CFL Betting News and Notes Week 6

CFL Week 5 Betting News and Notes
By Ian Cameron
SportsMemo.com

Here is my Week 5 CFL News and Notes as we examine each team from a betting perspective.

Toronto Argonauts (1-4 SU, 1-4 ATS)

Toronto just can’t be expected to be competitive and move the football offensively until they get some of their injury-decimated receiving corps back. Saskatchewan drilled Toronto 37-9 on Saturday night as quarterback Ricky Ray and the Argos’ struggling offense once again sputtered with stalled drives, turnovers, and penalties throughout the game. They got off to a horrible start an interception and fumble on their first two drives which led directly to Saskatchewan touchdowns. The revamped defense struggled and is being asked to carry a team that when healthy is very capable offensively. There is a possibility that not a single one of Toronto’s top four wideouts will return vs. Montreal. Head coach Scott Milanovich held an impromptu meeting with the team’s veteran players prior to the blowout loss against Saskatchewan and it didn’t help. Toronto is saying the right things this week but a third straight road game in as many weeks against a rested and ready Montreal squad won’t be easy.

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

Montreal has had two weeks to think about its brutal 41-5 loss in BC. The offense has been the focus of their practice efforts as quarterback Troy Smith and the Alouettes have had problems moving the football and scoring points aside from the narrow 34-33 loss against Winnipeg. The defense has been good but the offense needs to improve. Fascinating matchup with Montreal playing host to Toronto this weekend – two teams that are really struggling offensively.

Ottawa RedBlacks (1-3 SU, 1-3 ATS)

The RedBlacks didn’t necessarily suffer a hangover after their emotional first win of the season. The problem was instead that they simply had no answers for the dual threat capabilities of Hamilton quarterback Dan LeFevour who was making his first CFL regular season start. The Central Michigan alum was dynamic both running and throwing the football, piling up over 300 passing yards and over 100 rushing yards. The fact there was no previous game film of LeFevour in a meaningful CFL regular season game likely didn’t help Ottawa’s cause either. The game was tied in the fourth quarter but the difference was Hamilton’s defense made stops and Ottawa’s didn’t as the RedBlacks yielded the critical 50+ yard screen pass to Ticats running back C.J. Gable to set up the game winning touchdown drive. Ottawa though remains competitive almost every week. They will try to make it 2-0 at home but must do it against the formidable defending Grey Cup champions, Saskatchewan.

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

Hamilton took advantage of its first home game with a win over the expansion Ottawa RedBlacks. Hamilton had previously played three tough road games against the West Division to start the season – lost to Edmonton and Calgary by a combined 7 points. The Ticats are a better team than their 0-3 record showed and they finally had a breakout game offensively as quarterback Dan LeFevour played exceptional in his first start. He made a strong case to possibly remain the squad’s #1 QB even when Zach Collaros returns from injury. The offensive line which has been much maligned finally held up better in pass protection and opened up space for running back C.J. Gable. The defense wasn’t as strong as they were in Calgary last week but they were playing a highly motivated veteran quarterback Henry Burris who felt spurned by Hamilton in the offseason when they opted not to renew his contract. I can see Hamilton going on a bit of a run following that tough early slate. They’ll have a chance to keep the momentum going Thursday night but must do it against a Winnipeg Blue Bombers team that is playing very well.

Winnipeg Blue Bombers (4-1 SU, 4-1 ATS)

The Winnipeg Blue Bombers proved me wrong last week. I expected them to suffer a second straight loss against BC but instead they won going away. Winnipeg started 3-0 by beating a trio of teams from the weaker East Division before losing decisively 26-3 at home against Edmonton – who is obviously from the tougher West Division. However, Winnipeg proved it could hang with the big boys of the West last week when they strolled into BC and dominated the Lions from start to finish en route to a 23-6 win. Quarterback Drew Willy was rock solid and avoided big mistakes. The defense, especially up front, disrupted BC quarterback Kevin Glenn all night long and stymied the Lions’ attack. It was a very impressive bounce-back performance after the Edmonton debacle and a very good sign that maybe Winnipeg has what it takes to be a playoff team this season after a horrific 3-15 season a year ago.

