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

[StarDust Bum]

CFL Betting Notes - Week 10
August 22, 2016


Quickly recapping a wild few days of action in Week 9 of the CFL regular season, Montreal was able to tighten things up in the East Division race with last Friday’s 43-19 pasting of Ottawa as a heavy 10-point road underdog.

Later that night, Calgary cemented its place as the frontrunner in the West Division with a 37-9 romp over British Columbia as a 2 ½-point underdog on the road.

Edmonton made a statement that it is ready for another possible Grey Cup title run with its 46-23 victory against Toronto on Saturday as a slight two-point road favorite.

Closing out things out for the week was Hamilton’s 53-7 rout of Saskatchewan as a 10-point favorite at home.

Here is a look at Week 10’s CFL slate.

Thursday, Aug. 25

British Columbia Lions (5-3 SU, 6-2 ATS) vs. Ottawa RedBlacks (4-3-1 SU, 3-5 ATS)
Point-spread: Ottawa -3 ½
Total: 56 ½

Game Overview

BC’s loss last week has it a game and a half off the pace in the West Division title race through its first eight contests. Jonathon Jennings had been one of the hottest quarterback in the league the past few weeks, but he was actually pulled from the game against Calgary in the fourth quarter after going just 10-for-22 for 153 yards. In his place, Travis Lulay put the ball up seven times and completed four passes for 19 yards.

The RedBlacks still have a half game lead in the East Division over Hamilton and Toronto, but they are just 1-3 straight-up and 0-4 against the spread in their last four games. Their starting quarterback earlier in the season was Trevor Harris as a replacement for an injured Henry Burris until he hurt his knee. Harris has been upgraded to probable for Thursday night and he has already been named the starter for this game.

Betting Trends

-- Ottawa won both meetings last season SU and ATS with the total staying UNDER in each of those two games.

-- The series is now evenly split 2-2 SU over the past two years.



Friday, Aug. 26

Winnipeg Blue Bombers (4-4 SU, 4-3-1 ATS) vs. Montreal Alouettes (3-5 SU, 3-5 ATS)
Point-spread: Montreal -2 ½
Total: 48

Game Overview

Winnipeg probably did not want to take last week off with a bye after winning its previous three games SU closing as an underdog. One of the big reasons for this team’s sudden turnaround has been the elevated play of quarterback Matt Nichols, who was given the starting job in place of an ineffective Drew Willy. Nichols has completed 70.4 percent of his 108 passing attempts for 887 yards and six touchdowns against just one interception during this three-game tear.

The Alouettes could be the toughest team to figure out this season. One week they are getting beat by double-digit spreads behind an offense that could not manage to score more than 12 points and the next week they are rolling up 43 points on the top team in their division. Kevin Glenn ended last week’s game against Ottawa with 382 yards passing and five touchdown throws while completing 25-of-30 attempts.

Betting Trends

-- Montreal drew first blood in this season’s series with a 22-14 victory on the road in Week 1 as a 2 ½-point underdog, but the Blue Bombers have covered ATS in four of their last five road games against the Alouettes.

-- The total has stayed UNDER in three of the last four meetings overall.



Saskatchewan Roughriders (1-7 SU, 2-6 ATS) vs Edmonton Eskimos (4-4 SU, 3-4-1 ATS)
Point-spread: Edmonton -14
Total: 56 ½

Game Overview

The Roughriders are officially the worst team in the CFL this season after finishing last in the standings in 2015. They have the lowest scoring offense in the league with an average of 18.2 points a game and their defense has now allowed 286 points through eight games which is easily the highest amount in the CFL by 64 points. The prospect for any kind of turnaround does not look all that good with a 0-4 record (SU and ATS) in their last four games by an average margin of 23.5 points a game.

Edmonton got a pair of much needed wins in its last two games following a rare SU three-game slide. Last week’s road win against Toronto was the first time the Eskimos put up more than 40 points this season and it was also one of the few times they got some solid production from both their running game and their passing game. Mike Reilly ended the day with 362 yards passing and three touchdown throws while John White and Calvin McCarty combined for 101 yards and a score on the ground.

Betting Trends

-- Head-to-head in the West Division tilt, Edmonton has won the last four meetings SU but it failed to cover in a 39-36 overtime victory against the Roughriders on July 8 as a 9 ½-point home favorite.

-- The total has now gone OVER in the past two meetings.



Sunday, Aug. 28

Hamilton Tiger-Cats (4-4 SU, 4-4 ATS) vs. Calgary Roughriders (6-1-1 SU, 6-2 ATS)
Point-spread: Calgary -5 ½
Total: 53 ½

Game Overview

The Tiger-Cats clawed their way back to .500 on the year behind quarterback Zach Collaros, who missed the first six games of the season recovering from a knee injury. He made the most of his home debut this season with 381 yards passing and five touchdown throws in the romp over Saskatchewan. He completed passes to eight different players, but his favorite receiver was Terrence Toliver with five catches for 139 yards and a score.

Calgary proved it is the team to beat in the CFL closing in the first half of the season. It is the highest scoring team in the CFL with an average of 31 points a game and defensively it is allowing an average of 20.1 points, which is also the best in the league. Bo Levi Mitchell continues to light things up at quarterback with the second-most passing yards (2,534) in the CFL and a tie for the most passing touchdowns (14).

Betting Trends

-- Calgary has won the last nine meetings SU, but the Tiger-Cats have the slight 5-4 edge ATS.

-- The total has stayed UNDER in the last seven games of this interdivision clash.

[StarDust Bum]

CFL
Long Sheet

Week 10

Thursday, August 25

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BRITISH COLUMBIA (5 - 3) at OTTAWA (4 - 3 - 1) - 8/25/2016, 7:30 PM
Top Trends for this game.
OTTAWA is 18-9 ATS (+8.1 Units) in all games over the last 2 seasons.
OTTAWA is 18-9 ATS (+8.1 Units) in all lined games over the last 2 seasons.
OTTAWA is 9-2 ATS (+6.8 Units) when playing with 6 or less days rest over the last 2 seasons.
BRITISH COLUMBIA is 90-61 ATS (+22.9 Units) as an underdog since 1996.
BRITISH COLUMBIA is 66-44 ATS (+17.6 Units) in road games off a division game since 1996.
BRITISH COLUMBIA is 25-9 ATS (+15.1 Units) in road games in August games since 1996.

Head-to-Head Series History
OTTAWA is 3-1 against the spread versus BRITISH COLUMBIA over the last 3 seasons
OTTAWA is 2-2 straight up against BRITISH COLUMBIA 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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Friday, August 26

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WINNIPEG (4 - 4) at MONTREAL (3 - 5) - 8/26/2016, 7:00 PM
There are no Top Trends with records of significance that apply to this game.

Head-to-Head Series History
MONTREAL is 2-2 against the spread versus WINNIPEG over the last 3 seasons
WINNIPEG is 3-2 straight up against MONTREAL over the last 3 seasons
3 of 5 games in this series have gone UNDER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons

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SASKATCHEWAN (1 - 7) at EDMONTON (4 - 4) - 8/26/2016, 10:00 PM
Top Trends for this game.
SASKATCHEWAN is 7-18 ATS (-12.8 Units) in all games over the last 2 seasons.
SASKATCHEWAN is 7-18 ATS (-12.8 Units) in all lined games over the last 2 seasons.
SASKATCHEWAN is 7-17 ATS (-11.7 Units) as an underdog over the last 3 seasons.
SASKATCHEWAN is 2-10 ATS (-9.0 Units) when playing with 6 or less days rest over the last 2 seasons.
SASKATCHEWAN is 7-17 ATS (-11.7 Units) versus division opponents over the last 3 seasons.
SASKATCHEWAN is 7-18 ATS (-12.8 Units) in games played on turf over the last 2 seasons.
SASKATCHEWAN is 27-45 ATS (-22.5 Units) in August games since 1996.
EDMONTON is 35-54 ATS (-24.4 Units) after 2 or more consecutive straight up wins since 1996.

