CFL Betting News and Notes Week 5

CFL Week 4 Betting News and Notes
By Ian Cameron
SportsMemo.com

Here is my CFL Week 4 News & Notes as I take a look at each team in the CFL providing observations, analysis and a glimpse into what is to come for all 9 CFL teams following Week 4.

Toronto Argonauts (1-3 SU, 1-3 ATS)

The frustrations were clearly evident with the Argos after their painful 18-17 loss to the expansion Ottawa Redblacks in what was Ottawa’s first home game since rejoining the CFL this season. Toronto finally got a strong performance from their rebuilt defense but oddly enough it was QB Ricky Ray and the offense (the supposed strongest part of the team) that simply couldn’t get anything going as they sputtered with stalled drives, turnovers and penalties throughout the game. It was a game that was there for the taking for Toronto but they just couldn’t make any key plays to turn it into a win. Now they sit at 1-3 after wasting a great performance from the defense and now must face the well-rested and likely angry Saskatchewan Roughriders who are coming off their bye and it’s worth noting Saskatchewan lost their game before the bye to this very Argos team in Toronto 48-15 back in Week 2. Toronto will need to find step up contributors on offense particularly from their injury decimated receiving corps if they hope to go into Regina and emerge victorious this week.

Montreal Alouettes (1-3 SU, 1-3 ATS)

Some things never change including Montreal’s inability to be competitive in BC. The Alouettes were once again shellacked by the Lions in Vancouver this past week in a 41-5 loss making them 0-4 SU and ATS in their last 4 games played in BC since 2011 while being outscored to the whopping tune of 163-30! Montreal’s offense was coming off their best performance of the season by far in Week 3 despite a tough 34-33 loss to Winnipeg but this game was a big step backward for Montreal’s offense and QB Troy Smith who was beyond terrible completing just 5-for-17 passing and 45 yards. He was replaced in the 4th Qtr by Tanner Marsh when the game was already way out of hand. The offense was shut completely down as Smith never got any sort of rhythm going in the passing game nor could they effectively run the football with Brandon Whitaker. The defense didn’t play all that great either but they did their best to keep Montreal in the game for as long as possible but quite simply the Alouettes did not move the football at all and went right back to the struggles of the first two weeks. The questions about having a new QB, reshuffled offensive line and a first time coordinator will all start being asked once again as Montreal goes into their bye week here in Week 4.

Ottawa Redblacks (1-2 SU, 1-2 ATS)

Ottawa reached down and pulled out a hard fought victory in their first home game as a franchise at the brand new TD Place. The defense remains the team’s strength as I figured it would be with head coach Rick Campbell’s defensive background shining through. They held down a very good QB in Ricky Ray albeit with Toronto missing arguably their three top receivers but there are concerns on the offensive side of the football as QB Henry Burris and the Redblacks managed to win without scoring a single TD. They got away with being unable to finish drives last week but it may not be quite as easy on the road this week even against a winless Hamilton squad.

Hamilton Tiger-Cats (0-3 SU, 2-1 ATS)

The Hamilton Tiger-Cats have managed to be profitable with a 2-1 ATS record through three games despite not having won yet. Hamilton played well enough to win in Calgary last week as their defense rose to the occasion and shut down the Stampeders but their own offense along with turnovers and a costly bad hold on a FG attempt which could have tied the game late all came back to haunt Hamilton. I still believe this team has the capability of being the Grey Cup contender we thought they would be entering the season but the offense simply must get better and it all starts with the offensive line a) getting healthier and b) playing much better. At this point it doesn’t matter who is at QB between injured #1 Zach Collaros or his backups Dan LeFevour or Jeremiah Masoli, the bottom line is the Ticats offensive line is not good enough at this point and must improve for Hamilton to start winning games. Collaros has already been ruled out for this Saturday’s “home opener” against Ottawa which has been moved to the McMaster University campus stadium in Hamilton due to the fact the brand new Tim Hortons Field is not quite ready to host a game. It will be either Dan LeFevour or Jeremiah Masoli at QB on Saturday but after Masoli’s struggles with accuracy last week in Calgary, my $$ would have to be on LeFevour getting the call at QB this week for Hamilton.

