CFL Week 4 Betting News and Notes

CFL Betting Recap - Week 3
VegasInsider.com

League Betting Notes

Underdogs went 2-2 straight up in Week 3
Underdogs went 3-1 against the spread in Week 3
Road teams notched a 3-1 record in Week 3
The 'under' went 3-1 in Week 3

Team Betting Notes

Saskatchewan (3-0) continues to be the story of the early going, posting an impressive 39-28 road win at Toronto (1-2). The Roughriders did lose QB Darian Durant (ankle) to an iankle injury, and the severity is not yet known.

After dropping their opening game of the season, the BC Lions (2-1) posted a second straight victory and cover with a 17-3 road win at Edmonton (1-2). The Eskimos remain the CFL's lowest-scoring team with just 51 points (17.0 ppg) through three weeks.

Calgary (2-1) picked itself up off the mat after the Stamps were humbled last week in Regina. Calgary posted an impressive 22-14 road win at Montreal (1-2), dropping every team in the East Division one game under .500.

Hamilton (1-2) earned its first victory of the season with a hard-fought 25-20 win against visiting Winnipeg (1-2). Every team in the East Division has already suffered at least one home loss this season, while three teams in the West Division remain unbeaten at home.

The highest scoring total of the week came from the Saskatchewan-Toronto game, which was also the only 'over' of the weekend. The Roughriders and Argos combined for 67 points, well exceeding the line of 54.5 points.

CFL Betting Notes - Week 4
By David Schwab
VegasInsider.com

Looking back at Week 3 in the CFL, a couple of underdogs started things off with a straight up win on the road and a road favorite closed things out with a dominating win. First, Saskatchewan remained the only undefeated team in the league with a 39-28 victory over Toronto as a two-point underdog this past Thursday. On Friday, Calgary went on the road to Montreal as a two-point underdog and came away with a 22-14 win.

Saturday’s double-header started off with Winnipeg dropping a 25-20 decision against Hamilton, but covering against the spread as a 5½-point underdog on the road. British Columbia improved to 2-1 on the year with a 17-3 pasting of Edmonton as a 3½-point road favorite.

The following is a brief betting preview for Week 4 of the CFL regular season with the opening pointspread and ‘over/under’ lines provided by TopBet.

Friday, July 19

Toronto Argonauts at Winnipeg Blue Bombers

Point-spread: Pick ‘em
Total: 53

Toronto has now lost its last two games both SU and ATS after opening the season with a 39-34 victory over Hamilton as a 3½-point home favorite. The total has gone OVER in two of the three games. Quarterback Ricky Ray turned in another strong performance despite last Thursday’s loss with 334 passing yards and two touchdowns while completing 27 of his 37 attempts.

The Blue Bombers have also dropped two of their first three games SU but they are 2-1 ATS. The total has stayed UNDER in their last two games. Buck Pierce is right behind Ray in total passing yards this season with 701, which is the third-most in the CFL. Winnipeg is averaging 24 points a game.

The Argonauts have gotten the best of this East Division rivalry in recent years with 4-1 record both SU and ATS in the last five meetings. The total has gone OVER in four of the last six games between the two. The road team has a slight 6-4 SU edge in the last 10 meetings and is 4-0 ATS in the last four.

Saturday, July 20

Montreal Alouettes at Calgary Stampeders

Point-spread: Calgary -7
Total: 52

Montreal started the season by splitting a home-and-home series against Winnipeg with the road team winning both SU and ATS. This past Friday against Calgary in the first of another home-and-home series, the Alouettes could only manage a first and fourth quarter touchdown as Anthony Calvillo continued to struggle throwing the ball. He went 22-for-36 for just 205 yards in the loss.

The Stampeders will go for the series sweep this Saturday night behind an offense that is ranked second in the West Division in scoring. Jon Cornish continues to lead the running game with 304 total yards in his first three outings. Calgary is 2-1 both SU and ATS with the total going OVER in two of the three games. Quarterback Drew Tate is listed as ‘questionable’ with an arm injury so look for Kevin Glenn to get the start if he cannot go.