Head-to-Head Series History
EDMONTON is 5-2 against the spread versus SASKATCHEWAN over the last 3 seasons
EDMONTON is 6-1 straight up against SASKATCHEWAN over the last 3 seasons
5 of 7 games in this series have gone UNDER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons

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Sunday, August 28

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HAMILTON (4 - 4) at CALGARY (6 - 1 - 1) - 8/28/2016, 7:00 PM
Top Trends for this game.
CALGARY is 44-27 ATS (+14.3 Units) in August games since 1996.

Head-to-Head Series History
HAMILTON is 3-2 against the spread versus CALGARY over the last 3 seasons
CALGARY is 5-0 straight up against HAMILTON over the last 3 seasons
5 of 5 games in this series have gone UNDER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons

[StarDust Bum]

CFL
Short Sheet

Week 10

Thurs - Aug, 25

British Columbia at Ottawa, 7:30 ET
British Columbia: 25-12 ATS after a 2 game home stand
Ottawa: 25-31 ATS after playing a game at home


Fri - Aug, 26

Winnipeg at Montreal, 7:00 ET
Winnipeg: 12-9 ATS as a road underdog of 3 points or less
Montreal: 1-4 ATS after a win by 20 or more points

Saskatchewan at Edmonton, 10:00 ET
Saskatchewan: 4-12 ATS revenging a road loss versus opponent
Edmonton: 20-12 ATS as a favorite


Sun - Aug, 28

Hamilton at Calgary, 7:00 ET
Hamilton: 67-43 ATS after failing to cover the spread in 2 out of their last 3
Calgary: 14-29 ATS in home games off 2 or more consecutive unders

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CFL
Armadillo's Write-Up

Week 10

BC Lions (5-3) @ Ottawa (4-3-1)– Lions got waxed 37-9 by Calgary at home LW; they’re 3-1 vs spread this year in game following a loss. BC is 3-1 SU on road, with only loss in OT at Calgary. Four of their last five games went over the total. RedBlacks lost three of last four games; four of their last six games were decided by 3 or less points. Ottawa is 1-3 at home; this is their 4th straight home game. RedBlacks swept Lions LY, winning both games as underdogs, after losing twice to Lions year before; under is 3-0-1 in series games.

Winnipeg (4-4) @ Montreal (3-5)– Blue Bombers scored 33.7 ppg in winning their last three games after a 1-4 start; they’re 3-1 on road, with only loss 36-22 at Calgary. Montreal lost by 15-20 points in game following a win this year; they’re 1-3 at home, with only win over lowly Saskatchewan. Under is 4-1-1 in last six Winnipeg games. Alouettes (+2.5) won season opener 22-14 in Winnipeg, just their 3rd win in last ten series games. Bombers are 3-2 in last five visits here. Three of last four series games stayed under total.

Saskatchewan (1-7) @ Edmonton (4-4)– Roughriders lost last 4 games by combined 148-35 margin (avg score of 37-9); they lost 51-3 LW in Hamilton, lost 39-36 in OT on this field in Week 2, Riders’ 7th loss in last eight series games. Riders lost last 4 visits here, by 24-8-25-3 points (under 5-2 in last 7). Edmonton won last two games by 11-23 points, scoring 34.5 ppg; they’re 2-3 at home, 1-4 as home favorites- three of their last four games stayed under. Road team covered seven of eight Edmonton games this season.

Hamilton (4-4) @ Calgary (6-1)– Stampeders won last nine series games, last three by 4 or less points; TiCats lost last 11 visits here, losing last four by combined total of 10 points (4-0 vs spread). Last seven series games stayed under the total. Hamilton allowed 41 ppg in losing last two road games, by 7-26 points- they’re 2-1 as road underdogs this year. Calgary won its last five games (4-1 vs spread), allowing total of 34 points in last three; they’re 2-1 as home favorites. Three of last four TiCat games went over the total.

— Underdogs 21-12, home teams 10-25-1 vs spread…….Over: 15-19-2

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CFL

Week 10

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Trend Report
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Thursday, August 25

7:30 PM
BRITISH COLUMBIA vs. OTTAWA
The total has gone UNDER in 4 of British Columbia's last 6 games when playing on the road against Ottawa
British Columbia is 4-2 SU in its last 6 games on the road
Ottawa is 1-4 ATS in its last 5 games at home
The total has gone UNDER in 4 of Ottawa's last 5 games when playing British Columbia


Friday, August 26

7:00 PM
WINNIPEG vs. MONTREAL
Winnipeg is 5-12 SU in its last 17 games on the road
Winnipeg is 6-14 SU in its last 20 games
Montreal is 1-4 SU in its last 5 games when playing at home against Winnipeg
The total has gone OVER in 4 of Montreal's last 6 games when playing at home against Winnipeg

10:00 PM
SASKATCHEWAN vs. EDMONTON
The total has gone OVER in 5 of Saskatchewan's last 5 games when playing Edmonton
Saskatchewan is 1-5 ATS in its last 6 games
Edmonton is 1-5 ATS in its last 6 games at home
The total has gone UNDER in 4 of Edmonton's last 6 games


Sunday, August 28

7:00 PM
HAMILTON vs. CALGARY
Hamilton is 0-5 SU in its last 5 games when playing on the road against Calgary
The total has gone UNDER in 4 of Hamilton's last 5 games when playing Calgary
Calgary is 2-4 ATS in its last 6 games when playing at home against Hamilton
Calgary is 5-0 SU in its last 5 games at home


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CFL
Dunkel

Week 10


Thursday, August 25

BC Lions @ Ottawa

Game 301-302
August 25, 2016 @ 7:30 pm

Dunkel Rating:
BC Lions
113.203
Ottawa
112.226
Dunkel Team:
Dunkel Line:
Dunkel Total:
BC Lions
by 1
60
Vegas Team:
Vegas Line:
Vegas Total:
Ottawa
by 2 1/2
56 1/2
Dunkel Pick:
BC Lions
(+2 1/2); Over


Friday, August 26

Winnipeg @ Montreal

Game 303-304
August 26, 2016 @ 7:00 pm

Dunkel Rating:
Winnipeg
112.921
Montreal
120.086
Dunkel Team:
Dunkel Line:
Dunkel Total:
Montreal
by 7
44
Vegas Team:
Vegas Line:
Vegas Total:
Montreal
by 1 1/2
48
Dunkel Pick:
Montreal
(-1 1/2); Under

Saskatchewan @ Edmonton

Game 305-306
August 26, 2016 @ 10:00 pm

Dunkel Rating:
Saskatchewan
105.391
Edmonton
115.407
Dunkel Team:
Dunkel Line:
Dunkel Total:
Edmonton
by 10
61
Vegas Team:
Vegas Line:
Vegas Total:
Edmonton
by 14
56
Dunkel Pick:
Saskatchewan
(+14); Over


Sunday, August 28

Hamilton @ Calgary

Game 307-308
August 28, 2016 @ 8:00 pm

Dunkel Rating:
Hamilton
114.023
Calgary
124.189
Dunkel Team:
Dunkel Line:
Dunkel Total:
Calgary
by 10
49
Vegas Team:
Vegas Line:
Vegas Total:
Calgary
by 4 1/2
53 1/2
Dunkel Pick:
Calgary
(-4 1/2); Under

[StarDust Bum]

PREVIEW

REDBLACKS, LIONS LOOKING FOR THE WIN COLUMN IN OTTAWA

OTTAWA — Week 9 was not kind to the Ottawa REDBLACKS and BC Lions.

The REDBLACKS gave up 43 points to cellar-dwelling Montreal in an unexpected shellacking at TD Place. The Leos were shut down in every phase by the high-flying Stamps, dropping a 37-9 decision at BC Place in a critical battle for first place in the West Division.

