Last December, the Edmonton Elks and Montreal Alouettes, with Cody Fajardo going to Edmonton and McLeod Bethel-Thompson going to Montreal. The two signal-callers entered this season as backups, but they will be on the field as starters tonight as the 1-6 Elks visit the 5-3 Alouettes (7:30 p.m. ET, CFL+).
Will Bethel-Thompson bounce back from a rough night against the Roughriders last week? Or will Fajardo get his first win for the Elks in his return to Montreal? Read on for our Elks vs. Alouettes prediction and expert picks and see which top U.S. sportsbooks are your best option for tonight’s best CFL bets.
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Edmonton Elks vs. Montreal Alouettes Odds
Odds are courtesy of BetOnline.
| Team | Spread | Moneyline | Over/Under |
|---|---|---|---|
| Edmonton Elks | +1.5 (-110) | +110 | Over 51.5 (-110) |
| Montreal Alouettes | -1.5 (-110) | -130 | Under 51.5 (-110) |
Elks vs. Alouettes Prediction and Picks
After leading the Alouettes to a Grey Cup win two seasons ago in his first season in Montreal, Fajardo started 5-0 last season and looked set for another title run. But he went down with an injury in Week 6, and things were not the same from there. At the end of the season, the organization opted to make a long-term commitment in Davis Alexander, who went 4-0 as a starter last season, which brought about a swift end to Fajardo’s time with the Alouettes.
With starting spots around the league limited, Fajardo landed in Edmonton to back up Tre Ford. But after Ford managed just one win in the first five games this season, Fajardo was inserted as the starter in Week 8 at Saskatchewan.
It has not translated into wins, who went down to the Roughriders and then to the Hamilton Tiger-Cats at home last week. But Elks vs. Alouettes represents a fine time to get into the win column with some positive signs showing in the last two weeks.
Against the Roughriders, the offense took some time to get going but scored two fourth-quarter touchdowns in a respectable 21-18 loss. Last week, the Elks led the Ti-Cats in the fourth quarter before Bo Levi Mitchell conjured up a game-winning drive in the late stages.
Stats for Cody Fajardo vs. Roughriders & Tiger-Cats
- Week 9 vs. Hamilton: 20 for 25, 257 yards, TD, INT
- Week 8 at Saskatchewan: 23 for 33, 346 yards, 2 TD
Tonight’s game will no doubt carry some extra significance for Fajardo with how things ended in Montreal, and it perhaps could not have come at a better time.
While Fajardo is coming off a couple of positive performances, the Alouettes are coming off a dreadful performance in an ugly home loss to the Roughriders.
In last Saturday’s 34-6 loss, Montreal was outgained 426-191, and Bethel-Thompson was just 15 for 26 for 126 yards and an interception. It would have been an even uglier scoreline had the Roughriders not been held to field goal attempts on five drives.
While Alexander is on the six-game injury list due to a nagging hamstring injury, there is no guarantee that Bethel-Thompson, who is 1-3 in four starts this season, will maintain his spot in the starting lineup while Alexander heals up. In fact, tonight’s Elks vs. Alouettes matchup could be his last start if he performs poorly again, with Caleb Evans, who went 2-0 in fill-in starts for Fajardo in 2023, waiting in the wings.
Unfortunately, the numbers and results speak for themselves to this point.
A Tale of Two Quarterbacks for the Alouettes
- In starts by Davis Alexander: 4-0, 32.8 points per game, 402.3 yards per game, 7.4 yards per play
- In starts by McLeod Bethel-Thompson: 1-3, 16.5 points per game, 272.5 yards per game, 5.1 yards per play
The Elks are last in the CFL in points allowed per game (31.3 PPG), yards allowed per game (422.9 YPG), passing yards allowed per game (324.0 YPG), and second-down conversion defense (55.8% allowed).
But even if the Alouettes do get things going offensively, this is still a good spot to back the Elks outright on the road, with Fajardo making his return to Montreal and Edmonton showing some positive signs in the last two weeks against two good teams.
Elks vs. Alouettes Prediction: Elks to win
Elks vs. Alouettes Picks: 1) Elks ML +115 (Everygame) 2) Cody Fajardo over 1.5 touchdown passes (+110 at Bovada)
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