CFL Week 10 Betting News and Notes

Canadian Football League Week 9 Betting Recap
By Ian Cameron
Sportsmemo.com

Here is my recap of Week 9 in the Canadian Football League as I provide a quick hitter, team-by-team analysis of the eight teams that were in action…

Montreal Alouettes (3-5 SU, 4-4 ATS)

The Alouettes pulled off the upset of the season in the CFL last week as they found a way to come from behind to defeat the BC Lions in a wild 39-38 win. Even more impressive what that they were minus their starting quarterback Anthony Calvillo and several of their key starters on both sides of the football. All the credit has to go to head coach and GM Jim Popp who made a quarterback change in the first quarter with Montreal trailing 15-0. The struggling Josh Neiswander was replaced by Tanner Marsh and the game started to turn in Montreal’s favor. The Alouettes, for the second straight game, played with a ton of energy and the players that stepped in for the injured starters played hard. Marsh made some mistakes but in the end he made enough plays in the passing game against a tough BC defense including the decisive play in the game’s dying seconds to put the Alouettes in position to win. Marsh threw a near Hail Mary down the field which was caught by Eric Deslauriers for 57 yards with one second left setting up Montreal to kick the game winning field goal. Montreal’s defense got pressure throughout the game on BC quarterback Travis Lulay and negated the strong rushing attack of Andrew Harris. The in-game quarterback switch from Neiswander to Marsh paid dividends for Montreal as the move fooled BC’s defense. That’s two straight games that Montreal has played with a revitalized spirit and a ton of energy. They could and probably should have beaten Saskatchewan a couple weeks ago but they found a way to grind out an unexpected win against a very solid BC Lions team despite over a half dozen of impact starters missing due to injury. Despite all the issues for the Alouettes they are 3-5 and can still salvage the season.

Toronto Argonauts (5-3 SU, 4-4 ATS)

After praising the Toronto Argos defense after three straight excellent performances, they have been sliced and diced in back-to-back games by Edmonton and Calgary. The Eskimos put up 33 points and over 500 yards but Toronto was squeak out a 36-33 win because the offense was unstoppable. However, it was a much different story for the Argos against Calgary in their Grey Cup rematch on Friday. Toronto suffered an early first quarter injury to quarterback Ricky Ray and he never returned. The offense stalled for the majority of the game under backup Zach Collaros who showed he isn’t quite as productive when doesn’t get the first team reps in practice. The defense allowed 429 yards and 35 points to a Calgary offense that wasn’t playing at full strength. Kevin Glenn was at quarterback, a trio of their better receivers were out due to injury, and the guy who usually carries Calgary’s offense, running back Jon Cornish, was out with an injury as well. Yet despite all the missing parts we saw the Stampeders still gash the Argos defensive front on the ground. Glenn made some nice plays downfield as the Argos secondary was victimized several times in the loss. Just two weeks ago Toronto looked like the championship team of last year and now there are more injury concerns for Ray and the defense has reverted back to their early season struggles. Toronto has all the tools to be dominant but inconsistency is plaguing them. Hamilton and Montreal have both showed major signs of life in recent weeks in their attempts to challenge Toronto for the top spot in a very weak East Division.

Hamilton Tiger-Cats (4-4 SU and ATS)

Hamilton is the hottest team in the East Division right now. Sure, their current three-game winning streak came against Edmonton and Winnipeg (twice) who are a combined 1-14 this season but they will take the wins after a poor 1-4 start. The Ticats are getting healthier and that is probably the biggest factor as to why they are playing better. The offense is showing plenty of diversity under head coach Kent Austin. He’s given backup quarterback Dan LeFevour several snaps during games to keep opposing defenses off balance and to complement starting quarterback Henry Burris who is already the league leader in passing yards. The defense has improved partially due to getting healthy bodies back but also their ability to grasp first-year defensive coordinator Orlondo Steinauer’s system. I like the fact Hamilton didn’t ease off the gas pedal against Winnipeg this week at home. They annihilated Winnipeg 37-18 on the road last week and didn’t show much more in the way of mercy against them last week in Guelph notching another dominant 37-14 win against the pathetic 1-7 Blue Bombers. The Ticats actually put it on cruise control in the second half after leading 24-6 at half and still didn’t feel any kind of threat from the Blue Bombers. Hamilton is now 3-0 SU, 3-0 ATS in their last three games and I think there will be more money to be made with this team moving forward. However, before we get too carried away with Ticats they will be facing a true measuring stick playing against BC in back-to-back games starting this week. The Lions are sure to be in a feisty mood after last week’s inexcusable loss against injury ravaged Montreal.