Edmonton Eskimos (4-1 SU, 4-1 ATS)

Edmonton should probably be 5-0. The Eskimos outplayed the Calgary Stampeders in last week’s first place West Division showdown but bad coaching decisions from Chris Jones and multiple woeful special teams’ errors cost them the game. There is a reason why people say there are three phases in football: offense, defense, and special teams. Often the latter is overlooked but make no mistake about it – special teams won’t be overlooked by Edmonton after this game! The Eskimos allowed a blocked punt return for a touchdown and inexplicably ran a fake punt from their own end zone on thirddown at the end of the first half and came up a yard short which gave Calgary the football with less than 30 seconds left in the half inside the Edmonton 20-yard line. Naturally, Calgary scored on the very next play. The final score wound up being 26-22 so you take away both of those Edmonton mistakes on special teams and it could have been a 22-12 win. Now they must try to put their first loss of the season behind them. Edmonton is on its bye this week and will resume play gainst Montreal.

Calgary Stampeders (4-0 SU, 3-1 ATS)

It wasn’t pretty but the Calgary Stampeders somehow got the better of the Edmonton Eskimos. As mentioned they got two giftwrapped touchdowns which was the difference in the game. The defense played well enough but for a second straight week the offense looked bogged down with quarterback Bo Levi Mitchell. Mitchell is an impressive 7-0 as a starter with Calgary but a lot of those wins were not his doing. They also have been winning without running back Jon Cornish and wide receiver Maurice Price. The reason is Calgary’s stellar defense coupled with one of the league’s top special teams units. Let’s see if this continues despite lacking two key offensive players when they host BC on Friday night.

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

Saskatchewan made it three straight ATS wins for teams off their bye week when they trounced the Toronto Argos 37-9 as 6-point home chalk. The Roughriders got off to a perfect start by picking off Ricky Ray and caching in on a touchdown. They then forced a fumble on Toronto’s next drive and punched in another touchdown. It was 14-0 before you could blink and Saskatchewan never looked back. Their defense totally blew up the line of scrimmage on a feeble Argos offensive front. Saskatchewan’s own offense was much better this week and the insertion of new running Will Ford (3 TDs). The ability to run the football successfully took a lot of pressure off quarterback Darian Durant who was very good in the passing game. It was a circle-the-wagons game for Saskatchewan coming off back-to-back losses and a bye week and it played out that way.

BC Lions (2-3 SU, 2-3 ATS)

I don’t want to discredit Winnipeg’s big road win at BC too much but to me, the Lions just didn’t show up. You got the sense that BC was a little fat and happy after easy back-to-back wins over Saskatchewan and Montreal. Against Winnipeg we witnessed all the signs of a team lacking focus with turnovers, undisciplined penalties, and out of sync play on both sides of the football. Quarterback Kevin Glenn reverted back to his form by throwing a pair of costly picks. Things got so bad for BC’s offense that Glenn was benched for a pair of drives in the third quarter. Things weren’t any better with former NFL signal caller John Beck under center so Glenn came back in but by that time the game was out of reach. Winnipeg played well and BC didn’t but it was evident that the Lions had no semblance of focus and intensity for that game. It will be interesting to see if they regain their edge this week as they head to Calgary against the undefeated 4-0 Stampeders.

WINNIPEG (4 - 1) at HAMILTON (1 - 3) - 7/31/2014, 7:05 PM

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

Head-to-Head Series History
HAMILTON is 4-3 against the spread versus WINNIPEG over the last 3 seasons
HAMILTON is 5-2 straight up against WINNIPEG over the last 3 seasons
4 of 6 games in this series have gone UNDER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons
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TORONTO (1 - 4) at MONTREAL (1 - 3) - 8/1/2014, 7:05 PM

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

Head-to-Head Series History
MONTREAL is 4-4 against the spread versus TORONTO over the last 3 seasons
MONTREAL is 4-4 straight up against TORONTO over the last 3 seasons
7 of 8 games in this series have gone UNDER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons
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BRITISH COLUMBIA (2 - 3) at CALGARY (4 - 0) - 8/1/2014, 10:05 PM

Top Trends for this game.
CALGARY is 13-4 ATS (+8.6 Units) when playing on a Friday over the last 3 seasons.
BRITISH COLUMBIA is 48-24 ATS (+21.6 Units) as an underdog of 3.5 to 9.5 points since 1996.
BRITISH COLUMBIA is 77-54 ATS (+17.6 Units) as an underdog since 1996.
BRITISH COLUMBIA is 31-16 ATS (+13.4 Units) as a road underdog of 3.5 to 7 points since 1996.
BRITISH COLUMBIA is 22-8 ATS (+13.2 Units) in road games in August games since 1996.
BRITISH COLUMBIA is 25-12 ATS (+11.8 Units) in road games in weeks 5 through 9 since 1996.

