CFL betting trends, odds and predictions for Week 2 from various handicappers and websites
CFL Betting Recap - Week 1
By Joe Williams
VegasInsider.com
League Betting Notes
Underdogs went 2-1-1 SU in Week 1
Underdogs went 4-0 ATS in Week 1
Home teams posted a 2-1-1 SU record in Week 1
Home/road teams posted a 2-2 ATS record in Week 1
The 'Under' went 3-1 in Week 1
Team Betting Notes
It was a Grey Cup rematch in Canada's capital city to kick off the 2017 regular season, and Calgary (0-0-1) played Ottawa (0-0-1) to a 31-31 tie. If that sounds familiar, it should, as the Stampeders and RedBlacks played to a 26-26 tie in the first regular season meeting last season in Ottawa on July 8. The teams will meet again in Week 2 on Thursday night on the prairie in Southern Alberta. It was the only 'over' result of the opening weekend, too.
Montreal (1-0) started its season on a positive note, edging Saskatchewan (0-1) by a 17-16 score. It is Montreal's third straight win against the RoughRiders, and their fourth straight win dating back to last season.
The Riders, who started out 0-3 SU/1-2 ATS last season, are also 0-3 SU/1-2 ATS over their past three regular season openers. Their last Week 1 victory and cover came in the 2014 season against Hamilton (0-1), the last time Saskatchewan made the postseason.
Speaking of the TiCats, they were rolled 32-15 on Sunday in their short trip up the QEW to Toronto (1-0). The Argos were underdogs by 3 1/2 points, but came away with the most lopsided win of the opening weekend. It was surprising considering the Argos were 1-2 SU/ATS last season against the TiCats, and 1-6 SU/ATS in the past seven regular season and postseason meetings.
Edmonton (1-0) pulled off the opening weekend's most surprising win, topping the BC Lions (0-1) as 4 1/2-point underdogs, 30-27. It was Edmonton's first win in Vancouver since June 28, 2014 after going 0-2 SU/ATS over the past two seasons.
Winnipeg (0-0) was on a bye for Week 1 with an odd amount of teams. The Blue Bombers will kick off their season in Saskatchewan on Saturday night. The Bombers are 4-1 SU/2-3 over their past five regular season games against the Riders.
CFL Betting Notes - Week 2
By David Schwab
VegasInsider.com
A new season of football in the CFL is underway and Montreal got things started on a positive note with last Thursday’s 17-16 straight-up victory against Saskatchewan, However, the Alouettes could not cover against the spread as seven-point home favorites. In a rematch of last year’s Grey Cup title game, Calgary and Ottawa played to a 31-31 tie in overtime with the Stampeders closing as six-point favorites on the road.
In other action, Edmonton was able the edge British Columbia 30-27 on a late field goal as a four-point underdog on the road and Toronto closed out play in Week 1 with a stunning 32-15 upset against Hamilton as a 3½-point underdog at home.
Thursday, June 29
Ottawa RedBlacks (0-0-1 SU, 1-0 ATS) vs. Calgary Stampeders (0-0-1 SU, 0-1 ATS)
Point-spread: Calgary -7
Total: 58½
Game Overview
Round 2 of this early season home-and-home matchup could be the most exciting CFL game on the board this week after both teams combined to score 62 points in Week 1 against a closing total line of 57. The RedBlacks got a big effort from quarterback Trevor Harris in last week’s tie with 300 yards passing and three touchdown throws while completing an efficient 73.3 percent of his 45 attempts. Ottawa ranked up another 116 yards on the ground in a balanced attack.
Bo Levi Mitchell also aired things out for Calgary last Friday night with 376 yards passing while connecting on 31 of his 48 attempts. With a pair of field goals in overtime as the only scoring on the board, this was the second time in two seasons that a regular season game between these two inter-division rivals ended in a straight-up tie. Jerome Messam was the only player to run the ball for the Stampeders in Week 1 and he gained 65 yards on 13 carries including one for a score.
