The Bum's 2016 Canadian Football League Picks-Trends-News !

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CFL
Armadillo's Write-Up

Week 9

Montreal (2-5) @ Ottawa (4-2-1)– Alouettes were outgained 548-340 in 28-13 home loss to Ottawa in Week 2, RedBlacks’ 4th straight series win. Als lost 26-23/39-17 in last two visits here. Five of last seven series games stayed under total. Montreal lost five of last six games overall; five of their seven games stayed under. Montreal lost last two road games by 13-11 points- their one road win was in Winnipeg. Last three Ottawa games were decided by total of 7 points; RedBlacks are 1-1-1 at home (underdogs 3-0 vs spread). Under is 4-1-1 in their last six games.

Calgary (5-1) @ British Columbia (5-2-1)– Home side won both series games this year, with two games decided by total of 5 points; Lions lost last meeting 44-41 in OT at Calgary three weeks ago. Stampeders won six of last seven series games, but lost 20-18 (-2.5) in Week 1 here. Calgary scored 32.3 ppg in winning its last four games; Stamps are 2-1-1 on road, winning in Winnipeg/Regina, tying in Ottawa. BC’s last four games went over total; they’re 2-1 at home, with loss to Toronto. Three of last four series games stayed under.

Edmonton (3-4) @ Toronto (4-3)–Toronto is 4-0 when it scores more than 20 points, 0-3 when it scores 20 or less. Home side won six of last seven series games; Eskimos lost last four visits here, by 16-3-1-15 points. Eight of last ten series games went over total. Edmonton lost three of last four games overall; they split only two road games, losing by 3 at Ottawa, winning by 4 in Winnipeg. Four of last five Eskimo games stayed under total. Toronto is 1-3 at home, with only win 30-17 over Montreal; four of last six Argonaut games stayed under total.

Saskatchewan (1-6) @ Hamilton (3-4)– First home game in six weeks for TiCats, who are 0-2 at home, losing to BC/Winnipeg. Hamilton allowed 41 ppg in losing last two games overall– they’re 1-3 as a favorite this year. TiCats won last three games with Saskatchewan, by 25-10-15 points; six of last seven series games stayed under total. Roughriders scored total of 28 points in losing last three games, by 38-20-9 points; they’re 0-3 on road (1-2 as a road underdog) with OT loss in Edmonton. Last three Saskatchewan games stayed under total.

— Underdogs 19-10 Home 9-22-1 vs spread Over: 12-18-2

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CFL

Week 9

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Trend Report
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Friday, August 19

7:00 PM
MONTREAL vs. OTTAWA
The total has gone OVER in 4 of Montreal's last 6 games when playing on the road against Ottawa
The total has gone UNDER in 5 of Montreal's last 7 games when playing Ottawa
Ottawa is 2-4 ATS in its last 6 games at home
The total has gone OVER in 4 of Ottawa's last 6 games when playing at home against Montreal

10:00 PM
CALGARY vs. BRITISH COLUMBIA
Calgary6-2-1 SU in its last 9 games on the road
The total has gone UNDER in 17 of Calgary's last 25 games on the road
The total has gone OVER in 4 of British Columbia's last 5 games
British Columbia is 5-2 SU in its last 7 games


Saturday, August 20

4:00 PM
EDMONTON vs. TORONTO
Edmonton is 1-4 SU in its last 5 games when playing on the road against Toronto
The total has gone OVER in 4 of Edmonton's last 6 games when playing on the road against Toronto
The total has gone OVER in 6 of Toronto's last 7 games when playing Edmonton
Toronto is 4-2 SU in its last 6 games

7:00 PM
SASKATCHEWAN vs. HAMILTON
The total has gone UNDER in 4 of Saskatchewan's last 6 games when playing on the road against Hamilton
The total has gone OVER in 11 of Saskatchewan's last 16 games when playing on the road against Hamilton
The total has gone UNDER in 4 of Hamilton's last 6 games when playing at home against Saskatchewan
The total has gone OVER in 11 of Hamilton's last 16 games when playing at home against Saskatchewan

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PREVIEW

REDBLACKS, ALS SET FOR BATTLE IN THE CAPITAL ON FRIDAY NIGHT FOOTBALL


OTTAWA — There will be plenty on the line Friday night in the nation’s capital when the Ottawa REDBLACKS host the Montreal Aloeuttes.

For the REDBLACKS, a team fresh off a Week 8 bye, first place in the East Division is theirs for the keeping against an offensively-challenged visitor from la belle province.

Montreal’s desperate search for offence continues this week with Kevin Glenn once again starting under centre; the Als have broken the 20-point mark just twice in seven games this season and will need to find their groove fast if they’re going to dig out of an early-season hole.

Outside of a 41-point explosion against Saskatchewan in Week 6, Montreal’s offence has been stagnant for virtually all of 2016.

Righting the ship on Friday will be a tough task for quarterback Glenn and that unit; Ottawa’s defence has given up just 43 points in its past two outings and has had an extra week to prepare.

“They play a lot of man-to-man (and) they challenge the guys up front,” said Als offensive coordinator Anthony Calvillo. “Their D-line brings a lot of pressure, and their linebackers as well.”

