CFL betting trends, odds and predictions for Week 6 from various handicappers and websites
CFL Betting Recap - Week 5
By Joe Williams
VegasInsider.com
League Betting Notes
Favorites went 5-0 SU in Week 5
Underdogs went 3-2 ATS in Week 5
Home teams posted a 4-1 SU record in Week 5
Home teams posted a 3-2 ATS record in Week 5
The 'Under' went 3-2 in Week 5
Team Betting Notes
The BC Lions (4-1) won for the fourth consecutive outing, edging Winnipeg (2-2) in a high-scoring shootout in Vancouver, 45-42. It was the second consecutive game the Lions have lit up the scoreboard, as they're averaging 43.0 points per game (PPG) over the past two. Their defense has also been lacking, as they have now allowed 26 or more points across three of their five outings.
Speaking of the Blue Bombers, they have alternated wins and losses through the first four outings this season. The Bombers have no problem scoring points, posting 33 or more points in three of their four contests. Defense has been an issue, as Winnipeg is yielding 34.8 PPG. As such, the 'over' is 3-1 through four games. The Bombers are also 3-1 ATS so far.
Calgary (3-1-1) bounced back from their first loss of the season last week, pounding Saskatchewan (1-3) by a 27-10 count. The Stamps have won each of their twogames at home, but they've split the pair against the number.
The 'other' Alberta team continues to impress. Edmonton (4-0) won 31-28 at Tim Horton's Stadium in Hamilton (0-4), but they Eskimos failed to cover for the third consecutive outing. It was their first 'over' result of the season, as they allowed a season-high 28 points to the last-place Tiger-Cats.
The TiCats covered for the first time in four contests, and they have gradually picked up the pace on offense. In fact, they have increased their offensive production in each of their four games. Defense has been the problem in Hamilton, as they're allowing an incredible 35.3 PPG, and that won't win many ball games. The 'over' is 3-1, including 3-0 over the past three outings.
Ottawa (1-4-1) continues to have trouble, as they just cannot get over the hump in games. They topped Montreal (2-3) by a 24-19 count last Wednesday to kick off Week 5, but they were back to their losing ways in Toronto (3-2) on Monday night. The quick turnaround likely didn't do them any favors, although they continue to score well. They have managed 21 or more points in each of their six games, and the defense is getting better after a rough start. The RedBlacks have covered five of six games overall, and the 'under' is a perfect 4-0 over their past four outings.son, however, winning and covering each meeting. In fact, Winnipeg is a perfect 4-0 SU/ATS over the past four regular season meetings with British Columbia.
As far as the Argos are concerned, they have alternated wins and losses in each of their five games. If the patterns holds true, they'll fall Saturday night in Week 6 in Regina against the Roughriders. One thing is constant, and that's the 'under'. The total has been under in four of five games for Toronto this season.
CFL Betting Notes - Week 6
By David Schwab
VegasInsider.com
In an extended five-game schedule in Week 5 of the CFL regular season, Ottawa pulled double duty when it started the week with a 24-19 victory against Montreal last Wednesday as a four-point favorite at home. Edmonton remained undefeated on the year with Thursday’s 31-28 win on the road against Hamilton, but it could not cover as a 3 ½-point favorite.
Friday’s action in the CFL saw British Columbia get past Winnipeg 45-42 as a four-point home favorite and in Saturday’s featured game, Calgary returned to its winning ways with a 27-10 romp over Saskatchewan as a 10-point favorite at home. Week 5 closed things out with Toronto getting a big 27-24 victory at home against Ottawa on Monday night, but it failed to cover as a 3 ½-point favorite.
Thursday, July 27
Montreal Alouettes (2-3 SU, 2-3 ATS) vs. Winnipeg Blue Bombers (2-2 SU, 3-1 ATS)
Point-spread: Winnipeg -4½
Total: 55
Game Overview
Montreal has had some time to stew about last week’s loss to the RedBlacks and it comes into this game with a 5-1 record against the spread in its last six games following a straight-up loss. The Alouettes had their chances at the end of that game and despite throwing two early picks, Darian Durant ended the night with 452 yards passing and two touchdown throws. Unfortunately, this was the fourth time in five games that Montreal failed to score more than 19 points.