Including last week’s victory over Montreal, the Stamps are now 4-1 SU and a perfect 5-0 ATS in the last five meetings. The home team in this series is 6-2 SU and 5-3 ATS in the last eight games. The total has gone OVER in five of the last six games played in Calgary.

Edmonton Eskimos at British Columbia Lions

Point-spread: BC -8½
Total: 50

The Eskimos’ offense was non-existent in the first game of this home-and-home series against BC with less than 100 yards passing and 200 yards of total offense. Dating back to last season, Edmonton is 1-6 SU in its last seven games and 2-5 ATS. The total has stayed UNDER in its last two games.

BC bounced-back from a 44-32 loss to Calgary on opening day as a 3 ½-point road underdog with back-to-back victories both SU and ATS the past two weeks. The total stayed UNDER in both of those games. Heading into this week’s contest the Lions have allowed the fewest points per game of any team in the CFL (21).

The Lions have owned this series over the past three seasons with a 7-1 record SU. They are 6-2 ATS during this run and the total has stayed UNDER in five of the eight games. Over the past 10 meetings, the record is evenly split SU at 5-5 between the home and road team.

Sunday, July 21

Hamilton Tiger-Cats at Saskatchewan Roughriders

Point-spread: Saskatchewan -6½
Total: 57

Hamilton’s victory this past week was just its second SU win in its last eight games. It is also 2-6 ATS over this stretch and the total has stayed UNDER in its last two contests. Hamilton quarterback Henry Burris leads the CFL in passing with 957 yards while completing 65.7 percent of his attempts.

Saskatchewan’s surprising 3-0 start both SU and ATS followed a five-game losing streak (0-4-1 ATS) to close-out the 2012 season. The total has gone OVER in all three games behind an offense that is racking-up an average of 38 points a game. Darian Durant leads the league in touchdowns passes with eight.

Hamilton is 2-10-1 ATS in its last 13 trips to Saskatchewan and 6-19-1 ATS in the last 26 meetings overall. The total has gone OVER in 20 of the last 28 meetings including both games between the two last season.

CFL Week 4

Toronto (1-2) @ Winnipeg (1-2) -- Underdogs are 12-3 vs spread in last 15 Argo-Bomberr games; Argonauts won four of last five series games, winning six of last eight visits here; under is 5-3 in those eight games. Road teams won four of last six in series. Both teams are off to shaky starts; Toronto allowed 32.3 ppg so far, giving up 160-224 rushing yards last two weeks. Winnipeg is already -6 in turnovers, being minus in every game; both its losses are by five points, losing only home game 38-33 to Montreal, 25-20 at Winnipeg. Argos trailed all three games at halftime- they had 446 passing yards in last week's loss.

Montreal (1-2) @ Calgary (2-1) -- Stampeders (+2) won 22-14 in Montreal last week, their fourth win in last five series games; Calgary outgained Alouettes by 118 yards despite six Montreal sacks. Five of last seven series games went over total. Road team won all three Montreal games; Als scored 11-14 points in home losses last two weeks, with both games staying under- they scored 38 in only win- they've been outscored in second half in every game so far. Calgary has been outscored 55-22 in second half of games. Six of last eight series games went over the total.

Edmonton (1-2) @ BCLions (2-1) -- Hard to tell much about Eskimos, since their last two games were played in monsoons. Lions won seven of last eight games against Edmonton; under is 8-4 in last twelve series games; BC (-3.5) won 17-3 in Edmonton last week, with Edmonton getting shut out in second half. Lions allowed total of 19 points last two games, after giving up 44 at Calgary in their opener- they ran ball for 160-197 yards last couple of games. Favorites covered four of last six series games, only three of last nine played here. Eskimos had three takeaways in their win; they didn't have any in either loss.

Hamilton (1-2) @ Saskatchewan (3-0) -- TiCats (+3.5) upset Roughriders 35-34 here LY, their first win in Regina in at least a decade, just their third win in last 18 games against the Riders. Underdogs are 4-1-1 vs spread in last six series games, 3-1-1 in last five played in Regina. Saskatchewan won its first three games, scoring 34.7 ppg, with all three tilts over the total; they've run ball for 173 ypg, and turned it over only once (+4). Hamilton gave up 147.3 rushing yards/game so far; they averaged over 11 yards/pass attempt last week, as they came from behind to beat Winnipeg for their first win this season.

