CFL 2022 Playoff Odds: Divisional Semi-Finals Features Even Matchups
CFL Playoff Football Rules Sunday Afternoon
Montreal and Calgary Favored in Semis
We have playoff football this Sunday! CFL playoffs football that is as the 2022 CFL Divisional Semi-Finals takes place with two tightly-lined matchups. The CFL 2022 playoff odds slightly favor the Montreal Alouettes over the Hamilton Tiger-Cats in the East and the Calgary Stampeders over the British Columbia (BC) Lions to the West. Montreal and BC won their respective -regular season series 2-1. But a lot has changed since these teams last met…
Hamilton Tiger-Cats vs Montreal Alouettes
Records: Tiger-Cats (8-10), Alouettes (9-9)
Location: Percival Molson Memorial Stadium, Montreal, Quebec
Streaming: Live Stream Sports
Tiger-Cats Have Momentum Heading to Montreal
The Tiger-Cats looked lost at one point in the season with a 3-9 record. But with five wins in their last six, including two against Winnipeg and Calgary, Hamilton is one of the hottest teams heading to the postseason. The team is finally getting healthy and will be a dangerous underdog as they look to return to the Grey Cup for the third straight season.
But that one loss in their last six did come at the place they are going to now: Montreal. The Alouettes outlasted the Tiger-Cats by committing fewer turnovers and penalties. Receiver Eugene Lewis has also been a Tiger-Cat slayer as he has 22 receptions for 305 yards and three scores in three games against them.
Montreal is also looking for revenge as they were the visitors in last season’s Semi-Final loss to Hamilton. The Alouettes are 5-2 in their last seven games but just 2-2 at home (4-5 for the season). This franchise does own a 26-10 all-time home playoff record, which may have contributed to its CFL 2022 playoff odds.
And last but potentially most important are the two men under the center. Dane Evans has battled all season for Hamilton as he finished with 16 touchdowns and interceptions and a 90.2 passer rating, which is the third-lowest among quarterbacks to appear in at least 12 games. Trevor Harris has a 102.9 rating with 20 touchdowns (12 picks) and 4,157 passing yards – all of them rank third.
This will also be Evans’s first time leading the “Tabbies” in the playoffs as the sole starter of the team. If he can be more like the healthier late-season version of himself, Hamilton may just overcome the CFL odds.
Calgary Stampeders vs BC Lions
Records: Stampeders (12-6), Lions (12-6)
Location: BC Place Stadium, Vancouver, British Columbia
The Second-Best in the West
For the duration of the 2022 CFL season, Calgary and British Columbia have battled to be the next-best team in the CFL. The two combined to go 1-5 against Winnipeg with BC’s lone win coming against the Bombers’ backups in Week 19. Statistically, Calgary and BC are also the top three teams in the CFL standings for 2022.
They are in the top three in most major offensive and defensive categories such as scoring, second-down conversion rate, and turnover differential. In fact, their stats are close to each other. Calgary averages 30.9 points against BC’s 29.2 while the Lions average 386.5 total yards per game versus Calgary’s 372.5. Defensively, it’s near identical as well. BC allows 22.5 points while Calgary concedes 22.8.
It makes sense then that two of their three meetings were decided by two points or fewer. Also, the road team won all three games. Speaking of, Calgary is 7-2 and 8-1 against the spread (ATS) as the visitor this season. That explains why the CFL 2022 playoff odds favor them in this matchup.
One Caveat: This will be the first time that Jake Maier and Nathan Rourke face each other. Calgary is 7-3 since Maier took over for Bo Levi Mitchell. He has the second-best passer rating (106.6) and the best completion rate (74.7 percent) in 12 games. Rourke, on the other hand, was lighting up the league before he got hurt.
The Lions were 8-1 and Rourke was putting up Most Outstanding Player-type of stats. He still finished with 3,349 passing yards, 25 touchdowns, and a 78.7 completion rate. His completion rate and passer rating (123.6) would have led the league and his 25 TDs are still the second-most. When he’s slinging the rock, the Lions could be the Grey Cup favorites.
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