CFL Week 10 Betting News and Notes

Friday, September 2

BRITISH COLUMBIA vs. TORONTO
British Columbia is 5-1 SU in its last 6 games when playing on the road against Toronto
The total has gone UNDER in 5 of British Columbia's last 6 games
Toronto is 1-5 SU in its last 6 games when playing at home against British Columbia
Toronto is 4-7-1 ATS in its last 12 games when playing British Columbia

Sunday, Septmber 4

WINNIPEG vs. SASKATCHEWAN
Winnipeg is 7-0-1 ATS in its last 8 games
Winnipeg is 0-5 SU in its last 5 games when playing on the road against Saskatchewan
The total has gone UNDER in 5 of Saskatchewan's last 6 games
Saskatchewan is 5-0 SU in its last 5 games when playing at home against Winnipeg

Monday, September 5

MONTREAL vs. HAMILTON
Montreal is 8-4 SU in its last 12 games when playing on the road against Hamilton
Montreal is 20-4 SU in its last 24 games when playing Hamilton
Hamilton is 4-20 SU in its last 24 games when playing Montreal
The total has gone UNDER in 6 of Hamilton's last 8 games when playing Montreal

EDMONTON vs. CALGARY
Edmonton is 3-7 ATS in its last 10 games when playing on the road against Calgary
Edmonton is 1-4 ATS in its last 5 games
The total has gone OVER in 16 of Calgary's last 22 games
Calgary is 6-1 SU in its last 7 games

CFL Week 10 Odds and Picks
By Charles-André Marchand

B.C. Lions at Toronto Argonauts (+1.5, 51)

The Lions play against a familiar face in Toronto where former teammate Ricky Foley chose to pursue his career last fall after being cut by the N.Y. Jets.

The decision made a lot of very unhappy folks in Vancouver, particularly the guys in Wally Buono’s dressing room. The players say its old news but you can expect emotions to by on the edge against Foley and the Argos.

The Lions have had another bad start but things seem to be shaping up in. The club is playing to the level of its talent and expectations. The blowout win against Edmonton should be a warning to all, and against an Argos team that has many flaws, you can expect another lopsided affair.

QB Cleo Lemon is off the mark and his OL hasn’t provided much protection lately. The possible absence of DT Kevin Huntley won’t help.

In Toronto, they’re already talking about a possible replacement of Cleo Lemon by former Bomber Steven Jyles who will be out of the nine-week injury list next week.

Pick: B.C.

Winnipeg Blue Bombers at Saskatchewan Roughriders (+3, 49.5)

The Blue Bombers are the team to beat in the CFL and you might think there is no hope for the Saskatchewan Roughriders.

But with Ken Miller back on the sidelines, you can expect a burst of passion and energy from these Riders. Since offensive coordinator Doug Berry was fired, QB Darian Durant said much was done to improve the playbook and he seems confident that he can cause confusion in the Blue Bombers defense, whatever mastermind Tim Burke may bring to the table.

Durant will have a new target with Dallas Baker dressing up for his first game with the Riders after being traded by the Alouettes for DE Luc Mullinder a few weeks ago. Defensively the Riders have improved since LB James Patrick return to play, picking up two of the six Saskatchewan interceptions.

In the hostile environment of Mosaic Stadium, where you arguably find the loudest fans in the country, all is in place to see the Roughriders get back on track and upset the Bombers.

Keep an eye on wide receiver Scott McHenry who, after being released by Winnipeg, will have a chance to face his former teammates. This will be the 47th Labour Day showdown between these two rivals, Saskatchewan having the edge with 29 wins.

Pick: Saskatchewan

Montreal Alouettes at Hamilton Tiger Cats (+2.5, 55)

Montreal’s secondary has been pretty banged up and the coaching staff had to fill many holes before heading to Hamilton where the Tiger Cats are hoping to prove they can win a big game against the Alouettes.

Already without DB Jerald Brown and S Etienne Boulay, the Alouettes will have to manage without CB Mark Estelle for the reminder of the season. LB Diamond Ferri has been hospitalized earlier this week with a pancreatitis, DE Jermaine McElveen is still nursing a knee injury and that MLB Shae Emry suffered a concussion that might prevent him of playing.

That means the Als head to Hamilton missing seven of their 12 defensive starters.

The Tiger Cats can still make a run for first place in the East and, if not for a few bad calls from their coaches, should have won against Winnipeg last week. With a great group of young receivers (Chris Williams, Aaron Kelly and Bakari Grant) at his disposal, QB Kevin Glenn will also welcome the return of Maurice Mann.

Pick: Hamilton

Edmonton Eskimos at Calgary Stampeders (-8.5, 48)

If you were only going by the standings you might think this is a game between the two best teams in the West. It’s not the case.
The Eskimos are depleted by injuries and we still can’t figure out who Ricky Ray will throw the ball on Labour Day for this showdown between Alberta’s archrivals.

C Aaron Fiacconi is the latest casualty and will be out for the rest of season which is no good news for a QB who has been sacked 18 times in the last three games, all losses.

