We’re set for the final four-game slate of the Canadian Football League regular season in Week 19, and below are our predictions for two of those contests.
Week 19 CFL betting odds and picks: Best bets for Saskatchewan at Calgary, Montreal at Edmonton
There’s still plenty of postseason positioning to be decided over the final three weeks of the regular season, and both of the games we’re focusing on feature a team that has something at stake in that regard.
Friday, Oct. 13: Saskatchewan Roughriders at Calgary Stampeders – 9:30 p.m. EDT
The Roughriders are in line to secure third place in the West Division with a victory Friday night, as well as a road game in the Western Semi-Final against either the Bombers or Lions.
That alone should afford Saskatchewan, which has already had two close encounters with Calgary this season, plenty of motivation. The season series between the clubs is tied 1-1, with the Riders prevailing by a 29-26 score in a Week 3 matchup and the Stamps countering with a 33-31 victory in Week 6.
Both teams have gotten solid play from their quarterbacks, but Calgary’s Jake Maier will be missing a key component in Reggie Begelton, who is out with a chest injury after missing practice all week.
Meanwhile, Saskatchewan got Jamal Morrow back from the injured list last week and saw the explosive back go off for 120 yards and a touchdown on 18 carries. Riders’ quarterback Jake Dolegala also has a deep and versatile receiving corps that helped him to 409 passing yards against a tough Lions defence just two games ago.
I can see both teams getting some points on the board here, so a same-game parlay that also includes the Riders playing tough at a good price is a solid bet to make.
The Pick: Same-Game Parlay: Roughriders +3.5 and Over 48 points (+264 or better)
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Saturday, Oct. 14: Montreal Alouettes at Edmonton Elks – 4:00 p.m. EDT
The Alouettes are also a team with plenty of postseason incentives in Week 19. Montreal enters the slate with the No. 2 seed in the East Division, and if they manage to hold on to that slotting, they’ll host the Tiger-Cats in the Eastern Semi-Final. The two squads still have a Week 21 date on tap, so Montreal can help itself by continuing to stack up wins.
That shouldn’t be an overly difficult proposition against the Elks, who have now been officially eliminated from the postseason. Granted, Edmonton does have its fair share of talent and veteran players on both sides of the ball, so they’re likely to play with plenty of pride.
Nevertheless, Montreal is the team with plenty of momentum, having won three straight to get to 9-7. The Als’ defence is also riding high down the stretch, now allowing the third-fewest yards of net offence per game (337.8).
Montreal has been especially effective against the pass, conceding just 245.6 passing yards per game and the second-lowest completion percentage (64.8). Edmonton’s Tre Ford has provided a nice spark for the Elks but he’s completed 63.6 percent or less of his passes in three of his last five games.
The Als, meanwhile, should have lots of opportunity to hit on big plays, as Edmonton has surrendered 375.1 yards of net offence per game and the second-most offensive points per contest as well (26.0). To make matters worse, the Elks have a host of injuries on defence that could certainly make them even more vulnerable.
Given Montreal’s motivation level and superior talent, I’m in the camp of an outright win at a reasonable price.
The Pick: Alouettes moneyline (-135 or better)