Both squads will be looking to bounce back on Thursday night in a tantalizing Week 10 matchup in the nation’s capital.

The BC Lions plummeted back down to Earth in last week’s humbling loss to Calgary.

“There was just no emotion, no intensity,” said Leos head coach Wally Buono, whose team now sits three points behind the Stamps for first in the West. “It was not the same BC Lion team we’ve been lining up with for the last number of weeks.”

With their attention firmly set on Thursday’s date with the REDBLACKS, Buono’s team will have to be ready for Ottawa quarterback Trevor Harris, who will return from injury and make his first start since Week 5.

“It’s time to go out and play a team in the same boat that we are,” said Buono. “One thing he’s always been known for is getting the ball out of his hands very quickly. When quarterbacks are successful, they’re making quick reads and quick throws.”

After beginning the season as a defensive juggernaut, the Lions have evolved in recent weeks into a team that wins football games on offence; quarterback Jon Jennings has blossomed into — last week’s loss aside — a top-tier quarterback in the league, and the Lions lead the CFL in most rushing categories.

“We’re ready,” said Jennings on Wednesday. “Each team is pretty hungry, (s0) we’ve got to make sure we’re taking advantage of every opportunity — we’re looking forward to getting back on the right track.”

In a year which has seen rushing numbers down across league, BC has found a way to involve the ground game to relatively great effect. The Leos lead the CFL in rush yards (742) and touchdowns (9), and have three players — Jeremiah Johnson (309), Anthony Allen (194) and Jennings (175) — amongst the league’s top 10 in rushing.

“We stated from the beginning of the week, (we’ve got to be) making sure we take care of what we can, focus in on our jobs, minimize mistakes, and produce at a more efficient level this week,” said Jennings.

The Lions will have their hands full on the defensive side of the ball with the return of Harris under centre for a sputtering REDBLACKS offence.

One of the men on the BC line capable of disrupting Harris’s quick reads and accurate throws will be Mic’hael Brooks, an East Carolina product who will be in the lineup for the first time since Week 6.

“We need to have everybody else back to the level of intensity and speed we’re known for,” said Coach Buono. “Brooks will be fresh (and) he’s a disturber against the run and the pass.”

The Ottawa REDBLACKS will be hoping a change under centre can kickstart an offence which has been mediocre at best in recent weeks.

Harris, who was on pace for a MOP-type season before going down with an injury in Week 5, will return to the field for the capital club on Thursday.

“I feel good, don’t feel any nagging things from the injury,” Harris told OttawaREDBLACKS.com. “I’m very excited to come out and hopefully we can get a win for #RNation.”

In the four games — including the Saskatchewan game which he left injured in the first quarter — since Harris went down, the REDBLACKS are 1-3.

“We’re running the same offence, that’s not changing,” said Ottawa head coach Rick Campbell. “I know we can win with both Henry and Trevor — sometimes tough decisions have to be made.”

Facing the aggressive BC front seven, Harris is well aware that he’ll have to be at his best in his return to the field.

“They cover sideline to sideline, their linebackers run at a high level (and) their front four causes a lot of havoc,” said the Edinboro alum. “It’s no easy task to go against that defence, (but) we’re excited to see where we stack up against one of the great defences in the league.”

The REDBLACKS offensive line will have to be much-improved from last week’s loss to will have to try and neutralize the likes of Solomon Elimimian and Adam Bighill, some of the CFL’s top tacklers with 47 and 58 respectively.

The return of J’Michael Deane to Ottawa’s offensive line could shore up a line that looked porous against Montreal’s dogged front seven last week.

The REDBLACKS running game should have some extra juice this week in the form of Travon Van. The former Montana Grizzly ran for 133 yards in Ottawa’s first two games before going down with an injury.

“We talked about it from day one, it’s going to take all of us to get it done this year,” said Coach Campbell. “With all the injuries this year, it’s going to take every single guy for us to accomplish what we want.”

By the Numbers

1 – Home win in four tries for the REDBLACKS this season.

5.5 – Yards-per-carry for Ottawa’s Travon Van prior to his injury — second amongst league running backs.

27 – Sacks registered by the Lions, the second-most in the CFL.

34.25 – Average points allowed by BC over the last four games (2-2 record).

The Skinny

Both BC and Ottawa are likely playoff teams, with some media outlets even pointing to the former as a sleeper Grey Cup favourite after the Leos’ hot start.

Both enter Thursday night’s game hungry not just for a win, but to send a message to the rest of the league; BC desperately needs to stay relevant in the West Division’s race for first, while Ottawa must win to stay in the driver’s seat atop the tight East Division.

The number of playmakers on either side of the ball is ridiculous; Trevor Harris and Jon Jennings alone can be offensive game breakers, while Ottawa D-lineman Zach Evans and the aforementioned Solomon Elimimian can turn a game on its head on the defensive side of the ball.

Kickoff is slated for 7:30 p.m. ET and can be seen live on TSN or followed online via CFL.ca Game Tracker.

[StarDust Bum]

CFL Best Bets:

WLT PCT UNITS

ATS Picks 14-22-0 38.89% -5100

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


THURSDAY, AUGUST 25

GAME TIME(ET) PICK UNITS

BC at OTT 07:30 PM

OTT -2.0

O 56.5

[StarDust Bum]

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 8 4 4 0 8 239 222 2-3-0 2-1-0 2-1-0

5 Saskatchewan 8 1 7 0 2 145 286 1-3-0 0-4-0 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 Hamilton 8 4 4 0 8 239 203 1-2-0 3-2-0 2-0-0

3 Toronto 8 4 4 0 8 188 220 1-4-0 3-0-0 2-2-0

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

[StarDust Bum]

RECAP

LIONS OUTLAST REDBLACKS, WIN NAILBITER 29-23

OTTAWA – It was a nail-biter from start to finish, with neither team ever leading by more than six points, but it was the Lions who scored last in this one, taking the victory 29-23. QB Jonathon Jennings completed 23 passes for 289 yards and a touchdown, while backup Travis Lulay added two scores on the ground in the BC win.

Tristan Jackson got the game started on a good foot for the REDBLACKS, dazzling the home crowd with a 47-yard kickoff return to put Ottawa into BC territory for their first possession.

REDBLACKS QB Trevor Harris completed his first two pass attempts, seeing his first game action since suffering an injury in week five against the Roughriders. His third dropback of the game didn’t go as planned however, as Harris fumbled the snap and was lucky to retain possession, forcing a REDBLACKS punt on third and long.

Receiving the ball for the Lions’ first drive of the game, QB Jonathon Jennings looked like a man possessed, completing his first five passes and marching BC down the field with ease. With a fresh set of downs on the Ottawa 22-yard line, Jennings called his own number on consecutive plays, but found himself swarmed by defenders and couldn’t find the yards for a first down. K Richie Leone made no mistake drilling the short field goal, and the away team took an early 3-0 lead.

Harris connected with SB Chris Williams for a 44-yard completion on the first play of Ottawa’s next drive, bringing the REDBLACKS down to the BC 23-yard line. RB Trayvon Van, who also returned to action this week after an injury, looked evasive on an eight-yard run, but was stuffed on second down, and Ottawa settled for a Chris Milo field goal to tie the game at 3.

Chris Rainey added some electricity to an otherwise stagnant second quarter on special teams, making the REDBLACKS pay for a lack of discipline. After Rainey originally returned a punt for just nine yards, Ottawa was penalized for an illegal man downfield, and forced to re-kick. This time, Rainey found a hole, taking the punt back 37 yards and giving the Lions prime field position.

RB Anthony Allen rushed for seven yards on the first play of the Lions drive and back-up QB Travis Lulay did the rest, diving to the right to score the game’s first major. Not content to kick the extra point, the Lions kept Lulay in and attempted the two-point conversion, but the pass intended for Shawn Gore went incomplete, and the Lions took a 9-3 lead.

