Weekly Predictor: Who will win the 111th Gray Cup?

The 111th Gray Cup must be a bit of PTSD for Ryan Dinwiddie.

Dinwiddie’s only Gray Cup start in his career as a quarterback was due to the starting quarterback’s broken limb, Kevin Glennin the eastern finals.

Dinwiddie, starting for the Bombers at the time, did not play well, but did give the Bombers a chance to beat the Roughriders in the Gray Cup.

The talk at the time was that the Roughriders should be able to go to the Gray Cup and win. After all, they had the MOP quarterback in Kerry Joseph.

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Saskatchewan did win that day, but the final score of 23-19 was a little too close for comfort for Rider Nation, who thought the Riders would win with ease.

But that’s just it. Nothing comes easy in the Gray Cup.

While Nick Arbuckle has never started a play-off match, but he certainly has much more playing experience than his head coach had when he was pushed to the fore in 2007.

So…how do I see this happening?

Toronto vs. Winnipeg
Sunday November 17
6:00 PM ET

Winnipeg and Toronto enter the 2024 Gray Cup as a rematch for the dramatic finish of the 109th Gray Cup two years ago in Saskatchewan.

A blocked kick on a game-winning field goal gave the Argonauts the victory Chad Kelly was forced into the game late due to an injury to the starting quarterback.

Now Toronto will lean on their backup to beat the Bombers once again.

Nick Arbuckle has a ton of pressure on him after jumping from Calgary to Toronto, Edmonton, Ottawa and back to Toronto. It’s not that Arbuckle wasn’t highly sought after. He had multiple teams looking at him as the possible answer at quarterback. He could never establish himself as a number 1 guy.

What takes the pressure off Arbuckle are players like Ka’Deem Carey, DaVaris Daniels, Makai Polk, Damonte Coxie and a strong offensive line.

As Dinwiddie said when the team arrived in Vancouver for Gray Cup week, Arbuckle just needs to understand that he doesn’t have to try to be a hero.

Winnipeg comes to Vancouver in good spirits after beating its rival in the Western Final. It was the most complete game we’ve seen from the Bombers all season. At no point did they lose control of the match; from start to finish they were the best team and there was no doubt about that.

Zach Collaros, Brady Oliveira And Kenny Lawler had to be at their best and they were. Now they’re in the Gray Cup, trying to beat a team they haven’t beaten this season.

Toronto went 2-0 against the Bombers this season. Both games were extremely close, with one going into overtime, and just four weeks later Toronto claimed the narrow victory in a three-point win.

Neither team scored 20 points in either match. Let’s just say these defenses are exceptional!

The biggest thing you saw the last time these two teams played was seven sacks by the Toronto Argonauts defense. They swarmed Collaros and stopped the Bombers on a third-and-1 from the goal line.

Winnipeg’s secondary and coverage linebackers create a huge problem for all quarterbacks, including veterans Trevor Harris last week. Now Arbuckle will have to navigate things.

Yes, the Argonauts are without Chad Kellybut the way to win for the Argonauts was as much turnovers and special teams as it was for Kelly.

They were all over Dru Brown in the eastern semifinals, and subsequently made Cody Fajardo‘s life difficult in the eastern final.

The Argonauts also have the better special teams. A more accurate kicker in 2024, a better punter and the most dynamic return man in the league in Janarion Grant.

As good as the Bombers were last week, the Argonauts will cause bigger problems than what they faced against the Roughriders.

And the trend this year is for the East to beat the West.

The Argos are going to hear all the noise… all week… that the Bombers are going to beat them up because of the injury to Chad Kelly.

Yes, everyone should favor the Bombers, but I think Arbuckle can handle the pressure and write an incredible chapter in the Gray Cup story this week.

CHOOSE: TORONTO