Betting Trends
Three of the last games between these two teams have ended as a tie in regulation and the total has gone OVER or ended as a PUSH in the last six meetings.
Friday, June 30
British Columbia Lions (0-1 SU, 0-1 ATS) vs. Toronto Argonauts (1-0 SU, 1-0 ATS)
Point-spread: Toronto -1
Total: 55
Game Overview
The Lions will try and bounce back from a Week 1 loss as a home favorite with a big win on the road. A 16-point fourth quarter rally came up three points short, so the game plan this week will point towards trying to put up more than the five points BC scored in the first half against Edmonton. One encouraging take away from that game was the Lions’ ability to move the ball on the ground. Jeremiah Johnson led the way with 92 yards and the offense as a whole rushed for 130 yards on the night.
Toronto only won five total games in 2016 following a 4-2 straight-up start, so it is way too early to read all that much into its Week 1 upset. That being said, you still have to single out the play of veteran quarterback Ricky Ray, who completed 32-of-41 passing attempts for 506 yards and one score. Three different players crossed the century mark in total receiving yards led by DeVier Posey with seven catches for 147 yards and one touchdown.
Betting Trends
BC has gone 5-1 ATS in its last six road games against the Argonauts. The total has stayed UNDER in 19 of the last 26 meetings overall including 13 of the last 16 games played in Toronto.
Montreal Alouettes (1-0 SU, 0-1 ATS) vs. Edmonton Eskimos (1-0 SU, 1-0 ATS)
Point-spread: Edmonton -9
Total: 51½
Game Overview
The Alouettes failed to make the playoffs last season behind an anemic offense that averaged 21.3 points per game. However, they ranked second in the CFL on the other side of the ball when it came to points allowed (23.1 PPG). That defense held tight in Week 1 of this season by limiting Saskatchewan to 401 yards of total offense and just one touchdown through the air.
Edmonton’s win on the road as an underdog in Week 1 raised its record to 3-1 ATS in its last four road games getting points. It was also able to cover in three of its last five home games in 2016 as part of a 5-2-1 record ATS in its last eight games that year. Mike Reilly led the CFL in total passing yards last season and he got off to a fast start this year by completing 71.4 percent of his 28 throws for 315 yards and two scores.
Betting Trends
Montreal is 0-6 both SU and ATS in its last six games against the Eskimos and the total has gone OVER or ended as a PUSH in eight of the last 10 meetings between these two inter-division foes.
Saturday, July 1
Winnipeg Blue Bombers (0-0 SU, 0-0 ATS) vs. Saskatchewan Roughriders (0-1, 1-0 ATS)
Point-spread: Winnipeg -1
Total: 51½
Game Overview
The Bombers should be ready to go coming off a Week 1 bye. This will be the first chance to see a retooled offense featuring Matt Nichols at quarterback. Wide receiver Weston Dressler figures to be one of the biggest targets in the passing game and the addition of running back Andrew Harris before the start of the 2016 season gave this offense an added dimension it had been missing in previous years. He ended the year ranked third in the CFL in total rushing yards (974).
The Roughriders knew that they could not afford a slow start out of the gate on the heels of just five SU victories last year, so the pressure suddenly gets dialed up this week in a key West Division matchup. Saskatchewan turned to quarterback Kevin Glenn to help fix an offense that was dead last in the league last year in scoring with an average of 19.4 PPG, but he ended Week 1 of this season with 298 yards passing, but just one touchdown throw against one interception.
Betting Trends
The Blue Bombers have won four of the last five meetings SU, but they fall to 2-5 ATS in their last seven road games against Saskatchewan. The total has gone OVER in five of the last seven meetings overall.