Winnipeg has had no problem scoring points this season with an average of 32 points per game. The Blue Bombers’ issues in their .500 start have been with a defense that has allowed an average of 34.8 points in its first four contests. As a result, the total has gone OVER in three of those games. Matt Nichols has completed a respectable 66.2 percent of his 148 passing attempts for 1,080 yards and eight touchdowns.
Betting Trends
Winnipeg has won six of the last eight meetings SU, but Montreal has a 3-1 edge ATS in the last four games in this inter-division clash. The total has stayed UNDER in four of the last five meetings in Winnipeg.
Friday, July 28
British Columbia Lions (4-1 SU, 3-2 ATS) vs. Edmonton Eskimos (4-0 SU, 1-3 ATS)
Point-spread: Edmonton -3
Total: 54½
Game Overview
This will be the second time this season that these two bitter West Division rivals will square off against one another after BC dropped its season opener to Edmonton 30-27 as a four-point home favorite. The Lions went on to win their next four games including three-straight on the road before last week’s victory at home against Winnipeg. Travis Lulay has done an excellent job in relief of injured quarterback Jonathon Jennings with 840 passing yards and five scoring strikes in eight quarters of action.
Mike Reilly has gone the distance for the Eskimos at quarterback and in four games he has tallied 1,216 yards passing and seven touchdown throws. Edmonton’s offense has also gotten a boost on the ground from Travon Van and John White with a combined 322 rushing yards. This unit has averaged 26.8 PPG this year to complement a defense that is holding opposing teams to 23.8 PPG.
Betting Trends
Head-to-head in this division tilt, Edmonton now has a 4-1 SU edge in the last five meetings, but the Lions are 4-2 ATS in the last six games between the two. The total has stayed UNDER in the last three meetings after staying UNDER the closing 59 ½-point line in Week 1.
Saturday, July 29
Toronto Argonauts (3-2 SU, 2-3 ATS) vs. Saskatchewan Roughriders (1-3 SU, 2-2 ATS)
Point-spread: Saskatchewan -2
Total: 52½
Game Overview
Toronto’s win on Monday night made it the only team in the East Division with a SU winning record. All three victories have come against the division (Ottawa twice) and its two losses were against BC and Winnipeg by a combined 21 points. A healthy Ricky Ray at quarterback has returned to form with 1,896 passing yards, which is ranked second in the CFL. SJ Green has been his top target with 31 receptions for 518 yards, which is also second on the list.
The rough start for the Roughriders continued with last week’s loss to Calgary, but this team has been much better at home than on the road this season, especially on the offensive side of the ball. Saskatchewan has scored a combined 26 points in road losses to Montreal and the Stampeders, but it put up 40 points in a loss to Winnipeg and 37 points in an earlier win against Hamilton.
Betting Trends
Toronto has gone 8-2-1 ATS in its last 11 road games against the Roughriders and it has a 5-2 edge SU in the last seven meetings overall. The total has stayed UNDER in three of the last five games.
Hamilton Tiger-Cats (0-4 SU, 1-3 ATS) vs. Calgary Stampeders (3-1-1 SU, 2-3 ATS)
Point-spread: Calgary -12½
Total: 54½
Game Overview
Calgary is not the kind of place to snap a losing streak and it may take the Tiger-Cats a bit more time to get on track this season. They have gotten a decent effort from Zach Collaros at quarterback with 1,041 yards passing, but he has just three touchdown throws against four interceptions. Hamilton’s defense has really struggled so far and it has yet to hold an opponent to fewer than 31 points a game.
The Stampeders bounced back from a stunning Week 4 loss to Montreal as four-point road favorites with last week’s 17-point victory at home against the Roughriders. They also beat Winnipeg by 19 points on the road to remain one of the more dominating teams in the CFL on both sides of the ball. Calgary was 3-1-1 SU five games into its 2016 campaign and it went on to win 12 of its next 13 regular-season games.
Betting Trends
Calgary has dominated this series over the past several years with a SU 10-0 run in the last 10 games, but the Tiger-Cats are 5-1 ATS in their last six road games against the Stampeders. The total has stayed UNDER in the last five meetings in Calgary.
MONTREAL (2 - 3) at WINNIPEG (2 - 2) - 7/27/2017, 8:30 PM
Top Trends for this game.
MONTREAL is 0-6 ATS (-6.6 Units) when playing on a Thursday over the last 2 seasons.
Head-to-Head Series History
MONTREAL is 2-1 against the spread versus WINNIPEG over the last 3 seasons
WINNIPEG is 2-2 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
BRITISH COLUMBIA (4 - 1) at EDMONTON (4 - 0) - 7/28/2017, 9:30 PM
Top Trends for this game.
