The Bum's 2017 Canadian Football League Picks/Trends/News thru Grey Cup !!

[StarDust Bum]

WEST DIVISION

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

1 Edmonton 4 4 0 0 8 107 95 2-0-0 2-0-0 1-0-0

2 BC 5 4 1 0 8 164 129 1-1-0 3-0-0 1-1-0

3 Calgary 5 3 1 1 7 153 120 2-0-0 1-1-1 2-0-0

4 Winnipeg 4 2 2 0 4 128 139 1-1-0 1-1-0 1-2-0

5 Saskatchewan 4 1 3 0 2 103 107 1-1-0 0-2-0 0-2-0


EAST DIVISION

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

1 Toronto 4 2 2 0 4 98 101 1-1-0 1-1-0 2-0

2 Montreal 5 2 3 0 4 101 109 2-1-0 0-2-0 0-1-0

3 Ottawa 5 1 3 1 3 140 142 1-1-1 0-2-0 1-1-0

4 Hamilton 4 0 4 0 0 89 141 0-2-0 0-2-0 0-1-0

[StarDust Bum]

CFL Record: Best Bets & Opinions ( Record based on 5 units )

Date W-L-T % Units

07/22/2017....................2-0-0.............100.00%...................+10.00
07/21/2017....................2-0-0.............100.00%...................+10.00
07/20/2017....................2-0-0.............100.00%...................+10.00
07/19/2017....................1-1-0...............50.00%.....................- 0.50
07/15/2017....................2-0-0.............100.00%...................+10.00
07/14/2017....................2-2-0..............50.00%.......................-1.00
07/13/2017....................1-1-0..............50.00%.......................-0.50
07/08/2017....................1-3-0..............25.00%.....................-11.50
07/07/2017....................1-1-0..............50.00%.......................-0.50
07/06/2017....................2-0-0............100.00%....................+10.00
07/01/2017....................1-1-0..............50.00%.......................-0.50
06/30/2017....................2-2-0..............50.00%.......................-1.00
06/29/2017................... 0-2-0............... 0.00%.................... -11.00
06/25/2017................... 1-1-0............. 50.00%...................... -0.50
06/24/2017................... 1-1-0 .............50.00% ......................-0.50
06/23/2017................... 2-0-0............ 100.00%................... +10.00
06/22/2017................... 0-2-0............... 0.00%..................... -11.00

Totals:..........................23 - 17.............57.50%...................... + 21.50

Total............................ATS.............. .........O/U.....................Total

07/22/2017....................1 - 0.....................1 - 0.....................+ 2.00
07/21/2017....................1 - 0.....................1 - 0 ....................+ 2.00
07/20/2017....................1 - 0.....................1 - 0.....................+ 2.00
07/19/2017....................0 - 1.....................1 - 0......................- 0.50
07/15/2017....................1 - 0.....................1 - 0....................+ 10.00
07/14/2017....................2 - 0.....................0 - 2........................-1.00
07/13/2017....................1 - 0.....................0 - 1 ......................- 0.50
07/08/2017....................1 - 1-----------------0 - 2......................-11.50
07/07/2017....................1 - 0.....................0 - 1....................... -0.50
07/06/2017....................1 - 0.....................1 - 0.....................+10.00
07/01/2017....................0 - 1.....................1 - 0.......................- 0.50
06/30/2017....................1 - 1.....................1 - 1.......................- 1.00
06/29/2017................... 0- 1..................... 0 - 1..................... -11.00
06/25/2017....................0 - 1.....................1 - 0........................-0.50
06/24/2017................... 1 - 0 ............. ......0 - 1........................-0.50
06/23/2017....................1 - 0.....................1 - 0....................+ 10.00
06/22/2017....................0 - 1.....................0 - 1 ....................- 11.00

Totals...........................13 - 7.....................10 - 10....................- 2.50

[StarDust Bum]

RECAP
RAY LIFTS ARGOS OVER REDBLACKS WITH PAIR OF TD THROWS

TORONTO — The Toronto Argonauts came out on top of an exciting back-and-forth game with the Ottawa REDBLACKS on Monday night, winning 27-24.

The opening offensive drive for the Argos started out strong, with an explosive play right out of the gate from running back Anthony Coombs. Coombs took a short reception up the left sideline and showcased his speed with a 26-yard catch and run. Coombs would finish the game with 73 yards receiving.