The Als will also have to weary of Ottawa safety Jermaine Robinson in the secondary. The Toledo alum recorded his first career interception in Week 7 against Edmonton.

“I like their free safety, No. 2,” said Calvillo in reference to Robinson. “He’s a hell of a ballplayer playing the run and the pass game — they have some talent on that side of the ball, and we’ll have to protect.”

Glenn will once again start under centre for Jim Popp’s Alouettes and looks to redeem himself after not being at his best in Edmonton last weekend. The 37 year-old pivot completed 22 of 39 passes for 271 yards in Montreal’s loss to the Eskimos, but threw a pair of critical late-game interceptions with his team down just one score.

The Als will be boosted by the news that the decision on wide receiver Duron Carter’s potential suspension — stemming from a Week 2 incident the last time these two squads met — will not be made until after Friday’s game.

With the likes of receiver S.J. Green and running back Tyrell Sutton still sidelined, Montreal’s offence needs all the firepower it can muster.

The Als’ defence has been a bright spot for most of 2016, having allowed the second-fewest points (167) in the CFL and kept Montreal in ballgames it had minimal right to be in. The challenge for Defensive Coordinator Noel Thorpe’s unit this week will be pressuring Ottawa quarterback Henry Burris and forcing mistakes.

“He does a great job distributing the football to his receiving corps,” said Thorpe. “They’re led by Chris Williams, a very explosive player (that) gets the ball in the end zone, (and with) Sinopoli and Ellingson, we’ve got our hands full.”

Thorpe also highlighted the importance of the battle in the trenches.

“They’re led by a veteran offensive line that’s done an excellent job protecting the quarterback and running the ball,” said the Als defensive coordinator.

Expect Montreal defensive back Jovon Johnson to come out hungry against his former team. The former Iowa Hawkeye has registered 20 tackles, an interception, and a career-high three sacks through seven games this season.

Things are trending upwards in the nation’s capital for the REDBLACKS, who stopped a two-game skid with a win over the Edmonton Eskimos to retain first place in the East Division entering a bye week.

Though quarterback Trevor Harris did practice extensively this week, he will not dress for the REDBLACKS on Friday; 41 year-old pivot Henry Burris will make his third straight start.

Ottawa offensive coordinator Jaime Elizondo understands the challenge posed by Montreal’s aggressive defence.

“Montreal has an outstanding defence, they always have,” Elizondo told OttawaREDBLACKS.com. “They’re a challenge up front, their linebackers run well, (and) they’re an underrated defence.”

The coordinator of the REDBLACKS offence admitted his unit had some cleaning up to do at practice this week.

“It’s more about our execution — we’ve been focusing on cleaning up turnovers, penalties and dropped passes,” said Elizondo. “We’ve been focusing a lot on ourselves, knowing we have a heck of a defence coming in — we have to make (their) defence defend the entire field.”

One of the key players in the quest to open up the field on offence is speedy wideout Chris Williams.

Since starting the season with a ridiculous 493 receiving yards and six touchdown receptions through three games, Williams has cooled right off. The New Mexico State alum has just 194 receiving yards and a single touchdown reception in his last four games.

REDBLACKS head coach Rick Campbell believes there’s been a shift in mentality within his locker room.

“The thing I like about our attitude is that, as of Week 8, we’re in first place — I’m glad we’re setting the bar high,” said Campbell. “We’ve got a long road ahead of us to get better, but with that comes a lot of work to be done to meet those expectations.”

Ottawa had previously embraced an underdog mentality.

Defensive back Abdul Kanneh will return after missing Ottawa’s Week 7 win over Edmonton while Brendan Gillanders is expected to make his REDBLACKS debut at fullback.

By the Numbers

1 – Touchdown reception for Ottawa WR Chris Williams in his team’s last four games (1-2-1 record).

4 – Team-high sacks registered by Montreal’s John Bowman.

8 – Weeks since Montreal hit the 20-point mark against a team not named the Roughriders.

52 – Tackles recorded by Montreal LB Bear Woods (second-most in CFL).

The Skinny

The REDBLACKS have had two weeks to prepare for an underwhelming Alouettes offence.

Kevin Glenn hasn’t been a deciding factor, at least not in a positive fashion, in close games this season.

Those two key points out of the way, this is a ballgame with very big implications on both sides of the equation: Ottawa needs to make a statement in order to assert itself as the powerhouse in the East Division, while Montreal at 2-5 simply needs a win just to stay remotely relevant in the playoff picture.

Expect a tight, defensive battle.

Kickoff is slated for 7:00 p.m. ET and can be seen live on TSN or followed online via CFL.ca GameTracker.

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PREVIEW

STAMPS, LIONS SQUARE OFF FOR FIRST IN A BATTLE OF THE BEST

VANCOUVER — It’s showtime on the Pacific coast.

The nightcap of Friday Night Football’s Week 9 doubleheader features the BC Lions and the Calgary Stampeders, two teams locked in a battle for first place atop the West Division standings.