Head-to-Head Series History
CALGARY is 4-3 against the spread versus BRITISH COLUMBIA over the last 3 seasons
CALGARY is 4-4 straight up against BRITISH COLUMBIA over the last 3 seasons
4 of 8 games in this series have gone OVER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons
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SASKATCHEWAN (2 - 2) at OTTAWA (1 - 3) - 8/2/2014, 7:05 PM

Top Trends for this game.
SASKATCHEWAN is 0-6 ATS (-6.6 Units) in August games over the last 3 seasons.
SASKATCHEWAN is 24-41 ATS (-21.1 Units) in road games when playing against a team with a losing record since 1996.

Head-to-Head Series History
There were no past matchups in this series during this time period.

JULY 31, 7:00 PM
WINNIPEG vs. HAMILTON
Winnipeg is 0-5 SU in its last 5 games when playing Hamilton
The total has gone UNDER in 5 of Winnipeg's last 6 games when playing Hamilton
The total has gone UNDER in 5 of Hamilton's last 6 games when playing Winnipeg
The total has gone UNDER in 4 of Hamilton's last 5 games at home

AUGUST 1, 7:00 PM
TORONTO vs. MONTREAL
The total has gone UNDER in 4 of Toronto's last 5 games on the road
Toronto is 7-15 ATS in its last 22 games when playing Montreal
Montreal is 1-4 SU in its last 5 games when playing at home against Toronto
The total has gone UNDER in 5 of Montreal's last 6 games when playing at home against Toronto

AUGUST 1, 10:00 PM
BRITISH COLUMBIA vs. CALGARY
British Columbia is 2-4 SU in its last 6 games when playing Calgary
The total has gone OVER in 4 of British Columbia's last 6 games when playing on the road against Calgary
Calgary is 3-5-1 ATS in its last 9 games at home
Calgary is 4-2 SU in its last 6 games when playing British Columbia

AUGUST 2, 7:00 PM
SASKATCHEWAN vs. OTTAWA
The total has gone UNDER in 5 of Saskatchewan's last 6 games on the road
Saskatchewan is 5-2 SU in its last 7 games
The total has gone OVER in 4 of Ottawa's last 6 games at home
The total has gone OVER in 10 of Ottawa's last 14 games

CFL Betting Notes - Week 6
By David Schwab
VegasInsider.com

The CFL schedule heads into Week 6 of the regular season and the gap in talent between the West and East Division continues to widen. The West has four teams sitting at .500 or better while the four teams in the East have a combined record of 4-13 straight up.

Week 5 in the league kicked things off last Thursday with Calgary remaining perfect on the year in a 26-22 victory over Edmonton as a two-point road underdog. The total in that game stayed just UNDER the 49-point closing line. Friday’s only action saw Winnipeg continuing its strong start with a 23-6 victory against British Columbia as an eight-point underdog on the road. The total stayed well UNDER the closing line of 51 ½ points in that contest.

This past Saturday’s double-header kicked things off with Hamilton outlasting Ottawa 33-23 as a 6½-point home favorite with the total going OVER the 47-point line. Saskatchewan wrapped things up with a 37-9 rout over Toronto as an eight-point favorite at home. The total stayed UNDER the closing 51-point betting line.

Thursday, July 31

Winnipeg (4-1 SU, 4-1 ATS) at Hamilton (1-3 SU, 3-1 ATS)

Point-spread: Hamilton -3½
Total: 51

Game Overview

Winnipeg was able to eclipse last season’s SU win total of three games with the victory over BC behind another strong performance from Drew Willy at quarterback. He completed 18-of-26 attempts for 250 yards and a score to remain second in the CFL total passing yards this season with 1,301 in five games.