BRITISH COLUMBIA is 92-64 ATS (+21.6 Units) as an underdog since 1996.
BRITISH COLUMBIA is 69-45 ATS (+19.5 Units) in road games off a division game since 1996.
BRITISH COLUMBIA is 41-24 ATS (+14.6 Units) in road games off a win over a division rival since 1996.
BRITISH COLUMBIA is 29-14 ATS (+13.6 Units) in road games in weeks 5 through 9 since 1996.
EDMONTON is 1-8 ATS (-7.8 Units) in a home game where the total is greater than or equal to 52 over the last 2 seasons.
EDMONTON is 1-8 ATS (-7.8 Units) in a home game where the total is between 52.5 and 56 over the last 2 seasons.
EDMONTON is 1-8 ATS (-7.8 Units) after 2 or more consecutive straight up wins over the last 2 seasons.
Head-to-Head Series History
BRITISH COLUMBIA is 4-2 against the spread versus EDMONTON over the last 3 seasons
EDMONTON is 4-2 straight up against BRITISH COLUMBIA over the last 3 seasons
3 of 6 games in this series have gone OVER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons
TORONTO (3 - 2) at SASKATCHEWAN (1 - 3) - 7/29/2017, 6:30 PM
Top Trends for this game.
TORONTO is 0-6 ATS (-6.6 Units) in games where the line is +3 to -3 over the last 2 seasons.
TORONTO is 7-16 ATS (-10.6 Units) in all games over the last 2 seasons.
TORONTO is 7-16 ATS (-10.6 Units) in all lined games over the last 2 seasons.
TORONTO is 2-10 ATS (-9.0 Units) in non-conference games over the last 2 seasons.
SASKATCHEWAN is 2-10 ATS (-9.0 Units) as a favorite over the last 3 seasons.
Head-to-Head Series History
SASKATCHEWAN is 2-2 against the spread versus TORONTO over the last 3 seasons
TORONTO is 3-1 straight up against SASKATCHEWAN over the last 3 seasons
2 of 4 games in this series have gone OVER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons
HAMILTON (0 - 4) at CALGARY (3 - 1 - 1) - 7/29/2017, 9:30 PM
Top Trends for this game.
CALGARY is 125-93 ATS (+22.7 Units) when playing with 6 or less days rest since 1996.
HAMILTON is 34-19 ATS (+13.1 Units) in road games after 2 or more consecutive straight up losses since 1996.
Head-to-Head Series History
CALGARY is 3-1 against the spread versus HAMILTON over the last 3 seasons
CALGARY is 4-0 straight up against HAMILTON over the last 3 seasons
4 of 4 games in this series have gone UNDER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons
MONTREAL vs. WINNIPEG
Montreal is 2-5-1 ATS in its last 8 games when playing Winnipeg
Montreal is 3-6-1 ATS in its last 10 games when playing on the road against Winnipeg
Winnipeg is 4-7-1 ATS in its last 12 games at home
Winnipeg is 8-15 SU in its last 23 games at home
BRITISH COLUMBIA vs. EDMONTON
British Columbia is 1-4 SU in its last 5 games when playing Edmonton
British Columbia is 1-4 SU in its last 5 games when playing on the road against Edmonton
Edmonton is 6-1 SU in its last 7 games at home
The total has gone UNDER in 6 of Edmonton's last 8 games when playing at home against British Columbia
TORONTO vs. SASKATCHEWAN
Toronto is 2-4 ATS in its last 6 games when playing Saskatchewan
The total has gone UNDER in 7 of Toronto's last 9 games when playing Saskatchewan
The total has gone UNDER in 8 of Saskatchewan's last 12 games
Saskatchewan is 1-6-1 ATS in its last 8 games when playing at home against Toronto
HAMILTON vs. CALGARY
Hamilton is 1-7 ATS in its last 8 games on the road
Hamilton is 1-7 SU in its last 8 games on the road
The total has gone UNDER in 5 of Calgary's last 5 games when playing Hamilton
Calgary is 5-0 SU in its last 5 games at home
MONTREAL @ WINNIPEG
Montreal is 5-1 ATS in its last 6 games on the road
The total has gone UNDER in 5 of Montreal's last 6 games on the road
Winnipeg is 5-1 ATS in its last 6 games
The total has gone OVER in 5 of Winnipeg's last 6 games
BRITISH COLUMBIA @ EDMONTON
British Columbia is 4-1 SU in its last 5 games
British Columbia is 4-1 ATS in its last 5 games on the road
Edmonton is 7-1 SU in its last 8 games
Edmonton is 6-1 SU in its last 7 games at home
TORONTO @ SASKATCHEWAN
Toronto is 4-1 ATS in its last 5 games when playing on the road against Saskatchewan
Toronto is 4-1 SU in its last 5 games when playing on the road against Saskatchewan
