Friday, August 6
SASKATCHEWAN (4 - 1) at MONTREAL (4 - 1)
Top Trends for this game.
SASKATCHEWAN is 57-34 ATS (+19.6 Units) as an underdog of 3.5 to 9.5 points since 1996.
SASKATCHEWAN is 141-106 ATS (+24.4 Units) in all games since 1996.
SASKATCHEWAN is 141-106 ATS (+24.4 Units) in all lined games since 1996.
SASKATCHEWAN is 94-57 ATS (+31.3 Units) as an underdog since 1996.
SASKATCHEWAN is 128-96 ATS (+22.4 Units) in games played on turf since 1996.
Head-to-Head Series History
SASKATCHEWAN is 4-2 against the spread versus MONTREAL over the last 3 seasons
MONTREAL is 4-2 straight up against SASKATCHEWAN over the last 3 seasons
3 of 6 games in this series have gone OVER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons
TORONTO (3 - 2) at EDMONTON (1 - 4)
Top Trends for this game.
TORONTO is 5-16 ATS (-12.6 Units) off a division game over the last 3 seasons.
TORONTO is 2-10 ATS (-9.0 Units) off a loss against a division rival over the last 3 seasons.
EDMONTON is 56-81 ATS (-33.1 Units) as a favorite since 1996.
Head-to-Head Series History
EDMONTON is 2-2 against the spread versus TORONTO over the last 3 seasons
EDMONTON is 3-1 straight up against TORONTO over the last 3 seasons
2 of 4 games in this series have gone OVER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons
Saturday, August 7
WINNIPEG (2 - 3) at HAMILTON (1 - 4)
Top Trends for this game.
WINNIPEG is 78-55 ATS (+17.5 Units) revenging a loss versus opponent since 1996.
Head-to-Head Series History
WINNIPEG is 5-3 against the spread versus HAMILTON over the last 3 seasons
WINNIPEG is 5-3 straight up against HAMILTON over the last 3 seasons
5 of 8 games in this series have gone OVER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons
CALGARY (4 - 1) at BRITISH COLUMBIA (1 - 4)
Top Trends for this game.
BRITISH COLUMBIA is 16-5 ATS (+10.5 Units) as an underdog over the last 3 seasons.
BRITISH COLUMBIA is 34-18 ATS (+14.2 Units) in August games since 1996.
BRITISH COLUMBIA is 39-22 ATS (+14.8 Units) in weeks 5 through 9 since 1996.
BRITISH COLUMBIA is 8-19 ATS (-12.9 Units) in a home game where the total is between 45.5 and 49 since 1996.
BRITISH COLUMBIA is 26-43 ATS (-21.3 Units) in home games versus division opponents since 1996.
Head-to-Head Series History
CALGARY is 6-1 against the spread versus BRITISH COLUMBIA over the last 3 seasons
CALGARY is 7-0 straight up against BRITISH COLUMBIA over the last 3 seasons
4 of 6 games in this series have gone UNDER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons
Friday, August 6
SASKATCHEWAN vs. MONTREAL
The total has gone UNDER in 10 of Saskatchewan's last 11 games when playing on the road against Montreal
Saskatchewan is 1-9 SU in its last 10 games when playing on the road against Montreal
Montreal is 8-1 SU in its last 9 games
The total has gone UNDER in 13 of Montreal's last 19 games at home
TORONTO vs. EDMONTON
The total has gone UNDER in 4 of Toronto's last 6 games when playing Edmonton
Toronto is 8-4 SU in its last 12 games when playing Edmonton
Edmonton is 2-4 SU in its last 6 games when playing at home against Toronto
The total has gone UNDER in 4 of Edmonton's last 6 games when playing at home against Toronto
Saturday, August 7
WINNIPEG vs. HAMILTON
Winnipeg is 1-5 SU in its last 6 games on the road
Winnipeg is 2-5 SU in its last 7 games
Hamilton is 3-7 SU in its last 10 games when playing Winnipeg
The total has gone OVER in 4 of Hamilton's last 6 games when playing Winnipeg
CALGARY vs. BRITISH COLUMBIA
The total has gone UNDER in 4 of Calgary's last 6 games when playing on the road against British Columbia
Calgary is 3-7 SU in its last 10 games when playing on the road against British Columbia
British Columbia is 1-5 SU in its last 6 games
The total has gone UNDER in 4 of British Columbia's last 6 games when playing at home against Calgary
Week 6 CFL games
Saskatchewan (4-1) @ Montreal (4-1) - Roughriders (+3) were down by two TDs at half in season opener vs Montreal, rallied for 54-51 OT win that didn't quite avenge 28-27 loss in LY's Grey Cup. Als won last four games, scoring 37-41 points in last two, their only two home games this year. Last three Montreal games stayed unde; four of five Rider games went over. Saskatchewan is allowing average of 463.2 ypg.