Also note that since they released Arkee Whitlock after Week 5, the Eskimos ground game has been stalled.

Henry Burris and the Stampeders offense are rolling on all wheels and gave a stupendous demonstration of their potential last Saturday against the Alouettes. Burris and WR Johnny Forzani were named Offensive and Canadian player of the month in August, leading the Stampeders to three wins in as many games.

The Stampeders have won the last four Labour Day “Battle of Albertas”.

Pick: Calgary

CFL Betting Notes - Week 10
By David Schwab

This week’s games mark the halfway point of the 2011 CFL regular season as all eight teams are back in action after a pair of bye weeks. Last week, Winnipeg squeezed out a 30-27 victory over Hamilton on Friday night but could not cover the spread as a 3½-point home favorite. The total went well ‘over’ the 49½-point closing line. This past Saturday, Calgary came out on top 38-31 as a one-point home favorite in a shootout with Montreal. The total easily eclipsed the 55-point line.

The following is brief preview of this week’s CFL games along with the opening point spread and ‘over/under’ lines as provided by BetOnline.com.

Friday, September 2

British Columbia Lions at Toronto Argonauts (PICK ) Over/Under (51½)

BC comes off its bye week with a 2-6 record straight-up and a 3-5 record against the spread. It is 1-3 SU on the road this season and 2-2 ATS. The total has stayed ‘under’ in five of its eight games. Toronto has matched the Lions win total with a 2-6 SU record and is 4-4 ATS. It is 1-2 at home both SU and ATS. The total has gone ‘over’ in five of its eight games.

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These two teams met twice last season with the Argonauts winning the first game 24-20 as 1½-point home favorites. The Lions won the second time around 37-16 as 4½-point home favorites. Toronto is 3-2 ATS in the last five meetings overall and the total has stayed ‘under’ in seven of the last eight games at the Rogers Centre. Cleo Lemon remains the starting quarterback for the Argonauts with Steven Jyles still on the nine-week injured list.

Sunday, September 4

Winnipeg Blue Bombers (-3) at Saskatchewan Roughriders Over/Under (50)

Winnipeg has streaked to the top of the East Division standings with a 7-1 SU record. It is also 7-1 ATS and the total has stayed ‘under’ in six of its eight games. The Blue Bombers are 3-0 on the road both SU and ATS. Saskatchewan is 1-7 SU and ATS this season. It is 1-3 SU and ATS at home and the total has stayed ‘under’ in five of its eight games overall.

These two also spilt their games last season SU, but the Blue Bombers won both ATS. The Roughriders won 27-23 at home as nine-point favorites, but were crushed on the road 31-2 as 3½-point favorites. Winnipeg is 6-3 ATS in the last nine meetings and the total stayed ‘under’ in six of the last seven games overall. The Blue Bombers lead the CFL in fewest points allowed, giving up an average of just 19.6 a game.

Monday, September 5

Montreal Alouettes (2½) at Hamilton Tiger-Cats Over/Under (55)

The two-time defending champion Alouettes are now two games back in the East with an overall record of 5-3 SU (4-4 ATS). They are 2-2 SU and ATS on the road and the total has gone ‘over’ in six of their eight games. Hamilton is 4-4 both SU and ATS overall and 3-1 SU at home (2-2 ATS). The total has gone ‘over’ in five of its eight games.

The Tiger-Cats won the first meeting this season 34-26 as three-point home underdogs with the total going ‘over’ the 53½-point line. Hamilton is 3-2 ATS in the last five meetings and the total has stayed ‘under’ in six of the last eight games. Quarterbacks Anthony Calvillo for Montreal and Kevin Glenn for Hamilton are ranked No.1 and No.3 respectively in total passing yards this season.

Edmonton Eskimos at Calgary Stampeders (-9½) Over/Under (46½)

Edmonton went into its bye week with three straight losses after winning its first five games. It is 4-4 ATS and the total has stayed ‘under’ in six of its eight games. Calgary’s win last week was its fourth straight and it is now 6-2 SU (5-3 ATS) and in first-place in the West Division. It is 2-2 SU and ATS at home and the total has been evenly split at 4-4 overall.

The Eskimos will try and make it two straight over Calgary this season after beating the Stampeders 24-19 as three-point road underdogs in Week 4. The total stayed ‘under’ the 56-point line. It was just their third win ATS in the last 10 meetings. Edmonton is also 3-7 SU in the last 10 meetings. The total went ‘over’ in the three games between the two last season. Stampeder quarterback Henry Burris has thrown for 2,462 yards so far; just two yards less than league-leader Anthony Calvillo.

Eskimos Visit Calgary Stampeders In CFL Battle
By: Willie Bee

The CFL's Labour Day Weekend slate ends Monday afternoon in Calgary where the Stampeders host the Edmonton Eskimos in the first of back-to-back's between the two top squads in the West Division.

Early odds for the contest have the Stampeders big 9-point favorites with 47½ for the total.

