CFL WEEK 2 PREVIEW & PICKS

BY ADAM GREENE

Just when you thought our spring and summer football was about to wrap, Canada shows up to save the day. The Canadian Football League opened play last week with its best team, the Toronto Argonauts, sitting out because they play a 21-week schedule and have just nine franchises. That means every team gets three byes and one squad sits out every single week.

There’s lots of weird things about the Canadian version of the United States’ favorite sport, but here’s what we all can enjoy, the odds, lines and totals with which we can make some cash to bet on real NFL football come the fall.

POWER RANKINGS

1. TORONTO ARGONAUTS (0-0)

The defending CFL champions took one of their three byes in Week 1, which, if you have to make an oddball schedule with a nine-team league, isn’t the worst idea. Only the Winnipeg Blue Bombers, last year’s league runner up, played as many games a season ago and winning it all should come with some perks. One of those is an extra week of rest before the hitting begins. No team has won more Grey Cups than the Argos, who currently sit at 18, and they are, unquestionably, the favorites again this year even with new quarterback Chad Kelly taking the reins.  Last week: No. 1

2. WINNEPEG BLUE BOMBERS (1-0)

The Winnipeg Blue Bombers finished last season just two points short of claiming a Grey Cup. In a match up with a playoff team from last year, the Blue Bombers lived up to their name, overrunning the Hamilton Tiger-Cats early and withstanding a second half comeback attempt to open the season 1-0. Last week: No. 2

3. BC LIONS (1-0)

Last year the Lions made it all the way to the divisional round, before having the door forcibly shut in their faces by the Blue Bombers. They look well on track to making a playoff return after coasting to a Week 1 victory over the Calgary Stampeders. Last Week: No. 4

4. MONTREAL ALOUETTES (1-0)

The Allouettes slid into the playoffs last season with a .500 record and, luckily, drew the Hamilton Tiger-Cats in the opening round, who came in at 8-10. Montreal picked up the victory in Week 1, but had to survive a defensive struggle against the Ottawa Redblacks, a team they should have run off the field. Last week: No. 3

5. SASKATCHEWAN ROUGHRIDERS (1-0)

Last season Saskatchewan was one of the worst teams in the league, winning just six games and missing the playoffs when, literally, all but three teams make the postseason., They opened this year playing the worst team from last year, the Edmonton Elks, and managed to hold onto a four-point victory. Last week: No. 7

6. CALGARY STAMPEDERS (0-1)

The Stampeders got into the playoffs with a 12-6 record a season ago, but made a quick exit in the Division Semi-Finals. They put up a solid battle against the BC Lions in Week 1, but might be looking at another very short postseason run. Last week: No. 5

7. HAMILTON TIGER-CATS (0-1)

Hamilton nearly got steamrolled in the opening quarter in Week 1, but battled back to at least make it interesting. Unfortunately for the Tiger-Cats they were in far too big a hole against the Winnipeg Blue Bombers, the 2022 CLF runners up, to climb out of it. Last week: No. 6

8. OTTAWA REDBLACKS (0-1)

The Redblacks kept it close thanks to a defensive struggle, but as they did so many times last season, came out on the losing end against the Montreal Alouettes. Quarterback Nick Arbuckle was too generous with the ball, tossing three interceptions, for Ottawa to survive in any close game. Last week: No. 8

9. EDMONTON ELKS (0-1)

Thanks to the point differential, the Elks won the distinction of being the worst football team in Canada last season and one of the worst in all of North American professional football. After scoring just 13 points in a league rife with basketball scores, it’s not looking good in 2023. Last week: No. 9

WEEK 2

Bye: Montreal Alouettes

THURSDAY

CALGARY STAMPEDERS AT OTTAWA REDBLACKS (+5, O/U: 43.5)

Calgary saw its offense come alive in the final quarter of their Week 1 match up with the BC Lions, but the nine-point surge wasn’t enough. The Stampeders opened their 2023 CFL season with a 25-15 loss in a battle of two of last year’s playoff teams. Jake Maier ended his evening 20 of 26 for 154 yards, one touchdown and a pick. He added two scrambles for 11 yards. Ka’Deem Carey led the team with seven carries for 39 yards. Tre Odoms-Dukes caught seven passes for 75 yards and a score.

The Redblacks defense showed up in a big way in Week 1, but it wasn’t enough to keep a goose egg out of the win column. Ottawa fell to one of the 2022 CFL playoff teams, the Montreal Allouettes, 19-12 last week. Nick Arbuckle ended his afternoon 19 of 35 for 176 yards, no touchdowns and three interceptions. He added three scrambles for 15 yards. Devonte Williams rushed 11 times for 36 yards. Quan Bray hauled in three receptions for 58 yards. Nate Behar had five grabs for 46 yards.