Toronto (3-2) @ Edmonton (1-4) - Argos' three wins are by total of nine points; they're 1-2 on road, losing 30-16 at Calgary, 41-10 at Montreal- they scored 24+ points in all three wins. Eskimos allowed 28.3 ppg in losing first four games, then got their first win 28-25 at home vs BC last week- they allowed average of 179.3 rushing yards in last three games. Three of Edmonton's four losses are by 10+ points.
Winnipeg (2-3) @ Hamilton (1-4) - Teams already split two meetings in '10; Bombers (+3) won first meeting 49-29, running ball for 211 yards, then lost rematch 28-7 (+3.5) in game they trailed 14-0 at half. TiCats are allowing 41.3 ppg on road, 15 ppg at home. Winnipeg scored 49-47 points in its two wins, 34-7-20 in losses. Three of last four Hamilton games stayed under the total.
Calgary (4-1) @ BC Lions (1-4) - Lions lost last four games, last three by 4-4-3 points; BC scored only 15 ppg in losing both its home games. Stampeders allowed 22 or less points in its wins, 27 in loss at Toronto. Three of last four Calgary games were decided by three or less points. Stamps split pair of road games, winning 23-22 at Hamilton, losing next week at Toronto 27-24. Under is 3-1-1 in BC games this season.
Staggering Eskimos
By Bodog
There’s a new job opening in the CFL. The Edmonton Eskimos have fired general manager Danny Maciocia after a dreary 1-4 start (2-3 ATS) to the 2010 campaign. Head coach Richie Hall and his staff get to keep their jobs – for now. Meanwhile, the Montreal Alouettes (4-1 SU, 3-2 ATS) have given GM Jim Popp a contract extension through 2014. Success on the field and against the football betting lines does indeed begin at the top.
The soaring Alouettes kick off our latest CFL betting preview with a rematch of last year’s Grey Cup game.
Friday: Saskatchewan Roughriders at Montreal Alouettes
The Roughriders (4-1 SU, 3-2 ATS) may have lost the Grey Cup to Montreal, but they beat the CFL odds that day as 9.5-point puppies. They’ve covered six of their last eight games against the Alouettes, including each of their last three as underdogs. That’ll be the scenario again on Friday as the two best teams in the league meet at Molson Stadium.
Montreal has rattled off four straight wins since dropping the season opener in Saskatchewan, earning QB Anthony Calvillo (10 TDs, two INTs, 108.0 passer rating) offensive player of the month honors for July. Riders QB Darian Durant (eight TDs, five INTs, 94.5 passer rating) has been average at best since starting the season on fire with two command performances in upset victories over the Als (-3.5) and the B.C. Lions (-2).
Friday: Toronto Argonauts at Edmonton Eskimos
The Argonauts (3-2 SU and ATS) have already matched their victory total from last year, but they’ve done it with a bit of smoke and mirrors, winning their three games by a combined nine points while getting shellacked on the road in their two losses to Calgary (-13.5) and Montreal (-10.5). Toronto will be road dogs once again on Friday night against the very motivated Eskimos.
The Boatmen have done well with the running game; Cory Boyd leads the league with 484 yards (6.5 yards per carry), but QB Cleo Lemon (three TDs, four INTs, 73.6 passer rating) continues to have trouble picking up the CFL brand of football. However, Edmonton pivot and two-time Grey Cup winner Ricky Ray (five TDs, five INTs, 92.1 passer rating) is prone to turnovers, so Toronto could steal another one here. The Argos are 9-3 ATS in their last 12 trips to Edmonton.
Saturday: Winnipeg Blue Bombers at Hamilton Tiger-Cats
This is already the third meeting of the season between the Blue Bombers (2-3 SU, 3-2 ATS) and the Tiger-Cats (1-4 SU and ATS). They split the first two, with the home team winning both SU and ATS. But this might be the first time that Bombers QB Steven Jyles (two TDs, two INTs, 88.0 passer rating) gets the start against Hamilton; first-string QB Buck Pierce (five TDs, two INTs, 108.3 passer rating) remains uncertain after practicing Tuesday, his first practice since suffering a right knee sprain in Week 3 versus the Ti-Cats.
Winnipeg covered the next two games as underdogs with Jyles under center. The odds should be against them this Saturday at Ivor Wynne Stadium, where the UNDER is on an 8-3 streak. Ti-Cats QB Kevin Glenn (eight TDs, three INTs, 100.8 passer rating) knows the Bombers well after spending five seasons with them from 2004-08. But the rest of the Hamilton offense has fallen silent; RB DeAndra’ Cobb has just 202 yards on 4.0 yards per carry, down from 5.6 yards last year, and kicker Sandro DeAngelis is 7-of-12 on his field-goal attempts.