CFL Week 2
Ottawa (0-0-1) @ Calgary (0-0-1) — Teams tied 31-31 in Ottawa LW, second year in row first matchup of season ended in a draw. RedBlacks beat Calgary 39-33 in playoffs LY; they’re 2-4-2 overall vs Stampeders, 0-3 in Calgary, losing by 21-45-25 points in Alberta. Over is 6-1-1 in series games. Stamps threw for 376 yards LW; they outgunned Ottawa 441-416 in game that was 11-11 at the half. Ottawa ran ball for 116 yards LW, 2nd-most of any CFL team.
BC Lions (0-1) @ Toronto (1-0) — Road team won five of last six series games; Lions won five of last six games in Toronto, winning last three by 16-2-3 points. Under is 8-4 in last dozen series games. Lions lost at home to Edmonton LW on a FG with 0:02 left, after trailing 20-11 after third quarter- they ran ball for 130 yards, most in CFL in Week 1, but were outgained 420-394. Argos threw ball for 506 yards in 32-15 win over Hamilton, holding TiCats to 258 yards.
Montreal (1-0) @ Edmonton (1-0) — Both teams won close games last week, Alouettes by point over Saskatchewan, Edmonton by FG in Vancouver. Eskimos won their last six games with Montreal, winning last three matchups here by 17-18-11 points. Over is 8-2-1 in last 11 series games. Als were outgained 401-332 LW- their 233 passing yards were fewest in CFL. Eskimos kicked FG with 0:02 for win in Vancouver last week, after blowing 20-11 4th quarter lead.
Winnipeg (0-0) @ Saskatchewan (0-1) — Blue Bombers had bye last week; they’ve won four of last five games with Saskatchewan, winning two of last three visits to Regina. Over is 5-2 in last seven series games- over was 7-1 in last eight Bomber games LY. Roughriders lost by point in Montreal last week when Alouettes kicked FG with 2:45 to play; Riders managed only two FGs in second half, after leading 10-7 at halftime.
Armadillosports.com
OTTAWA (0 - 0 - 1) at CALGARY (0 - 0 - 1) - 6/29/2017, 9:00 PM
Top Trends for this game.
CALGARY is 125-91 ATS (+24.9 Units) when playing with 6 or less days rest since 1996.
OTTAWA is 17-6 ATS (+10.4 Units) as an underdog over the last 3 seasons.
OTTAWA is 9-1 ATS (+7.9 Units) in June games since 1996.
Head-to-Head Series History
CALGARY is 3-3 against the spread versus OTTAWA over the last 3 seasons
CALGARY is 2-2 straight up against OTTAWA over the last 3 seasons
6 of 6 games in this series have gone OVER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons
BRITISH COLUMBIA (0 - 1) at TORONTO (1 - 0) - 6/30/2017, 7:00 PM
Top Trends for this game.
BRITISH COLUMBIA is 91-64 ATS (+20.6 Units) as an underdog since 1996.
BRITISH COLUMBIA is 68-45 ATS (+18.5 Units) in road games off a division game since 1996.
TORONTO is 4-13 ATS (-10.3 Units) in home games over the last 3 seasons.
TORONTO is 4-13 ATS (-10.3 Units) in home lined games over the last 3 seasons.
TORONTO is 20-37 ATS (-20.7 Units) in a home game where the total is greater than or equal to 52 since 1996.
TORONTO is 1-8 ATS (-7.8 Units) in home games in non-conference games over the last 3 seasons.
Head-to-Head Series History
TORONTO is 2-2 against the spread versus BRITISH COLUMBIA over the last 3 seasons
TORONTO is 2-2 straight up against BRITISH COLUMBIA over the last 3 seasons
3 of 4 games in this series have gone UNDER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons
MONTREAL (1 - 0) at EDMONTON (1 - 0) - 6/30/2017, 10:00 PM
There are no Top Trends with records of significance that apply to this game.
Head-to-Head Series History
EDMONTON is 4-0 against the spread versus MONTREAL over the last 3 seasons
EDMONTON is 4-0 straight up against MONTREAL over the last 3 seasons
2 of 4 games in this series have gone OVER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons
WINNIPEG (0-0) at SASKATCHEWAN (0 - 1) - 7/1/2017, 9:00 PM
Top Trends for this game.
