CFL Week 4 action kicks off on Thursday and I'm choosing three best bets from three different games.
The pregame narrative: The BC Lions and Edmonton Elks kick off Week 4 and I'm expecting an offensive showing between the two West Division teams. And I'm also expecting a lot of scoring in Sunday's Hamilton Tiger-Cats/Ottawa Redblacks game.
Check out the best CFL Week 4 picks for June 27-30.
CFL Week 4 picks
Best Bet: Elks/Lions over 5.5 total touchdowns (-103)
I like to think when two of the CFL's hottest quarterbacks matchup there's going to be fireworks.
No one is playing better than McLeod Bethel-Thompson and Vernon Adams Jr. right now. Last week alone, the Lions put up 500 yards on offence and the Elks were in a nearly 80-point duel against the Toronto Argonauts.
It's of course because of the gunslingers on both sides. Bethel-Thompson leads the CFL in completions (89) while also being second in yards (978) and touchdowns (six).
The Elks as a team are also top five in most offensive categories including points per game (26.3) and net offensive yards per game (359).
The home team boasts a pretty good offence itself led by Adams Jr.
The 31-year-old is a major piece in the league's most explosive offence, throwing for 1,038 yards (first in the CFL), six touchdowns (second-best) with only one interception.
The Lions top the league in average yards per play (7.5), and net offensive yards per game (408.3), while claiming second in total first downs (64).
I like both offences to show up in this one with the two hottest quarterbacks north of the border.
Key stat: The Lions and Elks combined for eight touchdowns last week.
Quick picks
Tyson Philpot anytime touchdown scorer (-121): Tyson Philpot has been one of the most prolific receivers to begin the 2024 season.
The Delta, British Colombia native has 23 catches (first in the CFL) for 340 yards (second) and three touchdowns (first). The 23-year-old has also been catching everything. Among receivers with over 20 targets, he has the highest catch rate snagging 85.2% of his targets (23/27).
Also, the Argonauts are the worst team at defending the pass. They allow over 350 yards in the air alone per game as teams avoid going up against that wonderful Argos d-line.
Combine that with Tyler Snead and Regis Cibasu finding themselves on the 6-game injured list and Cody Fajardo will be relying on Philpot more than he already has.
Tiger-Cats/Redblacks over 51.5 points (-110): The Tiger-Cats boast one of the top offences to start the 2024 season.
Despite being 0-3, Hamilton's offence has been impressive. It is averaging the second-most net offensive yards per game (394.3) led by quarterback Bo Levi Mitchell who has gotten off to a great start.
The 34-year-old has thrown for 83 completions (second-best), 975 yards (third-best), and six touchdowns (second-best).
The Redblacks' offence hasn't been terrific under first-year starter Dru Brown, but the Ti-Cats is middling and rolls out a relatively inexperienced secondary.
Hamilton has hit this over in every one of their three games to start the year, while Ottawa and Montreal combined for a whopping 68 points in last week's contest.
Picks made at 2:33 p.m. on 06/27/24.