Winnipeg Blue Bombers (3-1 SU, 3-1 ATS)

The early season joy about an unexpected 3-0 start came to a crashing halt last week for the Winnipeg Blue Bombers as they were soundly dominated from start to finish by the Edmonton Eskimos in a 26-3 home loss. For the first time this season, Winnipeg’s offense was ineffective as QB Drew Willy had his worst game of the season completing less than 50% of his passes without a single TD and he also threw a costly pick six early in the game. The Edmonton defensive front was way too powerful for Winnipeg to handle as Willy didn’t have much time to get rid of the football throughout the game. RB Nic Grigsby was also held in check by that same dominating Edmonton defense as he was kept to just 50 yards rushing. Winnipeg’s defense played well to start the game but Edmonton eventually got their offense going and were able to wear down a tired Blue Bombers defense late. Winnipeg heads to BC to face a Lions team that has won back-to-back games in impressive fashion and will be good evidence whether or not the Blue Bombers have staying power to compete in the very tough West Division or if they were playing a little bit over their heads to get to that 3-0 start.

Edmonton Eskimos (4-0 SU, 4-0 ATS)

Calgary is tied with Edmonton for 1st place in the West and overall but Edmonton is the only team entering Week 5 with an unblemished 4-0 ATS mark from a pointspread perspective. The Eskimos have been the early season surprise story I thought they could be but I never expected them to be this good, this soon. Edmonton’s defense certainly has been the best in the CFL with all due respect to Calgary which also has played extremely well defensively so far. The Eskimos are doing it with a focused, intense, winning attitude exuded by first year head coach Chris Jones and the defense is leading the way for them by playing ferocious along the defensive line in terms of both stopping the run and getting pressure on opposing QB’s as well as a secondary that has been locking down some of the better receivers in coverage down the field. There is probably still room for improvement with Edmonton’s offense as QB Mike Reilly still needs to work on his deep ball accuracy but his short to intermediate throws have been on target and the ground game has really improved the last 2 weeks since John White (who played his College Football at Utah) took over as the starting RB. Edmonton faces provincial rival Calgary in a showdown of unbeaten teams in the West on Thursday night in a game that should give the Eskimos another chance to show just how much they have improved.

Calgary Stampeders (3-0 SU, 2-1 ATS)

It wasn’t pretty but the Calgary Stampeders got the job done squeaking out an ugly 10-7 home win against Hamilton last week. The Calgary offense didn’t look out of place in their 34-15 win against Toronto despite being without a handful of key offensive weapons including RB Jon Cornish and that could have been a product of getting to prepare for that game after a bye but the offense struggled like most expected they would without their workhorse RB against Hamilton. QB Bo Levi Mitchell never really got anything going in the passing game and Calgary’s offense really was made up of a couple key 1st down throws and their TD came on a gadget play that ended in a Brad Sinopoli TD run. The defense was the difference though and held their 3rd straight opponent to 15 points or less getting another phenomenal game from their stop unit. The Stamps are hoping to get some bodies back to that depleted offense for their 1st place showdown against the Eskimos on Thursday night and they will need an offense at much better strength this week if they hope to go on the road and knock off the red hot Edmonton Eskimos.

Saskatchewan Roughriders (1-2 SU, 1-2 ATS)

Saskatchewan had their bye last week so we won’t go into detail discussing them but it will be interesting to see if the Roughriders can build on B2B pointspread covers for teams coming off a bye week when they host the Toronto Argonauts here in Week 5 laying nearly a TD in that contest. The problem might be they entered the bye out of sync on both sides of the football and will need to prove they can get things together on both offense and defense.

BC Lions (2-2 SU, 2-2 ATS)

The BC Lions are starting to look like the West Division and Grey Cup contenders we expected them to be prior to the season especially with Vancouver hosting this year’s Grey Cup game in November. We’ve seen their offense really come to life with the resurgence of QB Kevin Glenn and RB Andrew Harris plus the return of their best WR Emmanuel Arceneaux from injury. The Lions defense has also been tremendous in their two straight wins getting consistent pressure up front along the defensive line and have also done a good job stopping the run. BC has knocked off Saskatchewan on the road and Montreal at home in B2B games by a combined score of 67-18 and they have their swagger back as they prepare to host Winnipeg this week.

CFL Betting Notes - Week 5
By David Schwab
VegasInsider.com

The 2014 CFL season is just four weeks old and we are already seeing a major disparity between a West Division that has four teams with a .500 record or better and an East Division that so far has combined to win just three games straight up.

