Week 5 of the 2023 CFL season is here with a full compliment of games following last week’s truncated slate. The Edmonton Elks and Hamilton Tiger-Cats are still looking for their first wins of the season, while the Toronto Argonauts, the league’s only remaining undefeated team, are on a bye.
Santino Filoso has taken the lead in our picks standings with a record of 12-3 straight-up and against the spread, though JC Abbott and Peter Klein remain firmly on his tail.
If you think you have the chops to match our experts, try 3DownNation’s new Pick’em game. It’s free to play with a $50 Amazon gift card up for grabs each game. All residents of Canada and the U.S. are eligible to participate, excluding Quebec.
Thursday, July 6: Edmonton Elks at Saskatchewan Roughriders — 9:00 p.m. EDT
The Elks have lost three games by an average of almost 20 points each since narrowly losing their season-opening game against the visiting Riders on a late goal-line stand. Edmonton has gone back to Taylor Cornelius as their starting quarterback, while the Riders will be without receiver Jake Wieneke and centre Peter Godber due to injury. Saskatchewan won the three-game season series between the two teams last year, though Edmonton won the lone meeting at Mosaic Stadium in Regina.
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DUNK: Edmonton has made me look stupid so far this year, but I think they can keep it close in Riderville.
Straight-up: RIDERS. Against the spread: ELKS.
HODGE: Edmonton is backed into a corner and Chris Jones surely wants to stick it to his former team. The Elks won’t win but should keep it close.
Straight-up: RIDERS. Against the spread: ELKS.
ABBOTT: The Riders are banged up in the trenches but their backups are still better than the offensive line Edmonton is fielding.
Straight-up: RIDERS. Against the spread: RIDERS.
BALLANTINE: The Riders haven’t shown themselves to be very good yet, but with Cornelius at the helm, a trio of field goals may be enough to cover this spread.
Straight-up: RIDERS. Against the spread: RIDERS.
FILOSO: Not only has Edmonton shown zero reasons to trust them, they don’t even seem to have a plan.
Straight-up: RIDERS. Against the spread: RIDERS.
GASSON: This feels like a game in which the Riders could stumble but coming off a bye week will help them pull it off.
Straight-up: RIDERS. Against the spread: RIDERS.
GRANT: Saskatchewan is a much better team, but not good enough to give up that many points.
Straight-up: RIDERS. Against the spread: ELKS.
HOSKINS: The Elks haven’t shown they can score yet and the Riders are coming off a bye. This one shouldn’t be close.
Straight-up: RIDERS. Against the spread: RIDERS.
KLEIN: This is a lot of points for Saskatchewan but the Elks certainly haven’t shown anything to make me think they can keep this close.
Straight-up: RIDERS. Against the spread: RIDERS.
MCGUIRE: Edmonton is on the road, so they’ve got a shot. Cornelius should want this one more than anyone else but I’m still picking Saskatchewan in a nail-biter.
Straight-up: RIDERS. Against the spread: ELKS.
SMITH: The Elks have lost their last three games by 22, 12 and 19. They kept the first one against Saskatchewan close but I just don’t trust them right now.
Straight-up: RIDERS. Against the spread: RIDERS.
TOTALS STRAIGHT-UP: Saskatchewan 11, Edmonton 0
TOTALS AGAINST THE SPREAD: Saskatchewan 7, Edmonton 4
Friday, July 7: Calgary Stampeders at Winnipeg Blue Bombers — 8:30 p.m. EDT
The Stampeders were on a bye last week and are looking to avoid dropping the seventh straight game at IG Field, a losing streak that dates back to 2017. Marken Michel is back with the team following a four-year stint in the NFL, while Reggie Begelton is questionable due to a rib injury. The Blue Bombers bounced back from their Week 3 home loss to the B.C. Lions by defeating the Montreal Alouettes by two touchdowns at a rain-soaked Percival Molson Stadium.
DUNK: Something, something, Dave Dickenson off a bye, something, something.
Straight-up: BOMBERS. Against the spread: STAMPS.
HODGE: Winnipeg is the better team but this spread seems too generous given how closely these teams have played in recent years.
Straight-up: BOMBERS. Against the spread: STAMPS.
ABBOTT: The Stampeders will have plenty of weapons back after a bye. Expect a close one, even if they won’t win.
Straight-up: BOMBERS. Against the spread: STAMPS.
BALLANTINE: The Stamps are struggling, though the return of Reggie Begelton and Marken Michel should keep them within striking distance.
Straight-up: BOMBERS. Against the spread: STAMPS.
FILOSO: Calgary is the second worst team in the province and division.
Straight-up: BOMBERS. Against the spread: BOMBERS.
GASSON: Winnipeg is Winnipeg and I just can’t get behind Calgary’s offence.
Straight-up: BOMBERS. Against the spread: BOMBERS.
GRANT: Winnipeg went into Dark Bomber mode following their loss to the Lions. Calgary usually looks good off a bye, but not against this antihero.
Straight-up: BOMBERS. Against the spread: BOMBERS.
HOSKINS: The Bombers will reassert themselves at home with a win but Calgary’s usually good coming off a bye.
Straight-up: BOMBERS. Against the spread: STAMPS.
KLEIN: Calgary used to be money coming off a bye but I don’t think their talent stacks up with the Bombers well at all.
Straight-up: BOMBERS. Against the spread: BOMBERS.
MCGUIRE: These two teams have had the best games since the pandemic. Calgary will make it close but I can’t see them pulling off an upset on the road here.
Straight-up: BOMBERS. Against the spread: STAMPS.
SMITH: Winnipeg will win this game but they never blow out Calgary.
Straight-up: BOMBERS. Against the spread: STAMPS.
