CFL Week 18 Preview and Predictions

Week 17 was a tough one for Argo’s fans but the beginning of this week gives them hope with Pinball coming back to the team as a GM. Last week saw mostly lopsided games with only the Al’s and Stamps game being really close. I went 3-1 straight up and 3-1 against the spread last week to take me to 48-17 straight up and 42-23 against the spread this season. This week every matchup seems even, so let’s take a look at how I see each game going.

(3-11) Ottawa Redblacks @ (2-12) Toronto Argonauts Friday 7:00pm ET

The Redblacks have been bad for a long time. They haven’t had a functional QB in weeks and will turn to third-stringer, Will Arndt this week against Toronto. This team just doesn’t have the weapons to compete on the offensive side of the ball and their decent defence struggles because they are always on the field. There have been some backup QB success stories in the league this year so we will see if we can add another one to the list. For Toronto, they finally go back to McLeod Bethel-Thompson this week at QB. With the shakeup in the front office, I could see this team really coming out hungry to win at home. I think Toronto picks up win number three this week.

Prediction: Argonauts win 29-21

(10-4) Saskatchewan Roughriders @ (9-5) Calgary Stampeders Friday 9:30pm ET

The Riders are riding into Calgary hot. They look really good on all sides of the ball and this will be an epic battle. Saskatchewan will be without breakout LB Cameron Judge due to a concussion so that is a big blow on defence but the rest of the team should be able to step up. For Calgary, they are missing some players as well, including lineman Derek Dennis. This is a tough team to play at home, especially trying to hand them their second straight loss. I think this will be a blood bath but the home team will squeak one out.

Prediction: Stampeders win 33-30

(8-6) Montreal Alouettes @ (9-6) Winnipeg Blue Bombers 4:00pm ET

Montreal pulled out another tough win against the Stamps last time out. They have been pretty decent against the west this year and have looked good in general. I really like how this team has come together and thought that they are a legit Grey Cup contender. For Winnipeg, they have struggled offensively lately. They brought in Zach Collaros as a veteran presence at the trade deadline. But it looks like this is still Chris Streveler’s team. Winnipeg needs to step it up or they will be on the road for the first game of the playoffs. I don’t see any signs pointing to them improving on offence this week against a tough Montreal team. I think the Al’s win on the road.

Prediction: Alouettes win 27-20

(5-10) B.C. Lions @ (7-8) Edmonton Eskimos Saturday 7:00pm ET

The Lions are on a heater. They are still clinging to playoff hopes but Edmonton needs just one more win to steal it away from them. This is easily the biggest game of their season. The offensive line has improved but Edmonton has given them fits all season long. This is going to be a tough game for B.C. and they can’t afford to put up a stinker. There is a lot of pressure. For Edmonton, there is definitely pressure on them too. They haven’t played very good lately and they could be in some trouble if they don’t win this one. They will be without C.J. Gable this week so the rest of the offence is going to have to figure it out. I think B.C. keeps their playoff hopes alive.

Prediction: Lions win 35-25

Week 18 Betting Odds (betMGM):

• OTT @ TOR: Take TOR -1
• SSK @ CGY: Take CGY -3.
• MTL @ WPG: Take MTL +3.5
• BC @ EDM: Take BC -2.5

This week every game could be a good one. There are playoff implications in some, and seeding battles in others. It should be a great week. Thanks for reading and don’t forget to check out the Squib Kick Radio podcast for more in depth football news.