Winnipeg Blue Bombers (1-7 SU, 2-6 ATS)

Winnipeg has officially reached “laughing stock” status. The Blue Bombers are 1-7. They’ve fired the front office management including the GM. They’ve fired their offensive coordinator Gary Crowton and replaced him with Marcel Bellefeuille completely changing offensive systems in the process. And they’ve played musical chairs with their quarterback over the last three weeks. All three signal callers saw playing time in their 37-14 blowout loss against Hamilton last week. Max Hall was the starter but he got injured. Buck Pierce came in after that and was mostly ineffective. Justin Goltz entered the game in the latter stages and it was a similar result. The defense isn’t good to begin with but it gets even worse because their offense barely stays on the field suffering from “two-and-out” syndrome on a weekly basis. Not much more to say about this wretched outfit other than stay away from them from a betting standpoint. They were 10.5-point road underdogs in their loss to Hamilton and still didn’t even come close to a pointspread cover. Winnipeg isn’t 0-5 SU, 1-4 ATS in their last five games by accident. This is a CFL bottom feeder and they are the epitome of dysfunctional both on and off the field.

Saskatchewan Roughriders (7-1 SU, 5-3 ATS)

The task of covering pointspreads on a weekly basis always gets tougher for the best teams in any league. Saskatchewan found a way to win another game against Edmonton in Week 8 by a score of 30-27 but they failed to get the ATS win as 4-point road favorites dropping them to 5-3 ATS this season despite their 7-1 SU mark. After my clients and I enjoyed several cashes with the Roughriders early in the season, it’s clear that oddsmakers have caught up to this team. The offense rebounded with a much better performance against Edmonton after a surprising poor showing at home against Montreal. Saskatchewan’s defense didn’t have its best game but they made the key stops down the stretch to preserve the win. They aren’t dominating foes like they were before their bye week but this is still hands down the best team the CFL has to offer right now.

Calgary Stampeders (6-2 SU and ATS)

Calgary was in the same boat as Montreal in Week 9 – a team that was banged up and not given much of a chance to win against their tough opponent. But the Stampeders overcame enormous personnel losses on offense and dominated the defending Grey Cup champions 35-14 on the road. Kevin Glenn gets a lot of criticism for his play at times which is usually regarding his lack of mobility or his tendency to force throws into coverage but the bottom line is Glenn is winning games. He completed 70% of his passes for 228 passing yards and a pair of touchdowns with zero picks. If the Stamps keep receiving that kind of play from Glenn, the run game and the defense will take care of the rest. We saw the Stamps have a good deal of success running the football without Cornish and their best offensive lineman which goes to show why Calgary’s offensive line is the best in the CFL. They can lose their top guy but still manage to rush for 177 yards on the ground against a very good Toronto defensive front. With this win, Calgary stays just one game back of Saskatchewan for first place in the West Division in what looks like a race that will be contested right to the end of the regular season. Calgary is playing Edmonton in back-to-back games starting next week but they can’t overlook the Eskimos. Edmonton has lost their last four games by only a combined 12 points.