Armadillosports.com

CFL Week Three Betting Recap
By Ian Cameron
Sportsmemo.com

Here is my recap of Week 3 in the Canadian Football League as I provide a quick hitter team-by-team analysis of this week’s action…

Montreal Alouettes (1-2 SU and ATS): It was a case of déjà vu for Montreal in Week 3 with the offense being dormant yet again. The offensive line remained unable to execute their protection packages and blocking schemes and it resulted in another long night for 40 year old QB Anthony Calvillo who didn’t receive enough time to step up and make plays in the pocket. Montreal scored just 7 points offensively. The other TD came on a return of a blocked punt. The defense was solid again but when the offense is as brutally inept as they are right now, there is only so much they can do. The body language is getting worse from the players and from head coach Dan Hawkins who continues to look like he may be in over his head. Montreal received even more bad news after this game with the season ending injury to veteran right guard Scott Flory. An injury to one of the few experienced players on that beleaguered O-Line is the last thing Montreal needed as they prepare to head to Calgary to face the Stampeders once again in a rematch of last week’s game in Montreal which the Alouettes lost 22-14. The pressure is mounting in Montreal and one has to wonder what this organization which isn’t used to losing will do if things continue to spiral downward.

Toronto Argonauts (1-2 SU and ATS): My clients and I cashed a ticket against Toronto once again last week as they were thoroughly dominated in the 2nd half en route to a 39-28 loss against the only undefeated team in the CFL the Saskatchewan Roughriders. Toronto’s defense is still adjusting to their rebuilt defensive line and secondary as they once again had trouble stopping the run and gave up several big plays in the passing game to Saskatchewan QB Darian Durant. The Argos offense struggled as well which is not something we are used to seeing. QB Ricky Ray had a strong 73% completion percentage but the lack of a ground game with RB Chad Kackert being shut down by the Riders D hurt their offensive production greatly. Kackert had just 35 yards rushing and without a balanced attack, the Argos offense simply doesn’t run as smoothly. Toronto has faced B2B tough opponents in BC and Saskatchewan so their next game in Winnipeg against the Blue Bombers may be viewed as a step down in class but Winnipeg won’t be a pushover as they played very hard in their home opener back in Week 1. Right now, Toronto has a ways to go before they start resembling the team that got hot late last season in their march toward winning the Grey Cup.

Hamilton Tiger-Cats (1-2 SU and ATS): I don’t know if I would go crazy with praise on the Hamilton Tiger-Cats for a 25-20 home win against Winnipeg but it’s at least a start and a desperately needed boost of confidence for what had been a struggling Ticats squad in notching their first win of the season. What impressed me most about this win is they didn’t win with the offense for a change. QB Henry Burris and company had a solid game but nothing spectacular and when the offense bogged down in the 2nd and 3rd Qtr, we finally saw the Hamilton defense for a change step up and make plays and get several key stops to allow their offense to eventually get going and take control of the game. This game was a major step in the right direction for the Tiger-Cats especially their much maligned defense. However, they have a pair of extremely tough challenges up next playing 3-0 Saskatchewan in B2B games over the next two weeks. Hamilton will truly find out how good they are during these next two weeks.

Winnipeg Blue Bombers (1-2 SU and ATS): Winnipeg has a lot of work to do to prove to me they aren’t anything other than one of the two worst teams in the CFL right now. The Blue Bombers lone win came against a putrid Montreal offense and aside from that, they have been plagued by the same issues that led them to a dismal 6-12 season a year ago: lack of offense, penalties and turnovers. The Blue Bombers defense has played well enough but they haven’t been able to overcome the mistakes they are making in other areas. I’ve given Montreal’s offensive line a ton of criticism so far this season and rightfully so but it may be time to start giving some of it to Winnipeg’s offensive line. That unit allowed 6 sacks against a Hamilton defense that had registered just 1 sack in two games prior to last week. Winnipeg’s injury list is long as they have several players hurting which forced them so skip practice on Monday and now they must deal with the defending Grey Cup champions after two straight losses on Friday night although the good news is for Winnipeg they get Toronto at home in their new stadium where they gave a spirited effort in a game that could and should have won against Montreal in Week 1. Much like Montreal, Winnipeg continues to trend Under the total because of their lack of continuity on offense.