Calgary (6-2 straight up, 5-3 against the spread) should come into this game with plenty of rest and flying high off a 38-31 win at home over Montreal last Saturday. The Stampeders spotted the Alouettes a 10-1 lead in the first quarter before rallying in the victory, their fourth straight since a loss to these Eskimos.

Henry Burris connected on 26 of his 42 aerials for 422 yards and three scores, and broke a 31-31 tie late in the final quarter with a 6-yard touchdown scramble. Two of his TD passes were hauled in by Johnny Forzani.

Burris, who topped the 40,000-yard mark for his career in the win, is just two yards behind Montreal's Anthony Calvillo in passing yards this season with 2,462. The 12-year veteran out of Temple has a 13:5 touchdown-to-interception ratio and is rekindling memories of a remarkable 2008 campaign.

The win kept the Stampeders a game ahead of Edmonton (5-3 SU, 4-4 ATS) in the West Division with the defeat dropping the Alouettes two games behind Winnipeg in the East.

Edmonton stumbles into this matchup off a bye week that was preceded by three consecutive defeats following a 5-0 start to the 2011 campaign. Scoring has been the Eskimos' biggest bugaboo in the losing skid, totaling just 21 points in the three defeats, the most recent an embarrassing 36-1 showing at home against the BC Lions in Week 8.

Monday's tilt is the second meeting between the clubs this year with the Eskimos winning 24-19 as 3-point CFL odds underdogs in Week 4. That victory snapped a 6-game losing streak for Edmonton in this series.

Calgary will have to find a way to pressure Eskimos quarterback Ricky Ray in this contest. The Stampeders only got to Ray one time in that first meeting.

Fred Stamps, who hauled in five of Ray's 12 completions for 161 yards and two scores in that win, won't present a problem for Calgary in this one. The slotback is expected to miss another couple of weeks with an abdominal injury.

Edmonton will also be without a key member of the offensive line as center Aaron Fiacconi (shoulder) is out for the rest of the season. The Eskimos recently added former 1st-round pick Dylan Steenbergen in a trade from Montreal to offset Fiacconi's absence, and they expect to have Gord Hinse back for this game as well.

Calgary is listing linebacker Daren Stone (biceps) as questionable for Monday's game. The Stampeders are also still without kicker Rob Maver (quad), though Rene Paredes has filled in nicely for him since Maver went out in the season opener. Paredes booted three field goals in last week's win, the last from 46 yards out.

The 9-point spread seems a little high on first glance when you look at two teams separated by just a game in the standings. But there's very little to like about the Eskimos in this one with an offensive line being reworked and their top receiver Stamps out of action.

The clubs played in this same scheduling spot last season with the Stampeders rolling to a 52-5 victory, and followed that up with a 36-20 win in Edmonton the next week.

By the way, the new 2012 calendars are out featuring the Calgary Outriders cheer/dance gals. Click here for a look at that, and never again say we don't have all your bases covered at Don Best. There must not be a single tattoo parlour in Calgary, either that or, well, back to football.

Kickoff this week from McMahon Stadium is 4:30 p.m. (ET) with TSN providing coverage as usual. The clubs will have very little time off before reconvening Friday (Sept. 9) at Edmonton's Commonwealth Stadium for Week 11 CFL action.

CFL Week 10

BCLions (2-6) @ Toronto (2-6) - Pair of struggling teams both coming off wins; Lions won two of last three games after 0-5 start- they're 1-3 on road, 1-3 as a favorite, losing away games by 4 at Montreal, 16 at Edmonton, 5 at Winnipeg, before last week's big 36-1 win in Edmonton. Last four Lion games stayed under the total, but five of last six Toronto games went over. Argos are 1-2 at home, losing by 9-13 points.

Winnipeg (7-1) @ Saskatchewan (1-7) - In-season coaching changes are basically always useless, but defending West champ Roughriders are in a desperate way, losing last four games by average score of 29-21. Riders are 0-4 at home, losing by 14-14-4-10 points. Bombers are 3-0 on road, winning by 8-9-13 points- they're 2-1 as a favorite. Six of eight Bomber games, five of last six Saskatchewan games stayed under total.

Montreal (5-3) @ Hamilton (5-3) - Alouettes (-3.5) lost 34-26 here back in Week 5; Als are 2-2 on road, winning in Regina (39-25), Toronto (36-23), losing here and in Calgary (38-31). Six of last eight Montreal games and last five TiCat games went over the total. Hamilton is 3-0 at home, winning by 30-8-5 points, scoring 34.7 ppg. TiCats are 4-2 vs spread as an underdog- they scored 33+ points in four of their five wins.

Edmonton (5-3) @ Calgary (6-2) - Eskimos (+3.5) won 34-19 here back in Week 4, but after an unlikely 5-0 start, Edmonton lost its last three in a row by 12-23-35 points, getting outscored 63-5 in its last two games. Stampeders won/covered last four games, scoring 34.3 ppg- they won last two home games by 12-7 points after losing their first two at home this season. Six of last seven Eskimo games stayed under; Calgary's last three games went over the total.