The Tiger-Cats held the RedBlacks to six-points in the second half of last Saturday’s win after giving-up just 10 points in a loss to Calgary the week before. While there does not appear to be any major issues with Hamilton’s defense, it is ranked second-to-last in the league in scoring with an average of 14.8 points per game. Dan LeFevour got the start at quarterback against Ottawa for the injured Zach Collaros.

Betting Trends

Winnipeg is 0-5 SU and 1-4 against the spread in the last five meetings and the total has stayed UNDER in 16 of the last 21 games played in Hamilton. The home team in this matchup is 7-3 SU in the last 10 games.

Friday, Aug. 1

Toronto (1-4 SU, 1-4 ATS) at Montreal (1-3 SU, 1-3 ATS)

Point-spread: Montreal -3½
Total: 48

Game Overview

Toronto has bared little resemblance to the team that won the East last season with a SU record of 11-7. Ricky Ray is still throwing the ball all over the field with a CFL-high 1,501 passing yards and six touchdown throws, but the Argonauts’ defense has not made things easy with an average of 29.8 points allowed. This is also the highest total in the league.

Montreal is coming off a bye week after stumbling out to a 1-3 start against three different teams from the West (it split two games against BC). An ineffective Troy Smith has seen the majority of the action at quarterback, but look for the Alouettes to possibly turn to Tanner Marsh if Smith gets off to another slow start.

Betting Trends

Toronto has covered the spread in five of its last six trips to Montreal, but overall in this East Division showdown it is 7-15 ATS in the last 22 meetings. The road team has won the last six games SU and the total has stayed UNDER in eight of the last nine meetings between the two.

British Columbia (2-3 SU, 2-3 ATS) at Calgary (4-0 SU, 3-1 ATS)

Point-spread: Calgary -5
Total: 45½

Game Overview

Last week’s loss to Winnipeg was a serious set-back for a Lions’ team that was favored by many to win the West this year so this Friday becomes a huge test to get back into the race. Kevin Glenn continues to fill-in at quarterback for the injured Travis Lulay, who is still recovering from a shoulder injury.

Calgary may not have the most dynamic offense in the CFL with an average 24.8 points a game, but that has been more than enough production with a defense that has given-up a grand total of 52 points through its first four outings. Bo Levi Mitchell has done an excellent job at managing the game at quarterback and Matt Walter is the team’s leading rusher with 139 yards on 29 carries.

Betting Trends

BC is 7-15-1 ATS in the last 23 meetings and the total has gone OVER in four of the last six games. The home team in this West Division clash has won SU in seven of the last nine games and the total has stayed UNDER in two of the last three meetings.

Saturday, Aug. 2

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

Point-spread: Saskatchewan -4
Total: 50

Game Overview

Last season’s CFL Grey Cup Champs proved they still know how to put points on the board and play defense with last week’s win over Toronto. This followed a shaky 1-2 start in the Roughriders first three games. Will Ford led the way against the Argonauts with 114 yards rushing and three touchdowns after recently joining the team.

The expansion RedBlacks keep showing up week after week as a better team than their record might indicate. Henry Burris put the ball up 44 times against Hamilton last week and completed 27 passes for 290 yards and two scores. Running back Chevon Walker is ranked fourth in the league in rushing yards with 251 yards on 45 attempts.

Betting Trends

Saskatchewan is 3-1-1 ATS in its last five games following a SU win, but it is just 8-22 ATS in its last 30 games against a team with a SU losing record. The total has stayed UNDER in 10 of their last 14 games.

CFL power outage big reason behind incredible Under trend
By Jason Logan
Covers.com

Sharp handicappers and Las Vegas wiseguys will tell you the best betting value lies in the outlining sports – or “Freak Sports” – that slide under the mainstream radar. Perhaps that’s why Unders in the Canadian Football League have remained a profitable play for the first five weeks of the season.

Heading into Week 6, CFL action has posted a collective 5-15 Over/Under record – cashing in for the Under at a 75 percent rate. And most books have no idea when it comes to this red-hot trend.

“We didn’t know about the big disparity in Unders as frankly the amount of volume we get on CFL is so miniscule,” Mike Perry of Sportsbook.ag – a U.S.-facing online book – tells Covers. “We haven’t been hurt this trend so far.”