Saskatchewan Roughriders (3-0 SU and ATS): Saskatchewan is the only undefeated team left in the CFL. They may not be the best team in the league when the season is over but they sure are right now. The Roughriders played their most impressive game of the season last week going into Toronto and dominating the defending Grey Cup champion Argos 39-28. QB Darian Durant was excellent once again completing 74% of his passes. RB Kory Sheets was electrifying once again carrying the football for 178 yards and 2 TD’s. The defense was suffocating especially in the 2nd half as they shut down Ricky Ray and a very explosive Toronto offense. There wasn’t one thing Saskatchewan didn’t do well in their complete 60 minute effort against the Argos. This team looks like they know what they are doing on offense, defense and special teams every time they take the field and they are probably the only team in the CFL that you can say that about at the moment. Durant was injured late in the Toronto game and has not practiced yet this week and his status is questionable for Sunday’s game against Hamilton. His potential absence could take some air out of the balloon as Saskatchewan will play B2B games against Hamilton but if Durant does play, the Roughriders could be staring at a possible 5-0 start to the season. Saskatchewan was priced at a near PK or as an underdog in their first three games but now they are laying 6 points at home against Hamilton this week. After being undervalued for the first 3 weeks of the season, is the pointspread value now gone with this team? That’s the big question.

Edmonton Eskimos (1-2 SU and ATS): Edmonton’s dismal performance in torrential rain conditions against BC was so bad that head coach Kavis Reed was hyperventilating due to anger and rage in his postgame press conference. Edmonton got stuck with having to play in wet conditions for the second straight week but they didn’t fare well at all this time around. They neutralized BC’s offense in the first half but in the 2nd half, it was like one team showed up to play and the other one didn’t. BC dominated thoroughly in the 2nd half outscoring Edmonton 16-0. The Eskimos allowed B2B TD drives by BC to open the second half and the Eskimos failed to get anything going on offense after that. BC adjusted to the conditions and played a great 2nd half and Edmonton didn’t. Edmonton is another team falling into the category of their defense having to play letter perfect just to have a chance to win. Edmonton QB Mike Reilly had his second disastrous game in three weeks. The run game with Hugh Charles was non-existent and the Eskimos proved that without top receiver Fred Stamps in the lineup, they have a very limited receiving corps lacking that next go-to guy that can make big plays in the passing game down the field. The good news for Edmonton is they might get Fred Stamps back for the rematch in BC this week but the Eskimos will need to step up their game big time if they hope to get a different result against the Lions.

Calgary Stampeders (2-1 SU and ATS): It’s a nice feeling whenever a backup plan works as well as Calgary’s did in Montreal last week as they had to turn to veteran backup QB Kevin Glenn due to the forearm muscle strain injury to Drew Tate. Glenn wasn’t spectacular but was solid and managed the offense efficiently enough leading the Stamps to a win. His completion percentage was a very high 79% and he threw for 268 yards and a TD. I’ve noted before that Glenn often has consistency problems from game to game so I’ll be interested to see if he can duplicate the strong effort from last week in the rematch against Montreal in Calgary later this week. Calgary’s defense was excellent but a product of that simply had to be just how awful and out of sync Montreal’s offense has been so far this season. The putrid Montreal offensive line was no match for Calgary’s defensive front. The Stamps defense does have some injury concerns though as LB Malik Jackson is done for the season with a broken arm and DE Charleston Hughes who is arguably the leader on that D-Line for Calgary suffered a wrist ligament injury late in last week’s game. He hasn’t been ruled out of Saturday’s game but he would be a big loss if he can’t go which may provide Montreal with their best chance of doing anything offensively. However, even with Calgary’s defense dealing with a couple walking wounded, they still have the right opponent to play this week as Montreal’s offense could possibly be damaged beyond repair. Calgary’s 2-1 start doesn’t surprise me. This is a good team and in the end, they should be right in the mix with BC and Saskatchewan in the West Division.