The total has gone UNDER in 8 of Saskatchewan's last 12 games
The total has gone OVER in 6 of Saskatchewan's last 9 games when playing Toronto
HAMILTON @ CALGARY
The total has gone UNDER in 5 of Hamilton's last 5 games when playing on the road against Calgary
The total has gone UNDER in 5 of Hamilton's last 5 games when playing Calgary
Calgary is 5-0 SU in its last 5 games when playing at home against Hamilton
The total has gone UNDER in 5 of Calgary's last 5 games when playing at home against Hamilton
CFL Week
Montreal (2-3) @ Winnipeg (2-2) — Alouettes lost three of last four games; they’re 0-2 on road, losing 23-19 (+9) at Edmonton, 24-19 (+4.5) at Ottawa last week. Four of Montreal’s five games stayed under the total. All five of their games this year were decided by 7 or less points. Blue Bombers split their first four games; three of the four games went over. Winnipeg is 3-0 vs spread if game goes over total, 0-1 if it doesn’t- they scored 33+ points in three of four games.
Favorites vs spread for season: 9-11-1
Over/Under: 9-12
Armadillosports.com
Thursday's CFL Betting Preview: Alouettes at Blue Bombers
Covers.com
Montreal Alouettes at Winnipeg Blue Bombers (-3, 51)
The Winnipeg Blue Bombers look to bounce back from a demoralizing Week 5 defeat when they host the Montreal Alouettes on Thursday. The Blue Bombers were undone by a series of self-inflicted errors as they blew a double-digit advantage in the final 10 minutes of the 45-42 setback to the BC Lions, and hope to stay in the race for the West Division title by avenging a 22-14 loss to the Alouettes at Investors Group Field last season.
"We had a 15-point lead and they say no lead is safe in this league but the defence should have stepped up and made a few more plays," Winnipeg defensive back T.J. Heath told reporters. "We're 2-2 right now and have a long season ahead of us so it's too early to be putting our heads down." Montreal is left to wonder what could've have been following a 24-19 loss to the Ottawa Redblacks. The Alouettes seemed poised to grab the top spot in the East Division when they marched down to the Ottawa 8-yard line with less than two minutes to go, but quarterback Vernon Adams Jr. was stuffed on a third-and-1 to leave them a game below .500, and they hope to regroup by beating the Blue Bombers for the third time in the last four meetings. Montreal has been held to fewer than 20 points in four of its five games in 2017 and hopes the offence finally finds its groove against a Winnipeg defence which has surrendered 34.8 points per contest.
LINE HISTORY: The Blue Bombers opened as four-point home favorites but the spread has been bet down to the key number of -3. The total hit the betting boards at 52 and has come down a full point to 51.
ABOUT THE ALOUETTES (2-3 SU, 2-3 ATS, 1-4 O/U): Veteran wide receiver Nik Lewis caught six passes for 64 yards and a touchdown to become the fourth player in CFL history to surpass 1,000 receptions for his career. "It's a number you don't think to look at when you first start," Lewis told reporters. "I feel like I've constantly been counted out but at the end of the day I love to compete." Tiquan Underwood had five receptions for 95 yards and a touchdown before suffering an ankle sprain and is likely to miss Thursday's clash while running back Tyrell Sutton will sit out a second straight game with a calf injury.
ABOUT THE BLUE BOMBERS (2-2 SU, 3-1 ATS, 3-1 O/U): Justin Medlock had made a franchise-record 28 consecutive field goals before missing a potential game-tying 50-yard attempt with one second remaining against BC. Matt Nichols completed 28-of-36 passes for 254 yards and three touchdowns, but threw a costly interception with 1:29 left in the fourth quarter, which led to the Lions' go-ahead field goal. Winnipeg linebacker Derek Jones blocked the fifth kick of his career in the first quarter, which is three shy of the franchise record set by Rod Hill while T.J. Thorpe caught eight passes for 65 yards in his regular-season debut after suffering a couple injury setbacks in training camp.