WINNIPEG is 1-10 ATS (-10.0 Units) as a road favorite of 3 points or less since 1996.
SASKATCHEWAN is 128-93 ATS (+25.7 Units) as an underdog since 1996.
SASKATCHEWAN is 18-4 ATS (+13.6 Units) as a home underdog of 3 points or less since 1996.
SASKATCHEWAN is 52-33 ATS (+15.7 Units) in July games since 1996.
Head-to-Head Series History
SASKATCHEWAN is 3-2 against the spread versus WINNIPEG over the last 3 seasons
WINNIPEG is 4-1 straight up against SASKATCHEWAN over the last 3 seasons
3 of 5 games in this series have gone OVER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons
OTTAWA vs. CALGARY
Ottawa is 1-2-2 SU in its last 5 games ,when playing Calgary
The total has gone OVER in 4 of Ottawa's last 5 games when playing on the road against Calgary
Calgary is 2-4 ATS in its last 6 games
Calgary is 5-1 SU in its last 6 games when playing at home against Ottawa
BRITISH COLUMBIA vs. TORONTO
British Columbia is 19-5 SU in its last 24 games when playing Toronto
The total has gone UNDER in 4 of British Columbia's last 6 games on the road
Toronto is 1-7 SU in its last 8 games
The total has gone UNDER in 6 of Toronto's last 7 games when playing at home against British Columbia
MONTREAL vs. EDMONTON
Montreal is 5-10 SU in its last 15 games when playing on the road against Edmonton
Montreal is 0-5 SU in its last 5 games when playing Edmonton
Edmonton is 5-0 SU in its last 5 games when playing Montreal
The total has gone OVER in 6 of Edmonton's last 8 games when playing Montreal
WINNIPEG vs. SASKATCHEWAN
The total has gone OVER in 7 of Winnipeg's last 8 games
Winnipeg is 1-6 ATS in its last 7 games when playing on the road against Saskatchewan
Saskatchewan is 11-1 SU in its last 12 games when playing at home against Winnipeg
The total has gone UNDER in 4 of Saskatchewan's last 5 games
OTTAWA @ CALGARY
The total has gone OVER in 5 of Ottawa's last 5 games when playing Calgary
The total has gone OVER in 8 of Ottawa's last 9 games
Calgary is 5-0 SU in its last 5 games at home
The total has gone OVER in 5 of Calgary's last 5 games when playing Ottawa
BRITISH COLUMBIA @ TORONTO
The total has gone UNDER in 6 of British Columbia's last 7 games when playing on the road against Toronto
British Columbia is 5-1 ATS in its last 6 games when playing on the road against Toronto
The total has gone UNDER in 6 of Toronto's last 7 games when playing at home against British Columbia
The total has gone UNDER in 15 of Toronto's last 22 games when playing British Columbia
MONTREAL @ EDMONTON
The total has gone OVER in 6 of Montreal's last 7 games when playing on the road against Edmonton
Montreal is 5-1 ATS in its last 6 games on the road
Edmonton is 5-0 ATS in its last 5 games when playing Montreal
Edmonton is 5-0 SU in its last 5 games when playing Montreal
WINNIPEG @ SASKATCHEWAN
The total has gone OVER in 5 of Winnipeg's last 5 games when playing on the road against Saskatchewan
The total has gone OVER in 5 of Winnipeg's last 5 games on the road
The total has gone OVER in 5 of Saskatchewan's last 5 games when playing at home against Winnipeg
Saskatchewan is 13-2 SU in its last 15 games when playing at home against Winnipeg
CFL Betting Preview: Redblacks at Stampeders
By: Covers.com
Ottawa Redblacks at Calgary Stampeders (-7.5, 57)
The Calgary Stampeders host the Ottawa Redblacks in the second game of a home-and-home set Thursday. The Stampeders erased a 14-point deficit in the final 10 minutes of regulation to force overtime, but Rene Paredes missed a short field goal to win it in the first OT session, and they had to settle for a 31-31 tie - their second stalemate with the Redblacks in the last three regular-season meetings.
