Betting news, trends, odds and predictions from various handicappers and websites for Thursday 8/2/18
Ottawa RedBlacks vs. Toronto Argonauts Preview and Predictions 08-02-2018 in CFL
CFL Previews 30th July 2018 by Gracenote
by Gracenote on 07/30/2018
The visiting Ottawa Redblacks look to pad their lead at the top of the East Division when they face the struggling Toronto Argonauts on Thursday. The Redblacks have won back-to-back games, including a 21-15 victory against the Hamilton Tiger-Cats in Week 7, to tighten their grip on first place and hope to move six points clear of the chasing pack by taking down their third straight East Division rival.
"We have to be sharp," Ottawa quarterback Trevor Harris told reporters. "We're going into Toronto against a team with its back to the wall and they will come out scratching, clawing and fighting." The Argonauts are left to pick up the pieces following a 40-14 setback to the Winnipeg Blue Bombers. Toronto coach Marc Trestman is hoping that a quarterback change will provide a spark as McLeod Bethel-Thompson, the former UCLA Bruin who spent six seasons in the NFL, takes over from James Franklin to make his CFL debut. "We said it would be a competition and we want to give McLeod a chance," Trestman told reporters. "He is a dedicated member of our football team and he deserves an opportunity to start."
TV: 7 p.m. ET, TSN, ESPN2
ABOUT THE REDBLACKS (4-2): Lewis Ward matched a franchise record for most field goals in a game after going 7-for-7 against Hamilton and extended his streak of consecutive field goals to 17 in a row. "That's my job, that's what I'm here for," Ward told reporters. "We know CFL games can be very close and we've had a few of them so I can't really afford a miss and in the end it helps us win games." Harris went 23-of-35 through the air for 228 yards while Brad Sinopoli continued his stellar start to the season as he hauled in nine passes for 82 yards against the Tiger-Cats.
ABOUT THE ARGONAUTS (1-5): Franklin threw for 236 yards and rushed for a touchdown, but finished with three interceptions against Winnipeg to give him six picks in four games since taking over from the injured Ricky Ray. Toronto acquired offensive lineman Ryan Bomben and a fifth-round pick in 2020 from the Montreal Alouettes in exchange for defensive back T.J. Heath and a third-round pick. Former Pro Bowler Dexter McCluster will have to wait a few weeks to make his CFL debut as the former Kansas City Chiefs running back/kick returner suffered a leg injury in practice while kicker Ronnie Pfeffer is questionable after suffering a lower-body injury against the Blue Bombers.
EXTRA POINTS
1. The last two meetings between Ottawa and Toronto have been decided by a combined four points.
2. The Argonauts have failed to score more than 20 points in each of their six games in 2018.
3. Sinopoli leads the CFL in receptions (45).
PREDICTION: Redblacks 27, Argonauts 18
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Saskatchewan Roughriders vs. Edmonton Eskimos Preview and Predictions 08-02-2018 in CFL
CFL Previews 30th July 2018 by Gracenote
Roughriders vs. Eskimos Preview and Predictions
by Gracenote on 07/30/2018
The Edmonton Eskimos look to continue their winning ways when they host the Saskatchewan Roughriders on Thursday. The Eskimos have won three of their last four games, including a 44-23 victory against the Montreal Alouettes in Week 7, and can take sole possession of second place in the West Division by notching their third consecutive home win.
"Any time you put 44 up on anybody in this league you're doing some good things," Edmonton coach Jason Maas told reporters. "The way the division is turning out to be right now you've got to keep winning." The Roughriders are left to lick their wounds after suffering a 34-22 defeat to Calgary after they couldn't dig out of a 24-0 first-quarter hole against the first-place Stampeders. Saskatchewan hopes to avoid falling further behind in the ultra-competitive West Division by knocking off the Eskimos in Edmonton for the second straight time following a 54-31 victory at Commonwealth Stadium last season. "The bad taste that we had in our mouth we can definitely spit out," Saskatchewan quarterback Brandon Bridge told reporters. "We can get after it and take all our anger out on Edmonton."
TV: 10 p.m. ET, TSN, ESPN Plus
ABOUT THE ROUGHRIDERS (3-3): Bridge was limited to 147 yards through the air and finished without a touchdown pass for the third time in four starts while Saskatchewan's points came from a defensive score by Tobi Antigha and five field goals from Brett Lauther. Quarterback Zach Collaros has missed the last four contests with a concussion, but is inching closer to a return after he was taken off the six-game injured list and Saskatchewan coach Chris Jones revealed that he could be ready for game action in two weeks. Veteran running back Jerome Messam, who has rushed for 205 yards this season, was released Monday after he was charged with voyeurism from an incident stemming in November 2016.
ABOUT THE ESKIMOS (4-2): Mike Reilly, who is the reigning Most Outstanding Player in the CFL, is having another spectacular season as he threw for 415 yards and four touchdowns to go along with a rushing score against Montreal. Duke Williams' breakout season continued as he caught four passes for 116 yards and a pair of touchdowns against the Alouettes to become the ninth player in CFL history to register five straight 100-yard receiving games. Defensive end Kwaku Boateng recorded three sacks last week and has five in his last two games.
EXTRA POINTS
1. Reilly leads the league in passing yards (2,063) and touchdowns (13).
2. Saskatchewan has scored four defensive touchdowns in six games.
3. Edmonton has won five straight games against West Division rivals.
PREDICTION: Eskimos 31, Roughriders 22
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Ottawa (4-2) (-5,5. 48) @ Toronto (1-5)— Ottawa won three of its last four games, winning last two road games, at Hamilton/Montreal. Four of last five Ottawa games stayed under. Toronto lost its last two games, allowing 38-40 points their last two games, both to Winnipeg; four of Argos’ five losses are by 8+ points.Under is 4-2 in their games this year. Argonauts won seven of last nine series games, with last five staying under the total. RedBlacks lost four of last five visits here, with losses by 3-3-6-18 points.
Saskatchewan (3-3) @ Edmonton (4-2) (-7.5, 53)— Eskimos won six of last eight series games; under is 3-1 in last four series games. Roughriders lost four of last five visits here, but did win here 54-31 last summer. Edmonton won three of its last four games; they scored 33+ in three of their four wins, are 1-2 scoring fewer than 33. Over is 4-2 in their games. Saskatchewan allowed 20 or fewer points in its three wins, 23-34-40 points in its losses; they split their two road games, losing 40-17 in Ottawa, winning in Hamilton.