Calgary and Hamilton went in opposite directions last week and both teams need a win on Friday to stay relevant in the playoff race.  The Stampeders took down provincial-rival Edmonton 32-16 in Week 6, while the Ti-Cats dropped a wild 17-16 decision to Toronto.

Hamilton opened as a 3.5-point favourite to win on the CFL odds, with a total of 41.5.

CFL Odds and Betting

The Stampeders have absolutely dominated Hamilton over the last decade.  Dating back to 2012, Calgary has won 15 of their last 16 regular season games against the Ti-Cats, including two of three meetings in 2019.  It’s been mainly defensive battles recently, as seven of the last 10 games between these teams have gone Under.

The Stamps have had no trouble playing the Tiger-Cats on the road, winning seven of their last eight trips to Hamilton.  Calgary’s been hit-or-miss against the spread this season, but they’ve covered better on the road, going 2-1 ATS as the visitors.  They’ve split the Over/Under equally on the season, but it’s worth noting that 12 of Calgary’s last 15 games in Hamilton have gone Under.

Hamilton has historically struggled against the Stamps, but it’s worth mentioning they’ve won their last five home games, although this is only their second home tilt of the year.  The Ti-Cats have been average at covering this season, going 2-2-1 ATS overall and covering in their only home game.  Points haven’t been easy to come by for Hamilton, with the total going Under in four of their five games in 2021.

Calgary Stampeders

Last week all the pre-game talk focused on Mitchell’s return from injury, but it was actually kicker Rene Paredes who was the hero.  Calgary’s second win of the season came down to Paredes’ perfect 6-for-6 field goal night.  Mitchell was the surprise starter at quarterback after missing the previous three games with a broken leg.  The two-time CFL Most Outstanding Player award winner looked sluggish though, finishing the game with 276 passing yards and one TD and INT each.  He’ll likely have a much better outing this week as he readjusts to game speed.  Stefan Banks had a huge night on defence, finishing the game with eight total tackles, including four sacks, and a fumble recovery.

Hamilton Tiger-Cats

It was a tough loss for Hamilton last week, with Michael Domagala’s tying convert attempt hitting the uprights with just over a minute left in the game.  The big news of the game was an undisclosed lower-body injury to quarterback Dane Evans, who was forced to leave in the fourth quarter.  Evans, who is expected to miss four to six weeks, finished the game 19-for-27 throwing, with 192 passing yards, a TD and an INT.  Through five games this year, Evans has thrown for 644 yards, five TDs and one INT.  There’s been no announcement on a starting quarterback for Friday yet, although David Watford and Jeremiah Masoli will both suit up.  Watford threw for 78 yards and was 6-for-10 passing in relief of Evans last week.

In other injury news, there’s been no update on reigning Most Outstanding Player, Brandon Banks.  The wide receiver missed last week’s game with a rib injury, although it doesn’t look like it will be a long-term issue, so Banks could still end up in the lineup on Friday.  Banks has had a slow start to the season, recording 18 receptions for 157 yards in four games.  Rookie Papi White replaced Banks in the lineup last week, finishing with 53 receiving yards and a TD.

CFL Prediction: Who Will Win Stampeders vs. Tiger-Cats?