Through two weeks of the CFL schedule, road teams are 6-2 straight up with a plus-95 point differential. That’s a surprising trend, but it’s one that should likely regress to the mean. Three substantial home favourites are featured on the Week 3 board.
Let’s see if teams playing in their own backyard can get back to winning and make us some cash.
Winnipeg Blue Bombers (0-2) vs. Hamilton Tiger-Cats (1-1)
Mike O’Shea’s desperate Bombers touch down in Steeltown. There are whispers around the league that if Winnipeg drops to 0-3 it could mean the end of O’Shea’s tenure as head coach. All that speculation seems premature because Drew Willy has been the main problem. He’s only produced in garbage time of two games to open the season and needs to play up to his elite pay grade.
Prized free agent acquisition Weston Dressler returns to the lineup after being knocked out of Winnipeg’s season opener with a concussion. That should boost the offence as new coordinator Paul LaPolice tries to get his unit in flight from the first snap.
Expect a spirited effort from the Bombers to grab the cover.
Line: Ticats -9
Pick: Winnipeg
Toronto Argonauts (1-1) vs. BC Lions (2-0)
After beating Saskatchewan on the road in Week 2, the Argos stayed out west, practiced in Regina and flew out to the Left Coast. So changing time zones should be less of a factor.
B.C. is coming off a road victory in Hamilton where it easily handled the same Ticats team that laid a beat down on the Argos at BMO Field to open the CFL season.
The Leos are playing stingy defence through two games, allowing a league-low 10.5 points per game and forcing a CFL-best six turnovers. 2014 CFL MOP Solomon Elimimian is back healthy and teaming up with Adam Bighill to lead B.C.’s D.
Line: Lions -6.5
Pick: B.C.
Calgary Stampeders (1-1) vs. Ottawa Redblacks (2-0)
An intriguing cross-division matchup takes place in the nation’s capital.
Trevor Harris comes in as the hottest quarterback in the CFL. He leads the league with 687 yards and six touchdowns in less than a game and a half. The 30-year-old has quickly developed a rapport with Chris Williams. That Harris-Williams connection has hooked up for touchdowns of 71, 37 and 52 yards in two games.
Calgary will present the toughest challenge to date for Ottawa’s explosive passing attack. The Stamps feature four defensive backs — Fred Bennett, Jamar Wall, Josh Bell and Brandon Smith — who are savvy veterans. If those four cover men keep the Redblacks pass offence in check it should be enough for a victory in Ottawa. Especially after the way Calgary’s offence was stampeding last time out.
Line: Redblacks -1
Pick: Calgary
Saskatchewan Roughriders (0-1) vs. Edmonton Eskimos (0-1)
Chris Jones returns to Edmonton after guiding the Eskimos to a Grey Cup in 2015 and then bolting for bigger titles and a lot of money in Regina.
Edmonton comes off a bye week which should’ve provided lots of time to correct mistakes made that saw them give up 543 passing yards and 45 points to Ottawa in an overtime loss on banner-raising night at Commonwealth Stadium.
The Riders were competitive in Jones’ debut as Mr. Everything in Saskatchewan. If not for a bobbled snap on third-and-one, with quarterback Bryant Moniz in for a short yardage plunge, that Toronto picked up and brought back for a touchdown, the green and white would’ve been right in the game.
Jones would like to show everyone in Edmonton that he was the reason the Eskimos hoisted the Grey Cup.
Line: Eskimos -10
Pick: Saskatchewan
Overall record against the spread: 3-5