The race down the 2018 CFL season homestretch may not be quite as grueling as in recent years. With six weeks remaining (five games for most teams), the playoff picture is already shaping up.
In the West, Calgary's 2.5 games up on the Roughriders, who are currently a full game better than the Edmonton Eskimos. The Eskimos own the tiebreaker between the two for that all-important round one playoff home game, but the Riders can all but seal the deal by beating the Esks in week 17 in Regina.
Edmonton in turn is one win ahead of BC Lions, wo still face the other three West teams in four games that close the season. Which leaves this final spot contested between the Lions and Winnipeg Blue Bombers, one-half game behind.
In the East, it's simple: the Ottawa Redblacks look poised to back into another division title, as they're 2 games up on the Hamilton Tiger-Cats. Hamilton is meanwhile up 2.5 and 3 games up on the Toronto Argonauts and Montreal Alouettes, respectively; these two are playing out the string.
In week 15, then, NFLbets is looking for the separation to take hold. The Stamps’ magic number to make the playoffs is 2 with BC Lions and the Winnipeg Blue Bombers, so they could have the West division title down to tiebreakers by Sunday. The Bombers don’t mathematically need the win, but sure could use it psychologically – and so could NFLbets, mired in 50/50 results and juuuuuuuuust barely turning a profit on CFL betting since week 8.
So what is there to cheer us up in Canada this week?
Toronto Argonauts +13½ at Calgary Stampeders. Putting it simply, McLeod Bethel-Thompson began the season as Toronto’s third-string quarterback and as of late has resembled a third-string quarterback. But NFLbets can’t just hang everything on the QB: The Argos haven’t won since mid-August on their current four-game losing streak, have given up an average of 33 points in their 0-4 ATS/SU run, and are just 3-9 ATS this season with two of these ATS wins coming as home underdogs. Enough?
The Stampeders are definitely two touchdowns better, especially at home. We’ll give a recommendation to take the Calgary Stampeders -13½ vs Toronto as well as to take the under on an O/U of 53 points.
BC Lions +7 at Hamilton Tiger-Cats. After spending much of this season playing the BC Truther, yours truly is softening the dogma a bit on ol’ Wally Buono’s team. Two weeks ago, BC finally notched its first SU win that wasn’t earned at a night game in Vancouver – at the Montreal Alouettes, but hey.
In terms of CFL betting, the double-overtime squeaker against the Ticats last week brought BC Lions up to a respectable 6-6 ATS for the year, after starting 2-4 and then going to 3-6. With the plug-and-play addition of RB Terrell Sutton, BC is on the upswing while Hamilton can coast to the playoffs. Take BC Lions +7 at Hamilton.
Winnipeg Blue Bombers +6½ at Edmonton Eskimos. For our reputation’s sake, NFLbets is advising NFL bettors to stay away from this one. For amusement’s sake, we’ll personally throw a few Moneys (NFLbets’ preferred unit of currency) at the Bombers +6½ because getting the win while actually also helping the arch-rival Riders’ cause would be sooooooooooooooo Winnipeg – and so would chocking away a lead in the fourth quarter.
Saskatchewan Roughriders -6½ at Montreal Alouettes. No joy in this game at all: NFLbets is expecting to see yet more of Johnny Manziel’s obvious futility at trying to remember how to play football. In his ostensible comeback bid (now) with the Alouettes, Manziel’s run up five interceptions versus zero passing TDs, one rushing TD and one concussion. Hang on a second, maybe this will be fun.
The only thing keeping NFLbets from betting the business license on the Riders in this one is suspicion: Why in the name of Angelo Mosca is this line so low? Ah, well. Take the Saskatchewan Roughriders -6½ at Montreal.
NFLbets’ best bets for CFL betting in week 16:
• Toronto Argonauts at Calgary Stampeders, under 53 points; and
• BC Lions +7 at Hamilton Tiger-Cats.
NFLbets’ recommendation for CFL betting in week 16:
• Calgary Stampeders -13½ vs Toronto Argonauts; and
• Saskatchewan Roughriders -6½ at Montreal Alouettes.
CFL best bets record to date: 7-6.
CFL recommendations record to date: 6-7.
Overall record: 13-13.
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