The Ti-Cats have struggled defensively during an 0-3 start in which they have surrendered 33.7 points per game, capped by last weekend’s 26-20 loss in Saskatchewan that extends this team’s overall losing streak to six games since October of last year. The RedBlacks return home reeling from last week’s 47-21 defeat in Montreal and also face the daunting task of snapping a 10-game losing streak against Hamilton that includes five straight up and against the spread losses on home turf.

Hamilton’s slow start has helped lift the RedBlacks to 1.5-point favourites on the CFL Week 4 odds. The Tiger-Cats are listed as a -105 bet on the CFL moneyline and the total for Sunday’s matchup is pegged at 51.5.

CFL Week 4 Odds and Betting

While the Ti-Cats have owned Ottawa in recent years, their recent run of head-to-head wins have come by slim margins, with their six most recent victories coming by an average of just 4.5 points. Recent dates between these CFL East rivals have also been relatively low scoring. The total has failed to reach 40 in three of their past four meetings, extending a steady run for the UNDER, which has gone 7-3 during Hamilton’s win streak. However, neither of these squads have done much to establish themselves as defensive forces. While Hamilton has allowed 30 or more points four times during their six-game slide, the RedBlacks have been lit up for at least 40 points twice during a 1-5 overall run in which they have surrendered over 30 points per game. In addition, the RedBlacks have done little to inspire sports bettor confidence while losing outright in seven of their eight while pegged as home chalk.

Hamilton Tiger-Cats

The Ti-Cats put up little resistance in last week’s date with Saskatchewan, spotting the Roughriders a 17-0 first-quarter lead and scoring 13 of their 20 points during fourth-quarter garbage time. Overall, the Tiger-Cats have scored just three total points in first-quarter action through the first three weeks of the season and have held a lead for a grand total of just 23 minutes during their 0-3 start. Bo Levi Mitchell has struggled wildly in his return under centre after missing most of last season due to injury. Mitchell connected on 29 of 45 pass attempts for 295 yards and a pair of scores last weekend in Regina, but he also tossed three interceptions including a pick-six late in the third quarter that put the game out of reach. The Ti-Cats have not produced much of a ground game during their just concluded home-and-home series with the Riders, generating just 59 total rushing yards in those contests.  

Ottawa RedBlacks

With a 10-day layoff between games, the RedBlacks have had ample opportunity to recover from the beating they took from the Alouettes, and while this team should have little difficulty getting pumped about this weekend’s opportunity to face the slumping Ti-Cats, they still have issues to address on both sides of the ball. With Jeremiah Masoli still recovering from the Achilles injury that ended his campaign last year, Dru Brown has been leading the offence with uninspiring results. After connecting on just 21 of 35 pass attempts in a dismal performance against Montreal, Brown now ranks dead last among CFL starters with a 60.3% completion percentage. Indeed, this team failed to build on the fourth-quarter rally that produced a 23-19 upset win over Winnipeg to start the season, spotting the Als a massive 30-1 halftime lead while the defense put up no fight while allowing three touchdowns in the final frame. The ground game provided no relief, producing just 56 rushing yards and two fumbles. However, Ryquell Armstead enjoyed a strong season debut at home versus the Bombers, rushing for 95 yards on 16 carries and has emerged as a short -175 bet on the CFL player props to score anytime on Sunday.

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