CFL Semifinal Previews

Courtesy The Globe & Mail, CFL.ca

B.C. Lions (8-10) at Hamilton Tiger-Cats (9-9)

The Ticats won both regular-season meetings with the Lions, but those were during the first five weeks of the season, during which B.C. head coach Wally Buono was still sorting out the kinks in his roster.

Hamilton running back DeAndra' Cobb ran for a total of 267 yards in those two games, and he's a key factor on Sunday, against a team whose run defence has struggled most of this season.

An interesting dynamic is that the two starting quarterbacks - Hamilton's Kevin Glenn and B.C.'s Casey Printers - didn't play in either of their team's meetings this season, with Glenn a backup at the time and Printers out of football.

This is Printers's first appearance in Hamilton since the final game of last season, after which the Tiger-Cats released the man they once made one of the game's highest-paid players.

In terms of momentum, the Ticats are on a three-game roll, while the Lions have dropped three in a row.

The Pick: Hamilton

Edmonton Eskimos (9-9) at Calgary Stampeders (10-7-1)

Sunday, 3:30 p.m. Sask Time

Calgary was dominant in three of four meetings with Edmonton this season, taking full advantage of the Eskimos' weakness at defending the pass.

Stamps quarterback Henry Burris averaged more than 375 yards a game against Edmonton, with receiver Jeremaine Copeland grabbing five touchdown catches in the first three meetings.

The Eskimos ended their season on a high note last week, with a dominant performance at Vancouver against a Lions team that was forced to play the second half with its fifth-string quarterback.

Edmonton has worked all season on balancing its attack, and running back Arkee Whitlock has rushed for more than 110 yards in three of his past four games.

The Esks defence has done a decent job containing Stamps tailback Joffrey Reynolds in their meetings so far, but it'll be a long day unless it can get Burris off his game.

The Pick: Calgary