The Week 5 schedule saw three of four games finish below the number, with an average combined final score of 44.75 points against an average total of 49.75. On the year, CFL games are averaging 42.85 points per game – a huge dip from 52.6 points per game through the first five weeks of the 2013 CFL season.

The 2014 totals, however, have not dropped to reflect that offensive power outage with the first 20 games of the schedule boasting an average Over/Under of 52.075 points – on par with the 52.4-point average total through the first five weeks of the 2013 season. The CFL produced a 12-8 O/U record in that span.

According to Covers Expert Sean Murphy, who follows the CFL very closely, the wave of new starting quarterbacks around the league could have something to do with the low offensive output.

Winnipeg, British Colombia, Calgary, Ottawa (new franchise), Montreal and Hamilton – six out of the league’s nine teams – are working in new No. 1 QBs. Those offenses are still ironing out the wrinkles and fine tuning their timing with their new pivots, which can slow down production. However, Murphy believes it won’t be long until those scoring attacks are up to speed.

“The oddsmakers will adjust and we'll see this trend turn around,” says Murphy. “In fact, one of my biggest plays of the season to date was on the Over in Saturday’s Hamilton-Ottawa matchup. The oddsmakers made a clear Over adjustment there with the total settling around 47 (opening as high as 48.5 and closed as low as 46.5).”

Sportsbooks – those taking notable action on CFL games - are also confident the numbers will balance out as the season goes forward. According to a spokesperson for non-U.S. facing online book Pinnacle Sports (which has a big presence North of the Border), they’ve noticed a defensive bump – possibly due to the new QB trend – and an increase of pressure on these passers.

Last season, only six defensive players registered double-digit sacks, with Calgary DL Charleston Hughes leading with pack with 18 on the year. So far in 2014, there are four players with five or more sacks through the first five weeks, with 15 weeks of CFL action still left on the calendar.

“Could be a slight adjustment in schemes,” Pinnacle Sports tells Covers. “I think there are almost always adjustments throughout the season, either the totals will continue to drop and more games will go Over or the offenses will adjust. The totals have been lower than the start of the season but I am sure will continue to drop if the games continue to go Under.”

Week 6 lines hit the board at the LV Superbook Monday evening. The total for Thursday's matchup between Winnipeg and Hamilton opened at 50. Friday sees two games on the schedule with Toronto-Montreal opening at 48 and B.C.-Calgary opening at 45.5 and the Saturday game between Saskatchewan and Ottawa opened with a total of 50.

Week 6 CFL

Winnipeg (4-1) @ Hamilton (1-3) -- Bombers are surprising 4-1, 2-0 on road, winning as dogs in Montreal/Vancouver. Hamilton got on board last week by winning home opener in their new stadium- two of their three losses are by 4-3 points. TiCats ran ball for 197 yards last week, after average 71.7 ypg on ground in first three games- they won last five series games, winning last three home series games by 10-5-23 points; five of last six series games stayed under total, as have three of four Hamilton games this season.

Toronto (1-4) @ Montreal (1-3) -- Road team won last six meetings in this rivlary; Toronto is 4-1 in last five visits here. Underdogs covered four of last five series games. Alouettes are off bye after losing 41-5 at BC; they've scored 24-33 points in two home games (8-5 on road). Als had three takeaways (+2) in only win; total of three -2) in three losses. Argos lost three games in row, scoring 13.7 ppg; they've turned ball over seven times (-5) in last two games, are 0-3 on foreign soil, losing by 24-1-28 points.

BCLions (2-3) @ Calgary (4-0) -- Unbeaten Stampeders won their first two home games by 21-3 points; they've only turned ball over twice (+5) in four games. Lions scored 26-41 points in their two wins, 20-9-6 in losses- they've run ball for 146.3 ypg in last three weeks. Home teams won six of last seven series games, with favorites covering six of last seven; Lions lost last three visits here, by 20-12-14 points, with all three going over total. All five Lion games stayed under total, as did three of four Calgary games.

Saskatchewan (2-2) @ Ottawa (1-3) -- Expansion RedBlacks led three of four games at the half, won only once; they nipped Toronto 18-17 in only home game. Ottawa gave up 558 yards last week in Hamilton, 197 on ground. Riders lost 48-15 at Toronto only road game so far; none of their four games were decided by less than 13 points- they're 2-2 despite being favored in all four games. Western teams are 11-2 vs eastern teams so far this season. Home underdogs have covered four of six games league-wide this season. .