After beginning the year as a defensive juggernaut, the Lions have kicked into another offensive gear the past two weeks en route to 83 points and a pair of victories, while Calgary’s more than kept pace with a pair of wins, 35-15 and 19-10, against last-place Saskatchewan.

It’s been an emotional roller-coaster the past few weeks for the Calgary Stampeders.

Amidst a myriad of off-field back-and-forths with the Saskatchewan Roughriders, the Stamps claimed a pair of decisive victories the past two weeks to retain their lead in the West at 5-1-1.

This week Calgary travels to BC seeking to exorcise any lingering demons from a Week 1 loss at BC Place and, more importantly, strengthen its grasp on first place in the West.

“It’s probably, at this point, the biggest game of the year,” said Stamps full back Rob Cote. “It’s rare to see a game this big, but it’s not going to make or break either team’s season — we still have a lot of games after that.”

Cote highlighted big plays — see BC return maestro Chris Rainey’s Week 1 return for more details — as a major swing point in the season series.

“We’ve given up a couple of bad plays against the team we’re playing this weekend,” said the fullback. “We’ve got to eliminate those, and we should be alright.”

The Stamps offence will be gunning for a bigger performance than the 18-point, 283-yard one they put in back in a Week 1 defeat on the coast.

“It’s going to be a close football game that will come down to a few plays,” predicted Calgary head coach Dave Dickenson. “We started off poor (on the road) in BC, and we’ve had some challenges — Ottawa (and) Winnipeg were loud crowds — but we handled it last week in Saskatchewan.”

The first-year head coach admitted his first-place football team has a lot of growing to do before earning the “championship contender” moniker it’s already being tabbed with by media and fans alike.

“I like our record (but) think we can play a lot better,” said Dickenson. “I give these guys a lot of credit — they know how to win — (but) we’re nowhere close to where we could or should be.”

The Stamps head coach respects the quick turnaround underway in BC.

“I didn’t pay attention too closely to what they did in the off-season, but they’ve gelled quickly,” said Dickenson. “Obviously Wally (Buono) knows what he’s doing, with 270-something wins, they’ve definitely taken a step forward and they’re going to be a team to be reckoned with going forward.”

The Stamps will look to star quarterback Bo Levi Mitchell for success on offence Friday; the Eastern Washington alum has thrown for 2,194 yards and a league-high 12 touchdowns.

Slotback Marquay McDaniel, Mitchell’s favoured receiver with a team-high 57 targets, leads Calgary in all receiving categories and will be a major factor in the success or failure of the Stamps offence on Friday.

The Stamps’ receiving corps — without main man Joe West since Week 3 — could be bolstered by the insertion of rookie DaVaris Daniels, a former Notre Dame wideout with NFL tools. Friday’s game will be Daniels’ professional debut; the 6-foot-1 receiver spent time on the Vikings’ and Patriots’ practice rosters during the 2015 NFL season but saw no action.

In BC, meanwhile, times are good.

The Leos, 5-2, are just two wins shy of matching their win total from a disappointing 2015 season, and we’re still in August.

Jonathon Jennings has found another level with a pair of 300-plus-yard performances in his last two games, vaulting up in the quarterback index and over the 2,000-yard mark on the year.

“We’ve learned from our mistakes (in) the first couple games of the season,” Jennings, who’s propelled himself to third in the league in passing yards (2,048) and touchdowns (11), told BCLions.com. “We expect ourselves to be this type of team, our goal each week is to be 1-0 and that’s what we’re striving to do.”

Despite running numbers being down across the league in 2016, the Lions have found a way to make their ground attack count, boasting three of the league’s top 10 runners in Jeremiah Johnson (256), Anthony Allen (194) and Jennings (163).

“Sometimes it’s tough to run the ball, teams want to take that away, so they’re leaving a lot of space underneath and giving you and opportunity to get five or six yards underneath on first down,” said Jennings. “You go with the game flow, and that’s (the trend) going on across the league.”

Three games above .500, the Lions appear to be a playoff team and then some as we approach the halfway point of the regular season — a position that few outside of the organization foresaw.

“Coming out of training camp, I felt like we were going to have a pretty good football team,” said Head Coach Wally Buono. “I’ve been very pleased with the rapid improvement of our club — we play a very fast, very exciting game of football, whether it’s offence, defence or special teams.”

In terms of excitement, it doesn’t get much better in the CFL than BC return man Chris Rainey’s wheels.

The former Florida Gator’s returned two punts for touchdowns this season — both against Calgary — and is one of the league’s top return men with a 17.3-yard average punt-return.

“We’re not boring,” chuckled Buono. “You’ve got to be explosive in all three facets.”

The Leos are once again led defensively by a front seven featuring 2015 CFL tackle-leader Adam Bighill and his 49 tackles, and veteran Solomon Elimimian (36 tackles, four sacks).

BC wideout Emmanuel Arceneaux’s season to-date can be easily divided into two segments: pre- and post-bye week. Prior to the Lions’ Week-5 bye, Arceneaux had 237 receiving yards and a solitary TD reception in four games. Since BC’s bye, the Alcorn State alum has hauled in 303 yards and four touchdowns in three games.