Calgary is 24-3 at home since the start of the 2014 season, including 9-0 in 2016, and hopes to continue its dominance at McMahon Stadium by upending the defending Grey Cup champions in the budding rivalry. Ottawa was left with a bittersweet feeling after going to overtime for the third time in the last four meetings with Calgary. The Redblacks were seemingly in control up by two touchdowns before Brendan Gillanders' fumble in the fourth quarter changed the complexion of the game, but they were aggrieved by some controversial calls that were not overturned by the CFL Command Centre. "It's really unpredictable and it's hard to know how things are going to be ruled on a replay," Ottawa coach Rick Campbell told reporters. "But the reffing is the least of our worries."
LINE HISTORY: The Stampeders opened as seven-point home favorites for Grey Cup rematch v.2.0 and that spread was bet up slightly to -7.5. The total hit the betting boards at 58.5 and was dropped down to 57. Check out the complete line history here.
ABOUT THE REDBLACKS (0-0-1 SU, 1-0 ATS, 1-0 O/U): Trevor Harris started the season off with a bang as he completed 33-of-45 passes for 300 yards and three touchdowns in his first game as the undisputed starter following Henry Burris' retirement in the offseason. Free agent acquisition Kenny Shaw, who set career highs with 77 receptions and 1,004 receiving yards with the Toronto Argonauts last season, exited the game with an undisclosed injury as did running back William Powell after rushing for 30 yards on five carries. "I don't think Powell's overly serious," Campbell told reporters. "Kenny Shaw too as it seemed more of a minor thing."
ABOUT THE STAMPEDERS (0-0-1 SU, 0-1 ATS, 1-0 O/U): Bo Levi Mitchell, who won the Most Outstanding Player in 2016, threw for 376 yards and two touchdowns to become the fifth quarterback in franchise history to surpass 15,000 yards. Marquay McDaniel caught 10 passes for 114 yards before leaving the game in the fourth quarter because of injury, but he's expected to suit up Thursday, however the outlook is not as rosy for DaVaris Daniels, who suffered an arm injury after hauling in four passes for 90 yards and will miss the rematch. Running back/kick returner Roy Finch was suspended with immediate effect by the CFL after testing positive for a banned substance.
TRENDS:
* RedBlacks are 5-1 ATS in their last 6 games as an underdog.
* Stampeders are 5-1 ATS in their last 6 games as a home favorite of 3.5-10.0.
* Over is 4-0 in RedBlacks last 4 games overall.
* Under is 18-4 in Stampeders last 22 games in June.
* Over is 5-0-1 in the last 6 meetings.
CONSENSUS: The road chalk Redblacks are getting 54 percent of the action and the Under is picking up 51 percent of the totals wagers.
EXTRA POINTS:
1. Mitchell has thrown for more than 300 yards in 14 of his last 19 regular-season starts.
2. The Redblacks have lost three straight games in Calgary by an average of 30.3 points.
3. The Stampeders are 19-4-2 against East Division teams since the start of 2014.
Friday's CFL Betting Preview
Covers.com
BC Lions at Toronto Argonauts (-3, 54)
The Toronto Argonauts look to build on their impressive season-opening victory when they host the BC Lions on Friday. The new-look Argonauts thumped the Hamilton Tiger-Cats 32-15 in the Battle of Ontario to send a message to the rest of the East Division that they are legitimate contenders after finishing 5-13 in 2016, and hope to take another step forward by beating the Lions at home for the first time in nearly four years.
