Alouettes vs. Elks Prediction: CFL Week 17 Point Spread, Odds
The Elks enjoyed a bye last week after eking out a narrow 26-24 win in Saskatchewan that improved their road record to a respectable 4-4-0, but have been vastly outplayed while falling to defeat in six home games to date this season. The Alouettes head west after topping Hamilton 23-16 last week, and have now claimed victory in four of their past five outings.
The Alouettes’ recent surge has failed to give them a lift on the CFL Week 17 odds, where they have faded to 3.5-point favourites since opening at -4, supported by just 42% of sports bettors. The total has also dipped to 54 since opening at 54.5, with a majority of the betting action backing the OVER.
CFL Odds and Betting
Saturday afternoon’s matchup at The Brick Field at Commonwealth Stadium marks the second and final regular season meeting between these teams. The Elks escaped with a narrow 32-31 win as 9-point underdogs when they visited Montreal in Week 6, and have now claimed victory in 13 of 15 head-to-head clashes since October 2013. That run includes a six-game win streak on home turf, which was snapped by the Als’ decisive 30-13 win when they visited Edmonton last season. With the exception of their first meeting of this season, recent dates involving these teams have tended top be one-sided affairs, with 11 of their past 15 getting decided by at least a touchdown. And with the total topping 50 in seven of their past 10 tilts, the OVER enjoys a 7-3-0 run over that stretch.
The Alouettes have emerged as a reliable bet this season. The team has covered in each of their wins during their current 4-1-0 run, and sports a respectable 8-5-0 against the spread record so far this season. Montreal has won and covered in two of the three previous games this season in which it was favoured. However, UNDER bettors have cashed tickets in three of the Alouettes’ past four outright victories.
The Elks’ epic home slide has been hard to witch. Edmonton has been limited to 18 or fewer points nine times, and has fallen to defeat by an average margin of 14.7 during its 14-game freefall. Overall, the total has topped 50 just seven times over that stretch, generating an uneven 7-7-0 OVER/UNDER run.
Montreal Alouettes
The Alouettes strengthened their hold on second place in the East Division standings with last week’s 23-16 victory over the third-place Tiger-Cats. In addition to marking their second time they have staged a comeback against Hamilton during their just completed home stand, last week’s also featured another steady defensive performance. Over Montreal has surrendered just 26 total points over their past two outings, and have been particularly stingy in first-quarter action, allowing an average of just 6.3 points over their past four outings.
On offence, Trevor Harris is settling into his role as the team’s undisputed starting quarterback. Harris has connected on eight scoring passes, and avoided getting intercepted last week for the first time in three games. Harris has also developed chemistry with receiver Eugene Lewis, who made two touchdown catches last week, and scored in four straight contests.
Edmonton Elks
The Elks were forced to twice overcome deficits last time out, and needed a 47-yard field goal in the dying seconds to eke out a 26-24 win over the Roughriders. The Elks spotted the Riders an early seven-point lead which they erased by halftime, and led 23-14 in the fourth quarter. However, Edmonton’s inability to eat up the clock provided Saskatchewan with ample opportunity to briefly reclaim the lead before the Elks recorded the game-winning field goal.
Quarterback Taylor Cornelius tossed for two scores, and has now connected for five touchdowns over the past four games. However, he completed just 13 of 24 pass attempts, extending concerns about his accuracy and the quality of his targets. Another big performance from Kenny Lawler would help. The Elks receiver is tallied 146 yards on just three catches last time out, but has found the end zone just once in five appearances versus Montreal.
MTL
EDM