By the Numbers

6 – Sacks recorded by both BC’s Alex Bazzie and Calgary’s Charleston Hughes, tied for the league lead.

152 – League-low points allowed by Calgary through eight weeks.

431 – Rush yards for Calgary power back Jerome Messame, second-most in the CFL.

1068 – Combined receiving yards between BC SBs Bryan Burnham and Emmanuel Arceneaux.

The Skinny

The reality here is Friday’s matchup could very well feature the two best teams in the CFL.

BC’s offence is the best on the circuit at 32.3 points-per-game, while Calgary’s defence is the best around averaging just 21.7 points against. The sheer number of high-end playmakers on either side of the football and in both uniforms is mind-boggling.

Multiple media members are calling Friday’s nightcap the ‘matchup of the season’; it’s hard to disagree with them.

The Stamps and Leos have been separated by a grand total of five points in their two meetings this season.

Buckle up, folks.

Kickoff is slated for 10:00 p.m. ET and can be seen live on TSN or followed online via CFL.ca GameTracker.

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WEST DIVISION

RK TEAM GP W L T PTS F A HOME AWAY DIV

1 Calgary 7 5 1 1 11 211 152 3-0-0 2-1-1 5-1-0

2 BC 7 5 2 0 10 226 173 2-1-0 3-1-0 2-1-0

3 Winnipeg 8 4 4 0 8 199 186 1-3-0 3-1-0 1-3-0

4 Edmonton 7 3 4 0 6 193 199 2-3-0 1-1-0 2-1-0

5 Saskatchewan 7 1 6 0 2 138 233 1-3-0 0-3-0 0-4-0


EAST DIVISION

RK TEAM GP W L T PTS F A HOME AWAY DIV

1 Ottawa 7 4 2 1 9 201 169 1-1-1 3-1-0 2-1-0

2 Toronto 7 4 3 0 8 165 174 1-3-0 3-0-0 2-2-0

3 Hamilton 7 3 4 0 6 186 196 0-2-0 3-2-0 2-0-0

4 Montreal 7 2 5 0 4 130 167 1-3-0 1-2-0 0-3-0


y - Clinched Division
x - Clinched Playoff Berth

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BEST BETS RECORD:

ATS Picks 12-20-0 37.50% -5000

O/U Picks 16-14-2 53.33% +300

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FRIDAY, AUGUST 19

GAME TIME(ET) PICK UNITS

MTL at OTT 07:00 PM

MTL +9.0

U 49.0


CGY at BC 10:00 PM

BC -3.0

O 55.5

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Saturday, Aug. 20

Edmonton Eskimos (3-4 SU, 2-4-1 ATS) vs. Toronto Argonauts (4-3 SU, 4-3 ATS)
Point-spread: Edmonton -2
Total: 52 ½

Game Overview

Edmonton was able to snap a three-game SU slide with last week’s win at home against Montreal. This was just the second time that the Eskimos covered in their first seven games and the total has now stayed UNDER in four of their last five contests. Edmonton had allowed an average of 30 points a game in those three losses before shutting down the Alouettes in last week’s win.

The Argonauts continue to forge on without the services of injured quarterback Ricky Ray. In his place, Logan Kilgore has had mixed results in a win against Ottawa as a heavy road underdog followed by last week’s loss to Winnipeg as a favorite at home. Kilgore put the ball up 44 times against the Blue Bombers and while he did complete 26 passes for 303 yards and a score, he also completed five passes to the opposing team in the form of interceptions.

Betting Trends

Edmonton has lost five of its last seven games against Toronto SU; however it does have a 7-3 edge ATS in the last 10 meetings overall and a 5-2 record ATS in its last seven road games against the Argonauts. The total has gone OVER in four of the Eskimos’ last six games on the road against Toronto.

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Saskatchewan Roughriders (1-6 SU, 2-5 ATS) vs. Hamilton Tiger-Cats (3-3 SU, 3-3 ATS)
Point-spread: Hamilton -10
Total: 53

Game Overview

This season has been another rough ride for Saskatchewan after winning just three games all last year. Even with Darian Durant back at quarterback it has struggled to find the end zone and the Roughriders’ defense has allowed a league-worst 233 points through its first seven games. The total has now stayed UNDER in their last three games with a grand total of just 28 points on the scoreboard.

Hamilton’s offense got a huge boost from the return of quarterback Zach Collaros last week despite the loss to BC. In his first action since recovering from knee surgery, he completed 24-of-40 passing attempts for 331 yards and two touchdowns. His favorite target in that game was Luke Tasker with eight receptions for 86 yards and a score. The Tiger-Cats are averaging 26.6 points a game on offense, but allowing an average of 28 points to their opponents.

Betting Trends

This will be the first meeting this season and Saskatchewan comes in with a SU 19-6 record in the last 25 games of this inter-division clash while going 15-7 ATS in the last 22 matchups. The total has stayed UNDER in six of the last seven games between the two.