Armadillosports.com

Game of the Day: Blue Bombers at Tiger-Cats
By Covers.com

Winnipeg Blue Bombers at Hamilton Tiger-Cats (-4, 50)

Dan LeFevour and the Hamilton Tiger-Cats try to build on their first victory when they host the Winnipeg Blue Bombers on Thursday. The Blue Bombers already have surpassed their total from 2013 with four victories on the strength of new additions such as quarterback Drew Willy and kicker Lirim Hajrullahu. Former Hamilton defensive back Matt Bucknor also have proved a timely addition, as he leads the team with 21 tackles.

LeFevour looked great in his first career CFL start, powering the Tiger-Cats' offense to 558 total yards after spending last season taking short-yardage duty. He should be under center again for Hamilton with Zach Collaros on the injured list, but he faces a much steeper challenge against a Winnipeg defense that limited its opponent to six points in Week 5. Willy is second in the league with 1,301 passing yards, but the Tiger-Cats' defense averages the fewest passing yards allowed in the East (226.3).

LINE HISTORY: The LV Superbook opened the Ti-Cats as 3.5-point home faves but that moved up to -4 earlier Wednesday. The total opened 51 but dropped to 50.

INJURY REPORT: Blue Bombers - SB Cory Watson (Questionable, hamstring). Tiger-Cats - QB Zach Collaros (Six-game IR, head)

WHAT CAPPERS SAY: "I expected continued regression from the Bombers last week but we saw anything but as they manhandled the Lions in B.C. I'm still not sure Winnipeg is quite as good as its record suggests. There are plenty of Ti-Cat doubters out there but I believe the oddsmakers have it right installing them as a favorite here. Dan LeFevour may not be a long-term solution under center but in the short-term I do expect him to succeed." Covers Expert Sean Murphy

ABOUT THE BLUE BOMBERS (4-1): Willy’s primary target has been Nick Moore, who has 320 receiving yards and will be counted on more as long as Aaron Kelly is injured. Nic Grigsby has registered 287 rushing yards and three touchdowns to start his first CFL season. Defensive tackle Zach Anderson leads the team with three sacks.

ABOUT THE TIGER-CATS (1-3): Defensive back Craig Butler was seen wearing a walking boot on the sidelines at practice on Monday and could miss Thursday’s game. Running back C.J. Gable recorded 167 of his 288 combined yards last week. Linebacker Rico Murray has made two of the team’s three interceptions.

TRENDS:

* Under is 5-1 in the last six meetings.
* Blue Bombers are 1-4 ATS in their last five meetings.
* Tiger-Cats are 1-5 ATS in their last six Thursday games.

COVERS CONSENSUS: 51.79 percent of wagers on Covers Consensus are backing the Tiger-Cats.

Game of the Day: CFL doubleheader
By Covers,com

Toronto Argonauts at Montreal Alouettes (-3, 48)

The Montreal Alouettes emerge from their bye week to host their first divisional game against the Toronto Argonauts on Friday. Alouettes quarterback Troy Smith is on thin ice following a rough start to the season and a victory over rival Toronto could give him some breathing room. The Argonauts fell to 0-3 on the road with their third consecutive loss last week and need to figure out ways to score while missing the majority of their starting receiving corps.

Despite working with a rotating cast of replacements, Toronto quarterback Ricky Ray still leads the league with 1,501 passing yards. Ray is facing an Alouettes' defense that has struggled against the pass, allowing 282.3 passing yards per game - second-worst in the league. The Argonauts have their own problems on defense after surrendering more touchdowns from scrimmage (10 passing, five rushing) than any other team.

LINE HISTORY: The LV Superbook opened the Alouettes as 3.5-point home faves, but that has moved to -3. The total opened 47.5 and now sits at 48.5.

INJURY REPORT: Argonauts - SB Andre Durie (Six-game IR, collarbone), SB Jason Barnes (Six-game IR, knee), SB Chad Owens (Six-game IR, foot). Alouettes - WR Duron Carter (Probable, ankle).

