How to bet Hamilton Tiger-Cats vs. Toronto Argonauts

The Week 2 slate in the CFL closes out with a Sunday night clash between the Hamilton Tiger-Cats and Toronto Argonauts at BMO Field, with the road team currently listed as a [metabet_core_dynamic_odds market=”spread-away” query=”531012″ site_id=”3downnation”] point favourite.

The Ticats were unimpressive from an offensive perspective against the Blue Bombers in Week 1, totalling a mere 239 yards of offence and failing to find any rhythm. The defence did not fair much better, allowing Zach Collaros to rip them apart through the air to the tune of 354 yards and three scores, many of which came in the first half.

The Ticats did score on defence courtesy of a Chris Edwards fumble return and on special teams thanks to a blocked punt by Carthell Flowers-Lloyd, but it was not enough to cover the 5.5-point spread.

The Argos were idle last week, spending their time receiving their championship rings during a private dinner in Toronto last Thursday and watching as the other teams in their division failed to inspire any confidence.

Last year was also a banner year for the Argos when it came to beating the Ticats, as the Boatmen defeated the Black and Gold in three of four meetings, all of them by at least 14 points. The Argonauts were especially lethal at home, beating the Tabbies in both meetings at BMO Field by 14 and 17 points, respectively.

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The Argos faced some changes this offseason that makes repeating that feat somewhat questionable. Last year’s leading passer McLeod Bethel-Thompson is gone, replaced by the inexperienced Chad Kelly.

Kelly’s CFL résumé is a short one, with just one career start to his name after spending the vast majority of his first year in the league as the Argos’ No. 2 pivot. The University of Mississippi product did play reasonably well in his first professional start north of the border, completing 65.7 percent of his passes for 264 yards, two touchdowns and one interception. The 29-year-old also rushed for 35 yards on six carries and found the end zone once on the ground.

He has also garnered a ton of hype in the offseason after his brief, but successful, appearance in last season’s Grey Cup. The nephew of NFL legend Jim Kelly, who spent 11 years as the starting quarterback with the Buffalo Bills and helped guide the team to an NFL-record four consecutive Super Bowl appearances, came into the game with a little over 11 minutes left and proceeded to guide the Argos on a game-winning touchdown drive, helping secure the franchise its record 18th Grey Cup title.

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The Ticats have not been a great road team, both straight up and against the spread. The Tabbies have won just two of their last 10 road contests and have failed to cover in six of their last eight road games.

The Argos, meanwhile, have outright won five of their last six games dating back to last season and covered the spread against Hamilton in three of the four games played last year.

The line for this game has been all over the place, starting with the Argos as slim 1.5-point favourites, but it has now flipped in favour of the Ticats.

Hamilton will enter this game a tad banged up, as they will be without starting right tackle Tyrone Riley as well as reliable sixth offensive lineman Kyle Saxelid. Receiver Tim White, who left Hamilton’s Week 1 game early, will suit up in this one.

With a spread this close, you are basically making a pick on who you expect to win the game outright. For me, that is the Tiger-Cats.

There will be no home-field advantage for the Argos, as plenty of Ticats fans will make the trip an hour down the QEW to take in the game live. Hamilton will also be eager to wash the bad taste out of their mouths from last week’s loss, as well as last season’s domination at the hands of the Argos.

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One thing going in Hamilton’s favour is their new starting quarterback. Bo Levi Mitchell has owned the Argos in his career, losing just once in 13 regular-season contests.

In his 14 games against the Double Blue, Mitchell has averaged 277.6 pass yards per game while also throwing 29 touchdowns to just nine interceptions. The 33-year-old’s teams have also won the 12 games against Toronto by an average of almost 16 points.

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Mitchell having a bounce-back performance against a team he has historically conquered, along with the Argos showing a little rust after coming off a first-week bye means that I am riding with the road team to get the job done.

My pick: Hamilton -2 (-110)