The 2023 Touchdown Atlantic game takes place in Halifax, Nova Scotia on Saturday with the Saskatchewan Roughriders taking on the Toronto Argonauts.
The banged-up Roughriders are returning some key players this week but quarterback Trevor Harris is still sidelined and they'll have a tough time handling the unbeaten Argos.
That's reflected in the CFL odds for this Week 8 matchup with the Argos installed as 10.5-point favorites. Here are my best free CFL picks and predictions for Roughriders vs. Argonauts on July 29.
Roughriders vs Argonauts best odds
Roughriders vs Argonauts picks and predictions
The Saskatchewan Roughriders can consider themselves fortunate if they get back Harris at any point this season but a few other injured starters did return to practice this week. Slotback Jake Weineke and center Peter Godber are expected to return to the lineup after significant absences while stud defensive lineman Anthony Lanier was a fulltime participant on Tuesday.
With Harris suffering a brutal knee injury in Week 6, Mason Fine replaced him in the fourth quarter and looked sharp. However, Fine was far less impressive against the Lions last week in a 19-9 loss. He threw for 278 yards but it took 31 completions and 40 pass attempts to get there and he was picked off twice.
The 26-year-old was rarely asked to throw downfield and that inability to stretch the field resulted in running back Jamal Morrow being held to 11 yards on 12 carries. That conservative gameplan from Saskatchewan offensive coordinator Kelly Jeffrey could result in another stinker for a Riders offense that has been struggling.
It's tough to tell if Fine's short passes were due to a lack of faith in him or Saskatchewan's offensive line which has allowed the second-most sacks in the CFL (23). That line should get a boost from the return of center Peter Godber it will have a tough time matching up against a terrific Toronto Argonauts defensive front led by Folarin Orimolade and Dewayne Hendrix.
Toronto's stop unit has actually underachieved a bit this season but is still coming off a game where it held the Ticats to just 15 points. The Argos' defense carried them to the Grey Cup last year and it's surprising that they haven't been quite as dominant on that side of the ball this season given that they actually upgraded in terms of personnel.
That said, they've still allowed just three big plays all year and lead the league with 12 interceptions. Expect them to contain a Riders offense that won't be able to attack downfield.
My best bet: Roughriders Team Total Under 17.5 (-110 at FanDuel)
Roughriders vs Argonauts same-game parlay
Roughriders Team Total Under 17.5 (-110)
Jamal Morrow Under 51.5 rushing yards (-114)
Roughriders +10.5 (-110)
Morrow had a tough time finding holes last week due to the Leos defense being unafraid of Fine attacking them over the top. The same could prove true this week against an Argos defense that allows just 3.9 yards per carry and will have middle linebacker Jordan Williams back in the lineup after missing the last month with a knee injury.
Halifax had a torrential downpour last weekend and while it isn't expected to be as bad on Saturday evening, there's still a 60% chance of thundershowers (according to the early forecast on Thursday).
Check the weather reports on Friday night but if there is messy weather on Saturday, we could definitely see a lower-scoring game with both offenses neutered. That could mean that the Riders are able to cover this big spread even if they go below their team total.
After all their defense played well against BC last week, forcing four turnovers and holding the Lions to 261 yards. In addition, Toronto's offense could be uncharacteristically sloppy to begin the game since they don't fly into Halifax until Friday and will have their final practice of the week on Thursday.
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Roughriders vs Argonauts spread and Over/Under analysis
This line opened with the Argos as 10.5-point neutral site favorites. The line has stayed steady at most books although a few now have Toronto at -11 with the Under dropping from 48.5 to 47.
The defending Grey Cup champs look even better this year with the Argos going 5-0 straight up and against the spread to begin the season. While their defense carried them to the championship last year, their offense has been rolling this season with Chad Kelly at the helm.
The Argos lead the league with an incredible 37.2 points per game and have excelled in both the passing and running games, leading the league in yards per pass (11.0) and ranking second in yards per rush (5.1).
The Riders opened as 8.5-point pups last week but closed at +10 which meant that Saskatchewan backers got a push despite that loss to BC. They have now gone 3-3 SU and 2-3-1 ATS to begin the year although two of those victories came against the pathetic Elks.
Roughriders vs Argonauts trend to know
The Roughriders are 2-9 ATS in their last 11 games overall while the Argonauts are 16-5-2 ATS in their previous 23 contests. Find more CFL betting trends for Roughriders vs. Argonauts.
Roughriders vs Argonauts game info
| Location: | Huskies Stadium, Halifax, NS |
| Date: | Saturday, July 29, 2023 |
| Kickoff: | 4:00 p.m. ET |
| TV: | TSN |
Roughriders vs Argonauts key injuries
Roughriders: Kian Schaffer-Baker WR (Out), Micah Johnson DT (Questionable), Trevor Harris QB (Out), Derel Walker WR (Out), Rolan Milligan DB (Out).
Argonauts: Markeith Ambles WR (Out), Damonte Coxie WR (Questionable), Henoc Muamba LB (Out), Thomas Costigan DE (Out), Shane Richards OL (Out).
Find our latest CFL injury reports.
