‘How does it know?’ Carter takes aim at CFL predictor

When the CFL simulator gave them lemons, the Roughriders made motivation.

Last week heading into the eastern semi-final, the Riders were given just a two per cent chance of making it to the Grey Cup.

Duron Carter didn’t take too kindly to the findings.

“That’s a terrible computer by the way, whatever computer they have predicting the probability,” he said on Saturday. “Really, I don’t understand that. Like, two per cent chance, we have a two per cent chance? We’ve beaten everyone in the CFL and it’s like this computer’s never watched football at all.”

The simulator, put together by the league with help from statistical experts takes in a number of factors including the team’s win-loss record, opponents played and margin of victory. Most recent results are given more weight than results from early in the season.

That’s why, in part, the simulation has given the Riders slightly higher odds to win the championship. It’s now up to eight per cent.

But when Carter was told this, it only made him more confused.

“How does it change? How does it know? Is it based off of injury?” he asked to no one in particular.

“If anything we use it as fuel and at the end of the day I think we know and understand and realize that the only people that can affect the game are the people who can step between the white lines,” linebacker Henoc Muamba said.

“But it’s going to be good to prove everybody wrong though, don’t get me wrong,” Muamba added with a laugh.

The Roughriders will get a shot to do just that on Sunday at noon when they square off against the Toronto Argonauts in the eastern conference finals.

A win by the Riders would be history making as no crossover team has ever won the eastern final and made it to the Grey Cup.

“Us as a team we’re 100 per cent confident, we have no reason not to be. Being undefeated against a team (the Argos) in the regular season that you have to play to go into the Grey Cup, it’s sort of really what you want,” Carter said.

“We’re not going to Regina we’re going right back to Ottawa.”

DEPTH CHARTS

Only change for the Riders this week is Marc-Olivier Brouillette for Chris Getzlaf. Brouillette missed last week for the birth of his son Calvin. pic.twitter.com/CqcQmYoOWw

— Arielle Zerr (@arielle_zerr) November 18, 2017

Here's how we'll line up tomorrow afternoon for the Eastern Final against the @sskroughriders.

🗒 » https://t.co/MY7l5VShEm #ArgosFootball pic.twitter.com/VvEeggjaMf

— Toronto Argonauts (@TorontoArgos) November 18, 2017