After yet another impressive kickoff return, this time a 42-yarder from WR Khalil Paden, Harris got back to work. After finding Chris Williams for no gain, Harris then made three consecutive first down conversions before finding WR Ernest Jackson streaking down the left side for a 30-yard touchdown pass.

Rather than gambling like their opponents, the REDBLACKS took the safer bet as Milo drilled the conversion with ease, giving the home team their first lead of the game heading into the last few minutes of the first half.

After three drives that went nowhere, Richie Leone pulled the Leos even with a 71-yard punt single, and it looked like the two squads would head into the half at 10 apiece.

But Harris had other ideas. Taking the ball under centre with 17 seconds remaining, Harris found WR Greg Ellingson open down the right sideline, and connected with pinpoint precision. The 39-yard completion was enough to give the REDBLACKS a last-second field goal attempt, and Milo kicked home his second of the game, giving the home team a 13-10 lead heading into the half.

Harris was undoubtedly the offensive star of the first half, completing 15 of 16 pass attempts for 187 yards and a score.

The Lions received to start the third quarter and Jennings started to look comfortable for the first time since the game’s first drive. The BC pivot completed five straight, driving the Lions down to the Ottawa five-yard line. But on second-and-goal, Jennings tried to do a bit too much and couldn’t escape the relentless pressure from DE Ettore Lattanzio, who brought him down for a 20-yard loss. With a chance to salvage three points from a promising drive, Leone shanked his field goal attempt wide left, resulting in just a Lions single.

The Lions defence looked sharp early in the third quarter, holding Harris and the REDBLACKS to a two-and out before allowing the BC offence to counterstrike.

Anthony Allen took the rock on first down and rumbled down the middle for a 22-yard gain, quickly moving the Lions into REDBLACKS territory. After finding WR Geraldo Boldewijn for a 14-yard completion, Jennings turned to the always dangerous Chris Rainey, who juked his way through a couple of Ottawa defenders on his way to his second touchdown of the season.

This time, the Lions turned to their ground game on the two-point conversion, and Allen found the end zone easily, giving BC a 19-13 lead.

After a pair of two-and-outs, Harris awoke from his second-half shell, and wasted no time in making his mark on the quarter. Two pass completions to Greg Ellingson for a combined 68 yards helped the REDBLACKS make up ground in a hurry, and Van dashed into the end zone from three yards out to tie the game at 19. The Milo convert was good, and Ottawa took the lead 20-19 at the end of three.

Jennings orchestrated yet another long drive that seemed destined to end with a touchdown, but once again a critical mistake in the final third of the field let the Lions down. After a second-down completion to SB Manny Arcenaux, it appeared that the Lions would have, at worst, three shots at the end zone from inside the five-yard line. But while battling his way towards the end zone, Arcenaux lost control of the football, and the REDBLACKS recovered on their own two yard line.

The REDBLACKS got their drive started on a positive note, as a nine-yard rush from Van seemingly moved them out of danger. But as Harris dropped back to pass on second down and found nobody open, he was consumed by the Lions pass rush and conceded a safety, giving the Lions a one-point lead and giving back possession.

Fortunately for Ottawa, the Lions were unable to do much with their possession, despite having a second-down sack nullified due to penalty. Richie Leone didn’t give the REDBLACKS much to be excited about however, as his coffin corner punt once again saw Ottawa starting their next drive on the two-yard line.

Despite the previous safety, Harris and the REDBLACKS came out gunning on first down, and the gamble paid off; finding Williams on the right sideline for a 53-yard completion. The drive stalled a few plays later, but Milo hit the 46-yard field goal, retaking the lead for Ottawa.

Jennings and the Lions got back to work following the field goal, marching down the field with ease. After a 34-yard completion to Bryan Burnham to bring the Leos inside the Ottawa five, Lulay once again got the nod, and pounded the ball into the end zone for his second rushing TD of the game. Lulay found Arcenaux for the successful two point conversion to put the Lions up six points.

With just a minute on the clock, Harris did his best to bring Ottawa back in the game, finding Ellingson and Van on consecutive completions. But in the end, it wasn’t enough, and his final pass for Chris Williams fell incomplete, sealing the win for the Lions.

It was a heartbreaking loss for the REDBLACKS, who were hoping that Harris’ return could spark a return to their early season form. Instead, they’ve now lost four of their last five, and head into a divisional matchup with the Alouettes in week 11.

The Lions will be happy they could rebound after a disastrous loss to the Stamps in week 9, getting back into the win column before heading to BMO Field for a matchup with the Argonauts next week.

[StarDust Bum]

Friday, Aug. 26

Winnipeg Blue Bombers (4-4 SU, 4-3-1 ATS) vs. Montreal Alouettes (3-5 SU, 3-5 ATS)
Point-spread: Montreal -2 ½
Total: 48

Game Overview

Winnipeg probably did not want to take last week off with a bye after winning its previous three games SU closing as an underdog. One of the big reasons for this team’s sudden turnaround has been the elevated play of quarterback Matt Nichols, who was given the starting job in place of an ineffective Drew Willy. Nichols has completed 70.4 percent of his 108 passing attempts for 887 yards and six touchdowns against just one interception during this three-game tear.

The Alouettes could be the toughest team to figure out this season. One week they are getting beat by double-digit spreads behind an offense that could not manage to score more than 12 points and the next week they are rolling up 43 points on the top team in their division. Kevin Glenn ended last week’s game against Ottawa with 382 yards passing and five touchdown throws while completing 25-of-30 attempts.

Betting Trends

-- Montreal drew first blood in this season’s series with a 22-14 victory on the road in Week 1 as a 2 ½-point underdog, but the Blue Bombers have covered ATS in four of their last five road games against the Alouettes.

-- The total has stayed UNDER in three of the last four meetings overall.

Saskatchewan Roughriders (1-7 SU, 2-6 ATS) vs Edmonton Eskimos (4-4 SU, 3-4-1 ATS)
Point-spread: Edmonton -14
Total: 56 ½

Game Overview

The Roughriders are officially the worst team in the CFL this season after finishing last in the standings in 2015. They have the lowest scoring offense in the league with an average of 18.2 points a game and their defense has now allowed 286 points through eight games which is easily the highest amount in the CFL by 64 points. The prospect for any kind of turnaround does not look all that good with a 0-4 record (SU and ATS) in their last four games by an average margin of 23.5 points a game.

Edmonton got a pair of much needed wins in its last two games following a rare SU three-game slide. Last week’s road win against Toronto was the first time the Eskimos put up more than 40 points this season and it was also one of the few times they got some solid production from both their running game and their passing game. Mike Reilly ended the day with 362 yards passing and three touchdown throws while John White and Calvin McCarty combined for 101 yards and a score on the ground.

Betting Trends

-- Head-to-head in the West Division tilt, Edmonton has won the last four meetings SU but it failed to cover in a 39-36 overtime victory against the Roughriders on July 8 as a 9 ½-point home favorite.

-- The total has now gone OVER in the past two meetings.

--------------------

Friday, August 26

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
WINNIPEG (4 - 4) at MONTREAL (3 - 5) - 8/26/2016, 7:00 PM
There are no Top Trends with records of significance that apply to this game.

Head-to-Head Series History
MONTREAL is 2-2 against the spread versus WINNIPEG over the last 3 seasons
WINNIPEG is 3-2 straight up against MONTREAL over the last 3 seasons
3 of 5 games in this series have gone UNDER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons

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SASKATCHEWAN (1 - 7) at EDMONTON (4 - 4) - 8/26/2016, 10:00 PM
Top Trends for this game.
SASKATCHEWAN is 7-18 ATS (-12.8 Units) in all games over the last 2 seasons.
SASKATCHEWAN is 7-18 ATS (-12.8 Units) in all lined games over the last 2 seasons.
SASKATCHEWAN is 7-17 ATS (-11.7 Units) as an underdog over the last 3 seasons.
SASKATCHEWAN is 2-10 ATS (-9.0 Units) when playing with 6 or less days rest over the last 2 seasons.
SASKATCHEWAN is 7-17 ATS (-11.7 Units) versus division opponents over the last 3 seasons.
SASKATCHEWAN is 7-18 ATS (-12.8 Units) in games played on turf over the last 2 seasons.
SASKATCHEWAN is 27-45 ATS (-22.5 Units) in August games since 1996.
EDMONTON is 35-54 ATS (-24.4 Units) after 2 or more consecutive straight up wins since 1996.

