CFL Picks and Parlays for Today (8-14): RedBlacks Look for First Win Facing Blue Bombers

CFL Picks and Parlays for Today (8-14): RedBlacks Look for First Win Facing Blue Bombers

On Friday night, the Winnipeg Blue Bombers (4-4) play host to the Ottawa RedBlacks (0-8).

The Blue Bombers are coming off a bye week and look to get back in the win column after losing two in a row. The RedBlacks are the lone winless team in the CFL, and in Week 7 they lost to Winnipeg at home 36-34 in overtime.

Canadian sportsbooks have the Blue Bombers as a 6.5-point favorite with a total of 56.5.

Winnipeg Looks to Stop the Bleeding 

The Blue Bombers are 4-4, losing their last two games in which they gave up a total of 87 points. They have won their last four games against the RedBlacks and look to continue that streak at home, where they are only 1-4 this season.

Blue Bombers Shredded Against the Run 

In their last game, the Blue Bombers lost to the BC Lions 35-17, allowing the Lions to run for a franchise-record 377 yards and they gave up 25 points in the fourth quarter. Winnipeg ranks dead last in the league, allowing an average of 141.1 rushing yards per game.

In the loss, Dru Brown was 18/21 for 180 yards with one touchdown and no picks, Brady Oliveira rushed for 107 yards on 19 carries, and Ontaria Wilson led the way with 67 receiving yards. Oliveira has rushed for over 100 yards in each of the last two games.

Zach Collaros Is Back Under Center 

Winnipeg QB Zach Collaros is back and healthy after missing the last four games with a neck injury. The team is 2-2 with him under center this season, where he has completed 71.8% of his passes for 985 yards, five touchdowns and three interceptions. He did not play in the Week 7 OT win over Ottawa.

Been a While for Ottawa 

Not only are the RedBlacks 0-8, but they are 0-14 in regular-season games dating back to last season.

In their last game, they lost to the Saskatchewan Roughriders, where they were gutted on defense, giving up 535 yards, and were outscored 21-6 in the fourth quarter. Jake Maier was 31/43 for 339 yards with two TDs and a pick, Ayden Eberhardt and Justin Hardy combined for 178 receiving yards, and Ottawa had less than no run game with -4 rushing yards.

Ottawa ranks dead last in the CFL in scoring and second to last in opponents’ PPG.

Bell Needs to Step Up 

The RedBlacks need to take advantage of the porous Winnipeg run defense, and that responsibility lands on running back Greg Bell. He leads the team with 225 yards, and while he had a season-high 65 rushing yards in the loss to Winnipeg in Week 7, he has only rushed for eight yards and 19 yards, respectively, in the last two games.

CFL Pick: Blue Bombers (-6.5, Sports Interaction)  

In the Week 7 game between these teams, the Blue Bombers got the win but failed to cover the 4.5-point spread. It was, obviously, a close game going to OT, but don’t look for that to happen again. Ottawa is winless and has major issues on both sides of the ball. Winnipeg has their starting QB back, and while they have been bad against the run, the lead back for the RedBlacks has only totaled 27 rushing yards in the last two games.

Zach Collaros will play well in his return, and Winnipeg will get it done on both sides of the ball. They will get the win and cover, keeping Ottawa winless on the season.

CFL Parlay

Here is a three-leg same-game parlay with good value at Sports Interaction:

• Brady Oliveira to score a TD (-133) – While he only has three rushing TDs this season, Winnipeg will lean more on the run with Collaros missing the last four games with injury, and he will get a rushing score.
• Zach Collaros Under 290.5 passing yards (-115) – He will be eased back into action after missing four games and has failed to pass for over 290 yards in three of four games this season.
• Under 56.5 points (-105) – Ottawa is the lowest scoring team in the league with Winnipeg the second lowest and the total has gone Under in six of the last eight meetings.

This parlay has total odds of +539, so a $100 bet would pay out $639.46 for a profit of $539.46.