Alouettes vs. Argonauts CFL Week 21 Odds, Prediction and Picks: Playoff-Bound Rivals Close Regular Season
The final week of the CFL regular season is upon us, and Week 21 kicks off Friday night with a matchup between the top two teams from the East Division as Montreal visits Toronto. The Argonauts are -1.5 on the CFL odds with a total of 54.5 points.
CFL Week 21 Odds and Betting
This result will not affect the East Division standings as Montreal (13-4) is the champion and tied with Edmonton for the best overall record in the CFL, while Toronto (9-8) is locked into second. The Alouettes are +160 favourites to win the Grey Cup, and quarterback Davis Alexander the massive -700 favourite for regular-season CFL MOP.
It’s hard to know why either team would play starters much if at all here with the Alouettes looking at a few weeks off ahead of hosting the East Final. Toronto will host an East Semi-Final on Halloween against an opponent TBA. Certainly, any injured players on either side should sit this out.
Montreal tries for the season sweep and fifth straight win in the series overall. In Week 2, the Alouettes were 6.5-point home favourites when they beat the Argos 37-30. Alexander was dynamic in completing 30 of his 42 pass attempts for 441 yards and two touchdowns. Both scores went to Tyson Philpot, who had 193 receiving yards. Chad Kelly threw for 445 yards, three scores and an INT in the loss.
Toronto’s last win in the series was in Montreal, 30-28, in the 2024 East Final.
Montreal Alouettes
Montreal was +6.5 with little to play for last week at Saskatchewan and lost 16-12 to see a three-game winning streak end. The Als gave up the winning 17-yard touchdown pass in the final seconds. Quarterback Davis Alexander, top wideouts Tyson Philpot and Tyler Snead and running back Stevie Scott III were among those held out. No reason why that wouldn’t be the case again here and coach Jason Maas has said as much. Dustin Crum started under at QB against the Roughriders and was 20-of-26 for 185 yards and a touchdown. Rookie tailback Shomari Lawrence was a featured part of the offence and rushed 16 times for 109 yards. Expect plenty more of him Friday. Kicker Maltos Diaz and defensive back Faion Hicks both left Week 20 injured. Anyone remotely injured won’t be playing.
Toronto Argonauts
Toronto was -11.5 last week at home against rival Ottawa and shocked 40-39 as the Redblacks avoided winless infamy and snapped their 22-game losing streak. Toronto led 39-33 in the final seconds but couldn’t stop Ottawa rookie QB Bryson Barnes. Argos QB Chad Kelly returned from a one-game injury absence but left in the first quarter and didn’t return. Backup Nick Arbuckle finished the game 27-for-35 for 315 yards, two TDs and one interception. Coach Mike Miller hasn’t said whether Kelly would play this week with what was only being called a lower-body injury, but that would make no sense. Pretty much all starters are expected to sit. “We attack it like we always do,” Miller said. “It’s a game we’re preparing to win.”
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