After downing the Argos 32-19 in Hamilton on Labour Day, the Tiger-Cats will head to Toronto for the rematch on Friday night.  Both teams have 2-2 records heading into this Week 6 clash and the winner will sit alone at the top of the East Division standings.

Hamilton is a 4-point favourite to win on the CFL odds, with a total of 45.5.

CFL Odds and Betting

The Tiger-Cats have dominated Toronto over the last few seasons.  Hamilton has won seven straight games against the Argonauts, dating back to September 2018.  It’s been a high scoring series, as all but one of those games went Over the total.  Hamilton leads the all-time Labour Day series with Toronto, 36-13-1.

Hamilton has covered twice this season, going 1-0 against the spread at home and 1-2 ATS on the road.  Monday was the first time they’ve hit the Over this season.  Their -1.25 point differential is deceiving, due to only scoring a combined 14 points in their first two games of the season.  The offence looks like it’s clicking for Hamilton now, as they scored 27 and 30 points respectively in their last two games.

The Argonauts are also 2-2 ATS this season, covering once at home and once on the road.  They’ve hit the Over twice and have a -4.00 point differential.

Hamilton Tiger-Cats

In the Tiger-Cats first home game since Nov. 18, 2019 (659 days), quarterback Dane Evans lit up the field on Monday, throwing for 248 yards and two touchdowns in the win.  It was Hamilton’s second straight win this season and it improved their record to 7-0 at Tim Horton’s Field on Labour Day.  Evans will undoubtedly get the start again on Friday as Jeremiah Masoli is dealing with an undisclosed injury.  Even if Masoli is healthy, Evans has outplayed him this season.  In three games for Evans and two games for Masoli, both quarterbacks’ completion percentage is essentially the same.  The big difference is Evans has thrown four touchdown passes with no interceptions, while Masoli has thrown four INTs and only one TD.

Cornerback Frankie Williams broke Monday’s game wide open with a 67-yard punt return touchdown early in the third quarter.  Williams, who was the CFL’s top special teams player in 2019, also recorded five tackles.  Tim White was the game’s top receiver, finishing with 93 yards and a touchdown.  Brandon Banks, the CFL’s 2019 MOP award winner, finished with 45 receiving yards on three catches.  Banks has struggled early this season, failing to record a touchdown in four games.

Toronto Argonauts

Toronto made the game interesting on Monday, but quarterback Nick Arbuckle and company couldn’t get it done.  Penalty trouble was a big issue for the Argonauts.  They took nine penalties for 93 yards, including four for unnecessary roughness in the first half alone.  Arbuckle struggled and finished 18-of-32 passing for 207 yards and one touchdown, but after throwing two interceptions, he was replaced by McLeod Bethel-Thompson.  Bethel-Thompson finished 8-of-12 passing for 111 yards and one touchdown.

Receiver Eric Rogers made the most of limited opportunities.  Rogers only had two receptions for 20 total yards, but he ran in for the touchdown on both catches.  Kurleigh Gittens Jr. led Toronto receivers with 88 yards on six catches.  The Argos couldn’t get much going on the run-game, so look for that to factor into Friday’s outcome.  On Monday they finished with just 51 rushing yards, led by John White.  White had 32 rushing yards on nine carries.

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