Betting news, trends, odds and predictions from various handicappers and websites for Saturday 7/28/18
Ottawa RedBlacks vs. Hamilton Tiger-Cats Preview and Predictions 07-28-2018 in CFL
CFL Previews 25th July 2018 by Gracenote
by Gracenote on 07/25/2018
The Ottawa Redblacks visit the Hamilton Tiger-Cats in a battle for East Division supremacy Saturday. The Redblacks rallied from a 10-point deficit in the second half en route to a thrilling 29-25 victory over the BC Lions in Week 6 to take sole possession of first place and hope to create some separation at the top of the division by beating the Tiger-Cats for the fourth consecutive time in Hamilton.
"The games are going to keep getting bigger especially when we play Eastern teams," Ottawa coach Rick Campbell told reporters. "The way the league is looking this year and how things are playing out every win is going to be valuable." Hamilton fell a game below .500 following a disappointing 31-20 home setback to the Saskatchewan Roughriders. The Tiger-Cats, who have dropped back-to-back games, doubled down on quarterback Jeremiah Masoli as they shipped off former Heisman Trophy winner Johnny Manziel to the Montreal Alouettes in a blockbuster deal Sunday. "I definitely feel that vote of confidence and respect and it makes me feel good," Masoli told reporters. "But at the same time we're just focused on (Ottawa) and we've got to get the ball rolling here on offence."
TV: 4 p.m. ET, TSN, ESPN2
ABOUT THE TIGER-CATS (2-3): Masoli threw for 184 yards against Saskatchewan to see his streak of consecutive 300-yard passing games end at nine in a row - one short of a CFL record. Hamilton traded Manziel along with offensive linemen Tony Washington and Landon Rice in exchange for speedy wide receiver Chris Williams, who spent two seasons with the Tiger-Cats from 2011-12, defensive end Jamaal Westerman and two first-round draft picks. Wide receiver Luke Tasker was a late scratch against the Roughriders and will be a game-time decision Saturday while the newly acquired Williams, who missed Montreal's last contest with a strained hamstring, is expected to suit up Saturday.
ABOUT THE REDBLACKS (3-2): Trevor Harris was named one of the CFL's Top Performers of the Week after throwing for 363 yards and a touchdown against BC. Brad Sinopoli also received honours from the league as he hauled in 11 passes for a career-high 171 yards and a score against the Lions while William Powell added 50 rushing yards, including the go-ahead 2-yard touchdown with 49 seconds to go in the fourth quarter. Wide receiver Austen Hartley took first-team reps in place of Noel Thomas Jr. and could get the starting nod after being scratched last week while defensive back Antoine Pruneau missed practice Tuesday with an undisclosed injury.
EXTRA POINTS
1. Hamilton is 6-14 at home since the start of the 2016 season.
2. Sinopoli leads the CFL in receptions (36).
3. Masoli has failed to throw a touchdown pass in two straight games.
PREDICTION: Tiger-Cats 28, Redblacks 26
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Calgary Stampeders vs. Saskatchewan Roughriders Preview and Predictions 07-28-2018 in CFL
CFL Previews 25th July 2018 by Gracenote
Stampeders vs. Roughriders Preview and Predictions
by Gracenote on 07/25/2018
The visiting Calgary Stampeders put their perfect record on the line when they take on the Saskatchewan Roughriders on Saturday. The Stampeders cruised to a 25-8 victory against the Montreal Alouettes last week to improve to 5-0 and hope to extend their lead at the top of the West Division by knocking off the Roughriders in Regina for the fifth consecutive time.
Calgary's first five wins have come against East Division opponents and hopes its stifling defence, which has given up a league-best 9.2 points per game, shuts down Saskatchewan en route to its first 6-0 start since 1995. The Roughriders are growing in confidence following an impressive 31-20 road victory against the Hamilton Tiger-Cats in Week 6. Saskatchewan swept the season series with Hamilton for the second time in as many years and hopes to ride the momentum to back-to-back wins against Calgary after ending a 10-game losing skid to the Stampeders with a 30-7 victory Oct. 20, 2017. "I see our offence starting to roll right now and people are finding a rhythm," Roughriders quarterback Brandon Bridge told reporters. "They're (Calgary) not anyone that we should be afraid of so we're going to do our game plan and let the chips fall wherever they may."
TV: 9 p.m. ET, TSN, ESPN Plus
ABOUT THE STAMPEDERS (5-0): Bo Levi Mitchell showed no ill effects from the knee injury he suffered July 12 against the Ottawa Redblacks as he threw for 292 yards and a pair of touchdowns against Montreal. "It's not something that's going to linger on too much longer," Mitchell told reporters. "It's all pain management and we're all athletes so we can deal with the pain." Defensive back Tunde Adeleke returned to practice after missing the previous three games with an injury sustained from a collision with some advertising boards on the sidelines and could recover in time for Saturday's contest while defensive end Cordarro Law is questionable after undergoing tests on his ankle.
ABOUT THE ROUGHRIDERS (3-2): Linebacker Derrick Moncrief suffered a shoulder injury in the second quarter against Hamilton and was placed on the six-game injured list. Charleston Hughes, who spent the previous 10 seasons with the Stampeders, recorded his league-leading sixth sack against the Alouettes to move him into a tie with Rodney Harding (105) for 10th place on the CFL's all-time list. Saskatchewan added former University of Michigan linebacker Thomas Gordon to the practice squad along with defensive back Will Blackmon, who won a Super Bowl with the New York Giants in 2011.
EXTRA POINTS
1. Calgary has forced a CFL-best 19 turnovers.
2. Saskatchewan RB Marcus Thigpen has touchdowns runs of 34 and 80 yards in his last two games.
3. Mitchell is tied for the league lead in touchdown passes (nine).
PREDICTION: Roughriders 25, Stampeders 24
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