Last Thursday, Edmonton won the battle of two unbeaten teams in the West with a 26-3 victory over Winnipeg as a 1 ½-point road underdog. The total stayed well UNDER the 54-point closing line. Ottawa kicked off Friday’s double-header with its first ever CFL victory as the RedBlacks with a tight 18-17 win against Toronto as a one-point home underdog. That total stayed UNDER the 52-point line. Calgary remained perfect in the West with a 10-7 win over Hamilton at home on Friday night as a 9 ½-point favorite and the total stayed UNDER the 51-point closing line.

In the only game on Saturday’s slate in Week 4, British Columbia pasted Montreal 41-5 as a 7 ½-point home favorite to even its mark after a 0-2 SU start. It was a clean sweep for the UNDER play with the total line in that game set at 48 ½ points.

Thursday, July 24

Calgary (3-0 SU, 2-1 ATS) vs. Edmonton (4-0 SU, 3-1 ATS)

Point-spread: Edmonton -2
Total: 52½

Game Overview

Calgary continues to be the most complete team in the CFL with an offense that is averaging 24.3 points a game complementing a defense that has allowed a grand total of just 30 points in its first three games. With running back Jon Cornish still out with a concussion, Matt Walter has helped fill the void with 134 yards on 28 carries.

The Eskimos have already matched last season’s win total with last week’s victory. They have averaged 27 points a game with Mike Reilly at the helm at quarterback, but the biggest reason for the quick turnaround from last season’s misfortunes is a defense that is holding opponents to an average of 14.5 points a game.

Betting Trends

The Stampeders are 8-1 SU in the last nine meetings and they have covered against the spread in five of the last six games in this series. They also have a perfect 4-0 ATS record in their last four trips to Edmonton with the total staying UNDER in three of the four games.

Friday, July 25

Winnipeg (3-1 SU, 3-1 ATS) at British Columbia (2-2 SU, 2-2 ATS)

Point-spread: BC-7
Total: 53½

Game Overview

Winnipeg will look to quickly bounce back from last week’s dismal three-point effort after averaging 38.3 points in its first three games. The Blue Bombers are still the highest scoring team in the CFL behind quarterback Drew Willy, who has thrown for 1,051 yards and five touchdowns while completing 62.4 percent of his attempts.

BC has had to turn to Kevin Glenn at quarterback in the absence of Travis Lulay and he came up with his best offensive effort of the year this past Saturday against Montreal with 301 yards passing and two touchdowns. He had quite a bit of help from wide receiver Emmanuel Arceneaux, who caught eight balls for 145 yards after missing much of the season so far due to injury.

Betting Trends

The Lions current SU winning streak in this series stands at five games and they are 3-2 ATS during that run. The total has stayed UNDER in seven of the last 10 meetings and it has stayed UNDER in nine of the last 10 meetings at BC Place.

Saturday, July 26

Ottawa (1-2 SU, 1-2 ATS) at Hamilton (0-3 SU, 2-1 ATS)

Point-spread: Hamilton -4½
Total: 48½

Game Overview

The RedBlacks earned their first victory of the season behind Henry Burris throwing the ball and Chevon Walker running it on the ground. Neither player’s numbers were spectacular, but it was just enough to get the job done. You also have to give credit to the defense for its ability to shutdown Toronto when it needed to the most.

Hamilton had to turn to both Jeremiah Masoli and Dan LeFevour last week for injured quarterback Zach Collaros and the result was a grand total of seven points on a one-point play and two field goals. Collaros remains questionable for this Saturday while recovering from a blow to the head. The Tiger-Cats are ranked dead-last in scoring with an average of 13.7 points a game.

Betting Trends

The Tiger-Cats are 5-2 ATS in their last seven games following a SU loss, but they are just 1-4 ATS in their last five home games and 1-4 ATS in their last five games against a team with a SU losing record. The total has stayed UNDER in their last four games at home.

Toronto (1-3 SU, 1-3 ATS) at Saskatchewan (1-2 SU, 1-2 ATS)

Point-spread: Saskatchewan -6
Total: 49½

Game Overview

Despite the fact that quarterback Ricky Ray leads the CFL in passing with 1,280 yards while completing 70.9 percent of his throws, this has not always translated to points and more importantly wins. It also does not help when you have a defense that has given-up the most points (112) in the league.