Saturday: Calgary Stampeders at British Columbia Lions
Calgary (4-1 SU, 3-2 ATS) has an excellent chance of taking first place in the West Division away from Saskatchewan. The Stamps welcomed back WR Ken-Yon Rambo in last week’s 23-20 victory over Winnipeg (+6.5), throwing six passes his way for 86 yards and a touchdown. And Calgary gave its offensive line a shot in the arm with the return of OG Dimitri Tsoumpas, who was cut by the Miami Dolphins last week. Tsoumpas was a CFL All-Star last year and helped the Stamps win the Grey Cup in his rookie 2008 campaign.
No such good news for B.C. supporters. The Leos (1-4 SU, 2-3 ATS) are 0-7-1 ATS in their last eight games against Calgary, and they haven’t beaten the Stamps straight-up since November 2007. B.C. is at the bottom of the league in offense; QB Casey Printers (two TDs, two INTs, 75.5 passer rating) has a sore knee, and replacement Travis Lulay (three TDs, six INTs, 76.4 passer rating) has yet to blossom in the Leo’s vanilla offensive scheme. This matchup has ugly written all over it.
CFL Week 6 Preview and Picks
By CHARLES-ANDRÉ MARCHAND
Saskatchewan Roughriders at Montreal Alouettes (-6, 60)
The two finalists of last year’s Grey Cup are in fine form again this season. These two teams gave us a wild and crazy game to kick things off in Regina, a game that was finally won in double-overtime by the Riders.
“This is no revenge match, it’s the sixth game on the calendar,” Montreal safety Etienne Boulay says. But defensive tackle Eric Wilson admitted that July 1 defeat was a “slap in the face”.
These two teams share the lead in the overall CFL standings with identical records of 4-1 and hold winning marks against the number (3-2).
Three of the four players of the month in the CFL will be on the field for this one: receiver Andy Fantuz for the Riders (Canadian Player) as well as Alouettes QB Anthony Calvillo (Offensive Player) and DE John Bowman (Defensive Player). All is in place for a great game. But this time around, you can bet on the Alouettes to win.
Pick: Montreal
Toronto Argonauts at Edmonton Eskimos (-5.5, 51.5)
Andre Talbot’s game-winning pass last week came at a perfect time. It secured the Eskimos their first win of the season and built some momentum going into this week’s contest against Toronto.
Talbot, a former Argo, isn’t the only Edmonton player looking forward to playing Toronto. The Eskimos seem to have rallied behind head coach Richie Hall following the dismissal of GM Danny Maciocia. Team president Rick Leand said that everyone in the organization would be evaluated on a weekly basis from now on.
The Argos’ weaknesses were exposed in Montreal after a 41-10 loss. Jim Barker can insult the media as much as he likes and reiterate his faith in QB Cleo Lemon, but the truth is the former Dolphin looks overmatched.
On the other side, with Ricky Ray, who gained 360 yards passing in his last game, Edmonton does have a QB who can change the pace of a game. And you have to think the Eskimos have a blueprint of stopping Argo running back Cory Boyd thanks to the Alouettes.
Pick: Edmonton
Saturday
Winnipeg Blue Bombers at Hamilton Tiger-Cats (-3, 54)
Many thought these were the two teams that’d be fighting for second place in the East. But here we are heading into Week 6 and both the two sides are on the wrong side of .500.
Hamilton is capable of much better as long as its key players stop shooting themselves in the foot. Its receivers’ drops are turning into interceptions and the team can’t cash in on its own turnover chances.
Steven Jyles will likely get another start for the Bombers in the absence of Buck Pierce, who’s still nagged by a knee injury. Jyles isn’t bad but he’s doesn’t have Piece’s tools.
Meanwhile, Kevin Glenn has been on fire lately and he seems to know how to get the best of another former Bomber, Arland Bruce III, who caught 16 passes for 272 yards last week.
Pick: Hamilton
Calgary Stampeders at British Columbia Lions (+2.5, 48.5)
The psychological warfare started this week on Twitter between these two teams when Stamps wideout Nik Lewis suggested that Lion defenders hit too often below the knees. He also nagged slotback Geroy Simon saying that Simon will probably need make-up to cover up his anxieties.
Lions DB Korey Banks didn’t need the new technologies to react in front of the media: “Nik Lewis is an idiot. I ain’t afraid of saying it.”
Kid stuff, no doubt about it, but we’ll see what this brings on the field.
The Lions defense can create havoc. Davis Sanchez, a former Alouette, is probably playing the best football of his career. Kerone Williams, another former Montreal player, is also picking back from his glory days.
Offensively, the Lions’ attack has been without timid Casey Printers. Last week, B.C. produced nine points and generated only six plays of 10 yards or more.
Pick: Calgary