The Hamilton Tiger-Cats have not won a Grey Cup since 1999. The Winnipeg Blue Bombers can do them one better — or should we say nine better — having not won the coveted CFL championship trophy since 1990.
They’re the two longest such streaks in the CFL, and one of them ends today.
But which one will it be? Our expert CFL panel has stepped up with picks on not only the champion, but also the major award winners.
The panel includes 2011 Grey Cup most valuable player Travis Lulay, Sportsnet reporter Arash Madani, columnist Eric Francis, staff writers Donnovan Bennett and Andy McNamara, and associate editors Ryan McKenna and David Morassutti.
MOST VALUABLE PLAYER
LULAY: Bralon Addison. Although Speedy Banks was named league MOP on Thursday night, and deservedly so, but in Grey Cup games it’s often the undersung hero that makes some of the most crucial plays. Enter Bralon Addison, who quietly had one of the most productive years of any wideout in the league and will be the recipient of the extra attention Speedy Banks will get on Sunday.
MADANI: Bralon Addison. Addison has become one of the league’s most electrifying players, who can do just about everything for that Ti-Cats offence. Not only catching the ball, but running it, too. And with the imagination in Tommy Condell’s play calling, it wouldn’t surprise me if they used the former all-state high school QB to throw a deep ball in a gadget play that will be one of the defining highlights of this Grey Cup game.
FRANCIS: Dane Evans. The easy pick here is Brandon Banks, given he’s the league MOP and was the star of the east final. However, the man charged with getting him the ball, Ticats QB Dane Evans, will end his storybook season in MVP fashion. The weather is expected to be nice, opening the door up for an aerial attack like the one he authored last week against Edmonton.
BENNETT: Dane Evans. This playoff run has been Dane Evans’s coming-out party. Evans is set up to be the new Bo Levi Mitchell, and will get the chance to make that jump in his fellow Texan’s house. In his last six starts alone, Evans has completed 72 per cent of his passes for 2,121 yards, 12 touchdowns and just five interceptions. Most importantly, he’s 6-0 in that span. No QB played better down the stretch than Evans. That trend will continue on Sunday.
MCNAMARA: Brandon Banks. If you see a stacked stat line for Brandon Banks Sunday night, it will mean the Ticats are Grey Cup champions. “Speedy B” rolled Winnipeg for 113 yards and a touchdown in their last head-to-head matchup on Sept. 27, and will be the main focus of the Blue Bombers’ defensive efforts. The Bombers have struggled to contain receivers, allowing over 300 passing yards per game as well as the third-most touchdowns through the air. I’m predicting that the dynamic Hamilton weapon explodes of over 110 all-purpose yards and two scores.
MCKENNA: Brandon Banks. The Tiger-Cats receiver has shown all season why he’s one of the best in the game, and I expect that to continue in the Grey Cup. He led the league in the regular season with 1,550 receiving yards and 13 touchdowns. He’s also shown he can come up clutch when it matters after catching four passes for 100 yards and a TD in the East Final. Expect quarterback Dane Evans to look for Banks in key situations.
MORASSUTTI: Zach Collaros. For 11 straight years, the Grey Cup MVP has gone to an offensive player, and that will likely be the case again on Sunday. MOP candidate Brandon Banks will probably be the odds-on favourite going into the game, but there is no story heading into the Grey Cup more remarkable than the one belonging to Collaros. Nobody expected him to play again this season, but he got his chance in Winnipeg and has been on a mission eliminating two perennial contenders in Calgary and Saskatchewan. On Sunday, he’ll get the chance to beat another former team that gave up on him, and you can bet that he can’t wait to prove them wrong.
MOST VALUABLE CANADIAN
LULAY: Ted Laurent. Another player that’s had a really productive year, but has been under the radar because stats don’t always reflect the productivity an interior defensive lineman. Ted Laurent anchors a defensive line that will need to be stout against the Andrew Harris/Chris Streveler rushing attack. He’ll also play a key role in pushing the pocket to make Zach Collaros uncomfortable. A big play — timely sack or forced fumble — will give Laurent the recognition he deserves on this defence.
MADANI: Andrew Harris. He’s the best tailback in the league. He’s the most versatile. He’s the meal ticket for the Bombers. And if wind plays a factor Sunday, Winnipeg will have to go to Andrew Harris even more than usual. He’s the Bombers’ hope to keep this thing within striking distance.
FRANCIS: Andrew Harris. You don’t have to win the game to be the top Canadian. As he did all season long, en route to the league rushing title, Harris will piece together a performance that will keep the Bombers in the game long enough for an exciting finish.
BENNETT: Tunde Adeleke. The best Canadian secondary player in the league is Tunde Adeleke. After starting his career in Calgary, Adeleke took his talents to Hamilton this off-season as a free agent. Adeleke will end this year like he ended the 2018, winning another ring but this time for his new team.