WHAT CAPPERS SAY: "The Argos are perhaps the most injury-riddled team in the CFL right now, and they're paying the price as they check in with just one win on the season. This appears to be a winnable contest with the Alouettes still dealing with more questions than answers, but heading out on the road to Molson Percival Stadium will be no easy task. Toronto will need to lean on its defense in order to steal a win here. There are simply too many key cogs missing on the offensive side of the football. Leaning to the 'under' in this spot as both defenses should come to play on Friday night." Covers Expert Sean Murphy.

ABOUT THE ARGONAUTS (1-4 SU, 1-4 ATS): Players such as wide receiver Darvin Adams and running back Anthony Coombs are seeing a lot more chances due to the injuries to Chad Owens, Jason Barnes, Andre Durie and John Chiles. Six different Toronto players have more than 100 receiving yards. Rookie defensive lineman Tristan Okpalaugo leads the team with four sacks.

ABOUT THE ALOUETTES (1-3 SU, 1-3 ATS): Smith, who is completing 48.7 percent of his passes, could be without one of his main receivers as S.J. Green is questionable with a rib injury. Montreal released defensive end Chris Wilson, who recorded two tackles during his brief tenure with the Alouettes. Defensive end John Bowman continues to build on his franchise-leading sack total with five on the season, bringing his career total to 76.

TRENDS:

* Under is 8-1 in the last nine meetings.
* Argonauts are 5-1 ATS in their last six meetings in Montreal.
* Alouettes are 4-0 ATS in their last four vs. East.
* Under is 4-1 in Argonauts last five road games.

COVERS CONSENSUS: 59.19 percent of wagers on Covers Consensus are behind the Alouettes.

B.C. Lions at Calgary Stampeders (-5, 45.5)

The undefeated Calgary Stampeders host the BC Lions on Friday hoping to take advantage of what is likely BC’s final game without starting quarterback Travis Lulay. Lulay was placed on the six-game injured list to start the season and will be eligible to return Aug. 8 as BC’s offense has struggled at times under the guidance of Kevin Glenn. The Lions managed only six points in Week 5 and face an even stiffer challenge against a Calgary defense that has allowed 52 points over four contests.

Calgary quarterback Bo Levi Mitchell has a chance to make CFL history if he can win his eighth consecutive start, which would put him ahead of former quarterback Jeff Garcia for longest winning streak to start a career. Mitchell is going up against the toughest pass defense in the league as the Lions allow 184.4 passing yards per contest. Mitchell struggled against the Edmonton Eskimos’ similarly stingy pass defense in Week 5, but a touchdown off a blocked punt and a strong game from kicker Rene Paredes showed that the Stampeders can win in many ways.

LINE HISTORY: The LV Superbook opened the Stams as 5-point home faves. That moved to -5.5, before moving back to -5 and the current -4.5. The total has held at 45.5.

INJURY REPORT: Stampeders - RB Matt Walter (Out, concussion), RB Jon Cornish (Six-game IR, concussion)

WHAT CAPPERS SAY: "Despite the uneven nature of the Lions early in the campaign, this should still be an entertaining, not to mention important, West Division showdown. Kevin Glenn has been put in a tough spot under center for B.C. and hasn't exactly thrived. Now he'll have to face a fierce Stamps defense that ranks among the best in the league in most categories. Calgary will be without RB Jon Cornish once again, not to mention his backup. Still, there are enough weapons in the passing game to keep the offense afloat. I'm anticipating a competitive game - grabbing the points might be the best option." Covers Expert Sean Murphy.

ABOUT THE LIONS (2-3 SU, 2-3 ATS): John Beck filled in briefly for Glenn in Week 5 and could see more time if Glenn tosses his 160th career interception Friday. Running back Andrew Harris leads the league with 311 rushing yards and has a team-leading 268 receiving yards. Linebacker Solomon Elimimian leads the league by a wide margin with 39 tackles.

ABOUT THE STAMPEDERS (4-0, 3-1 ATS): Calgary added veteran running back Hugh Charles to its practice roster shortly after he was released by the Saskatchewan Roughriders, providing more depth in place of the injured Jon Cornish. Running back Martell Mallett is expected to make his first CFL appearance since 2009 alongside Jock Sanders in the Stampeders’ backfield. Jeff Fuller is poised to eclipse his rookie total of 254 receiving yards, needing only 17 more yards to match it.

