The CFL decided to schedule its two bye weeks earlier in the season so, heading into Week 6, only four teams are in action while the other four enjoy a week off. The following is a betting preview and prediction for both games.
Friday, August 3
Montreal Alouettes vs. Winnipeg
Blue Bombers
Montreal
comes into this Week 6 East Division showdown in good shape health-wise, but
riding a two-game losing streak after falling to Toronto 23-20 as a 3.5-point
home favorite last week. The week before, it lost to Hamilton 39-24 as a
2.5-point road underdog. The total stayed well UNDER the 59.5-line against the
Argonauts but went OVER the 60-point line against the Tiger-Cats. The losses
dropped the Alouettes to 2-3 straight-up on the year and 1-4 against the
spread. The total has gone OVER in three of their five games.
It has been
a rough start for Winnipeg this season after advancing all the way to the Grey
Cup last year, but it has to hope that its 23-22 squeaker over Edmonton last
Thursday is a step in the right direction after opening with four straight
losses. The Blue Bombers are now 1-4 SU and 2-3 ATS with the total going an
even 2-2-1 in their first five games.
The
Alouettes are 1-8 ATS in their last nine games against the East Division and
0-5 ATS in their last five games on the road. The total has gone OVER in nine
of their last 12 road games. Winnipeg is 5-2 ATS in its last seven games
against the East but 0-6 ATS in its last six games following a SU win. The
total has gone OVER in five of its last seven Friday games. Head-to-head,
Montreal is 1-5 ATS in the last six meetings and 0-4 ATS in its last four trips
to Winnipeg. Look for the Alouettes to reverse these trends this time around
and get back to their winning ways with a victory that easily covers the two
points.
Pick: Montreal 28 - Winnipeg 19
Monday, August 6
British Columbia Lions vs.
Toronto Argonauts
The
defending CFL champions have been a mixed bag through the first five weeks of
this season with a 3-2 record SU and a 2-3 record ATS. Last Saturday, BC looked
more like its old self with a 34-8 romp over Calgary as a one-point road
favorite. The total stayed UNDER the 58-point line and has stayed UNDER in four
of its first five games. The Lions have outscored their opponents 140-110 while
giving-up the second fewest points in the CFL.
Toronto is
hoping to build on last week’s victory over Montreal. After a disappointing
6-12 SU campaign in 2011, it finds itself 3-2 SU (2-3 ATS) and tied with
Hamilton for the early lead in the East Division. The total has stayed UNDER in
three of the five games. Part of the reason for the turnaround has been the
play of new starting quarterback Ricky Ray, who came to the Argonauts through
an offseason trade with Edmonton. Ray is completing 69.1 percent of his throws
and is second in the league in total passing yards with 1,542.
BC is 12-5 ATS in its last 17 games and 5-2 ATS
in its last seven games on the road. The total has stayed UNDER in its last
nine road games. The Argonauts are 5-1 ATS in their last six games against a
team with a winning record but just 3-10 ATS in their last 13 games following a
SU win. The total has stayed UNDER in five of their last seven games following
a SU win. The Lions have won five of the last six meetings SU and are 4-1 ATS
in the last five. Look for this trend to continue as BC continues its winning
ways on the road.
Pick: British Columbia 30 - Toronto 22