MCNAMARA: Andrew Harris. Harris wins the Most Valuable Canadian award in this Grey Cup almost by default. He’s really the only Canadian in position to be a true game-changer — unless someone like a Mike Jones or Ted Laurent goes off defensively for Hamilton. Harris produced only a single 100-plus yard rushing game since he returned from a PED two-game suspension and just one rushing TD since September. But the Ticats are middle of the pack when it comes to stopping the run, allowing an average of 95 yards per game on the ground, so the opportunity is there for Harris.
MCKENNA: Andrew Harris. As I detailed earlier this week, Harris will play a big part in this title match. He’s already won a Grey Cup in 2011 with the B.C. Lions after being named the Most Valuable Canadian in that matchup. I would expect another dominant performance again on Sunday night as the CFL rushing leader continues to try and prove that his positive drug test from earlier this year won’t define him.
MORASSUTTI: Andrew Harris. It has been a long eight years for Harris to get back to the Grey Cup after winning with the B.C. Lions in 2011. In that time, the Winnipeg native has earned the reputation as one of the best Canadians in the league and will be vying for his second Most Outstanding Canadian award on Sunday. Expect Harris to be a threat in both the rushing and receiving game in this one as Winnipeg’s primary weapon on offence.
GREY CUP CHAMPION
LULAY: Hamilton Tiger-Cats. Bombers fans should be elated since I’ve picked against them the last two weeks and I’m doing it again. But this pick is more about the Ticats than the Bombers. Hamilton has been the most consistent, well-rounded team in the CFL this year, and Orlondo Steinauer will cap off a historic first season as head coach. Make it 11-0 for Hamilton in the all-black uniforms in 2019, and Ticats fans can celebrate a Grey Cup for the first time since 1999. Ticats 32, Bombers 22.
MADANI: Hamilton Tiger-Cats. They’ve been the best team in the league for over a month now. The roster is as complete as you can get. To think they got Addison and Chris Van Zeyl for nothing from their rivals is the icing on the cake. The Tiger-Cats won Week 1 by 50. They should win the Grey Cup by a score that won’t be as close as the score indicates. Hamilton 32, Winnipeg 21.
FRANCIS: Hamilton Tiger-Cats. Hey, Hamilton, get ready to party like it’s 1999. Just as they did both times they met this season, the Tiger-Cats will use special teams, a balanced attack and stellar defence to stymie the surging Blue Bombers. Hamilton 35, Winnipeg 30.
BENNETT: Hamilton Tiger-Cats. Hamilton won both of their matchups with Winnipeg this season.Two games is a small sample size, but over the course of the season Hamilton scored more points, gave up fewer points, had a better turnover margin, had more QB sacks and most importantly won more games. Orlondo Steinhauer won three Grey Cups as a player, and the reason Hamilton was willing to transition from June Jones to keep coach O is because he’s destined to win one as a head coach. The Tiger-Cats have been the best team in the league by far and they’ll finish off their magical run Sunday. Hamilton 39, Winnipeg 23.
MCNAMARA: Hamilton Tiger-Cats. Can the “Zach Collaros Revenge Tour” wrap up with a championship on Sunday? Collaros defeated the club he started the season with in Saskatchewan last week and will try to upset another of his former teams this Sunday. Winnipeg needs to keep this game close in the first half and get a couple two-and-outs early on the prolific Ticats offense to have a chance.
I’m guessing the unpredictability of the Bombers attack with Collaros, Harris and Chris Streveler leading the way will allow the underdogs to hang around into the fourth quarter. However, Hamilton’s top-ranked offence and defence will ultimately prove too much to overcome. Hamilton 33, Winnipeg 24.
MCKENNA: Hamilton Tiger-Cats. The connection between Evans and Banks on offence, along with a strong defence, is going to be too much for Winnipeg. Evans has done a great job since taking over for Jeremiah Masoli and as mentioned earlier, has a great target in Banks. Hamilton’s defence also forced two interceptions last week and I expect more of the same against Blue Bombers quarterback Zach Collaros. Hamilton 31, Winnipeg 26.
MORASSUTTI: Winnipeg Blue Bombers. This was a tough one to predict considering Hamilton’s record, dynamic talent and experience. Even though the Tiger-Cats won the season series against the Blue Bombers, this isn’t the same Winnipeg team now that Collaros is at the helm. His experience will be a big factor in this game, and you can’t overlook how dominant the Blue Bombers’ defence has been in the playoffs — especially against Bo Levi Mitchell in the West semifinal. We know that Hamilton relies on the big plays through the air and Winnipeg feasts on turnovers (second in the CFL with 45) so it will be interesting to see which one comes through on Sunday. Winnipeg 30, Hamilton 24.
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