TRENDS:
* Alouettes are 0-8 ATS in their last 8 Thursday games.
* Blue Bombers are 5-1 ATS in their last 6 games overall.
* Under is 8-2 in Alouettes last 10 games in July.
* Over is 13-3 in Blue Bombers last 16 games overall.
* Under is 4-1 in the last 5 meetings in Winnipeg.
EXTRA POINTS:
* Montreal has dropped five of its last seven road games.
* Alouettes QB Darian Durant has thrown a league-high six interceptions through five games.
* Winnipeg leads the the CFL with eight interceptions.
CONSENSUS: The home favorite Blue Bombers are getting 57 percent of the action from Covers users and the Over is picking up 52 percent of the totals wagers. View full consensus data for this matchup here.
Week 6 CFL Pick & Prediction: Montreal at Winnipeg
By Allen Moody
Bangthebook.com
We’ll put our 10-4-1 CFL record on the line tonight when Montreal travels to Winnipeg to open Week 6 of the Canadian Football League. Winnipeg is favored by 3 and the total is 51.5.
Favorites are still struggling in the CFL with a 7-14 ATS record, while totals are 9-12. Favorites were just 1-3 last week, but twice 3.5-point favorites won by three and a 4-point favorite won by a field goal, so it definitely pays to shop a bit if you’re betting the CFL. Home teams are 8-13, so naturally away underdogs have been the best bet so far, sporting a 10-4 record.
Winnipeg comes into this game with a 2-2 record and lost last week 45-42 at British Columbia. The Bombers have scored more than 40 points in each of their two road games, while scoring 10 and 33 at home, where they are 1-1 on the season. They have made the most of their scoring opportunities the past few weeks, scoring 42 points on just 361 total yards last week and scoring 33 on 336 yards the week before.
Defensively, the Bombers haven’t been very good, allowing 34.8 points per game. They’ve allowed at least 25 points in each game and are giving up 352 passing yards per game. Fortunately for Winnipeg, tonight’s opponent isn’t one of the better offenses in the league, but Montreal can play a little bit of defense.
Montreal hasn’t allowed more than 24 points in any of its first five games and has only broken the 20-point barrier once this season. The Alouettes are 0-2 on the road this season, having lost 24-19 at Ottawa and 23-19 at Edmonton. Montreal threw for a season-high 428 yards in last week’s loss at Ottawa, although they piled up some yards in the fourth quarter, so it wasn’t the explosive offense the stats may indicate.
Montreal will be without starting running back Tyrell Sutton and receiver Tiquan Underwood, while the Bombers’ Maurice Leggett is expected to miss his second straight game at linebacker.
The teams met twice last year and the total was 48.5 in both games, so tonight’s 51.5 may be a bit on the high side. The road team won both games last year as small underdogs.
My numbers make this one 21-20 in favor of the Bombers, so I’ll go ahead and grab the under 51.5 and hope to see Montreal’s defense continue with its solid play. The game is being televised on ESPN2, so there’s probably a bit more interest.
CFL Week 6
BC Lions (4-1) @ Edmonton (4-0) — Lions won last four games since losing 30-27 in Week 1 home opener to Edmonton, a game Eskimos led 13-5 at half- they outgunned BC 420-394. Lions scored 41-45 points last two weeks, throwing for 840 yards- they won/covered all three road games. Edmonton is 4-0 with wins by 3-4-2-3 points; they snuck by winless Hamilton 31-38 LW. Underdogs are 3-0-1 vs spread in those games- three of the four stayed under the total. Both teams ran ball for 100+ yards in their first meeting. Under is 3-2 in BC’s games this year.
Toronto (3-2) @ Saskatchewan (1-3) — Two of Argonauts’ three wins are by 1-3 points (both vs Ottawa); they’re 1-1 on road, winning 26-25 in Ottawa, losing 33-25 at Winnipeg. Four of their five games stayed under the total. Argos scored 25+ points in four of five games. Saskatchewan was shut out in first half of 27-10 loss in Calgary last week- they were held to 251 total yards. Roughriders split their two home games, losing 43-40 in OT to Winnipeg, then drilling winless Hamilton 37-20- both of those games went over- their two road games stayed under.