Edmonton Eskimos (1-7 SU, 3-5 ATS)

Edmonton is trying…they really are but unfortunately they aren’t getting the results to show for it. The Eskimos lost ANOTHER frustrating close game against Saskatchewan by a score of 30-27. They’ve lost their last four games by 5, 1, 3 and 3 points going 0-4 SU but 3-1. The good news is their offense is coming around and quarterback Mike Reilly is playing with much more poise and confidence. Unfortunately, it was another below par performance from the Eskimos defense which is still trying to find their way. Edmonton allowed 487 total yards and 30 points which makes it the fifth straight game where the defense has allowed 30 or more points. The Eskimos had a top 3 defense last season but they’ve taken a big fall here in 2013 and enter Week 10 ranked 7th in total yards allowed and 6th in points allowed. The offensive improvements and the defensive deficiencies have combined to give Edmonton a 5-0 mark to the Over in its last five games. The Eskimos will face the Calgary Stampeders next week in dire need of a win. It’s worth noting next week’s Edmonton/Calgary showdown has the highest total posted for any Edmonton game this season with 57.5 the prevailing number.

BC Lions (5-3 SU, 4-4 ATS)

I don’t think there is any question right now that BC isn’t playing at the same level they did two years ago when they won the Grey Cup. That is certainly the case on offense where quarterback Travis Lulay has yet to throw for 300 yards in any game this season. The run game with Andrew Harris has stalled and the offensive line is underperforming in both areas: pass protection and run blocking. Montreal deserves credit for showing up with a very strong effort despite key injuries on both sides of the football but this is still a loss that never should have happened for BC. The defense got picked apart by Toronto’s Zach Collaros and it was more of the same against Tanner Marsh for the Montreal Alouettes. This loss was no fluke. BC was outplayed by Montreal and outgained to an alarming tune of 467-272 yards. The offensive struggles are surprising because this team has a good quarterback, running back, receivers and an excellent coordinator in Jacques Chapdelaine but it hasn’t translated into consistent success on the field. There is no doubt that last week was a bad loss for the Lions and one they will be eager to erase with a strong performance this week but they will have to do it against one of the hottest teams in the CFL right now, the Hamilton Tiger-Cats, who have won three straight.

CFL Betting Notes - Week 10
By David Schwab
VegasInsider.com

Labor Day Weekend has traditionally marked the halfway point of the CFL season with teams playing their ninth of an 18-game schedule. Last week's action started off Montreal pulling-off a dramatic 39-38 victory over British Columbia as a seven-point home underdog on Thursday night. Calgary then rolled over Toronto 35-14 on Friday night as a three-point road underdog to help tighten things up in the East Division race.

The opening game of a Saturday double-header saw Hamilton rout Winnipeg 37-14 as a 10-point favorite at home. Later in the day, Saskatchewan maintained its lead in the West Division with a thrilling 30-27 victory over Edmonton but it failed to cover as a 3½-point road favorite.

The following is a brief betting preview for this week's CFL schedule with the opening pointspread and 'over/under' lines provided by TopBet.

Friday, Aug. 30

Hamilton Tiger-Cats vs. British Columbia Lions

Pointspread: BC -5
Total: 54

Hamilton has moved to within one game of Toronto for the lead in the East Division with a three-game winning streak both straight-up and against the spread. The Tiger-Cats are now 4-4 SU (3-5 ATS) on the year and the total has gone OVER in three of four games on the road. They are averaging 25.4 points a game this season, but have passed the 30-point mark in three wins.

The Lions are still licking their wounds from last Thursday's one-point loss to Montreal after taking a 21-7 lead into halftime. They are now two games in back of Saskatchewan in the West Division at 5-3 SU (4-4 ATS). The total has stayed UNDER in three of four home games this year.

This will be the first meeting between the two this season, but BC has a 16-6 SU edge in the last 22 meetings. Hamilton has lost 12 of its last 16 road games against the Lions SU, but BC is just 1-6 ATS in the last seven home games in this series. The total has gone OVER in four of the last five games played at BC Place.

Sunday, Sept. 1

Winnipeg Blue Bombers vs. Saskatchewan Roughriders

Pointspread: Saskatchewan -14
Total: 53

The Blue Bombers' season has gone from bad to worse with six-straight losses that has them buried in the East at 1-7 SU. They have covered the spread in three of the eight games and the total has stayed UNDER in four road games this year. Winnipeg is ranked last in the CFL in scoring with an average of 20.9 points a game.