TRENDS:

* Under is 4-0 in Stampeders last four home games.
* Lions are 7-15-1 ATS in their last 23 meetings.
* Under is 5-0 in Lions last five games overall.
* Stampeders are 4-1-1 ATS in their last six games following a ATS win.

COVERS CONSENSUS: 55.67 percent of wagers on Covers Consensus are backing the Stamps.

CFL Betting News and Notes
Covers.com

Top Under bet in action Friday night

Through 21 games of the season, the Under has had the decisive advantage in the Canadian Football League. The Under has cashed 15 times in those 21 games (71.4 percent) and the top Under bet in the league takes the field Friday evening.

The B.C. Lions bring an 0-5 Over/Under count into McMahon Stadium to face the Calgary Stampeders in the night cap of Friday's doubleheader. Along with the Edmonton Eskimos, the Lions are the best Under wager north of the border.

Oddsmakers opened the matchup with a total of 45.5 and that number still stands with kickoff approaching. It will be the lowest total of the young season for the Lions.

Total rising in Argonauts-Alouettes game

The LV Superbook opened the total for Friday's Toronto Argonauts-Montreal Alouettes game at 47.5, but that has been steadily on the rise since post.

Odds hit the board at the Vegas book on Monday and saw a half-point increase on Wednesday. The total jumped to 48.5 early on Thursday and the moved a full-point to 49.5 - the current number - later on in the day.

The Argos currently sport a 2-3 Over/Under record, while the Als bring in a 1-3 O/U count into Friday's tilt.

Game of the Day: Roughriders at Redblacks
By Covers.com

Saskatchewan Roughriders at Ottawa Redblacks (5.5, 50)

The Ottawa Redblacks will host another sold-out contest when they welcome the Saskatchewan Roughriders on Saturday. Ottawa won its home-opener in a nail-biter against the Toronto Argonauts, but they face a Roughriders team that routed the Argonauts in Week 5. Saskatchewan is 2-1 against the East Division, while the Redblacks are 0-2 against West Division opponents.

Ottawa quarterback Henry Burris is carrying his lowest completion percentage since 2006 but has only tossed one interception with the Redblacks, who are struggling to score with 80 points in four contests. The Roughriders' offense has not fared much better, with quarterback Darian Durant on pace for the worst statistical season of his career, but their defense is second in the league with 18 sacks. Ottawa’s defense is the only unit in the league allowing more than 300 passing yards per game.

LINE HISTORY: The LV Superbook opened the Redblacks as 4.5-point home dogs, but that has since moved to +5.5. The total has held at 50.

INJURY REPORT: Roughriders - SB Chris Getzlaf (Questionable, undisclosed), WR Ryan Smith (Questionable, Undisclosed). Redblacks - WR Kierrie Johnson (Six-game IR, leg).

WHAT BOOKS SAY: "The expansion Redblacks are in first place in the woeful East with a 1-3 record and are hosting the 2-2 Riders. The Riders are getting all the action as a 6-point road favorite, while the 50 point total is getting 95 percent of the action coming in on the over." Michael Stewart, CarbonSports.ag.

ABOUT THE ROUGHRIDERS (2-2, 2-2 ATS): Running back Will Ford appears to have found a home after being cut by the Winnipeg Blue Bombers to start the season, recording 113 rushing yards and three touchdowns in his debut for Saskatchewan. Defensive end John Chick earned Defensive Player of the Week honors after recording two sacks and one forced fumble against Toronto. Chick, who leads the league with six sacks, was also named Defensive Player of the Month for July.

ABOUT THE REDBLACKS (1-3, 1-3 ATS): Marcus Henry is Burris’ top receiving option, leading the team with 253 receiving yards. Ottawa signed former Hamilton Tiger-Cats receiver Onrea Jones on Monday, giving Burris a familiar target. Running back Chevon Walker has a team-high 251 rushing yards to go with 91 receiving yards and 121 combined return yards.

TRENDS:

* Roughriders are 1-10 ATS in their last 11 games in August.
* Roughriders are 2-7-1 ATS in their last 10 Saturday games.
* Under is 5-0 in Roughriders last five games in Week 6.

COVERS CONSENSUS: 63.6 percent of wagers on Covers Consensus are backing the road-fave Roughriders.