BC Lions (2-1 SU and ATS): The BC Lions have notched B2B dominating performances and look once again like a team that is capable of winning a Grey Cup like they did in 2011. QB Travis Lulay and the offense struggled to put drives together in the pouring rain in the first half against Edmonton but they turned it around in a big way in the second half scoring a pair of TD drives which were enough to seal the win as their defense did the rest in stifling a struggling Edmonton offense which scored only 3 points in last week’s loss. BC’s defense could be just as good if not better than last year’s. The Lions didn’t have All-Star LB Adam Bighill last week who is arguably their best defensive player but it didn’t appear like they were any worse for it as they dominated the line of scrimmage and choked off the Eskimos offense from start to finish. When you can plug in players in valuable positions like LB and not miss a beat, that’s when you discover you are a very good football team with quality depth that can step in and get the job done. I have BC ranked as the #2 team in the CFL right now behind Saskatchewan. The Lions have it all. They are well coached and fundamentally sound. BC is strong on both sides of the football and they have a terrific leader at QB in Travis Lulay who will do anything to make plays for his team. However, they have to avoid a letdown and a slip up as it might be easy to overlook this week’s rematch against Edmonton after BC dominated them with ease last week but the Eskimos should bring a stronger effort to the table so BC better be on guard in Week 4.
Tags: CFL Ian Cameron

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

Toronto Argonauts at Winnipeg Blue Bombers (+3, 52)

The Winnipeg Blue Bombers' defense continues to dominate with 18 sacks in three games, but the offense has yet to reach that level. Quarterback Buck Pierce aims to elevate his game when the Blue Bombers host the Toronto Argonauts on Friday. Winnipeg has just one win to show for its defensive performance as Pierce has thrown four interceptions and completed 53-of-91 passes for a career-low completion percentage of 58.2, while running back Chad Simpson has just 251 combined yards.

Toronto should welcome a chance to face an East Division opponent after dropping two straight to West Division powerhouses in the BC Lions and Saskatchewan Roughriders. Argonauts quarterback Ricky Ray is off to an excellent start, but his receiving corps needed plenty of medical attention during last week’s home loss to Saskatchewan. Wide receiver Dontrelle Inman and slotback Chad Owens - last year’s Most Outstanding Player - both looked worse for wear after facing the Roughriders, and the Blue Bombers promise to be just as tough.

ABOUT THE ARGONAUTS (1-2): Slotback Andre Durie, who is from Mississauga, Ont., was named Canadian Player of the Week after recording 122 combined yards and a 10-yard touchdown reception in Week 3. Owens, who has 640 total combined yards, has been the focal point of opposing defenses, allowing Ray to use a variety of receivers to tally 917 passing yards. Ray has completed 79-of-110 passes and has yet to throw an interception, spreading the field with five receivers (Owens, Durie, Inman, Jason Barnes and Spencer Watt) recording more than 100 receiving yards apiece.

ABOUT THE BLUE BOMBERS (1-2): Coach Tim Burke cancelled practice Monday as Winnipeg sorted through its injury situation. Linebacker Terrell Parker will miss the rest of the season with a torn ACL and defensive back Desia Dunn is out at least two weeks with a hamstring injury, while a host of ailing players including defensive end Alex Hall (league-leading five sacks) missed practice Tuesday. The Blue Bombers allowed six sacks on Pierce in their loss to the Hamilton Tiger-Cats in Week 3 and will need to protect him better if they hope to get their offense going.

TRENDS:

* Argonauts are 7-2 ATS in their last nine road games.
* Under is 4-1 in Blue Bombers last five games overall.
* Argonauts are 4-1 ATS in their last five meetings in Winnipeg.
* Under is 9-3 in the last 12 meetings in Winnipeg.

EXTRA POINTS:

1. Winnipeg is looking for its first home victory at new Investors Group Field after losing to the Montreal Alouettes in Week 1.

2. Argonauts RB Chad Kackert has been limited to 55 rushing yards over the last two games after recording 112 against Hamilton to open the season.

