With only three weeks remaining in the CFL season, the race to the postseason is in full gear. The Winnipeg Blue Bombers were the first team to clinch a playoff spot with their win over Edmonton last week, and now other clubs are looking to do the same. Here are my CFL Betting picks for Week 12!
2021 CFL Week 12 Betting Preview
Friday, October 22: Toronto Argonauts at Montreal Alouettes
Coming off a bye week, Toronto is feeling good having won three in a row, sitting atop the East Division. Switching from Nick Arbuckle to McLeod Bethel-Thompson at quarterback has rejuvenated the offense, and Toronto’s defense remains stellar and loaded from the top down. They’re on the road in this one, facing the second place Alouettes who are in the midst of a winning streak themselves.
Montreal has played Ottawa in their last two games, however, so hyping them up would be impetuous of me. The Alouettes addressed the injury to quarterback Vernon Adams Jr. by trading for veteran gunslinger Trevor Harris on Sunday, but that won’t be enough to beat the upstart Argos.
The Pick: Toronto Argonauts 27 – Montreal Alouettes 14
Saturday, October 23: Ottawa RedBlacks at Hamilton Tiger-Cats
While Ottawa has the worst record in the league at 2-8, Hamilton has fallen dropping two in a row at home. The Ticats now sit third in the East at 4-5, with an offense that has been stale all year long. QB Jeremiah Masoli is back healthy, but top receiver Brandon Banks is still not 100%. Until Banks gets right and looks like his former self, this team is not a Grey Cup contender. Luckily for Hamilton, they’re playing by far the most inferior team in the CFL this week, and its defense should suffocate Ottawa for 60 minutes straight.
The Pick: Hamilton Tiger-Cats 23 – Ottawa RedBlacks 6
Saturday, October 23: BC Lions at Winnipeg Blue Bombers
The Lions continue to be in a downward spiral, having lost their last three games. BC’s defense is starting to get picked apart, and Lucky Whitehead’s injury has completely impaired the Lions’ offense. It doesn’t get any easier this week as the Lions travel to Winnipeg to take on the 9-1 Bombers. The defending champs are unbeaten at home and Zach Collaros had the best game of his career in Week 9 against this Leos D, throwing for over 400 yards. These two teams are going in polar opposite directions, and it will show on Saturday.
The Pick: Winnipeg Blue Bombers 33 – BC Lions 9
Saturday, October 23: Saskatchewan Roughriders at Calgary Stampeders
Dave Dickenson’s Stamps are back to the dominant team that we’ve gotten used to knowing. Calgary did a pretty good number on BC last week, defeating them 39-10 on the road. Bo Levi Mitchell had the best game of his season, completing nearly 70% of his passes without turning the ball over. The Stampeders have also found a hidden gem in the backfield, with Ka’Deem Carey continuing to dominate on the ground. With the Stamps having won their first two contests against Saskatchewan this season, I’ll back the better quarterback and take home-field advantage in this one.
The Pick: Calgary Stampeders 23 – Saskatchewan 17
