Following a thrilling opening week, the 2022 Canadian Football League campaign continues with four Week 2 clashes. This season marks the first since the expansion of regulated sports betting in Ontario, and bettors now have more options than ever before when wagering on the CFL.
Week 2 CFL betting odds
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CFL Week 2 picks | betting predictions for each game
Week 2 kicks off with an intriguing Alouettes-Argonauts battle in Toronto that marks the home squad’s first game of the season.
The remainder of the slate features a Friday night Blue Bombers-Redblacks rematch from Week 1 after Ottawa nearly pulled off an upset of the defending champs in the opener, followed by a Saturday doubleheader consisting of Stampeders-Tiger-Cats and Roughriders-Elks.
Below, we’ll analyze the odds for each game so you can make educated Week 2 CFL betting picks at the sportsbook of your choice.
Winnipeg Blue Bombers at Ottawa Redblacks (Friday, 7:30 pm ET)
The Week 1 game between these two teams arguably had the most surprising dynamic of the first four contests of the season. A heavily revamped Ottawa team bore very little resemblance to last year’s 3-11 squad while battling the defending champions throughout the game before succumbing, 19-17.
Jeremiah Masoli and Jaelon Acklin, brought in from the Tiger-Cats this offseason, unsurprisingly continued to display a prolific connection. Masoli threw for a whopping 380 yards with a touchdown and interception, with 143 of those yards going to Acklin on six catches. Masoli also displayed instant chemistry with another newcomer, Darvin Adams, who tormented his old Blue Bombers squad for a 7-71 line on nine targets.
Ottawa’s Devonte Williams, subbing for William Powell (Achilles), couldn’t do much with his nine carries, but there’s a chance the latter is ready to return after being limited in practice early in the week.
Meanwhile, Winnipeg had its own troubles with the ground game, as Brady Oliveira and Johnny Augustine gained 27 yards on 13 carries. Zach Collaros’ solid, albeit unspectacular night, did see him quickly develop rapport with prized offseason acquisition Greg Ellingson, who he connected with on six occasions for 74 yards and a score.
It’s never easy facing the same team on back-to-back weeks, and it remains to be seen how much, if anything, each coach held back in the opener with this immediate rematch looming. While the Redblacks +3 is an intriguing line, I have the most confidence in the Under on an elevated total.
The Pick: Under 45.5 points or higher (-110 or better)
Calgary Stampeders at Hamilton Tiger-Cats (Saturday, 6:30 pm ET)
The Tiger-Cats saw their opener against the Roughriders get away from them in the fourth quarter, leading to a 30-13 loss. The Stampeders blew an early lead but then battled back to escape the visiting Alouettes with a 30-27 win.
The official start of the Dane Evans Era had somewhat of an inconspicuous start, as the fourth-year signal-caller threw a pair of interceptions and took a whopping eight sacks. Evans will try to bounce back against a Stampeders defense that did get to Vernon Adams for two picks in Week 1.
Hamilton’s Don Jackson-led ground attack has nowhere to go but up after accounting for all of one yard by a running back (Jackson) in Week 1. Jackson was limited in practice Tuesday with a knee injury, and Sean Thomas-Erlington would step in if the latter ultimately sat out.
The Stamps picked right up where they left off last season in terms of featuring RB Ka’Deem Carey in the offense. Carey racked up 90 total yards in the opener, and he should once again play a significant role against a Tiger-Cats team that did a good job on him in one meeting last season by limiting him to 26 yards.
Hamilton was 5-2 straight up at home last season, a mark Calgary mirrored on the road. With the Stamps capable of running a balanced attack and Hamilton having plenty of weapons in its own right, I envision a game with a fair amount of points being scored.
The Pick: Over 44.5 points or less (play up to -115)
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Saskatchewan Roughriders at Edmonton Elks (Saturday, 9:30 pm ET)
The Roughriders will host the Grey Cup this November, and they appeared to be a team intent on hosting it with their season-opening 30-13 win over the Tiger-Cats. Meanwhile, the Elks had a nightmare of a Week 1 loss, with the Lions seemingly scoring at will in a 59-15 win.
It took him a bit to get going, but Cody Fajardo eventually hit his stride in Week 1 and compiled 353 total yards with a pair of touchdowns. New lead back Jamal Morrow was limited to 14 yards on nine carries, but his work through the air (3-61) was encouraging.
Even with Kyran Moore unavailable due to injury for the first few weeks, Fajardo has no shortage of weapons and Morrow should be able to improve on his performance on the ground against an Edmonton squad that allowed four total touchdowns, two apiece through the ground and air, to the Lions’ James Butler in Week 1.
Edmonton’s Nick Arbuckle threw three interceptions in the big season-opening loss, but the Elks will presumably stick with him for Week 2 in what shapes up as another tough matchup.
Edmonton isn’t as bad on offense as it showed in the opener, as Arbuckle does have an impressive supporting cast that includes James Wilder, Derel Walker, and newcomer Kenny Lawler, the latter two serving as the Elks’ top pass catchers in Week 1.
However, a defense that forced just three incompletions from B.C.’s Nathan Rourke and allowed him 78 rushing yards and a pair of touchdowns on seven carries won’t catch a break whatsoever against the equally mobile and even more experienced Fajardo.
The Elks will play better in Week 2, but a 7.5-point spread is one that I think the Riders shouldn’t have too much trouble covering.
The Pick: Roughriders -7.5 or less (play up to -115)
Montreal Alouettes at Toronto Argonauts (Thursday, 7:30 pm ET)
The Alouettes gave the Stampeders quite the scare in Week 1, but they blew a 24-14 second-half lead to narrowly fall by a field goal while and losing star running back William Stanback to an ankle injury for multiple weeks.
The Argonauts were off in Week 1, making this matchup the first of the season for a potential-laden team that notably added three-time Grey Cup champ Andrew Harris and explosive veteran slotback Brandon Banks this offseason.
Montreal’s Vernon Adams threw a pair of interceptions in the opener, but he also displayed his usual dual-threat upside with 272 total yards. The veteran gunslinger also lit up the Argos last season for 382 yards with two touchdowns and two interceptions, and Toronto finished the 2021 season ranked in the latter half of the league in rushing yards (111.6) and passing yards (259.5) per game allowed.
The Argonauts appear like they will be a tough draw all season, as the addition of Harris and Banks will see them join forces with the likes of D.J. Foster, DaVaris Daniels, Eric Rogers and fellow newcomer Markeith Ambles. Toronto also took steps to shore up its defense with the acquisitions of defensive lineman Ja’Gared Davis (19 sacks in last 30 games), linebacker Wynton McManis and defensive back Royce Metchie.
The Alouettes corroborated their ability to hang tough on the road in Week 1 and flummoxed Bo Levi Mitchell at times, and it’s worth noting they picked off Argos QB McLeod Bethel-Thompson four times in last year’s matchup.
While Toronto is rightfully favored at home and Stanback fill-in Jeshrun Antwi, along with newcomers Shane Simpson and Walter Fletcher, will have to prove they can carry the ground attack, I like Montreal to keep it close enough to keep any loss to a field goal or less.
The Pick: Alouettes +3.5 (-110 or better)
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