Head-to-Head Series History
EDMONTON is 5-2 against the spread versus SASKATCHEWAN over the last 3 seasons
EDMONTON is 6-1 straight up against SASKATCHEWAN over the last 3 seasons
5 of 7 games in this series have gone UNDER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------


Fri - Aug, 26

Winnipeg at Montreal, 7:00 ET
Winnipeg: 12-9 ATS as a road underdog of 3 points or less
Montreal: 1-4 ATS after a win by 20 or more points

Saskatchewan at Edmonton, 10:00 ET
Saskatchewan: 4-12 ATS revenging a road loss versus opponent
Edmonton: 20-12 ATS as a favorite

---------------------

Winnipeg (4-4) @ Montreal (3-5)– Blue Bombers scored 33.7 ppg in winning their last three games after a 1-4 start; they’re 3-1 on road, with only loss 36-22 at Calgary. Montreal lost by 15-20 points in game following a win this year; they’re 1-3 at home, with only win over lowly Saskatchewan. Under is 4-1-1 in last six Winnipeg games. Alouettes (+2.5) won season opener 22-14 in Winnipeg, just their 3rd win in last ten series games. Bombers are 3-2 in last five visits here. Three of last four series games stayed under total.

Saskatchewan (1-7) @ Edmonton (4-4)– Roughriders lost last 4 games by combined 148-35 margin (avg score of 37-9); they lost 51-3 LW in Hamilton, lost 39-36 in OT on this field in Week 2, Riders’ 7th loss in last eight series games. Riders lost last 4 visits here, by 24-8-25-3 points (under 5-2 in last 7). Edmonton won last two games by 11-23 points, scoring 34.5 ppg; they’re 2-3 at home, 1-4 as home favorites- three of their last four games stayed under. Road team covered seven of eight Edmonton games this season.

-----------------

Friday, August 26

7:00 PM
WINNIPEG vs. MONTREAL
Winnipeg is 5-12 SU in its last 17 games on the road
Winnipeg is 6-14 SU in its last 20 games
Montreal is 1-4 SU in its last 5 games when playing at home against Winnipeg
The total has gone OVER in 4 of Montreal's last 6 games when playing at home against Winnipeg

10:00 PM
SASKATCHEWAN vs. EDMONTON
The total has gone OVER in 5 of Saskatchewan's last 5 games when playing Edmonton
Saskatchewan is 1-5 ATS in its last 6 games
Edmonton is 1-5 ATS in its last 6 games at home
The total has gone UNDER in 4 of Edmonton's last 6 games

-------------------------

Friday, August 26

Winnipeg @ Montreal

Game 303-304
August 26, 2016 @ 7:00 pm

Dunkel Rating:
Winnipeg
112.921
Montreal
120.086
Dunkel Team:
Dunkel Line:
Dunkel Total:
Montreal
by 7
44
Vegas Team:
Vegas Line:
Vegas Total:
Montreal
by 1 1/2
48
Dunkel Pick:
Montreal
(-1 1/2); Under

Saskatchewan @ Edmonton

Game 305-306
August 26, 2016 @ 10:00 pm

Dunkel Rating:
Saskatchewan
105.391
Edmonton
115.407
Dunkel Team:
Dunkel Line:
Dunkel Total:
Edmonton
by 10
61
Vegas Team:
Vegas Line:
Vegas Total:
Edmonton
by 14
56
Dunkel Pick:
Saskatchewan
(+14); Over

---------------------

CFL

Friday, August 26


CFL road dogs a very profitable 19-7 ATS this season, while road teams are 27-10 ATS.

[StarDust Bum]

PREVIEW

BOMBERS AIM FOR FOURTH STRAIGHT WIN IN MONTREAL

MONTREAL — It doesn’t seem like that long ago that fans and media alike were questioning the job security of Jim Popp in Montreal and Mike O’Shea in Winnipeg.

But after Popp’s Alouettes popped the REDBLACKS last week in the nation’s capital and O’Shea’s Bombers constructed a tidy three-game winning streak, both seem to have their teams trending in the right direction.

The Als and Bombers will renew pleasantries on Friday night in Montreal for a showdown between two of the league’s top defences.

Things are certainly looking bright in Winnipeg for the Bombers, who won three straight entering their bye last week after making a change under centre.

Matt Nichols has injected new life into a team that was 1-4 and on the brink of falling too far behind out of the gate.

“I don’t think there’s one specific phase which has carried us,” Bombers head coach Mike O’Shea told BlueBombers.com. “The players are working as a team, (I’m proud) of the way they’re coming together.”

Nichols’ numbers speak for themselves.

Since being handed the starter’s reins in Week 5, the Eastern Washington alum has completed 70 per cent of his passes for six touchdowns and an interception.

Bombers running back Andrew Harris admitted that seeing Drew Willy benched served as a wake-up call.

“Matt’s been playing great, but ultimately the team got sparked once they made the change,” said the Winnipeg native Harris. “If they’re willing to make a change at quarterback and replace the highest-paid guy on the team, they can change anybody — that really lit a fire and motivated us.”

Another major boost for the Bomber offence was the return of slotback Clarence Denmark from the injury list.

The 30 year-old hasn’t missed a beat, hauling in a trio of touchdown receptions and 264 yards in just two games.

“A couple years ago, Clarence Denmark was the second-leading receiver in the league,” said Coach O’Shea. “What’s ‘gotten into him’ is he’s back on the football field — he’s always been a very good professional, a very likeable guy, (and) he’s made good on his return.”

After somewhat of a shake up in offensive personnel, Harris’s pass receptions have diminished (three for seven yards), while his rushing numbers (299 yards, three TDs) are way up.

“Every game’s different, ebbs and flows change,” reasoned the dual-threat back. “The gameplan changes, sometimes quarterbacks see things differently — the run game has been successful, but it’s always going to be different week-to-week.”

On the defensive side of the ball, Winnipeg has serious playmakers in linebacker Ian Wild (league-high 61 total tackles) and defensive backs Maurice Leggett (four INTs) and Kevin Fogg (three INTs).

But for a defence that’s been a turnover machine in recent recent weeks, an Alouette offence that appears to be heating up could present problems. The Bombers’ secondary will especially have to be at its best to shut down surging Montreal wideout Duron Carter.

“He comes down with a lot of footballs, he’s an excellent receiver and you have to know where he is at all times,” said Coach O’Shea. “They have other weapons, adding (Tyrell) Sutton and (Kenny) Stafford back on the roster, so we’ve got to be able to stop the run and their other receivers too.”

There’s a tangible positive vibe around Les Alouettes for the first time in weeks.

Montreal is coming off its best offensive performance of the season, a 43-point explosion against Ottawa, and could move to within one game of .500 with a win. Add in a Thursday night loss by the REDBLACKS and three teams in the East now at .500 and the Als have to see some opportunity ahead.

“Last week we were able to put together some good drives on offence,” receiver Sam Giguere told MontrealAlouettes.com. “We capitalized on our opportunities (and) that’s what we’ll try to do again this week.”

It won’t be easy for the Als, who have struggled to a 1-3 record at home this season, in any of the three phases.

“They’re led by Matt Nichols — you can see the turnaround in their offence (as) he’s distributing the ball well to a good receiving corps,” said Als defensive coordinator Noel Thorpe. “The key to them is stopping the run and Andrew Harris — they do a nice job with their offensive line, with some big and tough guys along the line.”