Hamilton (0-4) @ Calgary (3-1-1) — Winless TigerCats are 0-3-1 vs spread, losing their two road games, 32-15 in Toronto, 37-20 in Regina. Hamilton lost 31-28 at home to Edmonton LW, but were outgained 417-265 by the Eskimos. TiCats are allowing 35.3 pts/game- they scored 26-28 last two weeks, their best outputs this year. Calgary is 1-1 as a home favorite, beating Ottawa 43-39 (-7), Saskatchewan 27-10 (-10). Stampeders won three of last four games since an opening tie; last week was first time in five games this season that they led at halftime.
Favorites vs spread for season: 9-11-1
Over/Under: 9-12
Armadillosports.com
Week 6 CFL Pick & Prediction: British Columbia at Edmonton
By Allen Moody
Bngthebook.com
We fell to 10-5-1 on the season in ugly fashion last night, as the Montreal game turned out to be an offensive slugfest. Those things happen and it’s on to Friday’s game, which is a good one, between British Columbia and Edmonton. The Eskimos are favored by 2 and the total on the game is 54.
Edmonton defeated the Lions 30-27 on opening week, winning as 4-point underdogs in a game that saw a total of 60.5. The Eskimos have posted three other wins, all of margins of four points or less, so are a perfect 4-0 on the season despite a scoring margin of just +3 points.
British Columbia may soon be dealing with a quarterback controversy, which actually is a good thing because it means Travis Lulay is playing well. He lost his starting job in 2015 to Jonathan Jennings when he was injured and now has stepped in for the injured Jennings and resembles the quarterback who won the league’s Most Outstanding Player award in 2011.
But Jennings is a good one and being eight years younger, is the team’s quarterback of the future. But if Lulay can lead his team to victory in this one, Wally Buono will have a tough decision to make.
The first game between the two was a wild one, as the Lions rallied from a 27-17 fourth-quarter deficit to tie the game with 1:18 remaining, but missed the extra-point. A 76-yard bomb from Edmonton’s Mike Reilly to Brandon Zylstra set up the game-winning field goal as time expired.
The Eskimos led 13-5 at halftime and 20-11 after three quarters before things picked-up in the fourth quarter, which saw 26 points scored between the two teams.
As far as big games go, this one is right up for being so early in the season, as the Lions have won their last four since their opening-week loss and the Eskimos are the lone undefeated team in the league. Calgary is the only other team in the league with just one loss, so the Eskimos have a chance to separate themselves from the pack with a victory. A win will keep the Lions in front of the Stampeders and pull them even with the Eskimos in the loss department.
My numbers made this one 31-27 in favor of British Columbia, so I’ll have to tag along and grab the Lions +2 in what should be a decent ESPN2 contest in a 9:30 p.m. EST start.
Friday's CFL Betting Preview: Lions at Eskimos
Covers.com
BC Lions at Edmonton Eskimos (-2, 54.5)
The Edmonton Eskimos put their perfect record on the line when they host the BC Lions in a West Division showdown Friday. The Eskimos scored 18 points in the fourth quarter, including the go-ahead touchdown with 23 seconds left, en route to a 31-28 victory over the Hamilton Tiger-Cats to improve to 4-0 for the first time since 2014, and hope to take sole possession of first place in the West by downing the Lions for the second time following a 30-27 win in the season opener.
"For a Week 6 matchup it doesn't get much bigger than this," Edmonton quarterback Mike Reilly told reporters. "I think both teams are playing great and are on four-game win streaks so what more could you ask for?" BC is one of the hottest teams in the CFL following a thrilling 45-42 victory against the Winnipeg Blue Bombers in Week 5. The Lions rallied from a 15-point deficit with less than 10 minutes remaining in the fourth quarter to extend their winning streak to four games and hope to unseat the Eskimos by notching their first victory at Commonwealth Stadium since a 17-3 triumph July 13, 2013. Travis Lulay has been nothing short of spectacular in relief of Jonathon Jennings, who is out 3-to-6 weeks with a shoulder injury, as the veteran quarterback has thrown for more than 400 yards in two appearances, and hopes to continue his magic against a staunch Edmonton defence that has allowed a league-low 23.8 points per game.
LINE HISTORY: The Eskimos opened as three-point home favorites and that spread has been bet down slightly to -2. The total hit the betting board at 54.5 and remains on that number as of Thursday evening. Check out the complete line history here.