The quick-start drive led to a 47-yard field goal by kicker Lirim Hajrullahu, giving the Argos the early 3-0 lead.

The defences for both teams looked formidable early on. Both quarterbacks appeared to find it difficult moving the ball downfield, facing consistent pressure from the opposing defensive lines.

In an attempt to evade the pass rush in the first quarter, REDBLACKS quarterback Trevor Harris made an effort to scramble for the first down. Argonauts defensive end Victor Butler forced a turnover on the play when he hit the Ottawa pivot and knocked the ball loose. Butler would end up leaving the game in the first half with an injury.

The Argos’ passing game started to click in the second quarter, when quarterback Ricky Ray found receiver Armanti Edwards down the middle of the field for 33 yards. Ray connected with fullback Declan Cross on the next play for the quick touchdown throw, putting Toronto up 10-0. Ray would end up throwing for 367 yards and 2 touchdowns on a staggering 55 pass attempts.

Ottawa got onto the scoreboard after the Ray touchdown, when REDBLACKS kicker Brett Maher missed a 54-yard field goal attempt and sent the ball through the end zone for the single point.

Harris continued to face major pressure every time he tried to find a receiver. The first sack of the game came late in the 2nd quarter when Toronto defensive end Cleyon Laing brought him down to the turf for a loss of seven yards. The defensive play led to Ottawa taking a safety on the ensuing play, increasing the Argos’ lead to 12-1.

The biggest offensive drive in the first half for the REDBLACKS came when running back William Powell cut it back and found daylight for a 22-yard run, setting his team up in the red zone. Harris found his receiver Brad Sinopoli for the touchdown two plays later, before adding the convert through the air to bring the score to 12-9.

Ottawa suffered a scare as time expired in the first half, when Harris took a sack from Shawn Lemon and lost the football for the second time. Harris was slow getting up, leaving the field with his helmet off. Fortunately for the REDBLACKS, Harris returned without missing a play. But was Laing was injured for Toronto after recovering the fumble.

Toronto came out firing in the second half, with Ray finding the speedy Edwards again for 27 yards. The promising drive stalled after that, leading to a single point after a Hajrullahu field-goal attempt went wide to the right and through the end zone. Hajrullahu added two more scores in the third quarter after that, sending a punt for a single point and making another 47-yard field goal to bring the score to 17-9.

The REDBLACKS began to storm their way downfield in a hurry at the start of the fourth quarter, and Harris set his team up in the red zone after connecting with receiver Joshua Stangby for 20 yards. Stangby followed his big catch with a 15-yard rushing score, and a successful two-point convert from Mossis Madu Jr. brought the score to 17-17.

The Argos’ defence forced another turnover when linebacker Marcus Ball read a Harris throw and picked it off over the middle. Toronto running back James Wilder Jr. began to churn out tough yardage after the turnover, dragging tacklers with him up the middle of the field. Wilder’s physical run set up another Ray touchdown pass. Ray found a wide-open Coombs for the 8-yard touchdown, putting the Argos back on top 24-17.

The REDBLACKS came back once again when Harris struck with another touchdown pass. Receiver Greg Ellingson had been relatively quiet on the night until Harris found him in the end zone for an impressive 31-yard touchdown. Maher successfully kicked the convert, tying the game back up at 24-24.

Just when the game appeared destined for overtime, Ray led his team down the field with just seconds remaining to set Hajrullahu up for a successful 34-yard field goal to claim victory.

The Argonauts will be on the road next week to take on the Saskatchewan Roughriders on Saturday evening, while the REDBLACKS will have a week off before they host the Winnipeg Blue Bombers at home on Friday, August 4th.

[StarDust Bum]

CFL Record: Best Bets & Opinions ( Record based on 5 units )

