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Montreal Alouettes vs Hamilton Tiger-Cats Preview
The Montreal Alouettes renew their rivalry with the Hamilton Tiger-Cats when they clash for the second time in eight days on August 10 at 5:00 pm. The Alouettes walked over the TiCats in the first fixture of their regular season series last week.
Hamilton claimed their first two victories of the season with back-to-back wins before being brought back down to earth by Montreal. They sit at the bottom of the East Division. Can they stun the division toppers at home or will the Alouettes make it look all too easy again?
Montreal Alouettes vs Hamilton Tiger-Cats Head-To-Head and Key Stats
The Montreal Alouettes and Hamilton Tiger-Cats met last week for the first of their back-to-back series. The two sides have been in contrasting form in 2024 with the Alouettes topping the East Division with a 7-1 record and the TiCats sitting rock bottom at 2-6. Montreal met expectations with a dominant performance for a 33-16 victory in Davis Alexander’s first start at quarterback.
Hamilton showed their hand early, attempting to play aggressively in offence. That backfired with a turnover on their first drive at Montreal’s 44-yard line. A strong defensive showing from both teams in the first quarter with a sack apiece saw the first 15 end scoreless.
The second quarter began with a bang. Davis Alexander had a nightmare start to his time as QB1 when Kenneth George Jr. intercepted his pass. He brought it to the house to give Hamilton a shock lead. Montreal looked shaky and was stopped within two plays on their next drive before the TiCats punted after four.
The Alouettes fought back to claim their first touchdown midway through the quarter. Davis Alexander found Charleston Rambo for a 24-yard completion and levelled the game. The wide receiver finished with 86 yards and a touchdown over four receptions. Hamilton’s offence faltered, and Montreal ended the quarter with a field goal to head into the break up 10-7.
Bo Levi Mitchell couldn’t consistently string passing drives together, hampering Hamilton’s offence. The Alouettes took advantage, scoring their second touchdown of the day. Alexander’s deep pass found Rambo at Hamilton’s one-yard line and Caleb Evans finished the move off to extend their lead. A TiCats single meant the third quarter finished 17-8 in favour of Montreal.
Bo Levi Mitchell carried on his below-par performance early in the fourth. His deep pass was intercepted by Kabion Ento, who returned for 23 yards. The resulting Montreal drive ended in a field goal to make it 20-8 to the visitors. Davis Alexander’s receiving corps was in top form with Tyson Philpot finishing with 82 yards through five receptions.
Another failed drive had the ball back in the hands of Davis Alexander 90 seconds later. Caleb Evans lined up in the wildcat formation after five plays and secured a passing touchdown of his own, finding David Dallaire for 39 yards and a score. That put the game beyond doubt for Montreal, who led 27-8.
Bo Levi Mitchell finally recorded a passing touchdown after the restart, despite three failed attempts on the drive. His 23-yard pass found Tim White, who carried three extra yards into the end zone. The two-point conversion made it 27-16 with under three minutes left on the clock, but Montreal crushed Hamilton with one final touchdown from Walter Fletcher.
The Alouettes were in complete control of the game, finishing with 381 net yards to 343. Davis Alexander finished with 262 passing yards, through 19 completions, one touchdown and one INT. Bo Levi Mitchell had 240 through 29 completions for one touchdown and two INTs.
Montreal Alouettes vs Hamilton Tiger-Cats Predictions
Correct score prediction: Montreal Alouettes 35-20 Hamilton Tiger-Cats
Hamilton has not beaten Montreal since June 2022. That streak will extend here. The Alouettes are comfortably the best team in the CFL this season having lost just once in the league. They declawed the TiCats on the road last week and with the home advantage; they are an even more daunting prospect. Our football prediction is for another Montreal victory.
Montreal is playing like champions and Hamilton is not. Scott Milanovich’s team has the worst defence in the league, allowing 254 points. Though the Ottawa Redblacks have conceded one fewer, the Alouettes boast the best defence in the league. They have allowed just 168 points through eight games while the Redblacks have only played seven.
