Argonauts vs. RedBlacks CFL Week 20 Betting Odds, Picks: Toronto opens as double-digit road favourite
The penultimate week of the CFL regular season, Week 20, has arrived and it starts on Friday night with a rivalry game as playoff-bound Toronto visits the winless Ottawa Redblacks in their home finale.
The Argonauts are -10.5 on the CFL odds with a total of 63.5.
CFL Odds and Betting
Toronto (9-7) clinched a playoff spot a few games ago and will finish second in the East Division behind Montreal. Friday marks the regular-season road finale for the Argos, who are 5-6 away. They close at home to the Alouettes in Week 21.
Ottawa (0-16) is trying to avoid winless infamy, sits 0-8 at home and closes with a possibly winnable game at five-win Hamilton, which also will miss the playoffs from the East Division.
Including one playoff matchup, the Argos lead the all-time series 23-7 and look for the three-game season sweep. They were pushed to the limit at home, 26-23, in the most recent one on Sept. 12 but rolled at Ottawa back in June by a score of 44-24. Toronto QB Chad Kelly had quite that game in that one, throwing for 424 yards, four touchdowns and four picks.
His TDs went to four different receivers. Kevin Mital had the biggest game with eight catches for 178 yards but didn’t score. The game also marked the first CFL victory as a head coach for Toronto’s Mike Miller. Jake Maier threw for 281 yards, a TD and two picks in the losing effort.
Toronto is 5-1 ATS in its past six in Ottawa and the over is 4-1 in the past five there.
Toronto Argonauts
The Argos come out of their final bye week looking to avoid back-to-back losses after falling 24-17 at home to B.C. in Week 18 as a 4.5-point underdog. Normally when you hold a team without a touchdown, you win. But all the Lions’ points came on Sean Whyte field goals. And B.C. stopped Toronto quarterback Nick Arbuckle twice at the 1-yard line, including a clinching tackle on third down with 11 seconds remaining. The Argos hadn’t lost at home in the series since 2019.
Arbuckle made his first start of the season with Chad Kelly out injured and completed 27-of-33 passes for 292 yards and two TDs with two interceptions. David Ungerer was his favourite target with 12 catches for 124 yards and a touchdown. Kelly has been at practice this week, so it’s looking pretty good for him to return. He’s third in the league with 5,067 passing yards and 33 TD throws but also leads by far with 24 interceptions.
Ottawa RedBlacks
I projected the Redblacks to lose 37-27 at B.C. in Week 19, but the Lions rolled 41-20 to clinch a playoff spot. McLeod Bethel-Thompson was 25 for 35 passing for 253 yards with a touchdown and interception while being sacked five times for the losers. He was pulled late in the fourth quarter in favour of rookie Bryson Barnes, and he was sacked on consecutive plays on Ottawa’s final drive. You hear talk that Barnes will see more action in the final two weeks.
Canadian running back Daniel Adeboboye had a solid game with 94 yards from scrimmage and a touchdown. Justin Hardy moved into sixth all-time in receiving yards in team history, passing Greg Ellingson with 44 yards on two catches.
Tailback Greg Bell was put on the six-game injured list ahead of the game and is done for the year. Ottawa was held to just 294 net yards of offence and had four turnovers – interception, two fumbles and on downs — in a 22nd straight loss.
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