Date W-L-T % Units

07/24/2017....................N O PLAY.............................................
07/22/2017....................2-0-0.............100.00%...................+10.00
07/21/2017....................2-0-0.............100.00%...................+10.00
07/20/2017....................2-0-0.............100.00%...................+10.00
07/19/2017....................1-1-0...............50.00%.....................- 0.50
07/15/2017....................2-0-0.............100.00%...................+10.00
07/14/2017....................2-2-0..............50.00%.......................-1.00
07/13/2017....................1-1-0..............50.00%.......................-0.50
07/08/2017....................1-3-0..............25.00%.....................-11.50
07/07/2017....................1-1-0..............50.00%.......................-0.50
07/06/2017....................2-0-0............100.00%....................+10.00
07/01/2017....................1-1-0..............50.00%.......................-0.50
06/30/2017....................2-2-0..............50.00%.......................-1.00
06/29/2017................... 0-2-0............... 0.00%.................... -11.00
06/25/2017................... 1-1-0............. 50.00%...................... -0.50
06/24/2017................... 1-1-0 .............50.00% ......................-0.50
06/23/2017................... 2-0-0............ 100.00%................... +10.00
06/22/2017................... 0-2-0............... 0.00%..................... -11.00

Totals:..........................23 - 17.............57.50%...................... + 21.50

Total............................ATS.............. .........O/U.....................Total

07/24/2017....................N O PLAY.............................................. ..
07/22/2017....................1 - 0.....................1 - 0.....................+ 2.00
07/21/2017....................1 - 0.....................1 - 0 ....................+ 2.00
07/20/2017....................1 - 0.....................1 - 0.....................+ 2.00
07/19/2017....................0 - 1.....................1 - 0......................- 0.50
07/15/2017....................1 - 0.....................1 - 0....................+ 10.00
07/14/2017....................2 - 0.....................0 - 2........................-1.00
07/13/2017....................1 - 0.....................0 - 1 ......................- 0.50
07/08/2017....................1 - 1-----------------0 - 2......................-11.50
07/07/2017....................1 - 0.....................0 - 1....................... -0.50
07/06/2017....................1 - 0.....................1 - 0.....................+10.00
07/01/2017....................0 - 1.....................1 - 0.......................- 0.50
06/30/2017....................1 - 1.....................1 - 1.......................- 1.00
06/29/2017................... 0- 1..................... 0 - 1..................... -11.00
06/25/2017....................0 - 1.....................1 - 0........................-0.50
06/24/2017................... 1 - 0 ............. ......0 - 1........................-0.50
06/23/2017....................1 - 0.....................1 - 0....................+ 10.00
06/22/2017....................0 - 1.....................0 - 1 ....................- 11.00

Totals...........................13 - 7.....................10 - 10....................- 2.50

[StarDust Bum]

WEST DIVISION

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

1 Edmonton 4 4 0 0 8 107 95 2-0-0 2-0-0 1-0-0

2 BC 5 4 1 0 8 164 129 1-1-0 3-0-0 1-1-0

3 Calgary 5 3 1 1 7 153 120 2-0-0 1-1-1 2-0-0

4 Winnipeg 4 2 2 0 4 128 139 1-1-0 1-1-0 1-2-0

5 Saskatchewan 4 1 3 0 2 103 107 1-1-0 0-2-0 0-2-0


EAST DIVISION

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

1 Toronto 5 3 2 0 6 125 125 2-1-0 1-1-0 3-0-0

2 Montreal 5 2 3 0 4 101 109 2-1-0 0-2-0 0-1-0

3 Ottawa 6 1 4 1 3 164 169 1-1-1 0-3-0 1-2-0

4 Hamilton 4 0 4 0 0 89 141 0-2-0 0-2-0 0-1-0

[StarDust Bum]

CFL Betting Notes - Week 6
July 25, 2017

In an extended five-game schedule in Week 5 of the CFL regular season, Ottawa pulled double duty when it started the week with a 24-19 victory against Montreal last Wednesday as a four-point favorite at home. Edmonton remained undefeated on the year with Thursday’s 31-28 win on the road against Hamilton, but it could not cover as a 3 ½-point favorite.

Friday’s action in the CFL saw British Columbia get past Winnipeg 45-42 as a four-point home favorite and in Saturday’s featured game, Calgary returned to its winning ways with a 27-10 romp over Saskatchewan as a 10-point favorite at home. Week 5 closed things out with Toronto getting a big 27-24 victory at home against Ottawa on Monday night, but it failed to cover as a 3 ½-point favorite.

Thursday, July 27

Montreal Alouettes (2-3 SU, 2-3 ATS) vs. Winnipeg Blue Bombers (2-2 SU, 3-1 ATS)
Point-spread: Winnipeg -4 ½
Total: 55

Game Overview

Montreal has had some time to stew about last week’s loss to the RedBlacks and it comes into this game with a 5-1 record against the spread in its last six games following a straight-up loss. The Alouettes had their chances at the end of that game and despite throwing two early picks, Darian Durant ended the night with 452 yards passing and two touchdown throws. Unfortunately, this was the fourth time in five games that Montreal failed to score more than 19 points.

