The CFL 2012 regular season is only two weeks old, and there are just two teams left with an unblemished record. Here's our betting preview and prediction for week three's early games this Thursday and Friday night.
Thursday, July 12
Calgary Stampeders vs. Montreal
Alouettes
Calgary
already rolled over the Alouettes this season, 38-10, as a 2.5-point home
favorite on opening day with the total staying UNDER the 55-point line. In that
game, the Stampeders racked up 18 first quarter points on their way to the
29-point romp. Drew Tate made his debut as Calgary’s new starting quarterback
and promptly went 25-for-35 for 299 yards and a touchdown. Last Saturday
against Toronto, the Stampeders blew an early 14-7 lead on their way to a 39-36
loss as a three-point road favorite. The total went way OVER the 51.5 point
line. To make matters worse, Tate is out indefinitely with a shoulder injury.
The
Alouettes bouncedback from a very disappointing start with a 41-30 victory
over Winnipeg as 6.5-point home favorites in Week 2. Long-time veteran quarterback
Anthony Calvillo returned to form with 443 yards passing after throwing for
just 174 yards in the opening day loss. The CFL’s all-time leading passer
completed an impressive 31-of-39 attempts that included three scoring strikes.
The total went way OVER the 51-point line.
The
Stampeders are 8-2 against the spread in their last 10 games after losing both
straight-up and ATS. The total has gone OVER in four of their last five games
overall. Montreal is 2-8 ATS in its last 10 games following an ATS win and 1-5
ATS in its last six home games. The total has stayed UNDER in four of its last
five games following a SU win. Calgary has won four of the last five meetings
both SU and ATS, but stick with the Alouettes at home to avenge that
opening-day beatdown especially with Tate on the shelf for Calgary.
Prediction: Montreal 33 Calgary 24
Friday, July 13
Winnipeg Blue Bombers vs. Edmonton
Eskimos (-2) Total Line: 47.5
Last season’s
Grey Cup runner-up is off to an unexpected 0-2 start after falling to the defending
champion British Columbia Lions 33-16 as an eight-point road underdog on
opening day. The total stayed UNDER the 50.5-point line. The Blue Bombers
showed some life on offense in last week’s loss to Montreal, but their defense
has now surrendered 74 points in the first two games.
Edmonton
traded away its starting quarterback Ricky Ray this offseason and so far it has
paid the price with a total of 20 points in its first two games. The Eskimos
managed to squeak by Toronto 19-15 in their season opener as one point home
favorites, but this past Sunday’s 17-1 loss to Saskatchewan as four-point road
underdogs was a major embarrassment. The total has stayed well UNDER the total
in both games. Edmonton’s new quarterback Steven Jyles was pulled midway through
the second quarter against the Roughriders, but his replacement Kerry Joseph was
equally ineffective.
The Blue
Bombers are 12-3-2 ATS in their last 17 games following a SU loss but 1-4-1 ATS
in their last six games overall. The total has stayed UNDER in five of their
last seven games in July. Edmonton is 4-1 ATS in its last five home games but a
woeful 12-28-1 ATS in its last 41 games against a team with a losing record.
The total has stayed UNDER in four of its last five games at home. Winnipeg is
6-2 ATS in its last eight trips to Edmonton and 5-1 ATS in the last six
meetings overall. The total has stayed UNDER in six of the last seven games
between the two. Stick with these trends for Friday night’s game as the Blue
Bombers get their first win in a contest that stays UNDER the total.
Prediction: Winnipeg 24 Edmonton 16