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Saturday, August 20

Edmonton @ Toronto

Game 125-126
August 20, 2016 @ 4:00 pm

Dunkel Rating:
Edmonton
110.549
Toronto
114.101
Dunkel Team:
Dunkel Line:
Dunkel Total:
Toronto
by 3 1/2
48
Vegas Team:
Vegas Line:
Vegas Total:
Edmonton
by 3
53
Dunkel Pick:
Toronto
(+3); Under

Saskatchewan @ Hamilton

Game 127-128
August 20, 2016 @ 7:00 pm

Dunkel Rating:
Saskatchewan
101.724
Hamilton
115.690
Dunkel Team:
Dunkel Line:
Dunkel Total:
Hamilton
by 14
49
Vegas Team:
Vegas Line:
Vegas Total:
Hamilton
by 10
53 1/2
Dunkel Pick:
Hamilton
(-10); Under

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Saturday, August 20

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EDMONTON (3 - 4) at TORONTO (4 - 3) - 8/20/2016, 4:00 PM
Top Trends for this game.
EDMONTON is 6-16 ATS (-11.6 Units) as a road favorite of 3 points or less since 1996.
TORONTO is 2-9 ATS (-7.9 Units) in home games over the last 2 seasons.
TORONTO is 2-9 ATS (-7.9 Units) in home lined games over the last 2 seasons.
TORONTO is 1-8 ATS (-7.8 Units) in a home game where the total is greater than or equal to 52 over the last 3 seasons.

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

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SASKATCHEWAN (1 - 6) at HAMILTON (3 - 4) - 8/20/2016, 7:00 PM
Top Trends for this game.
SASKATCHEWAN is 7-17 ATS (-11.7 Units) in all games over the last 2 seasons.
SASKATCHEWAN is 7-17 ATS (-11.7 Units) in all lined games over the last 2 seasons.
SASKATCHEWAN is 2-9 ATS (-7.9 Units) when playing with 6 or less days rest over the last 2 seasons.
SASKATCHEWAN is 3-11 ATS (-9.1 Units) off a division game over the last 2 seasons.
SASKATCHEWAN is 7-17 ATS (-11.7 Units) in games played on turf over the last 2 seasons.
SASKATCHEWAN is 27-44 ATS (-21.4 Units) in August games since 1996.
SASKATCHEWAN is 27-46 ATS (-23.6 Units) in road games when playing against a team with a losing record since 1996.
SASKATCHEWAN is 121-90 ATS (+22.0 Units) as an underdog since 1996.

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

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Edmonton (3-4) @ Toronto (4-3)–Toronto is 4-0 when it scores more than 20 points, 0-3 when it scores 20 or less. Home side won six of last seven series games; Eskimos lost last four visits here, by 16-3-1-15 points. Eight of last ten series games went over total. Edmonton lost three of last four games overall; they split only two road games, losing by 3 at Ottawa, winning by 4 in Winnipeg. Four of last five Eskimo games stayed under total. Toronto is 1-3 at home, with only win 30-17 over Montreal; four of last six Argonaut games stayed under total.

Saskatchewan (1-6) @ Hamilton (3-4)– First home game in six weeks for TiCats, who are 0-2 at home, losing to BC/Winnipeg. Hamilton allowed 41 ppg in losing last two games overall– they’re 1-3 as a favorite this year. TiCats won last three games with Saskatchewan, by 25-10-15 points; six of last seven series games stayed under total. Roughriders scored total of 28 points in losing last three games, by 38-20-9 points; they’re 0-3 on road (1-2 as a road underdog) with OT loss in Edmonton. Last three Saskatchewan games stayed under total.

— Underdogs 19-10 Home 9-22-1 vs spread Over: 12-18-2

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Trend Report

Saturday, August 20

4:00 PM
EDMONTON vs. TORONTO
Edmonton is 1-4 SU in its last 5 games when playing on the road against Toronto
The total has gone OVER in 4 of Edmonton's last 6 games when playing on the road against Toronto
The total has gone OVER in 6 of Toronto's last 7 games when playing Edmonton
Toronto is 4-2 SU in its last 6 games

7:00 PM
SASKATCHEWAN vs. HAMILTON
The total has gone UNDER in 4 of Saskatchewan's last 6 games when playing on the road against Hamilton
The total has gone OVER in 11 of Saskatchewan's last 16 games when playing on the road against Hamilton
The total has gone UNDER in 4 of Hamilton's last 6 games when playing at home against Saskatchewan
The total has gone OVER in 11 of Hamilton's last 16 games when playing at home against Saskatchewan

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PREVIEW

ARGOS, ESKS SET FOR SATURDAY AFTERNOON CLASH AT BMO

TORONTO — For whatever reason, the Toronto Argonauts simply haven’t looked comfortable in their first four games on their new home turf at BMO Field.

Scott Milanovich’s football team has lost three of four and posted a minus-36 point differential at home this season, and will aim to right the ship this week against the inconsistent Edmonton Eskimos.

The Esks visit ‘the 6ix’ on the back of an unconvincing 23-12 win against Montreal at home last week which snapped a three-game skid.

Both teams have something to prove; Edmonton wants to vault itself back into the playoff conversation in the ultra-competitive West Division, while Toronto needs a statement win at home to alleviate the acid taste of last week’s 34-17 setback at the hands of the surging Blue Bombers.