Winnipeg has had no problem scoring points this season with an average of 32 points per game. The Blue Bombers’ issues in their .500 start have been with a defense that has allowed an average of 34.8 points in its first four contests. As a result, the total has gone OVER in three of those games. Matt Nichols has completed a respectable 66.2 percent of his 148 passing attempts for 1,080 yards and eight touchdowns.

Betting Trends

-- Winnipeg has won six of the last eight meetings SU, but Montreal has a 3-1 edge ATS in the last four games in this inter-division clash. The total has stayed UNDER in four of the last five meetings in Winnipeg.

Friday, July 28

British Columbia Lions (4-1 SU, 3-2 ATS) vs. Edmonton Eskimos (4-0 SU, 1-3 ATS)
Point-spread: Edmonton -3
Total: 54 ½

Game Overview

This will be the second time this season that these two bitter West Division rivals will square off against one another after BC dropped its season opener to Edmonton 30-27 as a four-point home favorite. The Lions went on to win their next four games including three-straight on the road before last week’s victory at home against Winnipeg. Travis Lulay has done an excellent job in relief of injured quarterback Jonathon Jennings with 840 passing yards and five scoring strikes in eight quarters of action.

Mike Reilly has gone the distance for the Eskimos at quarterback and in four games he has tallied 1,216 yards passing and seven touchdown throws. Edmonton’s offense has also gotten a boost on the ground from Travon Van and John White with a combined 322 rushing yards. This unit has averaged 26.8 PPG this year to complement a defense that is holding opposing teams to 23.8 PPG.

Betting Trends

-- Head-to-head in this division tilt, Edmonton now has a 4-1 SU edge in the last five meetings, but the Lions are 4-2 ATS in the last six games between the two. The total has stayed UNDER in the last three meetings after staying UNDER the closing 59 ½-point line in Week 1.

Saturday, July 29

Toronto Argonauts (3-2 SU, 2-3 ATS) vs. Saskatchewan Roughriders (1-3 SU, 2-2 ATS)
Point-spread: Saskatchewan -2
Total: 52 ½

Game Overview

Toronto’s win on Monday night made it the only team in the East Division with a SU winning record. All three victories have come against the division (Ottawa twice) and its two losses were against BC and Winnipeg by a combined 21 points. A healthy Ricky Ray at quarterback has returned to form with 1,896 passing yards, which is ranked second in the CFL. SJ Green has been his top target with 31 receptions for 518 yards, which is also second on the list.

The rough start for the Roughriders continued with last week’s loss to Calgary, but this team has been much better at home than on the road this season, especially on the offensive side of the ball. Saskatchewan has scored a combined 26 points in road losses to Montreal and the Stampeders, but it put up 40 points in a loss to Winnipeg and 37 points in an earlier win against Hamilton.

Betting Trends

-- Toronto has gone 8-2-1 ATS in its last 11 road games against the Roughriders and it has a 5-2 edge SU in the last seven meetings overall. The total has stayed UNDER in three of the last five games.

Hamilton Tiger-Cats (0-4 SU, 1-3 ATS) vs. Calgary Stampeders (3-1-1 SU, 2-3 ATS)
Point-spread: Calgary -12 ½
Total: 54 ½

Game Overview

Calgary is not the kind of place to snap a losing streak and it may take the Tiger-Cats a bit more time to get on track this season. They have gotten a decent effort from Zach Collaros at quarterback with 1,041 yards passing, but he has just three touchdown throws against four interceptions. Hamilton’s defense has really struggled so far and it has yet to hold an opponent to fewer than 31 points a game.

The Stampeders bounced back from a stunning Week 4 loss to Montreal as four-point road favorites with last week’s 17-point victory at home against the Roughriders. They also beat Winnipeg by 19 points on the road to remain one of the more dominating teams in the CFL on both sides of the ball. Calgary was 3-1-1 SU five games into its 2016 campaign and it went on to win 12 of its next 13 regular-season games.

Betting Trends

-- Calgary has dominated this series over the past several years with a SU 10-0 run in the last 10 games, but the Tiger-Cats are 5-1 ATS in their last six road games against the Stampeders. The total has stayed UNDER in the last five meetings in Calgary.

