After not playing for almost two years there are a lot of unknowns heading into the 2021 CFL season. And, two of the teams with the biggest question marks are the Toronto Argonauts and the Calgary Stampeders.
So, it seems appropriate these two CFL teams open the season against one another. The Argos made a bit of surprise naming quarterback McLeod Bethel-Thompson their starter, while Bo Levi Mitchell’s health will be key to the Stamps' success.
But who has the betting edge in this matchup? Check out our CFL free picks and predictions for Argonauts vs. Stampeders on Saturday, August 7, and find out.
Argonauts vs Stampeders game info
• Location: McMahon Stadium, Calgary, AB
• Date: Saturday, August 7, 2021
• Time: 7:00 p.m. ET
• TV: TSN
Argonauts vs Stampeders odds
Odds via the Covers Line, an average comprised of odds from multiple sportsbooks.
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Argonauts at Stampeders betting preview
Weather
Key injuries
Argonauts: Nick Arbuckle QB (Out), Cordarro Law DL (Questionable).
Stampeders: No key injuries to report.
Find our latest CFL injury reports.
Betting trend to know
The Stampeders are 0-7-1 ATS in their last eight games as favorites. Find more CFL betting trends for Argonauts vs. Stampeders.
Against the spread (ATS) pick
With QB Nick Arbuckle limited in practice this week, new head coach Ryan Dinwiddie will lean on Bethel-Thompson, who started 13 games in 2019 and threw for 4,024 yards and a league-high 26 touchdowns. So, he played well despite the team’s 4-14 record.
The Argos wide receiving corps was completely reworked, bringing in free agents Eric Rogers and Juwan Brescacin and added Candian Dejon Brissett with No. 2 overall draft pick in the 2020 draft.
Toronto also made significant upgrades to a defense that ranked second-to-last in points and yards allowed per game. In comes Most Outstanding Canadian Award winner, Henoc Muamba, and Charleston Hughes, who led the CFL in sacks in 2019.
For the Stampeders and head coach Dave Dickenson, everything relies on the health of Bo Levi Mitchell. If he is healthy, he can still be one of the best quarterbacks in the CFL, but that just hasn’t been the case the last couple of seasons. Mitchell and the Stamps have also lost key pieces on both sides of the ball between 2019 and now.
While it is tough to win in Calgary, the Stamps were a costly 5-13-1 ATS in 2019 and the Argos look like they have the more talented bunch in this matchup and are getting points. Take the underdogs here.
PREDICTION: Argonauts +5.5 (-110)
Over/Under pick
As noted, this is a matchup of CFL teams with some of the biggest roster and coaching turnover in the league’s nearly two-year absence. So, that could mean there is a bit of a feeling-out process in the first few weeks of this CFL season, particularly when you consider there were no preseason games played.
The Argos did a good job revamping a defense that allowed the second-most points and yards back in 2019. They play a Stamps offense that needs to replace two starters at wide receiver and a starting running back.
While the Stampeders lost a few players on defense as well, this is still a strong unit that ranked fourth in opponent yards per game and surrendered just 22.6 points per game in 2019. And even though the Boatmen look to have some talent on offense, this is still a new coaching staff who have yet to coach in a CFL game.
PREDICTION: Under 46.5 (-110)
Argonauts vs Stampeders betting card
- Argonauts +5.5 (-110)
- Under 46.5 (-110)
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