"It feels good to get off to a start like this," Toronto quarterback Ricky Ray told reporters. "It gives us confidence moving forward." The Lions opened the season with a heartbreaking 30-27 loss to the Edmonton Eskimos at BC Place. BC mounted a spirited comeback to erase a 10-point deficit late in the fourth quarter, but lost on a last-second field goal, and hope to bounce back by beating the Argonauts in Toronto for the fourth straight time. "It will be a great challenge as Ricky Ray, Marc Trestman and Jim Popp are all great football minds," BC linebacker Solomon Elimimian told reporters. "The biggest thing for us is to play our game which is fast and physical football."Trestman and Jim Popp are all great football minds," BC linebacker Solomon Elimimian told reporters. "The biggest thing for us is to play our game which is fast and physical football."
LINE HISTORY: The Argos opened as 1.5-point home chalk against the Lions and that spread has been bet up to an even three. The total hit the betting board at 55.5 and was quickly bet down to 51, before rebounding up to 54.5.
ABOUT THE LIONS (0-1 SU, 0-0 ATS, 0-0 O/U): Elimimian made five tackles against the Eskimos to set a franchise record with 610 combined tackles while Nick Moore caught five passes for 98 yards in his first game since undergoing knee surgery last July. Ty Long missed a field goal and two extra points, including a convert with less than 60 seconds remaining, filling in for an injured Swayze Waters, who is expected to play Friday after suffering a thigh injury in training camp. Jeremiah Johnson, who rushed for 809 yards in 11 games last season, gained 92 yards on 14 carries to go along with a touchdown against Edmonton.
ABOUT THE ARGONAUTS (1-0 SU, 1-0 ATS, 0-1 O/U): Ray completed 32-of-41 passes for a career-high 506 yards, which was 18 yards shy of the single-game franchise record set by Tobin Rote in 1960. DeVier Posey seems poised for a breakout year after catching seven passes for 147 yards and a touchdown while high-profile free-agent signing S.J. Green caught seven passes for 124 yards in his first game since tearing his ACL with the Montreal Alouettes on June 30, 2016. Starting defensive back Josh Mitchell was forced to leave the game with a knee injury in the third quarter and is likely to miss Friday's clash.
TRENDS:
* Lions are 6-1 ATS in their last 7 games as an underdog of 0.5-3.0.
* Lions are 5-1 ATS in their last 6 games following a straight up loss.
* Argonauts are 1-7 ATS in their last 8 games overall.
* Lions are 5-1 ATS in their last 6 meetings in Toronto.
* Under is 13-3 in the last 16 meetings in Toronto.
CONSENSUS: The home chalk Argos are getting 57 percent of the action from users and the Over is picking up 52 percent of the totals wagers.
EXTRA POINTS:
1. Three of the last four meetings have been decided by three or fewer points.
2. Ray needs three touchdown passes to become the sixth player in CFL history to reach 300.
3. The Lions went 7-1 against East Division opponents in 2016.
Montreal Alouettes at Edmonton Eskimos (-8, 50.5)
The Edmonton Eskimos host the Montreal Alouettes on Friday in a series that has been one-sided of late. The Eskimos have won six straight meetings with the Alouettes, including the last three games at Commonwealth Stadium by an average of 15 points, and hope to continue their dominance after opening the season with an exhilarating 30-27 victory on the road over the BC Lions.
Sean Whyte kicked a short field goal as time expired, but the victory came at a cost as star linebacker J.C. Sherritt ruptured his Achilles tendon and has been ruled out for the remainder of the season. Montreal had to sweat out a game-winning field goal attempt by Tyler Crapigna, whose kick sailed wide right, to squeak out a 17-16 victory in Darian Durant's debut with the Alouettes. Durant, who spent the previous 11 seasons in Regina, celebrated wildly after the final whistle and hopes to lead the Alouettes to their first win against Edmonton since a 47-24 triumph Oct. 5, 2013. "I think we did a pretty good job but we left a lot of yards and a lot of points out there," Durant told reporters. "We have the potential to be a very good offence if we can put it all together."
LINE HISTORY: The Eskimos opened as nine-point road favorites against the Alouettes and that line has been bet down to a eight. The total hit the betting board at 52 was bet down to 47.5 and has since been bet back up to 51.
