Week 21 in the CFL kicks off on Friday with a showdown between the Winnipeg Blue Bombers and Calgary Stampeders that has all the excitement of season 8 of The Walking Dead. This is essentially a meaningless game with the Bombers heading toward a bye and the Stamps visiting Vancouver in the West semifinal regardless of what happens.
CFL odds finally hit the board on Thursday with the Bombers as 2.5-point road favorites. How do you bet on a game neither side cares about winning? I let you know with my best free CFL picks and predictions for Blue Bombers vs. Stampeders on October 27.
Blue Bombers vs Stampeders best odds
Blue Bombers vs Stampeders picks and predictions
In a move that surprised nobody, the Winnipeg Blue Bombers have finally announced that they'll rest two-time reigning MOP winner Zach Collaros, All-Star left tackle Stanley Bryant, and star receivers Dalton Schoen and Nic Demski.
That said, backup quarterback Dru Brown has impressed when called upon and he'll have Kenny Lawler and MOP candidate Brady Oliveira as weapons behind what is a strong offensive line even sans Bryant. The Bombers should be able to move the ball early against a Calgary Stampeders defense that will rest stud linebacker Cam Judge and safety Branden Dozier while moving the league's leading tackler Micah Awe to the bench.
While many fans will notice that Winnipeg's offensive stars have been given the night off, the Bombers might actually be more affected on the other side of the ball.
The strength of this Bombers D has been its defensive line and they'll rest three starters from that unit, along with every starter from their linebacker corps — including three-time DPOY winner Adam Bighill. Two starters from their secondary, cornerback Winston Rose and safety Brandon Alexander, will also be given the night off.
The Stamps will rest top wideout Reggie Begelton and running back Ka'Deem Carey but should have their remaining starters in place on offense, including quarterback Jake Maier. It's also worth mentioning that they were missing Carey for half the season and there isn't much of a gap between him and backup Dedrick Mills.
Calgary likely won't keep Maier in the game long, but if it can't score against what's essentially a second-string Winnipeg defense, the remaining Stamps starters should all lose their jobs. How's that for motivation in the final game of the regular season?
Expect both of these offenses to have success in the first quarter until they likely send Maier and Oliveira to the bench.
My best bet: First quarter Over 8.5 points (-120 at Bet99)
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Blue Bombers vs Stampeders spread and Over/Under analysis
The betting lines have historically been extremely tough for oddsmakers to set in the final week of the CFL regular season. These lineups are in flux and motivation is tough to gauge with absolutely nothing at stake in this contest.
After the depth charts were released on Thursday, the Bombers opened as 2.5-point favorites with the total set at 46.5. Early money came in on Winnipeg but it wasn't enough to move this number to -3, as the Bombers are still listed at -2.5 across many books.
When these teams previously played against each other back in Week 11, the Bombers were 4.5-point road faves despite Collaros being sidelined by an injury. However, in that previous clash, their defense remained intact, whereas this time, they will be without eight of their 12 starters.
It's also worth mentioning that this is the first true cold-weather game of the year, with temperatures expected to hover at -7 Fahrenheit. However, it will be a clear night and winds won't be too disruptive at around 11 km/h.
Blue Bombers vs Stampeders trend to know
The Blue Bombers are 1-5 ATS in their last six games against a team with a losing record while the Stampeders are 5-1 ATS in their previous six against teams above .500. Find more CFL betting trends for Blue Bombers vs. Stampeders.
Blue Bombers vs Stampeders game info
| Location: | McMahon Stadium, Calgary, AB |
| Date: | Friday, October 27, 2023 |
| Kickoff: | 9:00 p.m. ET |
| TV: | TSN |
Blue Bombers vs Stampeders key injuries
Blue Bombers: Zach Collaros QB (Questionable), Dalton Schoen WR (Out), Nic Demski WR (Out), Stanley Bryant LT (Out), Winston Rose CB (Out), Kyrie Wilson WLB (Out), Adam Bighill MLB (Out), Redha Kramdi SLB (Out), Willie Jefferson DE (Out), Ricky Walker DT (Out), Jackson Jeffcoat DE (Out), Brandon Alexander DB (Out), Alden Darby LB (Out).
Stampeders: Ka'Deem Carey RB (Out), Reggie Begelton WR (Out), Cam Judge LB (Out), Branden Dozier DB (Out), Brad Muhammad DB (Out), Malik Henry WR (Out), Jalen Philpot WR (Out), Hugh Thornton OT (Out), Titus Wall DB (Out), James Vuaghters DE (Out).
Find our latest CFL injury reports.