The defending champs are fresh off a bye week that followed a disappointing 26-13 loss to BC in Week 3 as five-point home favorites. Saskatchewan has already lost to the Argonauts this season in a 48-15 beatdown in Week 2 as a two-point favorite on the road. Darian Durant has 622 passing yards in three games and he has completed just 55.3 percent of his 85 attempts.

Betting Trends

The Argonauts have won three of the last four meetings both SU and ATS and the total has gone OVER in all four games. The road team in this matchup is 6-3 SU in the last nine meetings and Toronto is 6-1-1 ATS in its last eight trips to Saskatchewan.

CALGARY (3 - 0) at EDMONTON (4 - 0) - 7/24/2014, 9:05 PM

Top Trends for this game.
EDMONTON is 68-96 ATS (-37.6 Units) as a favorite since 1996.
EDMONTON is 27-45 ATS (-22.5 Units) after 2 or more consecutive straight up wins since 1996.

Head-to-Head Series History
CALGARY is 5-2 against the spread versus EDMONTON over the last 3 seasons
CALGARY is 7-0 straight up against EDMONTON over the last 3 seasons
4 of 7 games in this series have gone OVER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons
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WINNIPEG (3 - 1) at BRITISH COLUMBIA (2 - 2) - 7/25/2014, 10:05 PM

There are no Top Trends with records of significance that apply to this game.

Head-to-Head Series History
BRITISH COLUMBIA is 2-2 against the spread versus WINNIPEG over the last 3 seasons
BRITISH COLUMBIA is 4-0 straight up against WINNIPEG over the last 3 seasons
3 of 4 games in this series have gone UNDER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons
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OTTAWA (1 - 2) at HAMILTON (0 - 3) - 7/26/2014, 7:05 PM

Top Trends for this game.
OTTAWA is 12-25 ATS (-15.5 Units) in road games since 1996.
OTTAWA is 12-25 ATS (-15.5 Units) in road lined games since 1996.

Head-to-Head Series History
There were no past matchups in this series during this time period.
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TORONTO (1 - 3) at SASKATCHEWAN (1 - 2) - 7/26/2014, 10:05 PM

Top Trends for this game.
SASKATCHEWAN is 49-27 ATS (+19.3 Units) in July games since 1996.
SASKATCHEWAN is 101-67 ATS (+27.3 Units) revenging a loss versus opponent since 1996.

Head-to-Head Series History
TORONTO is 3-2 against the spread versus SASKATCHEWAN over the last 3 seasons
TORONTO is 3-2 straight up against SASKATCHEWAN over the last 3 seasons
4 of 5 games in this series have gone OVER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons

CALGARY vs. EDMONTON
The total has gone UNDER in 5 of Calgary's last 5 games on the road
The total has gone UNDER in 4 of Calgary's last 6 games when playing on the road against Edmonton
Edmonton is 1-5 ATS in its last 6 games when playing Calgary
Edmonton is 0-5 SU in its last 5 games when playing Calgary

WINNIPEG vs. BRITISH COLUMBIA
The total has gone UNDER in 14 of Winnipeg's last 18 games when playing British Columbia
Winnipeg is 0-5 SU in its last 5 games when playing British Columbia
British Columbia is 5-0 SU in its last 5 games when playing Winnipeg
The total has gone UNDER in 14 of British Columbia's last 18 games when playing Winnipeg

OTTAWA vs. HAMILTON
The total has gone UNDER in 4 of Ottawa's last 6 games when playing Hamilton
Ottawa is 2-4 SU in its last 6 games when playing Hamilton
The total has gone UNDER in 10 of Hamilton's last 12 games
Hamilton is 1-4 SU in its last 5 games

TORONTO vs. SASKATCHEWAN
The total has gone OVER in 4 of Toronto's last 5 games when playing Saskatchewan
Toronto is 1-5 SU in its last 6 games
Saskatchewan is 3-6 ATS in its last 9 games at home
The total has gone UNDER in 9 of Saskatchewan's last 13 games

Week 5 CFL

Calgary (3-0) @ Edmonton (4-0) -- Stampeders won last seven series games, winning last four here by 2-3-10-14 points, with three of those four staying under total. Both sides yet to lose this year, with under a combined 7-0 in their games; Calgary is allowing just 10 ppg, while the Eskimos scored 26+ points in all four, beating TiCats/RedBlacks at home- they've led at half in only one of four games. Edmonton is +8 in turnovers with 13 takeaways; Calgary turned ball over only two times in its three wins (+2).