Jason Maas also has his Alouettes offence ticking. They have scored more points than any team in the league with 228. Montreal pass the eye test and they back it up statistically. Tyson Philpot has been one of the brightest sparks of what has been an electric offence.
1er touché en carrière pour le p’tit gars de chez nous!⚜️#Alouettes
— Alouettes de Montréal (@MTLAlouettes) August 3, 2024
Philpot is second overall in the league for receiving yards with 772 yards, just eight behind Justin McInnis in first. He is also second for receiving touchdowns with five, one behind McInnis. Philpot was on fire in the reverse fixture with 82 yards through five receptions and he can wreak havoc on the Hamilton defence once again.
When looking at Hamilton’s season so far, it is clear to see where the problem lies. Bo Levi Mitchell had a poor game last week, but that has not been a constant. He leads the league in passing yards with 2,497 and passing touchdowns with 18. That was a rare off-game for Mitchell, and he still has the tools to take the game to Montreal.
Where the TiCats fall apart is in defence. They never had a definitive answer for Montreal. Hamilton had opportunities to peg them back, registering three sacks during the game. They never capitalized on it and Montreal looked unphased. This could be a long day for the TiCats’ defence.
The Alouettes win came with their backup quarterback, Davis Alexander. He played strongly despite some early mistakes. However, starting QB, Cody Fajardo will return from injury at Molson Stadium. He has carried Montreal to five wins in six starts. That is even worse news for Hamilton, who couldn’t keep Montreal’s second and third-stringers under wraps last week.
Montreal Alouettes vs Hamilton Tiger-Cats Betting Tips
The Montreal Alouettes are the overwhelming moneyline favourites, worth -400 with our online sportsbook. This is essentially a home clash for the best team in the CFL against arguably the worst. This should be an easy victory for Montreal if they don’t allow complacency to creep in. There are more interesting ways to wager on this game with the moneyline not representing good value.
Montreal is so favoured in football betting that there is little value in wagering on the division toppers. Hamilton’s offence is strong and they can score on the Alouettes. Bo Levi Mitchell can chew up passing yards and James Butler is an excellent option at running back. He has 400 rushing yards this season and had a strong 69 last week. Bet on him to rush for over 66.5 yards, worth -115.
Spread betting is an option for this game. The Alouettes have covered the spread in their previous two games. The CFL betting markets have the line at 7.5. This is the biggest line in any Hamilton game this season. They have not handled the spread in any of their six defeats in 2024. Montreal’s defensive showing last week was excellent and their offence is top drawer. Bet on Montreal to cover, worth -112.
Online betting will look favourably on a Tyson Philpot touchdown. Just one player in the CFL has scored more receiving touchdowns than the Alouettes’ wide receiver in 2024. He is the star of Montreal’s receiving corps and will be heavily involved in the passing game once again. Back Philpot to score a touchdown in the game, worth -225.
Live betting is also an option for this game. Hamilton is a massive underdog, but we so often see upsets in the CFL. You can wait for the game to start and back the TiCats if they look capable of stunning Montreal. Wager on this market with reduced risk when signing up with our welcome bonus. We will match your first deposit by 100% up to $500.
Montreal Alouettes Team News
They eased Cody Fajardo back into training following his hamstring injury and he will be available to slot back into the starting quarterback role. Caleb Evans was carried off the pitch with a knee injury last week and has not practiced since. He will not appear in this game. Najee Murray is back in training this week following his ankle injury. His appearance will be a game-time decision.
Hamilton Tiger-Cats Team News
Defensive back pair Jamal Peters and Destin Talbert have missed training with respective thigh and heel injuries. Neither will appear against Montreal. Wide receiver Shemar Bridges was back in light training on Wednesday and will be a game-time decision from the medical team, as will full-back James Tuck.