It’s fair to say that the Bombers team visiting Montreal on Friday night is vastly different than the one the Als beat 22-14 back in Week 1, and the Als will have to adjust accordingly.

“Winnipeg’s D played a lot more man-to-man in Week 1,” said Als offensive coordinator Anthony Calvillo. “The last few weeks they’ve played more zone with some blitzes up front; we expect to see some zone, but are prepared for that man-to-man coverage. It’s going to be a challenge.”

Montreal will once again turn to veteran Kevin Glenn under centre. The 37 year-old gunslinger threw for five touchdowns in Ottawa last week en route to Week 9 CFL Top Performer honours and, more importantly, a crucial victory for the Als.

Calvillo’s surging offence will be boosted by the return of Sutton and Stafford who have been out since Week 2.

Als special teams coordinator Kavis Reed knows his unit must win the special teams battle to help facilitate a home win.

“(They’re) arguably the best overall special teams unit; they have an exceptional kicker, two very good returners, (and) their coverage team is top in the league in yards against,” said the former Eskimos head coach. “Our goal this week is to be fundamentally sound, because if we make mistakes they’ll take advantage of it.”

A win would pull the Alouettes to within a point of first place in the East Division, while the Bombers go into the weekend tied with Edmonton in a heated battle for third place in the West.

By the Numbers

1 – Home win in four tries for the Alouettes this season.

5 – Touchdown receptions for Montreal WR Duron Carter, tied for second in the league.

14 – Interceptions snagged by the Bombers, six more than anybody else in the CFL.

17.4 – Average yards per punt-return for Winnipeg’s Kevin Fogg, second-best in the league.

The Skinny

Both the Bombers and Als will be feeling confident about themselves entering Friday’s ballgame, but only one will walk out of Percival Molson Stadium with a much-needed win.

Montreal took the Week 1 matchup between the two teams, but both squads now look vastly different at the midway point of the season.

Winnipeg was the league’s hottest team prior to their bye last week; will the Bombers pick up where they left off, or will Kevin Glenn and the Als’ offence continue to surprise?

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

[StarDust Bum]

PREVIEW

ESKS LOOK TO STAY HOT VS. JONES, RIDERS ON FRIDAY NIGHT FOOTBALL

EDMONTON — Much was made of Rider head coach Chris Jones’s return to Edmonton in Week 3.

His squad fell in a 39-36 thriller back on July 8, and the Riders have since gone 1-5 during a six-game stretch over which they’ve averaged an 18-point margin of defeat.

Jason Maas’s Esks team has been streaky to say the least since that time, following a three-game losing skid with a trio of wins, and sits on the edge of the West Division’s playoff picture at 4-4.

It’s been a rough start to the Chris Jones era in Saskatchewan.

The Riders are 1-7, with the league’s worst offence (18.8 points-per-game) and defence (35.8 points-against-per-game). But all Jones and the Riders can do is stay the course.

“You have to have guys that have played together and we’re looking to get that continuity,” Jones told Riderville.com. “We’re finally getting some guys back off the six-game, and they were starters at the beginning of the year for a reason — we’re trying to build that continuity.”

Despite his team’s tough start, Jones says it’s important he stays true to his vision and process through the tough results of recent weeks.

“We know what’s worked everywhere else we’ve been,” he said of his staff. “I’ve leaned on a lot of people to ask their experience, people that have been coaching longer than I have (and) they said to just keep going with the process.”

Saskatchewan’s struggled on both sides of the ball in recent weeks, dropping four straight — three by 20-plus points — and sinking to the bottom of the West Division.

“We just have to play better,” wideout Naaman Roosevelt said bluntly. “No penalties, execute and just go out there and have fun.”

The return of offensive lineman Xavier Fulton to the line at left tackle could help a Riders offence which has struggled to protect its quarterbacks.

“It’s good (that) guys are getting back healthy,” said Roosevelt. “As a team we have to execute, and with them guys being back it makes it a bit better.”

As one major player returns, two exit as Rider sack leader AC Leonard (three sacks, 18 tackles) hits the six-game injured list and leading receiver Rob Bagg (383 yards, 3 TD Receptions) lands himself on the one-game list.

“I don’t think you ever go into the season thinking you’ll have 20 to 22 guys on six-game with knees, ankles, whatever,” said Coach Jones. “That’s unfortunately the reality we’ve been dealt.”

Another reality for the Riders is the inevitable locker room frustration that accompanies occupying last place. Keeping positive will be key for a Riders team that’ll play Edmonton and Winnipeg twice each over its next four games — a stretch that could either get them back in the race or doom them to another season without the post-season.

“There’s definitely frustration when you’re 1-7 and you feel like you shouldn’t be 1-7,” said Roosevelt, who’s been held under 80 receiving yards and out of the end zone in every game during his team’s four-game skid. “We have to take it one game at a time; get a win in Edmonton, and build from there.”

In keeping with the league-wide trend of home teams struggling, the Edmonton Eskimos have looked unconvincing en route to a 2-3 home record.

The good news for the Esks is they enter Friday’s game against the last-place Riders on a two-game winning streak, and are back on the edge of the West’s crowded playoff picture.

“We had very high expectations for our team this year, none higher than the guys in our locker room, and we were disappointed with the start we had,” Head Coach Jason Maas told Esks.com. “We looked at why we were losing, and now here we are on a two-game winning streak in our second third of the season, playing our best football.”

For Maas, the struggles facing a fellow coach in new surroundings in Saskatchewan’s Chris Jones are relatable.

“Your expectation when you take over any organization is to win,” said Maas. “There’s parity in this league, (and) if you don’t play your best you can get beat by anybody. Everyone expects you to win, I don’t care where you are.”

A major key to the Esks’ mid-season turnaround has been their improved defence; after giving up 30-plus points regularly to begin the season, coordinator Mike Benavides’s unit has held opponents under 24 points in each of its last three outings.

A critical part of the success of Edmonton’s defence has been a strong secondary spearheaded by cornerback Pat Watkins, who was recognized as a Shaw Top Performer in Week 9 after a pair of interceptions — including a pick-six — in his team’s win in Toronto.

“It’s about attention to detail, getting comfortable with the defence and then making plays when they come my way,” said the former Florida State Seminole. “It goes back to preparation; when I’m out there I put a lot of attention into overall technique to make myself and the team better.”

Though the Riders’ offence has been largely impotent in recent weeks, the Esks aren’t taking anything for granted.

“You can’t take anybody lightly,” said defensive lineman Almondo Sewell, who’s registered a team-leading six sacks in 2016. “They might come out here, play the best game of their lives and beat us. We have to take them very seriously no matter what their record says.”

Edmonton is well-aware of the motivational capabilities of the coach on the other side, and the in-conference implications.

“He’s (Jones) always going to have those guys ready, so we have to be ready as well,” said Sewell. “It’s a Western Division game and we need it to keep (this streak) going.”

By the Numbers

0 – Wins on the road (0-4) and in West Division play (0-4) for Saskatchewan.

8 – Interceptions snagged by the Esks, tied for second in the CFL.

10 – League-low offensive touchdowns scored by the Riders.

2,843 – League-high passing yards thrown by Edmonton QB Mike Reilly.

The Skinny

The Riders aren’t being given much of a chance on paper; a clean sweep amongst CFL.ca writers and nearly a sweep amongst fans in Pick’Em.

The Esks feel they’re hitting their stride, defensively at least, and are back home after a strong road performance in Toronto. The Riders are mired in one of the ugliest stretches in recent franchise history.

Can Darian Durant turn things around with a shored-up offensive line? Or will the Esks’ defence continue to eat on home turf?