Winnipeg (3-1) @ BCLions (2-2 )-- Lions won last five series games, winning last two here by 17-7 points; 14 of last 18 series games stayed under total. BC righted ship after 0-2 start with wins by 13-36 points last two weeks, running ball for 186/153 yards while opponents hit on less than 50% of passes both games. bombers lost first game last week; ; they won 34-33 at Montreal in only road game- they scored 38.3 ppg in their wins, 3 in only loss, when Eskimos ran ball for 192 yards last week.

Toronto (1-3) @ Saskatchewan (1-2) -- Argonauts' only win this season was 48-15 (+2) over Riders back in Week 2, their third win in last four series games, with all four going over total. Argos ran ball for 161 yards, had three takeaways, but lost two games since, scoring only 16 ppg in losses to Calgary/Ottawa. Roughriders had last week off after scoring 15-13 points in last two games, including a home loss to Lions. Riders allowed 34 rushing yards in their last two games. Home favorites are 6-7 vs spread in first four weeks of season.

Montreal (1-3) @ Hamilton (0-3) -- TiCats' first home game in Hamilton in 637 days, as their new stadium debuts here, with TiCats 0-3, losing last two games by 4-3 points, with bye in between. Hamilton turned ball over 10 times in three games (-4), were outscored 41-15 in first half of games. TiCats won four of last five series games, beating Alouettes in OT in playoffs last fall. All three Hamilton games stayed under total; hey've yet to lead at halftime (0-2-1 in first halves). Montreal is 0-2 on road, losing by 21-36 points (25 for 66 passing)- Als' offense is gaining 170 ypg on road, 287 ypg at home.

Armadillosports.com

Game of the Day: Stampeders at Eskimos
By Covers.com

Calgary Stampeders at Edmonton Eskimos (+1, 50)

Thursday's tilt between the Calgary Stampeders and host Edmonton Eskimos represents more than the latest chapter in the CFL's Battle of Alberta - it also will decide bragging rights atop the crowded West Division. The Stampeders and Eskimos are the only two remaining unbeaten teams in the league. Both are coming off impressive defensive efforts, with Calgary defeating Hamilton 10-7 and Edmonton coasting past Winnipeg 26-3.

While both clubs are on a high following impressive victories last week, each has reason to be concerned on the offensive side of the ball. The Eskimos struggled to gain traction against a stubborn Winnipeg side, not scoring their first offensive touchdown until early in the fourth quarter. Things were even more dire for the Stampeders, who managed only a field goal by Rene Paredes and Brad Sinopoli's 26-yard TD run off a broken play.

LINE HISTORY: Books opened the Eskies as 2.5-point home faves, but that has moved all the may to +1. The total opened 52.5 but has dropped to 50.

INJURY REPORT: Stampeders - RB Jon Cornish (Out, concussion).

WHAT CAPPERS SAY: "The season is still in its early stages, but this is undoubtedly a big game - for more reasons that one. The Eskimos are gaining more respect with each passing week (and victory). Are they a shade overvalued off of last week's dominating win in Winnipeg? Probably. Calgary is banged-up right now, with RB Jon Cornish expected to miss at least one more game, and that should help keep this line in check as kickoff approaches." Covers Expert Sean Murphy.

ABOUT THE STAMPEDERS (3-0, 2-1 ATS): Eskimos quarterback Mike Reilly will be a popular point of discussion this week in Calgary's dressing room after he torched the Stampeders for 155 rushing yards on 19 carries a season ago. "Anytime you can get a hit on a quarterback, you like it," said linebacker Deron Mayo, who is expected to play despite dealing with a hamstring injury. "But he's good at running, and he's good at making people miss as well. That will be a challenge for us, coming up and stopping him."

ABOUT THE ESKIMOS (4-0, 3-1 ATS): Edmonton appears to have survived a scare, as receiver Fred Stamps returned to practice over the weekend showing no ill effects following a thunderous hit from Winnipeg's Demond Washington in last Thursday's win. Stamps was the victim of a late hit as he cut across the back of the end zone and was helped off the field by trainers while Washington was given an unnecessary roughness penalty on the play. "I feel good," Stamps said following Sunday's practice. "I feel healthy and I'm ready for Calgary."