Ottawa’s offense never got untracked last week and Arbuckle’s three picks doomed the team. I don’t expect nearly as bad a performance this week, but Calgary should just be far too strong. Stampeders 27, Redblacks 17

FRIDAY

WINNIPEG BLUE BOMBERS AT SASKATCHEWAN ROUGHRIDERS (+6.5, O/U: 47.5)

Winnipeg came out like a team very angry they lost the CFL championship the season before by a single point, putting up three touchdowns in the opening quarter to down the Hamilton Tiger-Cats 42-31 last week. Zach Collaros was sharp at quarterback for the Blue Bombers, finishing 21 of 31 for 354 yards, three touchdowns and no interceptions. Brady Oliveira rushed 22 times for 106 yards and a TD and added two receptions for 58 yards. Nick Demski caught six passes for 113 yards and a score. Dalton Schoen had five grabs for 60 yards.  and Drew Wolitarsky caught three passes for 57 yards and a touchdown.

The Roughriders did just enough to open their season with a victory, facing one of the worst teams in the CFL. Saskatchewan held the Edmonton Elks scoreless in the final quarter to hold onto a 17-13 win last week. Trevor Harris was a little too giving with the football, finishing 20 of 33 for 179 yards, one touchdown and two interceptions. He scrambled once for 19 yards. Jamal Morrow rushed 14 times for 80 yards. Samuel Emilus caught three passes for 51 yards. Jake Wieneke hauled in four balls for 46 yards.

Hopefully Saskatchewan enjoyed the one-week respite from losing, because I have no clue how they’ll stay on the same field as Winnipeg Friday night. This one could be ugly. Blue Bombers 42, Roughriders 20

SATURDAY

EDMONTON ELKS AT BC LIONS (-7, O/U: 46)

Hey, look on the bright side. After fielding the worst offense in the CFL a season ago, the Elks scored the second lowest amount of points in opening week of this season. Edmonton managed a single touchdown in a 17-13 loss to the Saskatchewan Roughriders last week. Taylor Cornelius finished 13 of 35 for 202 yards, one touchdown and two interceptions. He added a scramble for 14 yards. Kevin Brown led the team rushing with 11 carries for 59 yards. Eugene Lewis, at least, was a bright spot, hauling in five passes for 148 yards and one touchdown.

British Columbia opened their season strong, facing off against another 2022 CFL playoff team. The Lions cruised to a 25-15 victory over the Calgary Stampeders, holding off a late fourth quarter rally in the process. Vernon Adams, Jr. had a solid day under center, going 28 of 36 for 279 yards, two touchdowns and an interception. He added 10 rushes for 35 yards and a score. Taquan Mizzell carried the ball 12 times for 81 yards. Dominique Rhymes caught eight passes for 100 yards and two TDs. Alexander Hollins had six receptions for 85 yards.

BC looked strong in Week 1 and is facing a cupcake in Week 2. This spread looks like easy money to me. Lions 33, Elks 16

SUNDAY

HAMILTON TIGER-CATS AT TORONTO ARGONAUTS (pk, O.U: 46.5)

It could not have gone worse in the first quarter for the Tiger-Cats as they surrendered a quick 21-4 lead to the Winnipeg Blue Bombers. Hamilton battled back, scoring 27 points over the final two periods, but it wasn’t enough as they fell to the 2022  Grey Cup runner up, 42-31 to open the season. Bo Levi Mitchell finished 17 of 33 for 197 yards, one touchdown and two interceptions. James Butler had 11 rushes for 66 yards and a TD. Tim White caught four passes for 71 yards and a score. D’haquille Williams caught three passes for 53 yards.

The Argonauts begin their CFL title defense with a new quarterback, former NFL back up Chad Kelly, who happens to be former Buffalo Bills Pro Football Hall of Fame quarterback Jim Kelly’s nephew. Kelly takes over for the departed McLeod Bethel-Cookman, who is currently leading the USFL’s New Orleans Breakers. Ironically enough, Chad’s uncle got his professional start in the USFL too, back in 1984 with the Houston Gamblers. Toronto brings back most of their talent outside of Kelly and the new QB looked sharp in the preseason. He certainly doesn’t appear to be a drop-off in talent or ability from Bethel-Cookman.

Kelly appears to have the Toronto QB position settled and that’s bad news for the rest of the league. Hamilton could very well be looking at another playoff run, but it looks to me like they’re going to open the year 0-2. Argonauts 31, Tiger-Cats 27

Last week

Straight up: 3-1

Against the spread: 3-1

Season

Straight up: 3-1

Against the spread: 3-1

Follow Adam Greene on Twitter @TheFirstMan.

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