Saskatchewan has the best record in the league at 7-1 SU and it has covered in five of eight games this year. The total has gone OVER in five of those games. The Roughriders continue to be the highest scoring team in the CFL with an average of 33 points a game, while their defense remains the stingiest; allowing an average of just 22.1 points a game.

Winnipeg is just 1-9 SU in the last 10 meetings and 3-7 ATS. The total has gone OVER in the last three meetings after staying UNDER in the previous three dating back to the 2010 season. The Blue Bombers are 0-5 SU and 1-4 ATS in their last five trips to Saskatchewan and the total has stayed UNDER in five of the last six meetings there.

Monday, Sept. 2

Edmonton Eskimos vs. Calgary Stampeders

Pointspread: Calgary -7½
Total: 58

Edmonton's six-game losing streak has it bringing up the rear in the West Division at 1-7 SU, but it has covered in its last two contests to improve to 3-5 ATS. The total has gone OVER in six of its first eight games. The Eskimos have remained fairly competitive with a scoring margin of just 5.9 points between themselves and their opponents.

Calgary's current injury report is up to 17 different players, but it continues to find ways to win games. The Stampeders have won five of their last six outings both SU and ATS to stay just one game back in the West Division race at 6-2 SU. The total has gone OVER in five of the eight games overall and in all three of their home games this year.

The Eskimos are 1-5 SU and 2-4 ATS in their last six games against Calgary. They have lost seven of the last nine road games SU against the Stampeders and the total has gone OVER in four of the last five meetings between the two.

Tuesday, Sept. 3

Montreal Alouettes vs. Toronto Argonauts

Pointspread: OFF
Total: OFF

It has been a rough start for last year's East Division champs, but last Thursday's come from behind win over BC could be a big step in the right direction. At 3-5 SU (4-4 ATS), the Alouettes are just two games in back of Toronto in the division, but they have already lost to the Argonauts 38-13 as two-point home underdogs in Week 7.

Toronto dropped to 5-3 SU (4-4) after last week's loss to Calgary, but it remains a perfect 3-0 SU in the division. The total has gone OVER in five of eight games overall and in four of five games played at home. The Alouettes are the highest scoring team in the East with an average of 30.5 points a game.

This series has remained tight in recent memory with Montreal holding a slight 6-4 SU edge in the last 10 games. The games have been evenly split ATS at 5-5 and the total has stayed UNDER in the last six meetings. The total stayed UNDER the 53-point line in the first meeting this year.

Week 10 CFL

Hamilton (4-4) @ BCLions (5-3) — BC swept series LY 39-36 (-8)/37-17 (-1.5), after being 2-5 in previous seven series games; TiCats won three of last four visits here, covering all four in series where underdog is 7-2 vs spread in last nine meetings, with last four played here going over total. Hamilton cleaned up on Eskimos/Bombers to win last three games and even record; they’re 0-3 when scoring less than 25 points, losing those games by 10-37-12 points. TiCats covered last three games, but are 1-3 as an underdog. Lions somehow lost in Montreal last week despite being +6 in turnovers in game they led 21-7 at half; they’re 4-0 at home, 3-1 as home favorites, winning by 8-10-7-4 points. BC allowed 44-38-39 points in its losses, an average of 16.4 in wins. Five of last seven TiCat games, three of four BC home games stayed under the total.

Winnipeg (1-7) @ Saskatchewan (7-1) — Mismatch here, as Bombers are in disarray while Riders having dream season so far; Winnipeg lost last six games (1-4 vs spread last five) getting housed by Hamilton 37-28/37-14 last two weeks. Bombers are 3-1 as road dogs, though, losing away games by 5-7-23 points—road team covered seven of their eight games this year. Saskatchewan won nine of last ten series games, streak that started with ’07 Grey Cup; Bombers lost last eight visits here by average score of 33-13 (lost 27-7/52-0 here last two years). Riders are 0-3 vs spread since their bye; they’re 2-1 as home favorites, winning on Taylor Field by 15-37-3 points. Over is 3-1-1 in last five Winnipeg games, 5-3 in Saskatchewan games, but 3-5 in last eight series games. Underdogs covered five of last six series games.