[StarDust Bum]

CFL
Long Sheet

Week 6

Thursday, July 27

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MONTREAL (2 - 3) at WINNIPEG (2 - 2) - 7/27/2017, 8:30 PM
Top Trends for this game.
MONTREAL is 0-6 ATS (-6.6 Units) when playing on a Thursday over the last 2 seasons.

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

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Friday, July 28

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BRITISH COLUMBIA (4 - 1) at EDMONTON (4 - 0) - 7/28/2017, 9:30 PM
Top Trends for this game.
BRITISH COLUMBIA is 92-64 ATS (+21.6 Units) as an underdog since 1996.
BRITISH COLUMBIA is 69-45 ATS (+19.5 Units) in road games off a division game since 1996.
BRITISH COLUMBIA is 41-24 ATS (+14.6 Units) in road games off a win over a division rival since 1996.
BRITISH COLUMBIA is 29-14 ATS (+13.6 Units) in road games in weeks 5 through 9 since 1996.
EDMONTON is 1-8 ATS (-7.8 Units) in a home game where the total is greater than or equal to 52 over the last 2 seasons.
EDMONTON is 1-8 ATS (-7.8 Units) in a home game where the total is between 52.5 and 56 over the last 2 seasons.
EDMONTON is 1-8 ATS (-7.8 Units) after 2 or more consecutive straight up wins over the last 2 seasons.

Head-to-Head Series History
BRITISH COLUMBIA is 4-2 against the spread versus EDMONTON over the last 3 seasons
EDMONTON is 4-2 straight up against BRITISH COLUMBIA over the last 3 seasons
3 of 6 games in this series have gone OVER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons

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Saturday, July 29

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TORONTO (3 - 2) at SASKATCHEWAN (1 - 3) - 7/29/2017, 6:30 PM
Top Trends for this game.
TORONTO is 0-6 ATS (-6.6 Units) in games where the line is +3 to -3 over the last 2 seasons.
TORONTO is 7-16 ATS (-10.6 Units) in all games over the last 2 seasons.
TORONTO is 7-16 ATS (-10.6 Units) in all lined games over the last 2 seasons.
TORONTO is 2-10 ATS (-9.0 Units) in non-conference games over the last 2 seasons.
SASKATCHEWAN is 2-10 ATS (-9.0 Units) as a favorite over the last 3 seasons.

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

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HAMILTON (0 - 4) at CALGARY (3 - 1 - 1) - 7/29/2017, 9:30 PM
Top Trends for this game.
CALGARY is 125-93 ATS (+22.7 Units) when playing with 6 or less days rest since 1996.
HAMILTON is 34-19 ATS (+13.1 Units) in road games after 2 or more consecutive straight up losses since 1996.

Head-to-Head Series History
CALGARY is 3-1 against the spread versus HAMILTON over the last 3 seasons
CALGARY is 4-0 straight up against HAMILTON 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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[StarDust Bum]

CFL

Week 6

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Trend Report
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Thursday, July 27

8:30 PM
MONTREAL vs. WINNIPEG
Montreal is 2-5-1 ATS in its last 8 games when playing Winnipeg
Montreal is 3-6-1 ATS in its last 10 games when playing on the road against Winnipeg
Winnipeg is 4-7-1 ATS in its last 12 games at home
Winnipeg is 8-15 SU in its last 23 games at home


Friday, July 28

9:30 PM
BRITISH COLUMBIA vs. EDMONTON
British Columbia is 1-4 SU in its last 5 games when playing Edmonton
British Columbia is 1-4 SU in its last 5 games when playing on the road against Edmonton
Edmonton is 6-1 SU in its last 7 games at home
The total has gone UNDER in 6 of Edmonton's last 8 games when playing at home against British Columbia


Saturday, July 29

6:30 PM
TORONTO vs. SASKATCHEWAN
Toronto is 2-4 ATS in its last 6 games when playing Saskatchewan
The total has gone UNDER in 7 of Toronto's last 9 games when playing Saskatchewan
The total has gone UNDER in 8 of Saskatchewan's last 12 games
Saskatchewan is 1-6-1 ATS in its last 8 games when playing at home against Toronto

