Blue Bombers vs. Alouettes CFL Week 18 Odds, Prediction and Picks: Montreal Opens -6.5
The Montreal Alouettes can clinch first place in the CFL East and a bye to the East Final with a win on Saturday night, when they host the Winnipeg Blue Bombers in CFL Week 18 betting action at Percival Molson Stadium. The Alouettes enjoyed a bye last week after tallying a 37-25 victory in Hamilton in Week 16 and can lock up the divisional crown with a victory combined with a Toronto loss in the Argonauts’ date with BC on Saturday afternoon. Conversely, the Blue Bombers face some tough sledding in their bid to nail down a playoff spot after falling 30-28 to the Argos last week, leaving them deadlocked with Calgary for fourth place in the CFL West and the right to claim a crossover postseason berth.
The Alouettes return to action as 6.5-point home favourites on the CFL Week 18 odds. The Blue Bombers trail as +240 CFL moneyline underdogs and the total is listed at 58.5.
CFL Week 18 Odds and Betting
The Blue Bombers manhandled the Alouettes in their only previous meeting this season, rolling to a 44-28 home victory, and have now topped the Als in seven of nine matchups including victories in three of their past five trips to Montreal. Their two most recent head-to-head dates have been high scoring, with the total topping 70 in each, ending a 3-1 run for the UNDER in totals betting.
Overall, the Alouettes have been dominant at home this season, going 7-0 SU while scoring 39 points per game. Not surprisingly, the Als lead the CFL with 35.6 points scored per game this season. However, the squad has also surrendered big point totals at home, with opponents scoring 30+ points five times this season, and has seen the OVER pay out in six straight contests. The Bombers have struggled to find consistency since winning three straight to start July, going just 3-5 SU in their past eight overall including losses in two road games over that stretch. However, Winnipeg has paid out in three of four as a betting dog and has seen its past three defeats come by a combined margin of just 11 points.
Winnipeg Blue Bombers
Despite expressions of optimism from the team, the Bombers will once again be without veteran quarterback Zach Collaros on Saturday while he recovers from an unspecified head injury, opening the door for Dru Brown to make a second straight start. Brown has been uneven but generally serviceable while replacing Collaros. He went 2-2 in four starts earlier this season, completing 70.2 per cent of his passes for 1,148 yards, five touchdowns and five interceptions. Last week against Toronto, Brown added 193 yards and two TDs but also threw two interceptions. Dorian Singer emerged as Brown’s favourite target, pulling in six of nine targets for 113 yards and one TD. Brady Oliveira remains the team’s offensive anchor, compiling 100+ rushing yards in four of the past five games, but scoring just once over that stretch.
Montreal Alouettes
Davis Alexander has emerged as a legit candidate for Most Outstanding Player honours while leading Montreal to an 11-3 record,e passing for 4,414 yards and 29 touchdowns. Indeed, his efficiency has been exceptional, completing 71.4 per cent of his passes while throwing just three interceptions for a league-best 120.6 passer rating. Alexander has also produced 31 completions of 30-plus yards, combining big-play aggression with remarkably few costly mistakes. Der is coming off a 218-yard, two-TD performance two weeks ago versus Hamilton, and still managed to find the end zone four times in the squad’s loss in Winnipeg earlier this season. Tyson Philpot has enjoyed the benefits of being Alexander’s favourite target, and leads the CFL with 108 receptions and 1,528 receiving yards while scoring 12 total touchdowns including at least one scoring catch in five of his past six games.
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