Edmonton (1-7) @ Calgary (6-2) — Stampeders were 4-0 vs provincial rivals LY, with three wins by 3 or less points; they’re 12-3 in last 15 series games, winning seven of last nine played here, with five of those seven wins by 23+ points. Eskimos lost last six games but covered last two, pair of losses by FG each; they’re 2-2 as road dogs this year, losing on foreign soil by 10-5-3 points, with win at Hamilton. Calgary is 3-0 as home favorite this year, winning by 12-11-15 points (3-0 as home favorites); dogs are 5-4 vs spread in last nine series games played here. Five of six Stampeder wins this year are by 11+ points; they’re +9 in turnovers the last four weeks, with seven takeaways in last two games. Four of last five series games went over total, as did seven of eight Edmonton games this season.

Montreal (3-5) @ Toronto (5-3) — Alouettes won wild 39-38 game over BC last week behind backup QB Marsh despite being -6 in turnovers in game they trailed 21-7 at half; Als (+2) lost 38-13 at home to Toronto three weeks ago, as Argos recovered five fumbles, were +6 in turnovers as they sprinted out to 31-3 halftime lead. Als are -11 in turnovers last three games, after being +6 in first five games- they’re 2-2 as an underdog this year, losing road games by 11-3 points, with win at Winnipeg. Argos are 2-3 as home favorites, losing to pair of western rivals at home; they’re 3-0 vs spread in division games, 1-4 in non-divisional games. Toronto is 3-2 in last five series games, with road team winning five of last seven meetings and five of last six staying under total, but over is 4-1 in last five Montreal games, 5-1 in last six Toronto tilts.

Armadillosports.com

HAMILTON (4 - 4) at BRITISH COLUMBIA (5 - 3) - 8/30/2013, 10:00 PM

Top Trends for this game.
BRITISH COLUMBIA is 11-2 ATS (+8.8 Units) as a home favorite of 3.5 to 7 points over the last 3 seasons.
HAMILTON is 8-1 ATS (+6.9 Units) as a road underdog of 3.5 to 7 points over the last 3 seasons.

Head-to-Head Series History
HAMILTON is 3-1 against the spread versus BRITISH COLUMBIA over the last 3 seasons
BRITISH COLUMBIA is 2-2 straight up against HAMILTON over the last 3 seasons
2 of 3 games in this series have gone OVER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons

WINNIPEG (1 - 7) at SASKATCHEWAN (7 - 1) - 9/1/2013, 4:00 PM

Top Trends for this game.
SASKATCHEWAN is 57-36 ATS (+17.4 Units) when playing on a Sunday since 1996.
SASKATCHEWAN is 29-12 ATS (+15.8 Units) in home games in September games since 1996.
SASKATCHEWAN is 6-0 ATS (+6.0 Units) off a win over a division rival over the last 2 seasons.

Head-to-Head Series History
SASKATCHEWAN is 3-1 against the spread versus WINNIPEG over the last 3 seasons
SASKATCHEWAN is 4-0 straight up against WINNIPEG over the last 3 seasons
2 of 4 games in this series have gone OVER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons

EDMONTON (1 - 7) at CALGARY (6 - 2) - 9/2/2013, 5:00 PM

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

Head-to-Head Series History
CALGARY is 4-4 against the spread versus EDMONTON over the last 3 seasons
CALGARY is 5-3 straight up against EDMONTON over the last 3 seasons
4 of 8 games in this series have gone OVER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons

MONTREAL (3 - 5) at TORONTO (5 - 3) - 9/3/2013, 7:30 PM

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

Head-to-Head Series History
TORONTO is 4-4 against the spread versus MONTREAL over the last 3 seasons
MONTREAL is 5-3 straight up against TORONTO over the last 3 seasons
6 of 8 games in this series have gone UNDER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons

HAMILTON vs. BRITISH COLUMBIA
Hamilton is 3-6 ATS in its last 9 games on the road
Hamilton is 2-9 SU in its last 11 games on the road
The total has gone UNDER in 4 of British Columbia's last 6 games at home
British Columbia is 1-5 ATS in its last 6 games when playing Hamilton

