 360 yards and lead the Lions to an overtime upset of the Hamilton Tiger-Cats last Sunday.

And he showed no ill-effects from the thumb injury that took Printers out early in the regular season finale the week before that (gee, has anyone else noticed how fast that supposedly badly beat up digit healed?).

But that magic was pulled off in front of the Hamilton Tiger-Cats, not the Montreal Freakin' Alouettes, for gosh sakes.

We love the young Ticats in this column, but they are not yet anywhere near the Larks in talent and experience (especially the latter) at this point.

It's hard to say a team like Montreal that went 15-3 this season (including undefeated at home) can be heavily affected by the return of one athlete, but let's play that game anyway by reintroducing you to Eric Wilson.

The right defensive tackle has been out nearly a month with a dislocated knee cap but is expected back for Sunday's final, and that's bad news for the Lions and their rookie running back Martell Mallett.

As they were pointing out in the Montreal Gazette this week, Mallett gained 213 yards on 21 carries when Wilson had to miss another game in early September at B.C.

On the following weekend, at the back-end of the home-and-home, Wilson came back and was teamed again with Keron Williams inside. Mallett gained just 65 yards on 14 lugs.

So what, we hear you say. But consider the following:

• Montreal's defensive end pairing of John Bowman and Anwar Stewart combined for 20 sacks this year.
• Even with Printers' ability to scramble around and stay out of trouble, the B.C. offensive line allowed Hamilton four sacks.
• The Lions' O-Line was called for illegal procedure six times in Steeltown, indicating there's some confusion there as everyone gets used to Printers' return.

To summarize, this could be a difficult day for the B.C. offence. Especially when you consider the Montreal defence led the CFL in 24 categories this season.

And then there's the Als' offence, led by quarterback Anthony Calvillo. That unit provided 600 points for the Larks, 86 better than Calgary and Saskatchewan, and was best in the league in 17 stats.

They have excellent running in Avon Cobourne, three reliable receivers in Kerry Watkins, Jamel Richardson and Ben Cahoon and an outstanding punt returner in Larry Taylor.

B.C. was one of the three clubs who beat the Als this season, though they got a lot of help from a thoroughly confused group of officials who somehow called back two touchdowns in the last minute that would have given Montreal the win, because of clock and communication difficulties.

But much of that loss was due to the Larks firing bullets into their own feet after gaining more than 400 yards in total offence. They had over 400 again the next week in the return match - an Alouettes' win.

We're just going to toss in one more stat for fun - giveaways/takeaways. That number comes from adding your fumbles and interceptions and turnovers on downs allowed to those forced on the other team.

Montreal is a plus-32. B.C. is a minus-13.

Sorry Leos, an upset is not going to happen.

WEST DIVISION FINAL

Prediction: The Calgary Stampeders (10-7-1) will defeat the Saskatchewan Roughriders (10-7-1) on Sunday at 4:30 p.m. ET.

Roughriders' defensive end Stevie Baggs makes a prayer sign after a second half turnover against the Calgary Stampeders at Mosaic Stadium in Regina on Nov. 7, 2009. The Roughriders won that game 30-14, but can they beat their rivals again when a berth in the Grey Cup in on the line? (Geoff Howe/Canadian Press)

It has been a long time since two teams so evenly matched have met in a final, meaning something extraordinary may happen at Mosaic Stadium, out on the lone prairie, this Sunday.

And that also leaves us grasping for something, anything, to separate the White Stallions from the Roughriders.

We're going for home-field disadvantage.

Despite the Riders' 2-0-1 record against Calgary this year, these two clubs are like bookends.

They scored the same number of points (514), are only 41 points apart defensively (Riders slightly worse), are 300 yards in total offence allowed different (Riders slightly better), Calgary is a plus-9 in giveaways/takeaways, while the Riders are plus-4, and on down the list.

Both have excellent quarterbacks. Henry Burris in Calgary has been his regular solid self while Darian Durant emerged as a true leader in Saskatchewan once he was given the starting job full time (and we told you so, didn't we?).

In terms of pure star power, the White Stallions have a bit of an advantage on offence with running back Joffrey Reynolds leading the league on the ground (1,504 yards, well ahead of the Riders' Wes Cates, who had 932), and the combination of Jeremaine Copeland and Nik Lewis in the air.

Saskatchewan tends to do things more by committee, such as with the fine receiving trio of Andy Fantuz, Rob Bagg and Chris Getzlaf.

Over on defence, nobody is better at rushing the passer than the Riders' killer combo of John Chick and Stevie Baggs (11 sacks each).

Anyone dumb enough to try betting on this game should also remember that the Riders won by a point in Calgary back in August, tied the Stamps in October and led by only seven with three minutes to go at Mosaic in the final game of the season before putting it away.

That last contest clinched home field advantage for the final, and that's the only place we can find some kind of intangible to separate these clubs.

We mentioned before Week 19 that it might be better for the Riders to play the West final in Calgary, where the White Stallions would be under enormous pressure to take the game and play for the Grey Cup on their own field.

Only three times in 55 years has the home team won the Cup in front of its own fans. We're talking about an eight or nine team league here, remember, so figure the odds.

The last time Saskatchewan hosted a West final was 1976 (they won), and in so many respects this is like a Grey Cup game for the 30,945 screaming nutcases who will be jammed into Mosaic this Sunday.

It says here the pressure of playing in front of the green and white acolytes will be just enough to cause an extra turnover, one dropped pass, a slight miscalculation in coverage or a missed blocking assignment and turn the tide in Calgary's favour.

Disappointing it will be, by the way. In nine previous Cup final appearances, the closest the Riders were to home was Edmonton, and to see Saskatchewan play for all the wheat sheaves just 755 kilometres away (a Sunday drive on the Prairies) would be great for the CFL.

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