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

[StarDust Bum]

CFL BEST BETS:


WLT PCT UNITS

ATS Picks 14-23-0 37.84% -5650

O/U Picks 17-18-2 48.57% -1400


FRIDAY, AUGUST 26

GAME TIME(ET) PICK UNITS

WPG at MTL 07:00 PM

WPG +0.0

U 49.0


SSK at EDM 10:00 PM

SSK +13.5

U 56.0

[StarDust Bum]

GAME RECAP

SURGING BOMBERS TAKE FOURTH STRAIGHT WITH WIN OVER ALOUETTES

MONTREAL – Justin Medlock kicked six field goals and Andrew Harris notched a late major as the red-hot Winnipeg Blue Bombers topeed the Montreal Alouettes 32-18 Friday night at Percival Molson Stadium.

Medlock was a perfect six-for-six on the evening, one short of a Blue Bombers record. The Winnipeg defence also notched a major in the victory with a pick-six by DB Maurice Leggett.

The Bombers entered well-rested and riding high after piecing together three straight wins before heading to a bye week as they re-entered themselves into the mix in West. Critical in all of those victories was a fast start, something the replicated yet again Friday night.

A 51-yard kickoff return to open the game as well as an interception by DE Justin Cole on Montreal’s first possession gave the Bombers an early 6-0 advantage. Medlock nailed field goals from 38 and 47 yards out to get Winnipeg out in front early.

The Bombers defence was buzzing early, accompanying Cole’s interception with a sack and a strip on the second Montreal possession. Pinning the Als deep, Derek Jones made the Als’ start even tougher when he come off the edge and blocked a punt, putting the Bombers at the Montreal 12-yard line.

Medlock booted a chip-shot to extend the lead to 9-0 after QB Matt Nichols was turned away by the CFL’s top redzone defence in Montreal.

The Alouettes’ start was in stark contrast to a dominating performance last week where QB Kevin Glenn took the Ottawa REDBLACKS secondary apart, putting 43 points on the board. On Friday, they started with a two-and-out, an interception and a punt block on their first three possessions.

Glenn and the Als would settle in the final minutes of the first quarter, relying on the run to work their way down the field. Sweep handoffs to Tyrell Sutton, Duron Carter and Stefan Logan would attack the boundary of the Bombers defence and put Montreal in scoring position. Logan would cap off the drive with a major, taking a pitch 9 yards into the endzone to cut the Bombers lead to two.

Sutton, who was quiet in the early going, was making his first start since being injured in Week 2.

The previous Als major seemed to have flipped momentum which was swinging in the direction of Winnipeg early. The Bombers looked to answer but were quickly denied when DE Gabe Knapton forced a fumble and set up Glenn and the Montreal offence at midfield.

Glenn promptly led a 7-play, 53 yard march which was finished off by a 1-yard TD run by backup QB Vernon Adams and a two-point conversion catch by BJ Cunningham to put the Als in front 15-9 at the start of the second quarter.

Nichols and the Bombers responded with another Medlock field goal on the strength of a 10-yard run and 22-yard reception by Harris. Shortly thereafter, they would re-take the lead. With Glenn trying to increase the Als lead, Leggett, who was lurking in coverage, worked his way to the far hashmark and stepped in front of the Montreal pass. He raced 59 yards untouched for the Winnipeg major and a 19-15 Bombers lead.

A scoreless third quarter followed a back-and-forth first half with both team’s defences hunkering down. Neither the Bombers nor the Alouettes’ offence entered the redzone in the third quarter.

With just under three minutes into the fourth quarter, Medlock broke the gridlock by nailing a 40-yard field goal to extend the Bomber lead to four. A 16-yard Thomas Mayo reception brought Winnipeg into Montreal territory to help put the Bombers back on the board.

A quick Als possession and Nichols took over, calmly marching the Bombers down the field with a balanced attack in the air and on the ground. Nichols had completed 11 straight passes before leaning on Harris to ice it for the Bombers.

Harris took a handoff with 2:06 remaining, bounced outside and scampered into the endzone to extend close out the win. Already holding a lead, just as important as the score was the fact that the 9-play drive ate up 94 yards and 4:37 of clock.

The Bombers head into their home-and-home with the Saskatchewan Roughriders riding a four-game winning streak for the first time since 2011. The Als stay home to host the REDBLACKS on Thursday night.

[StarDust Bum]

RECAP

ANSWERING THE BELL: ESKIMOS DOWN RIDERS 33-25

EDMONTON – No John White, no problem.

The Eskimos overcame the loss of their starting RB thanks to an electrifying performance from Shakir Bell, who scored his first touchdown of 2016 and racked up 170 yards from scrimmage in a 33-25 Eskimos victory. Esks QB Mike Reilly also had a productive day, throwing for two scores and adding another one with his legs in the win.

Reilly and the Eskimos prolific offence came out firing to start, stringing together a few first downs before K Sean Whyte booted home the game’s first points from 36 yards out on the game’s opening drive

RB Shakir Bell showed some dazzle on Edmonton’s second drive, taking a handoff down the left sideline before cutting back to the middle, scampering his way to a 42-yard gain. Just one play later, Mike Reilly illustrated his trademark elusiveness, rolling out to the right before delivering a strike into the waiting hands of WR Derel Walker for a 31-yard touchdown.

It was more of the same from Reilly and the Eskimos on the next drive, moving down the field with ease after completions to Walker and WR Ryan Getzlaf. Bell capped the drive with a 15-yard catch and run for his first touchdown of the season. Whyte’s extra point extended the Eskimos first quarter lead to 17-0.

The first quarter was a thoroughly one-sided affair, with the Eskimos outgaining the Riders 189 yards to 33. Things looked as if they’d go from bad to worse for Saskatchewan as Durant briefly left the game after a big collision, but he returned to start the second quarter.

The Eskimos carried their momentum from the opening frame into the second, and Bell continued to dominate the Riders defence; eclipsing 100 yards from scrimmage early in the quarter.

Riders DB Ed Gainey made a fantastic defensive play in the quarter, undercutting a Bowman route and snagging an interception in the Sasatchewan endzone, taking Edmonton points off the board.

Unfortunately for Gainey and the Riders, the offence couldn’t capitalize on what could have been a momentum swing, going two-and-out on the ensuing possession.

After a beautiful coffin corner punt from Grant Shaw pinned the Riders on their own two-yard line, Deon Lacey brought down Durant in the end zone for a safety. On Edmonton’s ensuing possession, Reilly found Bowman wide open up the middle, and the league’s leading receiver bounced to the outside for a 46-yard gain. Another field goal from Whyte extended the Eskimos lead to 22-0 just minutes before the half.

Durant and the Riders showed signs of life in the dying moments of the half, orchestrating an efficient drive ending in a field goal from Tyler Crapigna, ending the shutout streak.

The Riders began clicking on offence in the third quarter, sparked by a 43-yard completion from Canadian QB Brandon Bridge to receiver Naaman Roosevelt. Durant looked at Roosevelt again two plays later, drawing a pass interference call which moved the Riders to the one-yard line. Durant made no mistake on the ensuing sneak, bouncing off the line and strolling to the left untouched for the Riders’ first touchdown in six quarters.

Looking to keep the Eskimos on their toes, the Roughriders opted for a short kick on the ensuing kickoff, recovering the ball and keeping possession. Though they weren’t able to score any points on the drive, a precise punt from Josh Bartel pinned the Eskimos inside their own five-yard line, and Saskatchewan got a safety of their own, bringing down Reilly in his own end zone.

The two points cut further into Edmonton’s lead, putting the score at 22-12 with three minutes remaining in the third quarter.

The Riders continued their comeback on the next drive, engineering a drive ending in yet another one-yard touchdown run from Durant. The Crapigna extra point brought the Riders to within three, an unlikely achievement given the disparity between the two teams in the first half.

After a dormant third quarter from the Eskimos, Reilly and the offence came back to life early in the fourth. An electric 27-yard rush from Bell helped the Esks march towards the Riders red zone. A few plays later, Reilly would call his own number, leaping towards the end zone and just sneaking the ball over the pylon for a rushing touchdown of his own.