WINNIPEG vs. SASKATCHEWAN
Winnipeg is 1-10 SU in its last 11 games when playing Saskatchewan
Winnipeg is 1-4 ATS in its last 5 games when playing on the road against Saskatchewan
Saskatchewan is 7-1 SU in its last 8 games
The total has gone OVER in 9 of Saskatchewan's last 13 games

EDMONTON vs. CALGARY
The total has gone OVER in 4 of Edmonton's last 5 games when playing Calgary
The total has gone OVER in 5 of Edmonton's last 5 games
Calgary is 5-1 SU in its last 6 games
The total has gone OVER in 4 of Calgary's last 6 games when playing at home against Edmonton

MONTREAL vs. TORONTO
The total has gone OVER in 4 of Montreal's last 5 games when playing on the road against Toronto
Montreal is 7-1 SU in its last 8 games when playing on the road against Toronto
The total has gone OVER in 10 of Toronto's last 14 games
The total has gone OVER in 8 of Toronto's last 9 games at home

Ti-Cats at Lions: What Bettors Need to Know
By Covers.com

Hamilton Tiger-Cats at BC Lions (-5.5, 53.5)

The Hamilton Tiger-Cats are the hottest team in the CFL, riding a three-game winning streak into their home-and-home series against the BC Lions. Hamilton will try to win four in a row for the first time since 2010 when it visits BC on Friday. Tiger-Cats quarterback Henry Burris leads the league by 423 passing yards, driving an offense that has produced 104 points over the last three games now that its receiving corps is completely healthy.

The Lions stumbled on the road against the lowly Montreal Alouettes last week, losing 39-38 on a last-second field goal after a miracle pass completion by a backup quarterback. BC’s luck has been much better at BC Place, where it is 4-0 and no opponent has scored more than 22 points in a game. Lions quarterback Travis Lulay has not had a 300-yard passing game in 2013 and is on pace to set a career-high in interceptions with eight, making him the perfect representation of BC’s inefficiencies on offense.

ABOUT THE TIGER-CATS (4-4): The Hamilton defense recorded its first four interceptions over the last two weeks in a home-and-home series against the Winnipeg Blue Bombers. Defensive backs Raymond Brown, Dee Webb and Rico Murray and linebacker Jamall Johnson all recorded picks. Johnson also leads the team in tackles with 25. C.J. Gable has taken the role of starting running back since recovering from injury, rushing for 193 yards as part of 344 yards from scrimmage during the winning streak.

ABOUT THE LIONS (5-3): BC is tied for the league lead in interceptions with nine. Linebacker Solomon Elimimian is one of three Lions defenders with two interceptions and also leads the team in tackles with 42. Wide receiver Emmanuel Arceneaux continues to make big catches, with a team-leading 501 yards on only 26 receptions. Running back Andrew Harris leads the team in yards from scrimmage with 816 - 534 of which are rushing yards.

TRENDS:

* Tiger-Cats are 4-0 ATS in their last four games in August.
* Lions are 5-1 ATS in their last six games following a S.U. loss.
* Over is 4-0 in the last four meetings in BC.
* Tiger-Cats are 5-1 ATS in their last 6 meetings.

EXTRA POINTS:

1. Hamilton has not had much success against the West Division, going 1-3.

2. The Lions have won their last 10 regular-season home games.

3. Lions KR Tim Brown leads the league with 1,004 combined return yards.

Bombers at Roughriders: What Bettors Need to Know
By Covers.com

Winnipeg Blue Bombers at Saskatchewan Roughriders (-14.5, 53.5)

The Saskatchewan Roughriders are off to their best start since 1970, when they won a franchise-record 14 regular-season games. On Sunday, Saskatchewan hosts the first game of a home-and-home series against the lowly Winnipeg Blue Bombers, who are mired in a six-game losing skid. Roughriders running back Kory Sheets surpassed 1,000 rushing yards faster than any player in CFL history last week and remained on pace to shatter the single-season rushing record with 139 yards and two touchdowns in a 30-27 victory over the Edmonton Eskimos.