Edmonton’s critical Week 8 win came from a hard-earned effort on defence, which kept Montreal out of the end zone and limited the Als to just 12 points.

“It was huge; in this league every week has huge importance towards the end of the year (and) with the skid we were on, we needed to get momentum back in our favour,” said Esks linebacker JC Sherritt in an interview with Esks.com. “It was our best (defensive) performance of the year, we’d been building towards it, (and) we’ve got to make sure to continue to improve.”

Sherritt has been a possessed man in the middle of the Edmonton defence the past two weeks, registering 10 tackles and two interceptions — returning one for a pick-six — and could have a critical role to play in Toronto on Saturday.

Toronto rookie quarterback Logan Kilgore struggled in his second career start, throwing five interceptions and failing to ever find a rhythm in the Argos’ 34-17 loss.

Sherritt, who leads the Eskimos in interceptions (3) and forced fumbles (3), understands the importance of making life difficult for Kilgore.

“(Getting pressure) is huge — even with experienced QBs, the more you get in their face, the more mistakes they make,” said the 28 year-old. “You make him feel uncomfortable, start putting pressure on him, (the game) will start to tilt in your favour.”

Edmonton’s defensive line will be without sack-leader Marcus Howard, whose contributions at the line of scrimmage often go far beyond the box score. Newly-signed Jason Vega will slot in at defensive end against his former team; the Northeastern alum suited up in seven games with the Argos in 2015, registering 12 tackles and two sacks.

“We talk about getting after their quarterback and protecting our quarterback,” said Edmonton head coach Jason Maas. “When they feel pressure, they’re never going to be as accurate, the timing in their head’ll go off quicker than it needs to, and they just don’t play as effectively.”

Maas also stressed the importance of “getting after” the rookie Kilgore early in Saturday’s ballgame.

“It’s about making him make decisions quicker than he’d like to, getting guys after him, hitting him,” said the Esks head coach. “If you can do all those things and create pressure on a quarterback, it’s tough, especially on a young quarterback that hasn’t seen everything in the league.”

The Eskimos possess one of the league’s most explosive offences but struggled out of the gate defensively to resemble the dominant defensive team they were on the way to winning the 103rd Grey Cup Championship last November.

If the last two weeks are any indication, however, that unit is starting to find its legs under first-year defensive coordinator Mike Benevides.

“It’s growth; you’re seven weeks into a season, guys are getting comfortable in their surroundings, understanding schemes better and (we’re) doing some different things up front,” said Maas. “The guys are buying in, playing faster, communicating better, and last game we saw the fruits of that.”

Toronto’s offence has moved on from last week’s forgettable outing against Winnipeg, and Kilgore will once again handle duties under centre for the Boatmen.

“After the film on Monday, we were able to flush it,” Kilgore, who threw five interceptions in the loss, told Argonauts.ca. “It was a learning experience for the entire offence, and I think we’re onto a different turn (now).”

The young quarterback will be boosted by the return of slotbacks Vidal Hazleton and Kevin Elliott.

Hazelton had been out since Week 6 with a lower-body injury, while Elliott was forced out of Toronto’s season-opener with a shoulder injury. The two have combined for 17 career touchdowns in little more than a single season and just as importantly add some much-needed size and toughness to the Argos’ receiving corps.

“Both those guys are elite players,” said Kilgore, a Middle-Tenn State alum. “It’s going to be great to have those guys back in the game — we’ve got a great core group, and when their lights go on, we’ve got to make plays.”

On the defensive side of the football, Toronto will have to find a way to stop Edmonton’s two-headed receiving monster of Adarius Bowman and Derel Walker. Both are on pace to break 2,000 receiving yards this season.

“They’re two different body types but they play well off each other,” said Argos defensive back Keon Raymond. “(Bowman)’s a big-body type, he’s a possession-type but he can blow the top off ya, too.”

As for Walker, the league’s top receiver with 800 yards, Raymond sees a different challenge.

“He’s fast and such a good route runner,” said the former Stamps defender. “He doesn’t talk trash, but he comes out and he works so you can’t do nothing but respect a guy like that.”

In the larger quest to neutralize the league’s most dangerous 1-2 receiving punch, the Argos will have to get pressure on Esks quarterback and league passing leader Mike Reilly.

Raymond, who’s posted 30 tackles, a sack and an interception on the year, will have to lead Toronto’s linebacking corps in the absence of team-leading tackler Cory Greenwood (40), who will miss Saturday’s game.

By the Numbers

50 – Saturday’s game will be Mike Reilly’s 50th career regular-season start for the Eskimos. His record is 27-22.

199 – Points surrendered by the Eskimos, the second-most in the league through eight weeks.

350 – Receiving yards for Toronto’s Kenny Shaw in the last four games.

1,963 – League-low passing yards for Toronto on the season.

The Skinny

Toronto has the best record of any CFL team against Mike Reilly at 4-1. Then again, the Argos are also one of the worst home teams thus far in 2016 at 1-3.