Sean Whyte added to the Eskimos lead soon after, booting home his 1,000th CFL point on a 27-yard field goal, extending Edmonton’sadvantage to 13 points.

But Durant and the Riders weren’t ready to concede this game just yet. After a few first downs, Saskatchewan faced a third-and-eight with the game on the line, and despite a monster sack from DL Odell Willis, a penalty in the secondary gave the Riders a fresh set of downs deep in Eskimos territory. Durant then found Roosevelt, his favourite target on the night, and RB Kendial Lawrence finished the drive with a five-yard scamper to the end zone for the major.

Crapigna missed the convert, so the Riders trailed by just seven points with a little over two minutes remaining in the game. Durant and the Riders got one final shot at the game after a defensive stand, but the hook and ladder play didn’t cut it, and their comeback fell just short.

With the win, the Eskimos move to 5-4 on the season and keep up with the pack in the West Division. Next week will see Edmonton travel down the highway to Calgary, where they’ll face off with the Stampeders on Labour Day.

Saskatchewan’s fifth straight loss pushes the Riders to 1-8 on the season, with little hope for a playoff run for Chris Jones’ squad. Next week the Riders will head back home for the first of back-to-back contests with the surging Blue Bombers.

[StarDust Bum]

CFL

Saturday, August 27


Road teams went 2-0 ATS in the CFL last night, which included another road dog!
CFL road teams 29-10 ATS this season
Road dogs 20-7 ATS

[StarDust Bum]

PREVIEW

TICATS, STAMPS SQUARE OFF IN FIRST-EVER LIVE MIC BROADCAST

CALGARY — The Calgary Stampeders are the best team in the Canadian Football League right now.

That’s not an opinion, it’s a statement of fact; Dave Dickenson’s football team’s plus-87 point differential is the best in the league by a wide margin, and the Stamps are the only team that’s managed a winning record (3-0) at home.

On the flip side of the coin this Sunday are the hard-charging Hamilton Tiger-Cats, a team that’s certainly proven it can trade offensive punches with the best of them.

A Sunday night matchup to close out Week 10 will pit the two against each other at McMahon Stadium (7 p.m. ET) in a game which will be the first-ever live mic broadcast on TSN.

The Hamilton Tiger-Cats got a much-needed confidence boost at Tim Hortons Field in Week 9 when they put the Saskatchewan Riders away in comfortable 51-7 fashion.

The win snapped a two-game skid for the Tabbies (4-4), who after a promising start on the defensive side of the ball had given up 37 and 45 points in Week 7 and 8 losses to Winnipeg and BC respectively.

With that, throw away everything you know about the Ticats’ season and start fresh — a win on Sunday puts them in first place and they’re exactly where they need to be.

“I look at every game as a test, because you’re always trying to judge where you’re at in the season,” Ticats head coach Kent Austin told Ticats.ca. “Every game’s different (and) every opponent poses a different challenge.”

The challenge for Hamilton this week will be to shut down a deep Calgary attack which has averaged 38.3 points-per-game through three wins at McMahon in 2016.

“They’re a really good football team in all three phases,” said Austin. “They don’t make a lot of mistakes, they score points, they’re good on D — they’re a complete football team (and) we have a tough challenge ahead of us.”

On the offensive side of the football, Hamilton quarterback Zach Collaros has picked up exactly where he left off during his injury-shortened MOP-calibre 2015 season, throwing for 771 yards and seven touchdowns in his first two games of the season since returning from the injured list.

“Calgary’s obviously a good challenge,” said the former Cincinnati Bearcat. “Since I’ve been in the league, they’ve been the standard of what you want to be in the league; Bo’s done a great job at QB, they have tons of continuity and they expect to win.”

As for the best-on-best matchup between himself and Stamps QB Bo Levi Mitchell, Collaros says he’s just focused on what he can control.

“I don’t know if I’m any more fired up (because) we don’t play against each other,” he explained. “He’s a great QB, he has been for three or four years, but I can’t concern myself with what he’s doing — I have to focus on what I’m doing, what their defence is doing.”

The Ticats made some waves late in the week with an announcement that they’ve released wide receiver Tiquan Underwood and defensive back Quinton Pointer.

“We appreciate what Tiquan did for us, he’ll land on his feet,” said Austin of the Rutgers alum Underwood, who after a 557-yard, three-TD campaign in 2015 had only played in three of his team’s eight games in 2016. “It’s just about trying to make your football team under certain budget constraints — it’s a numbers game.”

Pointer, a UNLV product, had recorded 16 tackles and a pair of sacks in eight games for the Ticats.

National linebacker Byron Archambault could see his first game action of 2016 after being placed on the gameday roster; the U-Montréal alum has battled back from a nasty ACL injury which sidelined him at the midway point of last season.

Calgary’s ship has been sailing smoothly for the better part of two months; since Bo Levi Mitchell and the rest of the Stamps crew dropped a Week 1 decision to BC, they’ve gone 6-0-1 and outscored opponents by 85 points.

“It’s going to be a great game; we do feel like they (Hamilton) are playing really well,” Stamps head coach Dave Dickenson told Stampeders.com. “We like where we’re at — it’s good to get back home (and) I’m looking forward to feeling the energy from our fans.”

One of the keys to Calgary’s recent success has been some good fortune on the health front; with the exception of defensive lineman Quinn Smith’s move to the one-game injured list, the Stamps will field an identical lineup to the one they fielded in Week 9.

“We’ve been fairly fortunate on that (injury) angle,” admitted Dickenson. “Continuity is important (and) when you get the same guys playing, good things happen.”

Dickenson and his staff opted to keep wideout Davaris Daniels in the lineup this week.

“I’m happy with our receiving core, I just thought he deserved that shot (last week) and he played well,” said the head coach of Daniels, who hauled in 66 receiving yards on four catches in Calgary’s win over BC. “(Hamilton)’s defensive backs play a little softer, but they break on the ball and have some blitzes — we’ll have to play with our eyes open and make adjustments.”

For star quarterback Mitchell, caught in a neck-and-neck race with his Edmonton opposite number Mike Reilly for the lead in most passing categories, the live-mic broadcast will be a unique experience for fans.

“It’s going to be fun for the fans to get inside the huddle, and inside me and Dave talking,” said the Katy, Texas native. “There might be some bad words — I like to chirp people if they chirp during the game — (and) we’re not sailors but we’re not saints.”

In terms of squaring off against the red-hot Collaros and the overall Ticats offence, Mitchell is confident — with good reason.

“I measure myself against the best to every play the game,” said the Stamps pivot. “I can’t see myself in that light unless I believe I’m the best right now — Jennings, Reilly, (and) Collaros are fun to watch, but I focus on myself.”

The Stamps have broken the 30-point mark in five of their eight games; all five ended in Calgary victories.

If the Ticats want a run-and-gun, high-scoring shootout on Sunday in Cowtown, the Stamps will let it happen knowing full well they’ve got the horses — ahem — to win.

By the Numbers

3.5 – Touchdowns for every interception for Bo Levi Mitchell, the best amongst quarterbacks with at least seven starts.

5 – Road games this year for the Tabbies; they won the first three and have lost their last two.

29 – Sacks recorded by the Ticats (second-most in the CFL).

161 – League-low points allowed by Calgary (next closest: Hamilton at 203).

The Skinny

The Tabbies are coming off their most dominant win of 2016, yes.

But can they go into McMahon and do what nobody — not the suddenly-elite BC Lions, nor the Bombers nor Riders — has managed to do this season and beat the Stamps?

It’s a tall order, especially against a relatively healthy Calgary team that is coming off a 28-point surgical dismantling of BC last week.

The Stamps are riding high, and as evidenced two weeks ago in Hamilton’s 45-38 loss in Vancouver, Zach Collaros can’t singlehandedly win ballgames for the Ticats.

We’ll find out on Sunday.

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