ABOUT THE ALOUETTES (1-0 SU, 0-1 ATS, 0-1 O/U): Durant completed 20-of-31 passes for 233 yards and two touchdowns against his old team while B.J. Cunningham caught four passes for 90 yards and a score. Montreal signed free agent quarterback Drew Willy, who has thrown for 8,539 yards and 39 touchdowns in 46 games in the CFL, after he was released by the Toronto Argonauts earlier in July. "We're always going to solidify that spot," Montreal general manager Kavis Reed told reporters. "If anything catastrophic were to happen to Durant we want to make certain that we have a seasoned guy around."
ABOUT THE ESKIMOS (1-0 SU, 0-0 ATS, 0-0 O/U): Mike Reilly, who led the CFL with 5,554 passing yards in 2016, continued where he left off last season as he threw for 315 yards and two touchdowns against the Lions. Brandon Zylstra was the main beneficiary of Reilly's big night as he caught seven passes for 152 yards, including a 76-yard grab that set up Whyte's game-winning field goal as time expired. John White rushed for 104 yards and a touchdown while Duke Williams, who starred for Auburn University, hauled in four passes for 110 yards and a touchdown in his CFL debut.
TRENDS:
* Alouettes are 4-0 ATS in their last 4 games as an underdog.
* Over is 4-1 in Alouettes last 5 games following a straight up win.
* Over is 8-2 in Eskimos last 10 games following a straight up win.
* Over is 6-1 in the last 7 meetings in Edmonton.
* Alouettes are 0-6 ATS in their last 6 meetings.
CONSENSUS: The road dog Alouettes are getting 60 percent of the action from users and the Over is picking up 51 percent of the totals wagers. View full consensus data for this matchup here.
EXTRA POINTS:
1. Edmonton has won five consecutive regular-season games against East Division opponents.
2. Montreal WR Nik Lewis needs 18 more receptions to become the fourth player in CFL history to reach 1,000 for his career.
3. Whyte has made 21 consecutive field goal attempts.
Week 2 CFL Picks & Predictions
By Allen Moody
Bangthebook.com
For the first time all season we have two Canadian Football League games taking place on the same day, as British Columbia visits Toronto and Montreal visits Edmonton. With last night’s game, favorites are now 0-5 on the season. While they’ve historically struggled in the early going, it hasn’t been this bad.
British Columbia at Toronto: The Argonauts are coming off a solid 32-15 victory over Hamilton to begin the season, while British Columbia dropped a 30-27 decision to Edmonton at home. Bettors were definitely impressed with Toronto as the Argonauts are now favored by 3 and the total on the game is 51.5.
British Columbia has been a decent underdog the past couple of seasons, sporting a 12-7 record in the role, while the Argonauts have been one of the worst home favorites in the league, going 11-30-1 dating all the back to 2007.
The line suggests there has been some over-reaction to the opening week. If this game were played last week, British Columbia would have definitely been the favorite and oddsmakers probably thought they had done enough to open the game at even, but they were wrong. Can’t trust Toronto as a favorite just yet despite how good they looked opening week, so will have to side with the underdog in this one, as I have British Columbia winning 31-19. The game will be televised by ESPN2.
Montreal at Edmonton: Edmonton took it to Montreal both games last year and are now favored by 8.5 with a total of 50.5. Both teams pulled out narrow wins opening week, with the Alouettes edging Saskatchewan 17-16 and Edmonton getting a win against British Columbia.
One thing Edmonton did last year was rush the ball against Montreal, as the Eskimos had more than 36 minutes worth of possession in both games. Edmonton also lost the turnover battle in both games but still managed to get a pair of double-digit victories.
Montreal isn’t the greatest team offensively, but their defense is one that usually keeps them in games. Even though they allowed the same number of yards as Edmonton last season, they allowed 3.8 fewer points, as they managed to come up with a stop when they needed one.