ABOUT THE LIONS (4-1 SU, 3-1 ATS, 2-2 O/U): Lulay threw for 404 yards and accounted for three total touchdowns while Jeremiah Johnson ran for 48 yards and a score against Winnipeg to take his league-leading total to five rushing TDs through five games. Manny Arceneaux caught five passes for 50 yards and two touchdowns to move past Mervyn Fernandez (6,690) in third spot on the franchise's all-time receiving yards list. Marquee free-agent acquisition Chris Williams, who caught 77 passes for 1,246 yards and 10 touchdowns with the Ottawa Redblacks in 2016, practiced for the first time with his new team after rehabbing a torn ACL, but is not expected to make his BC debut for at least another week.
ABOUT THE ESKIMOS (4-0 SU, 0-2-1 ATS, 1-2 O/U): Mike Reilly threw for 350 yards and three touchdowns against Hamilton to move past Matt Dunigan (87) for fifth place on Edmonton's all-time passing list. Defensive back Garry Peters will miss Friday's clash after he was handed a one-game suspension for shoving an official during the Tiger-Cats game. Wide receiver Bryant Mitchell caught five passes for 76 yards and a touchdown in his season debut as he filled in for an injured Adarius Bowman, who was put on the six-game injured list with a sore hamstring while offensive lineman Jacob Ruby and linebacker Kevin Jackson were added to the practice roster.
TRENDS:
* Lions are 4-1 ATS in their last 5 road games.
* Eskimos are 1-5 ATS in their last 6 games in Week 6.
* Over is 5-1 in Lions last 6 games following a straight up win.
* Under is 4-1 in Eskimos last 5 Friday games.
* Lions are 4-1 ATS in their last 5 meetings.
EXTRA POINTS:
* Edmonton's four wins have come by a combined 12 points in 2017.
* Johnson is the only player in the CFL to rush for a touchdown in every game this season.
* Reilly hasn't thrown an interception in his last 215 regular-season pass attempts.
CONSENSUS: The home favorite Eskimos are getting 55 percent of the action and the Over is picking up 52 percent of the totals wagers. View full consensus data for this matchup here.
Saturday’s CFL Betting Preview
Covers.com
Toronto Argonauts at Saskatchewan Roughriders (-3.5, 53.5)
The Toronto Argonauts look to separate themselves from the rest of the pack in the East Division when they hit the road to face the Saskatchewan Roughriders on Saturday. Lirim Hajrullahu kicked a 34-yard field goal as time expired to hand the Argonauts a 27-24 victory against the Ottawa Redblacks, and they hope to extend their lead at the top of the division by notching their third straight win in Regina, following road victories over the Roughriders in each of the last two seasons.
"This was a step in the right direction," Toronto coach Marc Trestman told reporters. "There is a lot of different ways to win and we found a way and that's important." Saskatchewan is heading in the wrong direction after a 27-10 setback to the Calgary Stampeders. The Roughriders, who have dropped three of their first four games, spotted the Stampeders a 17-0 lead and never recovered as they were held to 220 yards of total offence to fall to 6-16 since Chris Jones took the helm at the start of the 2016 season. "We've got work to do," Jones told reporters. "We've got to do a better job of not getting into that situation where we're not behind the eight ball all the time."
LINE HISTORY: The Roughriders opened as 2.5-point home chalk and that number has been bet up a full point to 3.5. The total hit the betting board at 53 on Tuesday and been bumped up to 53.5. Check out the complete line history here.
ABOUT THE ARGONAUTS (3-2 SU, 2-3 ATS, 1-4 O/U): Ricky Ray threw for 367 yards and two touchdowns against Ottawa to notch his fifth consecutive 300-yard game, which is his longest streak since 2006. Defensive lineman Cleyon Laing suffered a knee injury on the last play of the second quarter and will undergo an MRI to determine the severity of the knock while linebacker Bear Woods (concussion protocol) and defensive end Victor Butler (knee) are questionable for Saturday's clash. Running back James Wilder Jr., who accounted for 75 total yards in Week 5, will make his second straight start after Brandon Whitaker was placed on the six-game injured list.
ABOUT THE ROUGHRIDERS (1-3 SU, 2-2 ATS, 2-2 O/U): Kevin Glenn completed 20-of-29 passes for 203 yards against Calgary to become the seventh quarterback in CFL history to throw for more than 50,000 yards in his career. Wide receiver Duron Carter, who was suspended for one game last year for bumping Ottawa coach Rick Campbell, was fined an undisclosed amount by the league for shoving Calgary defensive back Josh Bell in the chest during pre-game warmups. "You can't cross midfield and Duron was totally in the wrong," Jones told reporters. "He made a mistake and understands he makes mistakes but we're not going to treat him different than anyone else."
