It’s the ‘Battle of the 2-7’s’ in the CFL, as the Elks travel to Hamilton, Ontario, to take on the Tiger-Cats on Saturday night. Both teams are at the bottom of their divisions, yet each team faces a different set of realities.
The Elks are only two games back of the Stampeders for the last playoff spot, and since the Stamps lost on Thursday, a win on Saturday would put the Elks right back in the mix for November CFL football. The Ti-Cats, on the other hand, benched the league leader in passing yards and their starting RB, which feels a lot like waving the white flag.
We made some money on the CFL Friday night. Let’s dive in and do it again.
Edmonton Elks vs. Hamilton Tiger-Cats Odds
Team |
Spread |
Total |
MoneyLine |
| Edmonton | -1 (-112) | Over 51.5 (-112) | -122 |
| Hamilton | +1 (-108) | Under 51.5 (-108) | +102 |
**Odds Subject to Change** |
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Edmonton Elks vs. Hamilton Tiger-Cats Match Details
- Fixture: Edmonton @ Hamilton
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Date and Time: August 17, 7:00 pm EST
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Location: Hamilton, Ontario
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Weather: Rain, 73 Degrees, Wind 12 MPH
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Field Type: Turf
Apex Tale of the Tape
| Edmonton | vs. | Hamilton |
| 2-7 | Record | 2-7 |
| 27.7 | Points Per Game | 26.0 |
| 105.0 | Rushing Yards Per Game | 72.6 |
| 270.2 | Passing Yards Per Game | 321.3 |
| 56.2 | Offensive Plays Per Game | 57.4 |
| 53.5% | 2nd Down Conversion | 46.3% |
| 29.2 | Points Allowed | 31.9 |
| 19 | Sacks | 18 |
| 8 | Interceptions | 4 |
| 100.0 | Rushing Yards Allowed | 97.1 |
| 296.1 | Passing Yards Allowed | 284.4 |
| +1 | Turnover Ratio | -8 |
| 29:29 | Time of Possession Per Game | 30:05 |
Key Stats
Edmonton Elks (2-7)
In the two games that Tre Ford has started, the Elks have looked like a completely different football team. Aside from actually winning games, their defense has played better, their running game has been a revelation, and overall, the team has carried itself with more swagger. Last week, when Ford left the game with a rib injury, nothing changed. McLeod Bethel-Thompson stepped in seamlessly, and the backs kept running over everybody.
MLB went 14-for-18 for 171 yards, a touchdown, and an interception, returning to the quarterback we saw at the beginning of the year. He now has 1,959 yards and 10 touchdowns on the season. The key for the Elks will be not to get pass happy and stick to what has been working for them the last two weeks. Thompson has eight interceptions on the season, all thrown when the Elks were averaging only 60 yards on the ground per game.
With Kevin Brown out, RB Javon Leake has been sensational. In the last two weeks, Leake has 266 yards and four touchdowns, helping boost the Elks average to 105. Justin Rankin has done his part, running for 137 yards of his own in that same stretch.
Defensively, this team gives up a ton of yards. They average 377.1 total yards allowed per game, which is last in the CFL. They are facing a green QB and RB duo this week, but the Elks cannot take their foot off the gas.
Hamilton Tiger-Cats (2-7)
Halfway through a very disappointing season, the Ti-Cats are switching things up on offense. QB Bo Levi Mitchell is out, and Taylor Powell is in. Veteran RB James Butler is out, and rookie Greg Bell is in. Mitchell has had a great year statistically, but the way the season has gone, Coach Milanovich seems to be tipping his hand that it’s time to see what they got in their young guns and prepare for next year. Butler has been battling injuries all year despite starting eight games. Milanovinch said on Friday that Butler was “banged up”, even though he was not listed in the CFL injury report.
Last week, Powell went 30-for-38, racking up 319 yards through the air, 52 yards on the ground, and two passing touchdowns. Bell has started one game in the CFL, running for 52 yards on 13 carries and catching seven passes for 40 yards. The rookie ran for 1,728 yards and 15 scores in his last two seasons at San Diego State University.
This defense is hard to trust and hard to pin down. It is in the middle of the CFL in yards allowed, as well as run and pass yards allowed. But it is dead last in points allowed, giving up 31.9 points per game.
Prediction
There’s a reason why the Elks switched to Tre Ford a couple of weeks ago. That being said, this team has found a new identity in the run game, and they would be foolish to turn from it now. Edmonton’s defense is a tough one to put our trust in and our money on, but if we have to choose between the Elks D and the Ti-Cats D, we’ll take the Elks. Take Edmonton on the money line. at -120, there’s no need to risk a push.
As mentioned earlier, Javon Leake has 266 yards and four touchdowns over his last two starts, including 97 yards and a score last week. Hamilton is fourth in the CFL in run yards allowed. However, they still give up 97.1. Take Leake over 65.5 rushing yards (-115). Hamilton has given up 27 touchdowns this season, and with four in the last two weeks, let’s take Leake to add to that total. Leake to score two or more TDs is +350. The Ti-Cats also give up the most points in the CFL, and 30-plus the last two weeks, as do the Elks. We’re taking over 51.5 (-108).
Final Pick
Edmonton Elks Moneyline (-120), Over 51.5 (-108)
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