The defending Grey Cup champions and undefeated Montreal Alouettes return to the scene of the crime on Friday night. They’ll step on to BMO Field’s pitch for the first since last season’s shock victory over the Toronto Argonauts in the East Final. Interestingly, this will be the Argos’ third consecutive home match to start the 2024 season. In Week 3, they narrowly downed the Edmonton Elks 39-36, whereas the Als raised a championship banner by pounding the Ottawa Redblacks 47-21.

The CFL odds believe Montreal will continue its strong start to the season, with the Alouettes currently pegged as -3 favourites.

CFL Odds and Betting

The irony surrounding the 2023 East Final, conquered by the Alouettes 38-17, is that it was Montreal’s first win against Toronto in five tries. Before that they hadn’t won against the Argonauts since October 2022. Discounting last year’s playoff match, Toronto has won six of the past seven meetings. The Argos have also not lost a regular season game at home since 2022.

As for early season performances versus the spread, the Alouettes have gotten off to a passable start. They’re 2-1 thus far. Jason Maas’s group easily covered in Weeks 1 and 3, but could only defeat the Elks by three points in Week 2 – they were a -4.

Funnily enough, Toronto is only 1-1 ATS because they too could beat Edmonton by no more than three points – they were -5.5.

The injury bug has not bitten Montreal very much through three weeks of action. WR Regis Cibasu (hand) did not participate in Tuesday’s practice and LB Alexandre Gagne (neck) was limited. For Toronto, WR Dejob Brissett (knee) and OL Darius Ciraco (hip) did not practice on Tuesday. RB Ka’Deem Carey and DL Jared Brinkman (shoulder) were limited.

Montreal Alouettes

What a way to raise a title banner. A new season, a home opener, a sweltering June night, and an opponent the hosts could easily feast on.

Notwithstanding pre-season bouts, the Alouettes had played their last four games on the road, including the Grey Cup. As such, Week 3’s contest versus an Ottawa Redblacks squad still searching for an identity was a cathartic party. That Ottawa outscored the hosts 11-0 in the third quarter didn’t matter because as the sides retired for the halftime break, it was 30-1 for the Als. Montreal had more first downs (26 to 16), total yards (490 to 348), passing yards (394 to 292), and rushing yards (96 to 56). The defence also forced four Ottawa turnovers.

QB Cody Fajardo went 28-35 for 392 yards and a trio of majors. Tyson Philpot (150 yards, one TD) and Kaion Julien Grant (116 yards) had huge nights, and LB Tyrice Beverette put his stamp on the show with a sack and an INT. Simply put, this was a masterclass. Make the final 47-21 for the Alouettes.

Alouette, je te plumerai. It’s the Als doing the plucking these days.

Toronto Argonauts

Expectations will always be high when a club comes off a 16-2 regular season, despite the face-palm-inducing situation at quarterback. Through two games  – Toronto had a bye in Week 2 – the Argonauts have looked rather good, if perhaps not as dominant as in 2023.

Week 3 saw them host the rebuilding Edmonton Elks. The latter gave the Alouettes fits the week before, and they came to play in Toronto. The sides went blow for blow on Saturday night and were it not for an especially strong quarter for Toronto (they won it 14-1), who knows what the game’s outcome might have been. The Argos will want to watch the tape to spruce up a secondary play that coughed up 342 yards to the visitors through the air.

Having a healthy Carey carrying the rock can make a big difference, as the back rumbled his way to 104 yards and a TD. RB Deonta McMahon and QB Cameron Dukes scored on the ground as well. A last-play field goal was required to earn the win, but win the Argos did, 39-36.

Who Will Win Alouettes vs. Argonauts?