3. The Blue Bombers were flagged for 19 penalties in Week 3.

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

Montreal Alouettes at Calgary Stampeders (-7, 49)

Veteran quarterback Kevin Glenn looked comfortable filling in for injured Calgary Stampeders starter Drew Tate in a 22-14 victory at Montreal last week. Glenn will try to repeat that performance when the Stampeders host the Alouettes on Saturday. Glenn, who started many games last year - including the Grey Cup final - in place of the oft-injured Tate, completed 22-of-28 passes for 268 yards and got help from running back Jon Cornish, who is second in the league with 304 rushing yards.

Montreal veteran quarterback Anthony Calvillo was limited to 205 passing yards as the Alouettes’ struggles on offence continued under new coach Dan Hawkins. Calvillo is completing less than 60 percent of his passes (58.6) for the first time since 2002 and is on pace for his lowest yardage total since 2007. Montreal’s bright spot is its defence, which recorded six sacks against Calgary last week and is led by linebacker Chip Cox, who is tied for the league lead in tackles with 24.

ABOUT THE ALOUETTES (1-2, 1-2 ATS): Veteran offensive lineman Scott Flory is out for the rest of the season after suffering a torn bicep, weakening the already-questionable pass protection in front of Calvillo. Flory, a nine-time CFL all-star, is joined on the sidelines by guard Andrew Woodruff, who suffered a concussion last week. Montreal safety Kyries Hebert - nicknamed “Angry Bird” in reference to the team’s logo, the popular video game and his hard, high-flying hits - is tied with Stampeders defensive lineman Charleston Hughes for second in the league with four sacks.

ABOUT THE STAMPEDERS (2-1, 2-1 ATS): Brad Sinopoli made the transition from quarterback to receiver look easy last week, catching five passes for 81 yards in his debut, including a highlight-reel, one-handed grab in the third quarter. Sinopoli was added to the roster after Tate got hurt and was called on to start when wide receiver Maurice Price sat out with soreness in his knee. Defensive back Keon Raymond led Calgary with six tackles in his season debut after missing two games with an ankle injury.

TRENDS:

* Over is 5-1 in the last six meetings in Calgary.
* Over is 5-2 in the last seven meetings.
* Alouettes are 1-4 ATS in their last five meetings in Calgary.
* Alouettes are 0-5 ATS in their last five meetings.

EXTRA POINTS:

1. Stampeders K Rene Paredes was named Special Teams Player of the Week after converting 5-of-5 field goal attempts in Week 3 to stretch his streak to 25 consecutive field goals. The CFL record is 30.

2. Montreal released RB Chris Jennings, who had eight carries for 29 yards in Week 1 but did not play following the return of RB Brandon Whitaker from an ACL injury.

3. The Alouettes, who have lost two straight since opening the season with a victory, have not recorded three straight regular-season losses since the end of the 2011 campaign.

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

Edmonton Eskimos at B.C. Lions (-9, 47.5)

The Edmonton Eskimos will not have to worry about rain this week. After playing the past two weeks in downpours, the Eskimos visit the BC Lions on Saturday at BC Place, which has a retractable roof. The Lions held the Eskimos to three points in wet conditions at Edmonton last week - something quarterback Mike Reilly and the rest of the Eskimos offense would like to remedy in the rematch against one of the league’s deeper defenses.

BC’s defense held strong in its first week without linebacker Adam Bighill, who is expected to miss at least one more week with an ankle injury. The Lions were especially strong defending the run in the last two weeks, surrendering 115 yards on the ground following a rough Week 1 in which they gave up 200. BC quarterback Travis Lulay appeared to enjoy the rain, rushing for 82 yards last week and tossing two touchdowns in the third quarter to continue his strong start to the season.

ABOUT THE ESKIMOS (1-2, 1-2 ATS): Reilly completed 44-of-80 passes for 492 yards with three touchdowns and four interceptions in his first three games as Edmonton’s starter. While Reilly could use more help from running back Hugh Charles (177 rushing yards), his game needs to improve if he hopes to retain his first CFL starting job. Edmonton has 39-year-old quarterback Kerry Joseph (27,244 career passing yards) ready to fill in and provide veteran stability, but for a team looking to build for the future, Joseph represents a short-term solution.