Winnipeg is hoping a roster overhaul can salvage its season, which has already seen the dismissal of general manager Joe Mack. The Blue Bombers added former Jacksonville Jaguars wide receiver Mike Sims-Walker and released slotback Isaac Anderson and kicker Justin Palardy as coach Tim Burke vowed more changes could be on the way if play does not improve. New offensive coordinator Marcel Bellefeuille has his hands full fixing an offense that has produced a league-low 167 points and lacks a suitable starting quarterback - and the league-best Roughriders defense will not make things any easier for him.

ABOUT THE BLUE BOMBERS (1-7): Quarterbacks Max Hall, Buck Pierce and Justin Goltz all took snaps during Winnipeg’s 37-14 loss to the Hamilton Tiger-Cats last week. Hall started but left in the first quarter with an injury to his passing hand, while Pierce is also listed as day-to-day with an undisclosed ailment. Goltz is 50-for-88 passing with two touchdown passes and three interceptions this season. Defensive end Alex Hall has 11 sacks - four more than anyone else in the league.

ABOUT THE ROUGHRIDERS (7-1): Quarterback Darian Durant is having a career year with 17 touchdowns, no interceptions and a 67.7 completion percentage. Durant’s favorite target remains slotback Weston Dressler, who has 527 receiving yards. Slotback Chris Getzlaf is on pace to match his production from 2011, when he set career-highs in receiving yards (1,071) and touchdowns (10). Linebacker Renauld Williams leads the team in tackles (36) and sacks (six), while safety Tyron Brackenridge and defensive back Dwight Anderson have two interceptions apiece.

TRENDS:

* The Blue Bombers are 1-4 ATS in their last five games overall.
* The Roughriders are 8-2 ATS in their last 10 games in September.
* The under is 5-1 in the last six meetings in Saskatchewan.
* The Blue Bombers are 1-4 ATS in their last five meetings in Saskatchewan.

EXTRA POINTS:

1. The Roughriders are 4-0 against East Division opponents.

2. Saskatchewan LB Weldon Brown was fined an undisclosed amount for an illegal hit to the head of Edmonton QB Mike Reilly in last week’s game.

3. Winnipeg RB Chad Simpson has 552 rushing yards - 506 fewer than Sheets.

Eskimos at Stampeders: What Bettors Need to Know
By Covers.com

Edmonton Eskimos at Calgary Stampeders (-7.5, 56.5)

Frustration is starting to set in for the Edmonton Eskimos, who sit at the bottom of the West Division after dropping their last four games by a combined 12 points during a six-game losing streak. Edmonton will try to snap out of its funk when it visits the rival Calgary Stampeders on Monday for the first half of a home-and-home series. Eskimos quarterback Mike Reilly has thrown for 814 yards and six touchdowns over the last two games and will need to continue connecting with his receivers if Edmonton hopes to overcome the struggles of its injury-plagued defense, which has surrendered a division-worst 235 points.

Injuries have not slowed the Stampeders, who defeated the Toronto Argonauts last week without team rushing leader Jon Cornish or slotback Nik Lewis - the receiving yards leader. Jonathan Williams replaced Cornish and ran for 82 yards on 18 carries in his CFL debut, while Marquay McDaniel did his best impersonation of Lewis, catching seven passes for 106 yards and one touchdown. Veteran quarterback Kevin Glenn, who has played most of the season in place of injured starter Drew Tate, passed concussion tests after leaving the game late against Toronto for precautionary reasons, further showcasing Calgary’s resilience.

ABOUT THE ESKIMOS (1-7): Injured linebacker JC Sherritt could return to the lineup Monday if he has the pin removed from his broken thumb. Sherritt set a CFL record last season with 130 tackles, but has missed the last two games. Cornerback Aaron Grymes also missed two weeks with an internal injury suffered during practice and will likely miss Monday’s contest. Defensive end Odell Willis - with a team-leading five sacks - is day-to-day with a shoulder injury suffered in the first half of last week’s loss to the Saskatchewan Roughriders. Slotback Fred Stamps leads the league with 684 receiving yards and has caught six touchdown passes.