The line opened at 9 and has dropped slightly, while the total has bounced around a bit, opening at 51.5 and then hitting 49.5 before climbing back to 50.5. My numbers make this one 27-24 in favor of Edmonton, so I’d look towards the underdog if I was going to play it.
Saturday's CFL Betting Preview
Covers.com
Winnipeg Blue Bombers at Saskatchewan Roughriders (+1, 50)
The Saskatchewan Roughriders look to bounce back from a deflating Week 1 loss when they host the Winnipeg Blue Bombers at Mosaic Stadium on Saturday. Saskatchewan was doomed by penalties, turnovers and a missed field goal by Tyler Crapigna as time expired in the 17-16 setback to the Montreal Alouettes, and hopes to cut down on its mistakes to avoid its second 0-2 start in as many years.
"We just have to play smarter," Roughriders coach Chris Jones told reporters. "We took 21 penalties and had three turnovers and it's tough to beat a high school team when you do these things." Winnipeg, which had a Week 1 bye, looks to ride the wave of momentum created by their first playoff appearance in five years. The Blue Bombers won 11 games for the first time since 2003 and there's a sense of optimism floating around Investors Group Field following the addition of defensive end Tristan Okpalaugo, who was named the East Division's Top Rookie in 2014, and the new deals signed by starting quarterback Matt Nichols, wide receiver Clarence Denmark and kicker Justin Medlock. Winnipeg has won the last three meetings with Saskatchewan, including both games in 2016, and hopes to spoil the Canada Day party in Regina.
LINE HISTORY: The road Blue Bombers opened as 1-point favorites and the line has yet to move off the opening number. The total hit the betting board at 51.5, quickly was bet up to 52.5 and was driven down to 48, before rebounding up to 50.5. Check out the complete line history here.
ABOUT THE BLUE BOMBERS (2016: 11-8 SU, 11-8 ATS, 11-6-1 O/U): Winnipeg re-signed Matt Nichols to a new multi-year deal after the veteran quarterback threw for a career-high 3,666 yards and 18 touchdowns after taking over from Drew Willy as the starting quarterback in Week 6 last season. Running back Andrew Harris had a huge year with his hometown team as he rushed for 974 yards to go along with 631 receiving yards, and wide receiver Weston Dressler caught 80 passes for 1,003 yards despite missing four games through injury, and big things are expected of the duo in 2017. Medlock was named the CFL's Most Outstanding Special Teams Player after setting a league record for most field goals in a season with 60.
ABOUT THE ROUGHRIDERS (0-1 SU, 1-0 ATS, 0-1 O/U): Saskatchewan will play its inaugural CFL game at the 33,000-seat new Mosaic Stadium after spending the previous 80 years at Taylor Field. "This is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to open a state of the art stadium in front of our fans," Saskatchewan president Craig Reynolds told reporters. "It's a tie-in with Canada 150 and it's just going to be an absolutely amazing day." Ricky Collins Jr. will be sidelined for a month after suffering a shoulder injury against Montreal and Nic Demski will handle the kickoff return duties while wide receiver Rob Bagg, who missed the season opener, is likely to suit up Saturday.
TRENDS DATING BACK TO 2016:
* Blue Bombers are 1-6-1 ATS in their last 8 games as a road favorite.
* Roughriders are 19-4 ATS in their last 23 games as a home underdog of 0.5-3.0.
* Over is 7-0 in Blue Bombers last 7 road games.
* Over is 7-1 in Blue Bombers last 8 games overall.
* Over is 6-0 in the last 6 meetings in Saskatchewan.
CONSENSUS: The road chalk Bombers are getting 55 percent of the action from users and the OVER is getting 54 percent of the totals wagers.
EXTRA POINTS:
1. The Blue Bombers have won four of the past five meetings with the Roughriders.
2. Saskatchewan is 2-18 against fellow West Division foes since the start of 2015.
3. Nichols was 10-3 as the starting quarterback in 2016.