ABOUT THE LIONS (2-1, 2-1 ATS): Cornerback Cord Parks is the only defender in the league with two interceptions, including one he returned 45 yards for a touchdown in Week 1. Running back Andrew Harris (292 combined yards) and wide receiver Emmanuel Arceneaux (206 receiving yards) are Lulay’s favorrite options on offense, while slotback Nick Moore (187 receiving yards) took the place of Geroy Simon in BC’s backfield. Slotback Shawn Gore is expected to play this week after missing a game with a concussion, adding another weapon to Lulay’s arsenal.

TRENDS:

* Over is 5-2 in the last seven meetings in BC.
* Eskimos are 2-6 ATS in their last eight meetings.
* Eskimos are 1-4 ATS in their last five meetings in BC.

EXTRA POINTS:

1. Edmonton LB JC Sherritt is tied for the league lead in tackles with 24. Eskimos LB Damaso Munoz is tied for fourth with 18.

2. The Lions, who won their home opener against the Toronto Argonauts in Week 2, were 8-1 at home last year.

3. Eskimos star SB Fred Stamps, who was a last-minute scratch in Week 3 with a leg injury, is questionable for Saturday.

Tiger-Cats at Roughriders: What Bettors Need to Know
By Covers.com

Hamilton Tiger-Cats at Saskatchewan Roughriders (-7, 59)

The Saskatchewan Roughriders have dominated both sides of the ball over the first three weeks of the regular season, with running back Kory Sheets on a record-setting pace. Sheets and the Roughriders try to keep their perfect record intact when they host the Hamilton Tiger-Cats on Sunday. No running back in CFL history has recorded as many rushing yards in the first three weeks as Sheets, who has a whopping 442 - on pace to break Mike Pringle’s CFL rushing record of 2,065 yards.

Tiger-Cats quarterback Henry Burris leads the league in passing yards with 957, including 362 and two touchdowns in a 25-20 victory over the Winnipeg Blue Bombers in Week 3. Hamilton, however, continues to show big holes in its run defense, allowing a 75-yard gain and three rushing touchdowns against Winnipeg’s lackluster offense. The Tiger-Cats sacked the Blue Bombers six times and recorded one interception but, unless they can slow down Sheets, that might not be enough against Saskatchewan.

ABOUT THE TIGER-CATS (1-2, 0-3 ATS): Burris, who has recorded more than 4,000 passing yards in a season nine times, also leads Hamilton in rushing yards with 113. The 38-year-old pivot has spread the workload amongst his receiving corps, with five wideouts (Greg Ellingson, Bakari Grant, Andy Fantuz, Samuel Giguere and Ed Gant) recording more than 100 yards. Fantuz did not play in Week 3 and is considered doubtful for Sunday, while running back C.J. Gable, who also missed last week, did not practice Tuesday.

ABOUT THE ROUGHRIDERS (3-0, 3-0 ATS): Quarterback Darian Durant, who suffered a sprained foot in last week’s 39-28 victory over the Toronto Argonauts, was back at practice Thursday and is expected to start. Durant has completed 54-of-75 passes for eight touchdowns and no interceptions. Saskatchewan’s defense, led by linebacker Renauld Williams (14 tackles, three sacks, one interception), has limited opponents to 88 rushing yards or fewer in each of the first three games and conceded only two touchdowns on the ground.

TRENDS:

* Over is 4-1 in the last five meetings in Saskatchewan.
* Over is 20-8-1 in the last 29 meetings.
* Tiger-Cats are 6-19-1 ATS in their last 26 meetings.
* Tiger-Cats are 2-10-1 ATS in their last 13 meetings in Saskatchewan.

EXTRA POINTS:

1. The 101st Grey Cup Championship officially sold out this week. The game - to be played at Mosaic Field in Regina on Nov. 24 - would be a home contest for the undefeated Roughriders should they advance to the final.

2. Hamilton lost to the Edmonton Eskimos 30-20 in Week 2 and was 2-6 against West Division opponents last year.

3. Saskatchewan’s best start to a season came in 2008, when it went 6-0.