ABOUT THE STAMPEDERS (6-2): Cornish was on pace for a career-high in rushing yards before his injury and could return to the lineup Monday to continue that pursuit, while Lewis will be sidelined for the rest of the season. Defensive linemen Cordarro Law and Charleston Hughes share the team lead with five sacks apiece. Tate remains out with a soft tissue injury around his right elbow and the solid play of Glenn has allowed Calgary to take precautions with Tate’s recovery. Kick returner Larry Taylor is second in the league with 964 combined return yards.

TRENDS:

* Eskimos are 1-5 ATS in their last six versus the West.
* The over is 8-1-1 in the Eskimos' last 10 road games.
* The Stampeders are 4-0-1 ATS in their last five home games.
* The over is 4-1 in the last five meetings.

EXTRA POINTS:

1. Calgary is 3-0 at McMahon Stadium, while Edmonton is 0-4 against West Division opponents.

2. Edmonton holds a 123-91-3 advantage in the regular-season series against their provincial rival, but Calgary has won the last five meetings.

3. The Eskimos and Stampeders meet again in Edmonton on Friday to close out their home-and-home series.

Alouettes at Argonauts: What Bettors Need to Know
By Covers.com

Montreal Alouettes at Toronto Argonauts (-4.5, 50.5)

The Montreal Alouettes found a reason for hope after rookie quarterback Tanner Marsh engineered a miraculous comeback last week to give the Alouettes their first victory since firing coach Dan Hawkins. Veteran starter Anthony Calvillo is still sidelined with concussion symptoms, so Montreal will likely turn to Marsh again when it visits the rival Toronto Argonauts on Tuesday. Marsh, 23, threw for 329 yards - including a 57-yard completion with 15 seconds left - and ran for 71, but also tossed four interceptions in a 39-38 victory over the BC Lions on Aug. 22, and must be more accurate if he wants to build on his first CFL victory.

The East Division-leading Argonauts are also without their starting quarterback after they announced Ricky Ray would miss 4-to-8 weeks with a shoulder injury, meaning backup Zach Collaros will start Tuesday. Collaros has looked strong at times replacing Ray, completing 51-of-72 passes for 675 yards, four touchdowns and one interception and adding 120 rushing yards. Toronto has lacked a consistent running game since running back Chad Kackert was injured, something Collaros might be able to change with his explosive quickness.

ABOUT THE ALOUETTES (3-5): Calvillo, 41, is having trouble with his focus and vision as well as other concussion-related issues, leading to speculation that professional football’s all-time passing yards leader might have taken his last snap. Calvillo, though, said he plans on returning once the concussion symptoms subside. Linebacker Kyries Hebert, who leads the team with seven sacks, missed last week’s game, but Montreal’s defense still managed five sacks without him. Linebacker Chip Cox leads the league with 62 tackles.

ABOUT THE ARGONAUTS (5-3): Running back Curtis Steele has been limited to nine carries for 61 yards over the last two games while he battles minor injuries. Slotback Chad Owens has a league-leading 1,587 total combined yards - on pace to reach 3,000 again after setting a CFL record in 2012. Linebacker Rich McCune is second in the league (behind Cox) with 53 tackles, while linebacker Shane Horton and defensive tackle Khalif Mitchell each have three sacks for Toronto’s defense, which has given up 68 points in the two games since the Argonauts won 38-13 at Montreal in Week 7.

TRENDS:

* Alouettes are 1-7 ATS in their last eight games in Week 10.
* Argonauts are 5-0 ATS in their last five versus the East.
* The under is 6-0 in the last six meetings.
* The under is 6-1 in Alouettes last seven versus the East.

EXTRA POINTS:

1. The Argonauts will visit Montreal next week to close out their home-and-home series. The teams will face each other once more in Toronto on the final week of the regular season.

2. The New England Patriots of the NFL released QB Tim Tebow on Saturday. Montreal holds Tebow’s CFL rights, but the 26-year-old has said in the past he has no interest in joining the league.

3. Collaros was limited to 44 passing yards and 31 rushing yards in almost three quarters of action against the Alouettes during Toronto's Week 7 victory.