TRENDS:
* Argonauts are 1-8 ATS vs. a team with a losing record.
* Under is 4-1 in Argonauts last 5 games following a ATS loss.
* Over is 4-1 in Roughriders last 5 games following a ATS loss.
* Argonauts are 8-2-1 ATS in their last 11 meetings in Saskatchewan.
EXTRA POINTS:
* Toronto has won four of the last five meetings in Regina.
* Butler leads the league in sacks (seven) and forced fumbles (three).
* Saskatchewan has won four of its last six games against East Division opponents.
CONSENSUS: The road dog Argonauts are getting 56 percent of the money line action from users and the Over is getting 53 percent of the totals wagers.
Hamilton Tiger-Cats at Calgary Stampeders (-13, 55.5)
The Calgary Stampeders look to continue their home dominance when they host the struggling Hamilton Tiger-Cats on Saturday. The Stampeders jumped out to a 17-0 lead and never looked back en route to a 27-10 victory against the Saskatchewan Roughriders in Week 5, and hope to extend their home winning streak to 13 games by continuing their mastery of the Tiger-Cats, whom they have beaten 10 straight times in the regular season.
"Everyone wants to come in here and beat us but we're always focused on getting better," Calgary wide receiver Marquay McDaniel told reporters. "Hamilton has no wins but they are going to come here hungry." Hamilton is left to go back to the drawing board following a 31-28 loss to the Edmonton Eskimos to drop to 0-4 for the first time since 2007. The Tiger-Cats led by 12 points in the fourth quarter, but couldn't close the deal and have dropped 10 of their last 11 regular-season games. To make matters worse, Hamilton hasn't beaten the Stampeders since a 55-36 triumph Sept. 25, 2011 and its futility in Calgary runs even further as the Tiger-Cats haven't emerged victorious from McMahon Stadium since 2004 - a span of 12 straight games.
LINE HISTORY: The Stampeders opened up as massive 12.5 home chalk and that number wasn’t large enough for bettors and has been driven to to 13.5. The total hit the betting board at 54.5 and has been bet up a half-point to an even 55. Check out the complete line history here.
ABOUT THE TIGER-CATS (0-4 SU, 0-3-1 ATS, 3-1 O/U): Zach Collaros continues to struggle as he completed 22-of-36 passes for 249 yards and a touchdown, but threw two interceptions against Edmonton and ranks last among active starters in passing yards (1,041) and passing efficiency (77.0). Hamilton defensive back Keon Lyn had to undergo surgery Friday after breaking his leg against the Eskimos and will likely miss the rest of the season. The Tiger-Cats added defensive back Dominique Ellis, who was cut during training camp, to the practice roster to help provide some relief to a unit, which has surrendered an average of 418 passing yards per game.
ABOUT THE STAMPEDERS (3-1-1 SU, 2-3 ATS, 3-2 O/U): Bo Levi Mitchell threw for 253 yards and two touchdowns, including a 44-yard score to McDaniel, for the 100th TD pass of his career, against Saskatchewan. Jerome Messam and Charleston Hughes were named two of the three CFL Top Performers of the Week after the former rushed for a season-high 135 yards to go along with a touchdown while the latter registered three sacks after missing the previous two games with a leg injury. Defensive back Brandon Smith, who had 70 tackles and one sack last season, is likely to make his first appearance of 2017 after coming off the six-game injured list while linebacker Deron Mayo is inching closer to a return.
TRENDS:
* Tiger-Cats are 1-7 ATS in their last 8 road games.
* Over is 6-1 in Tiger-Cats last 7 games following a straight up loss.
* Over is 4-1-1 in Stampeders last 6 games in Week 6.
* Tiger-Cats are 5-1 ATS in their last 6 meetings in Calgary.
EXTRA POINTS:
* Mitchell has thrown at least one touchdown pass in 17 consecutive games.
* Messam leads the CFL with 323 rushing yards.
* Hamilton is averaging a league-low 22.2 points per game.
CONSENSUS: The home favorite Stampeders are getting 58 percent of the action from users and the Over is picking up 54 percent of the totals wagers.
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