There is still a lot to play for going into Week 18 of the CFL season. Calgary, Winnipeg, Edmonton, Ottawa and Toronto are all in the playoffs. The Stampeders have clinched as they have long been viewed as the top team in the league. They are 13-1-1 and are on a clear-cut mission to win the Grey Cup, something that has been motivating them since they flopped in last year’s championship game. They are at even money to win the Grey Cup. As for the Blue Bombers, they are 11-4 and are the only other team in the league with double-digit wins. Edmonton has also clinched as they have nine wins. In the East, the RedBlacks and Argos have clinched bu that’s nothing to be impressed about. Those are both seven-win teams but the reason they’ve already secured their spots is because the other two teams in the East have four and three wins. It’s not exactly a pretty situation out there in the East but that’s the way it goes.
This week’s bye goes to the RedBlacks, so while they’re off, the other eight teams in the league will be fighting it out in the second last week of the 2017 CFL regular season.
Saskatchewan Roughriders @ Calgary Stampeders
Odds: Stampeders -10
The 8-7 Roughriders are in the driver’s seat as they’re four points ahead of British Columbia (who is four points ahead of Hamilton in the race for the final postseason spot). The 13-1-1 Stampeders are still fighting for the top spot in the West, where they have a five-point lead over Winnipeg, so they can’t take their foot off the gas just yet. The Stampeders have dominated this rivalry lately, going 9-1 SU and 7-2-1 ATS in their last 10 meetings with Saskatchewan.
The Stampeders are laying a big number here but they’ve been unstoppable since some early season struggles. Look for them to get the job done and cover in this spot.
Pick: Stampeders -10
Winnipeg Blue Bombers @ Toronto Argonauts
Odds: Argonauts -1
The 11-4 Blue Bombers have Matt Nichols back after he was injured in a loss to Hamilton, but he was back for a win over the Lions to clinch a playoff spot. The 7-9 Argonauts are also in despite losing in Edmonton, and they’re one point behind Ottawa with a game in hand as they look to get the top seed in the East, which means a bye in the first week of the playoffs. The Argonauts are 6-4 SU and 5-4-1 ATS in their last 10 meetings with the Blue Bombers, who have won the last three meetings. It’s a short number here for the Argos, so look for them to cover and get the job done in this cross-division matchup.
Pick: Argonauts -1
Edmonton Eskimos @ British Columbia Lions
Odds: Lions -2
The 9-6 Eskimos are in, but they’re only two points ahead of Saskatchewan, and they don’t want to get dragged into the crossover spot battle between the Roughriders, Lions and Tiger-Cats. The 6-9 Lions have lost four in a row and are slumping at exactly the wrong time, and what is worse is that three of those losses have been by six points or less. A bounce here or there and the Lions could have a playoff spot wrapped up. The Eskimos are 7-3 SU and 5-5 ATS in their last 10 meetings with the Lions, who need to right the ship as soon as possible, although it might simply be too little, too late.
Pick: Eskimos +2
Hamilton Tiger-Cats @ Montreal Alouettes
Odds: Tiger-Cats -3
The 4-11 Tiger-Cats and the 3-12 Alouettes wrap up the week, and Montreal is out of the picture as they can’t get enough points to catch Saskatchewan, even if the Roughriders lose every game and the Alouettes win out. The Tiger-Cats are still hanging on by a thread, and over the last six weeks, they’ve looked like a totally different team than the one that started the season. The Tiger-Cats are 6-4 SU and 4-6 ATS in their last 10 games against the Alouettes, who look like they’ve given up completely, and the Tiger-Cats are at least going down swinging.
Pick: Tiger-Cats -3
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