TRENDS:

* Stampeders are 4-0 ATS in their last four meetings in Edmonton.
* Under is 4-0 in Eskimos last four games overall.
* Under is 7-0 in Stampeders last seven road games.
* Eskimos are 1-4 ATS in their last five home games.

COVERS CONSENSUS: 53.46 percent of wagers on Covers Consensus are behind the Eskimos.

Game of the Day: Blue Bombers at Lions
By Covers.com

Winnipeg Blue Bombers at B.C. Lions (-8.5, 52.5)

The Winnipeg Blue Bombers and host BC Lions are heading in opposite directions as they prepare to meet Friday. Winnipeg lost its first game of the season in Week 4 while the Lions are riding a two-game winning streak after stumbling to start the season. Friday’s contest will be a battle between Winnipeg’s league-best offense (118 points for) and BC’s stifling defense (69 points allowed).

Lions quarterback Kevin Glenn recorded 301 passing yards last week in his best outing since joining BC. Drew Willy and the Blue Bombers were ground to a halt by the Edmonton Eskimos in a 26-3 loss after recording at least 30 points in each of their first three games and will need to bounce back against a similarly difficult defensive unit with the Lions, who allow a league-low 168 passing yards per contest. BC re-established its home dominance after dropping its season opener and can tie Winnipeg in the West Division with a victory.

LINE HISTORY: The Lions opened favored by a converted touchdown. It has since moved at B.C. -8.5. The total opened at 53.5 and has been bet down to 52.5.

INJURY REPORT: Lions: QB Kevin Glenn - probable (back), QB Travis Lulay - questionable (shoulder)

ABOUT THE BLUE BOMBERS (3-1, 3-1 ATS): Running back Nic Grigsby has 268 rushing yards and three touchdowns in his first CFL season. Defensive end Jason Vega will likely miss Friday’s game due to what the team calls various ailments, joining defensive back Johnny Sears Jr., who has a hamstring issue. Receivers Aaron Kelly and Cory Watson were injured in Week 4, which had a noticeable effect on Willy’s effectiveness.

ABOUT THE LIONS (2-2, 2-2 ATS): Glenn benefited from the return of receiver Emmanuel Arceneaux, who led the team with 145 yards in his season debut. Running back Andrew Harris has 585 total combined yards after adding 150 last week. Linebacker Solomon Elimimian leads the league with 24 tackles, while teammate Adam Bighill is second with 21.

TRENDS:

* Under is 9-1 in the last 10 meetings in B.C.
* Under is 14-4 in the last 18 meetings.
* Blue Bombers are 5-2-1 ATS in their last eight meetings in B.C.
* Lions are 4-1-1 ATS in their last six games following a straight up win.

COVERS CONSENSUS: The consensus is split between the Blue Bombers and Lions at -8.5.

Game of the Day: CFL Doubleheader
By Covers.com

Ottawa Redblacks at Hamilton Tiger-Cats (-7, 47.5)

Redblacks quarterback Henry Burris faces Hamilton for the first time since he was let go after two seasons with the Tiger-Cats. Zach Collaros, Burris’ replacement in Hamilton, remains out with a head injury suffered in Week 2, leaving the Tiger-Cats' offence in the hands of Jeremiah Masoli, who is completing 40 percent of his passes and has thrown two interceptions. Masoli might have his best chance yet for a good game against an Ottawa defence that allows a league-worst 287 passing yards per contest.

LINE HISTORY: The line opened at the Ti-Cats -5 where it stayed for several days, but on Friday the line quickly moved to Hamilton -7. The total opened as 48 and has since only shifted down half a point to 47.5.