TOTALS STRAIGHT-UP: Winnipeg 11, Calgary 0
TOTALS AGAINST THE SPREAD: Calgary 7, Winnipeg 4
Saturday, July 8: Ottawa Redblacks at Hamilton Tiger-Cats — 7:00 p.m. EDT
Jeremiah Masoli is finally back after missing a full year with a leg injury he sustained last summer. This game will not only represent his first game in 12 months but also serve as his much-anticipated return to Steeltown, where he played for almost a decade before departing for Ottawa following the 2021 season. Meanwhile, the Ticats are desperate for a win after losing their first three games by an average margin of 18 points.
DUNK: Redblacks roll it up with Soli back.
Straight-up: REDBLACKS. Against the spread: REDBLACKS.
HODGE: Hamilton shouldn’t be getting points against anyone right now, much less in this one as Jeremiah Masoli makes his return.
Straight-up: REDBLACKS. Against the spread: REDBLACKS.
ABBOTT: Is Vegas watching the same Ticats team the rest of us are? Run, don’t walk to pick the Redblacks.
Straight-up: REDBLACKS. Against the spread: REDBLACKS.
BALLANTINE: Jeremiah Masoli coming back makes this game watchable. Without the spectacle of his return, this was looking like a dog.
Straight-up: REDBLACKS. Against the spread: REDBLACKS.
FILOSO: Ottawa’s defence and special teams will be solid and the return of Jeremiah Masoli should spark the offence.
Straight-up: REDBLACKS. Against the spread: REDBLACKS.
GASSON: Masoli will have some rust to knock off, while Hamilton is coming off a bye. It’s now or never.
Straight-up: TICATS. Against the spread: TICATS.
GRANT: The Redblacks should get a boost with the return of their franchise quarterback and that could be the difference.
Straight-up: REDBLACKS. Against the spread: REDBLACKS.
HOSKINS: Ottawa’s defence plays a big role in this one as Masoli makes his return against his former squad.
Straight-up: REDBLACKS. Against the spread: REDBLACKS.
KLEIN: My initial thought was Hamilton but Masoli could be the spark Ottawa needs to get the win.
Straight-up: REDBLACKS. Against the spread: REDBLACKS.
MCGUIRE: I’m not sure what the Ticats have done to earn being a favourite here.
Straight-up: REDBLACKS. Against the spread: REDBLACKS.
SMITH: Hamilton is playing a bad team coming off a bye. If they can’t win this one semi-convincingly, it’s time to write the season off.
Straight-up: TICATS. Against the spread: TICATS.
TOTALS STRAIGHT-UP: Ottawa 9, Hamilton 2
TOTALS AGAINST THE SPREAD: Ottawa 9, Hamilton 2
Sunday, July 9: Montreal Alouettes at B.C. Lions — 7:00 p.m. EDT
These two teams got a heavy dose of reality in Week 4 as they suffered their first losses of the season in one-sided fashion. Cody Fajardo and the Alouettes managed only three points on a rain-soaked field against the Winnipeg Blue Bombers, while Vernon Adams Jr. threw six interceptions against the Toronto Argonauts at BMO Field. The Alouettes haven’t won in Vancouver since 2015.
DUNK: It’s a difficult trip going all the way west for Montreal, although this Als team has some good vibes going.
Straight-up: LIONS. Against the spread: ALS.
HODGE: B.C. wants to prove that last week was a fluke, while Montreal will be jet-lagged. This one shouldn’t be close.
Straight-up: LIONS. Against the spread: LIONS.
ABBOTT: This game will tell us if VA really has matured. I’m betting on him flushing last week.
Straight-up: LIONS. Against the spread: LIONS.
BALLANTINE: Like the Bombers after their big loss, look for the Lions to make a statement against the same Alouettes.
Straight-up: LIONS. Against the spread: LIONS.
FILOSO: Vernon Adams Jr. can’t be that bad two weeks in a row, can he?
Straight-up: LIONS. Against the spread: LIONS.
GASSON: B.C. won’t stumble twice, especially with the Als traveling such a long distance.
Straight-up: LIONS. Against the spread: LIONS.
GRANT: B.C. will come out on fire after last week’s loss and Adams will play well but Montreal should keep it close.
Straight-up: LIONS. Against the spread: ALS.
HOSKINS: B.C. bounces back after an off week. Jumping three time zones is always hard for Montreal.
Straight-up: LIONS. Against the spread: LIONS.
KLEIN: Last week went about as badly as you could expect for B.C. I think they bounce back against a Montreal team that’s falling back to earth.
Straight-up: LIONS. Against the spread: LIONS.
MCGUIRE: Is this even a serious question?
Straight-up: LIONS. Against the spread: LIONS.
SMITH: Cody Fajardo has been sacked 15 times so far this year and now gets to face the league’s sack master Mathieu Betts. Gulp. This could be ugly.
Straight-up: LIONS. Against the spread: LIONS.
TOTALS STRAIGHT-UP: B.C. 11, Montreal 0
TOTALS AGAINST THE SPREAD: B.C. 9, Montreal 2
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Records to date (straight-up)
FILOSO — 12-3
ABBOTT — 11-4
KLEIN — 11-4
DUNK — 9-6
GASSON — 9-6
GRANT — 9-6
MCGUIRE — 9-6
BALLANTINE — 8-7
HODGE — 8-7
HOSKINS — 8-7
SMITH — 8-7
Records to date (against the spread)
FILOSO — 12-3
KLEIN — 12-3
GASSON — 11-4
ABBOTT — 10-5
BALLANTINE — 9-6
GRANT — 8-7
DUNK — 7-8
HODGE — 7-8
HOSKINS — 7-8
MCGUIRE — 7-8
SMITH — 6-9