Reilly has been held out of the end zone in consecutive games for the first time since late in 2014; while Edmonton’s defence has stepped up and given the Esks chances to win the past few weeks, it’s time for Reilly to reassert himself as the top-tier quarterback we know he is.

Logan Kilgore needs to not throw interceptions; for his team’s confidence, for his coach’s confidence, and for his own confidence.

Plenty of big-time players on both sides of the ball: This should be a fun one at BMO.

Kickoff is slated for 4:00 p.m. ET and can be seen live on TSN or followed online via CFL.ca Game Tracker.

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PREVIEW

RIDERS, TICATS LOOK TO GET BACK IN THE WIN COLUMN AT TIM HORTONS FIELD

HAMILTON — The Hamilton Tiger-Cats and Saskatchewan Roughriders both see the same opportunity heading into their Saturday afternoon matchup at Tim Hortons Field.

For Hamilton, the past two weeks have meant two long road trips, 82 points against and a pair of losses. But despite back to back losses, Kent Austin’s football team goes into its Week 9 matchup knowing things could be worse.

For the Riders life has been worse as Chris Jones’ club has managed just two touchdowns in as many games en route to a pair of deflating losses against the rival Stampeders in Weeks 7 and 8, and now sits adrift at the bottom of the West Division at 1-7.

Just like the Ticats, Jones and the Riders are looking for a reversal of fortune.

The Riders are statistically the second-worst offensive and worst defensive team in the league, averaging just shy of 20 points per game and roughly 33 against.

“We haven’t played good enough in all three phases; our special team units need to play better, but so do our offence and defence,” Jones told Riderville.com. “We’ve been close in a lot of games (but) as Jock Climie so eloquently said the other night on TV, you get paid to play winning football and that’s what we’re striving for.”

The task for the Riders, who are 0-3 on the road this season, will be twofold at Tim Hortons Field; they’ll have to try and solve the offensive problems which have plagued them for the majority of the season, while also finding a way to stop the Ticats’ rejuvenated offence.

“They’re a good football team, very well-coached,” said Jones. “They’ve got tremendous players, they’ve been together for a while, they’ve got (their) quarterback back in Zach Collaros — they’re a solid, solid football team.”

One of the familiar faces lining up on the other side of the football is John Chick, the defensive end who recorded 170 tackles and 53 sacks as a member of the Riders from 2007 through 2015.

“John Chick shows up and plays 100 per cent every week,” said Jones. “He’s a great football player, a future hall-of-famer, and we’ve certainly got our hands full with him.”

Since returning from injury, Riders quarterback Darian Durant has moved the football and avoided turnovers, but hasn’t been able to consistently put the ball in the end zone. The North Carolina product threw for 247 and 267 yards in Saskatchewan’s Week 7 and 8 losses respectively, pitching a solitary pass touchdown to Rob Bagg over the course of the two games.

As for the matchup with Hamilton’s fearsome front seven, Durant believes in his teammates.

“Our offensive line matches up well with anyone across the league,” said Durant. “Even though they’re young and somewhat inexperienced, I think they have what it takes to slow down some of the best D-lines in the league.”

The numbers back him up. Despite the Riders’ 1-6 record and anemic offensive numbers, they’ve given up the third-fewest sacks in the league (17).

As for the competitive reunion with Chick, the Saskatchewan pivot is excited.

“He’s a good player — for years we talked about the what-ifs, and now it’s here,” laughed Durant at practice. “I’m looking to talk a little smack when he tries to sack me; it’s going to be fun and hopefully he doesn’t get too close to me.”

Durant’s favourite target, Buffalo alum Naaman Roosevelt, will have to return to his early-season form if the Riders are to pose a serious threat in the air.

The speedy wideout had 182 receiving yards and a touchdown reception in Saskatchewan’s Week 5 win against Ottawa and earned Shaw Top Performer honours in the process, but has since been held out of the end zone and under 80 yards in each of the team’s last three games.

The Ticats are glad to be home.

After starting the year with a 3-0 road record, a pair of road losses — each tough for a different reason — have Hamilton hungry for its first home win of 2016.

“It’s always an amazing feeling to play in front of our fans here,” receiver Andy Fantuz told TiCats.ca. “It’s so electric and really gives us a big advantage, having a 13th man in the stands. It’s been a while since we’ve been home and I’m sure the fans are as eager as we are.”

The Tabbies will see some changes on the defensive side of the ball from the squad that lost in Vancouver last week.

Defensive backs Travis Lee and Quinton Pointer are sidelined with injuries; ex-REDBLACK Brandon Sermons will make his debut in the secondary while sack-machine Drake Nevis returns to the D-line.

With the shifting in the secondary, it will be up to the Tabbies’ fearsome front seven — led by Simoni Lawrence (38 tackles, three sacks) in the middle and Adrian Tracy (26 tackles, three sacks) on the line — to make life extra difficult for Durant.

“They’ll come in and play hard,” said Ticats head coach Kent Austin. “I’ve said all year long, there’s a lot of parity in this league — you better be prepared to play every week, or you’ll lose football games.”