INJURY REPORT: Redblacks - DB Reggie Jones (Questionable) Tiger-Cats - DE Brandon Thurmond (Questionable)

WHAT CAPPERS SAY: "The Redblacks are certainly in a bit of a letdown spot after winning their home opener over Toronto last week, but that's more than reflected in the line. Hamilton is in desperation mode still searching for its first win of the season but it's offense remains in a state of flux with Dan LeFevour getting the nod under centre. Leaning to taking the points in this spot." - Covers Expert Sean Murphy

WHAT BOOKS SAY: "Big line move during week on Hamilton, going from -4.5 to -7.5. We've seen 79 percent of cash & 83 percent of bets on the Ti-Cats." - Mike Perry of Sportsbook.ag

ABOUT THE REDBLACKS (1-2): Kicker Brett Maher scored all 18 points in the first win in Ottawa’s franchise history. Defensive back Jerrell Gavins is off to an impressive start in his first CFL season with 13 tackles, one sack and one interception. Running back Chevon Walker will also be facing his former team after spending his first two seasons with Hamilton.

ABOUT THE TIGER-CATS (0-3): Wide receiver Andy Fantuz caught a team-leading seven passes for 59 yards in his season debut in Week 4. Running back C.J. Gable is off to a slow start with 121 combined yards, averaging just 3.4 yards per carry. Linebacker Simoni Lawrence leads the team with 16 tackles and has one sack.

TRENDS:

*Tiger-Cats are 1-4 ATS in their last 5 home games.
*Under is 2-0 in Redblacks last 2 games.
*Under is 10-2 in Tiger-Cats last 12 games overall.

COVERS CONSENSUS: 56.9 percent of the Covers users are taking the Ti-Cats -5.5 with 52 percent on the Over.

Toronto Argonauts at Saskatchewan Roughriders (-7, 50.5)

The Saskatchewan Roughriders emerge from their bye week looking to snap a two-game losing skid when they host the Toronto Argonauts on Saturday. Toronto is mired in a two-game skid of its own and is 0-2 on the road as the team deals with injuries to key starters on offence. The Argonauts defeated Saskatchewan in Toronto in Week 2 and a Roughriders victory at home could help turn around a rocky start to their Grey Cup defending season.

Argonauts quarterback Ricky Ray leads the league with 1,280 passing yards but will be without his top target once again as slotback Chad Owens is expected to miss at least two more games with a foot injury. Saskatchewan quarterback Darian Durant is off to a sluggish start with a completion percentage of 55.3 for 622 yards, but his five touchdown passes are just one behind Ray. Toronto forced three turnovers in its victory over the Roughriders, including two of the Argonauts’ three interceptions.

LINE HISTORY: The initial line saw the Roughriders -6, but bettors money has shifted the line to -7. The total opened at 49.5, but has jumped a full point to 50.5.

INJURY REPORT: Argos - SB Chad Owens (Out), LB Jonathan Hood (Questionable), SB Jason Barnes (Questionable) Roughriders - OL Corey Watman (Questionable)

WHAT CAPPERS SAY: "Toronto is injury-ravaged as it heads to Saskatchewan to challenge the Riders in Saturday. There's no question the Riders will be fired up coming off their bye week, and remembering the thumping they took at the hands of the Argos in Toronto earlier this season. Tough not to look the Riders way given Toronto's injury situation on offense but not a lot of value on the table here." - Covers Experts' Sean Murphy

WHAT BOOKS SAY: "Saskatchewan has seen a slight move and has gone from -6 to -7. 60 percents of bets backing the Roughriders -7." - Mike Perry of Sportsbook.ag.

ABOUT THE ARGONAUTS (1-3): Slotback Andre Durie and wide receiver Jason Barnes are also on the injured list, leaving Ray with limited reliable passing options. Defensive back Jalil Carter leads the defence with 17 tackles and has three sacks. No Toronto player has rushed for more than 100 yards, with running back Curtis Steele posting a team-leading 97.

ABOUT THE ROUGHRIDERS (1-2): Saskatchewan added running back Will Ford to its practice roster Tuesday, one week after releasing running back Hugh Charles. Running back Anthony Allen should see another chance as a starter after recording 231 rushing yards over his first three CFL games. The Roughriders are tied for second in the league with 14 sacks despite only playing three games, with John Chick (four), Ricky Foley (three) and Tearrius George (three) leading the way.

TRENDS:

*Argonauts are 1-5 ATS in their last 6 games overall.
*Under is 5-1 in Roughriders last 6 games following a ATS loss.
*Argonauts are 6-1-1 ATS in their last 8 meetings in Saskatchewan.

COVERS CONSENSUS: 50.3 percent of the Covers bettors are taking the Argos +7 with 55 percent on the Over.