CFL Grey Cup preview and pick
By CHARLES-ANDRÉ MARCHAND
Calgary Stampeders (13-5) vs. Montreal Alouettes (11-7) (PK)
This year's Grey Cup features arguably the best two teams in the CFL in 2008. It's so difficult to predict that most oddsmakers are setting this matchup as a pick, leaving bettors to merely select the winner. Books have set the total at 57 points.
Both teams have a rookie head coach, although John Hufnagel did have CFL experience before taking over the Stampeders. He was a quarterback from 1976-1987 and an offensive coordinator with Calgary from 1990-1996. Montreal head coach Marc Trestman was a newcomer to the league when he was chosen to take over the team last winter.
Two great quarterbacks take center stage at Olympic Stadium Sunday. Henry Burris and Anthony Calvillo are not only marquee players but future Hall of Famers. Calvillo is one of the sharpest passers in the game, but Burris also piles up yardage by running with the ball. His 595 rushing yards were ninth most in the league this season.
Calvillo relies on solid receivers Ben Cahoon, Kerry Watkins and sensational new-comer Jamal Richardson. Calgary also has fabulous wideouts Ken-Yon Rambo, Jermaine Copeland and Nick Lewis.
Montreal running back Avon Cobourne was on pace to become the first in league history to gain 1,000 yards rushing and 1,000 yards receiving in a single season. However, he suffered ankle injuries that kept him out for most of the second half of the season. He has recovered and will be starting Sunday. Calgary has one of the most powerful running backs in Joffrey Reynolds, who was tops in the CFL with 1,310 yards on the ground.
Montreal had ups and downs on defense and must bring its “A” game to capture the city's sixth Grey Cup. Calgary's defense is one of the toughest one of the CFL, mainly because of stand-out corner back Brandon Browner. Linebacker JoJuan Armour also brings a lot to the front seven.
The Alouettes have been involved in five Grey Cup games since 2000 but have won only once. The Stampeders are 2-1 in Grey Cup games since 1996.
The majority of the 65,000 football fans in Montreal's Olympic Stadium will be cheering for the Als, giving them the intangible 13th man. It may prove to be the difference in what should be a very close game.
Prediction: Montreal 24, Calgary 21
CALGARY (14 - 5) at MONTREAL (12 - 7)
Top Trends for this game.
CALGARY is 13-6 ATS (+6.4 Units) in all games this season.
CALGARY is 13-6 ATS (+6.4 Units) in all lined games this season.
CALGARY is 6-0 ATS (+6.0 Units) as an underdog this season.
CALGARY is 12-5 ATS (+6.5 Units) in games played on turf this season.
CALGARY is 7-1 ATS (+5.9 Units) in non-conference games this season.
Head-to-Head Series History
CALGARY is 4-2 against the spread versus MONTREAL over the last 3 seasons
CALGARY is 4-2 straight up against MONTREAL over the last 3 seasons
3 of 6 games in this series have gone OVER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons
CALGARY vs. MONTREAL
Calgary is 5-1 ATS in its last 6 games on the road
Calgary is 5-1 SU in its last 6 games on the road
Montreal is 10-4 SU in its last 14 games
Montreal is 5-1 ATS in its last 6 games at home
2008 CFL Grey Cup Preview
by Ron Raymond
The 96th edition of the CFL Grey Cup will be hosted in Montreal, Quebec Canada and the betting line on the game is Montreal PK vs. Calgary (57.0).
The Montreal Alouettes (12-7) will represent the Eastern Division, while the Calgary Stampeders (14-5) will represent the Western Division. The Alouettes won 36-26 in the Eastern Division final last weekend, as they beat the Edmonton Eskimos who won against the Winnipeg Blue Bombers in the Semi Finals the week prior.
In the Western Division finals, the Stampeders outlasted the BC Lions 22-18 as a -5.5 point Home Favorite and the Lions beat the Saskatchewan Roughriders 33-12 at Mosaaic Stadium in the Western Semi Finals.
Both the Alouettes and Stampeders finished first in their division this season and CFL fans are getting a marquee final this Sunday, November 23rd at 6; 00 pm EST at Olympic Stadium, home of the 1976 Olympics.
The Montreal Alouettes are led by former Utah State Aggies QB Anthony Calvillo who was also the starting QB of the now defunct CFL team Las Vegas Posse. Calvillo's favorite receiver is Ben Cahoon who went to BYU and is an 8 time all star receiver in the CFL. The Stamps are led QB Henri Burris who had a cup of coffee in the NFL with the Packers and Bears and played his college ball with Temple University and finished with 20 passing records at that university. It should be noted; Burris started his pro career in the CFL before attending the Bears in the NFL. As for the Stampeders running game, they have a work horse in Jofferey Reynolds at the tail back position and Burris has great receivers to choose from when he's glancing down the field.
The Stampeders are probably the better balanced team offensively and defensively, as the Stamps average 32.47 Points For per game, while averaging 23.05 Points Against per game. However, Montreal are no doubt, the most explosive team offensively in the CFL, as they've scored 30 or more points in 16 out of 19 games this season and it could have been 17 out of 19 games if they would have played their regulars in their season finale vs. Edmonton.
The Stamps enter this game with the momentum and it reflects in the opening numbers, as the Bookmakers have made this game a Pick'em and considering this is like a Home game for Montreal, makes it a head scratcher from a betting perspective.
Let's review; the Stampeders have won 5 in a row, 9 out of their last 10 games and they've covered 80% of their last 10 games. Here's an interesting number, had the bookmaker made the Alouettes a Grey Cup Favorite, the Stamps are 6-0 SU and ATS as an underdog this season, so monitor this line throughout the week. However, if the money starts coming in on Calgary and the Stamps start getting some Favorite love, the Als are 1-4 SU and 2-3 ATS this season.
Montreal have not done well in the Grey Cup Final the last 8 years; as they've been involved in 5 Grey Cup games since 2000, but have only won the big game once, 34-22 vs. the Eskimos in Edmonton. The Stampeders on the other hand have made the big dance 3 times since 1996 and have won the Grey Cup two out of the three times. In fact, there only lost was in 1999 as a -5.5 point favorite vs. Hamilton, as the Tiger Cats won the game 32-21 in a game played at BC Place.
The Stampeders own the season series, as they've won both games vs. Montreal. In the first meeting on July 10th (week #3), the Alouettes were a -4.5 point Home Favorite and the game finished 23-19 for the Stamps and the O/U on the game 55 and it clearly went UNDER the posted total. In the rematch, the Alouettes were a +3.0 point Road Underdog in Week #12 and fell 41-30 and the O/U on that game was set at 58.5.
The Alouettes are 6-4 (SU and ATS) in their last 10 overall head to head meetings with the Calgary Stampeders and the OVER is 7-3-0 in those 10 meetings.
Enjoy the Grey Cup Folks!