Austin sees a lot of similarities between his current young quarterback, Zach Collaros, and Durant — the young quarterback whom he gave his first career start back in 2008.

“Zach’s really smart, has a high football intelligence, highly competitive, great arm,” explained Austin. “He’s a Darian (Durant) to his teammates (in that) Darian has all those traits.”

A major storyline will obviously be Chick facing his old team, which cut him loose unceremoniously this past winter.

“You’re going against the team (where) they didn’t want you anymore,” said Chick this week at practice. “It’s not so much a revenge game, but I’ll show them why they should have kept John Chick around.”

By the Numbers

0 – Touchdown receptions for Saskatchewan receiver Naaman Roosevelt since Week 5.

10 – Wins in eleven starts at Tim Hortons Field for Ticats quarterback Zach Collaros.

25 – Sacks registered by the Ticats, the second-most in the CFL.

33.3 – Average points allowed by Saskatchewan, the worst in the league.

The Skinny

The Saskatchewan Roughriders are a last-place football team.

The Hamilton Tiger-Cats are not, though a two-game losing streak has made Saturday’s game a must-win for the Ticats if they want to stay relevant in the East Division’s tight title race.

This is a game that will be won in the trenches, and judging by both teams’ numbers of the season, Hamilton has to be seen as the favourite despite its recent road woes.

Food for thought: Through seven games, John Chick’s registered five sacks. Saskatchewan’s entire team has registered 10.

Kickoff is slated for 7:00 p.m. ET and can be seen live on TSN or followed online via CFL.ca Game Tracker.

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WEST DIVISION

RK TEAM GP W L T PTS F A HOME AWAY DIV

1 Calgary 8 6 1 1 13 248 161 3-0-0 3-1-1 6-1-0

2 BC 8 5 3 0 10 235 210 2-2-0 3-1-0 2-2-0

3 Winnipeg 8 4 4 0 8 199 186 1-3-0 3-1-0 1-3-0

4 Edmonton 7 3 4 0 6 193 199 2-3-0 1-1-0 2-1-0

5 Saskatchewan 7 1 6 0 2 138 233 1-3-0 0-3-0 0-4-0

EAST DIVISION

RK TEAM GP W L T PTS F A HOME AWAY DIV

1 Ottawa 8 4 3 1 9 220 212 1-2-1 3-1-0 2-2-0

2 Toronto 7 4 3 0 8 165 174 1-3-0 3-0-0 2-2-0

3 Hamilton 7 3 4 0 6 186 196 0-2-0 3-2-0 2-0-0

4 Montreal 8 3 5 0 6 173 186 1-3-0 2-2-0 1-3-0


y - Clinched Division
x - Clinched Playoff Berth

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CFL BEST BETS RECORD :

ATS Picks 13-21-0 38.24% -5050

O/U Picks 16-16-2 50.00% -800



SATURDAY, AUGUST 20

GAME TIME(ET) PICK UNITS

EDM at TOR 04:00 PM

TOR +3.0

U 53.0


SSK at HAM 07:00 PM

HAM -10.0

O 53.5

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Updated Record:

WLT PCT UNITS

ATS Picks 14-22-0 38.89% -5100

O/U Picks 17-17-2 50.00% -850

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CFL Betting Recap - Week 9
August 22, 2016

League Betting Notes

-- Favorites/underdogs went 2-2 SU in Week 9

-- Favorites/underdogs went 2-2 ATS in Week 9

-- Road teams posted a 3-1 SU record in Week 9

-- Road teams posted a 3-1 ATS record in Week 9

-- The 'Over' went 3-1 in Week 9


Team Betting Notes

-- Calgary (6-1-1) rolled past the BC Lions (5-3) by a 37-9 count, cashing easily as a slight road underdog while creating separation in the West Division. It was the third straight cover for the Stampeders, as they improved to 6-1 ATS over the past seven outings. The 'under' has cashed in three in a row for the Stamps after a 3-0-1 'over' run in their previous four games. Calgary has also covered four in a row on the road.

-- The loss for the Lions snapped a four-game cover streak, and was just their second non-cover in eight tries overall this season. The 'under' also ended a four-game 'over' run for BC.

-- Edmonton (4-4) doubled up Toronto (4-4) by a 46-23 count, as the Argonauts slipped to 1-4 SU/ATS in five games at home this season. The 'under' is 3-0 on the road for Toronto, and the 'over' is 4-1 in five home games for the Argos. The Esks have covered three in a row after an 0-4-1 ATS start.

-- Hamilton (4-4) evened up their record in a rout of Saskatchewan (1-7), 53-7. The Roughriders are terrible, failing to cover in four straight games while averaging just 8.8 points per game. The 'over/under' is 4-4 for the Roughriders despite the fact they have allowed 29 or more points in seven of their eight games.

-- The Tiger-Cats snapped a two-game mini skid in style, and the win was their first in three tries at home. They're also 1-2 ATS in three games at their home stadium this season.

-- After a red-hot start to the season, Ottawa (4-3-1) continues to slide. The RedBlacks were embarrassed at home by Montreal (3-5) by 24 points, their fourth consecutive non-cover.