9:30 PM
HAMILTON vs. CALGARY
Hamilton is 1-7 ATS in its last 8 games on the road
Hamilton is 1-7 SU in its last 8 games on the road
The total has gone UNDER in 5 of Calgary's last 5 games when playing Hamilton
Calgary is 5-0 SU in its last 5 games at home


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[StarDust Bum]

CFL
Dunkel

Week 6

Thursday, July 27

Montreal @ Winnipeg

Game 371-372
July 27, 2017 @ 8:30 pm

Dunkel Rating:
Montreal
113.413
Winnipeg
113.620
Dunkel Team:
Dunkel Line:
Dunkel Total:
Montreal
Even
44
Vegas Team:
Vegas Line:
Vegas Total:
Winnipeg
by 4
52
Dunkel Pick:
Montreal
(+4); Under


Friday, July 28

BC Lions @ Edmonton

Game 373-374
July 28, 2017 @ 9:30 pm

Dunkel Rating:
BC Lions
114.016
Edmonton
118.660
Dunkel Team:
Dunkel Line:
Dunkel Total:
Edmonton
by 4 1/2
62
Vegas Team:
Vegas Line:
Vegas Total:
Edmonton
by 1 1/2
54 1/2
Dunkel Pick:
Edmonton
(-1 1/2); Over


Saturday, July 29

Hamilton @ Calgary

Game 377-378
July 29, 2017 @ 9:30 pm

Dunkel Rating:
Hamilton
107.584
Calgary
117.729
Dunkel Team:
Dunkel Line:
Dunkel Total:
Calgary
by 10
61
Vegas Team:
Vegas Line:
Vegas Total:
Calgary
by 13 1/2
55 1/2
Dunkel Pick:
Hamilton
(+13 1/2); Over

Toronto @ Saskatchewan

Game 375-376
July 29, 2017 @ 6:30 pm

Dunkel Rating:
Toronto
109.355
Saskatchewan
110.066
Dunkel Team:
Dunkel Line:
Dunkel Total:
Saskatchewan
by 1
50
Vegas Team:
Vegas Line:
Vegas Total:
Saskatchewan
by 3 1/2
53
Dunkel Pick:
Toronto
(+3 1/2); Under

[StarDust Bum]

CFL

Thursday, July 27

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Thursday's CFL betting preview and odds: Alouettes at Blue Bombers
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Matt Nichols completed 28-of-36 passes for 254 yards and three touchdowns last week, but threw a costly interception in the fourth quarter which led to the go-ahead field goal.

Montreal Alouettes at Winnipeg Blue Bombers (-3, 51)

The Winnipeg Blue Bombers look to bounce back from a demoralizing Week 5 defeat when they host the Montreal Alouettes on Thursday. The Blue Bombers were undone by a series of self-inflicted errors as they blew a double-digit advantage in the final 10 minutes of the 45-42 setback to the BC Lions, and hope to stay in the race for the West Division title by avenging a 22-14 loss to the Alouettes at Investors Group Field last season.

"We had a 15-point lead and they say no lead is safe in this league but the defence should have stepped up and made a few more plays," Winnipeg defensive back T.J. Heath told reporters. "We're 2-2 right now and have a long season ahead of us so it's too early to be putting our heads down." Montreal is left to wonder what could've have been following a 24-19 loss to the Ottawa Redblacks. The Alouettes seemed poised to grab the top spot in the East Division when they marched down to the Ottawa 8-yard line with less than two minutes to go, but quarterback Vernon Adams Jr. was stuffed on a third-and-1 to leave them a game below .500, and they hope to regroup by beating the Blue Bombers for the third time in the last four meetings. Montreal has been held to fewer than 20 points in four of its five games in 2017 and hopes the offence finally finds its groove against a Winnipeg defence which has surrendered 34.8 points per contest.

TV: 8:30 p.m. ET, TSN, ESPN2

LINE HISTORY: The Blue Bombers opened as four-point home favorites but the spread has been bet down to the key number of -3. The total hit the betting boards at 52 and has come down a full point to 51.

ABOUT THE ALOUETTES (2-3 SU, 2-3 ATS, 1-4 O/U): Veteran wide receiver Nik Lewis caught six passes for 64 yards and a touchdown to become the fourth player in CFL history to surpass 1,000 receptions for his career. "It's a number you don't think to look at when you first start," Lewis told reporters. "I feel like I've constantly been counted out but at the end of the day I love to compete." Tiquan Underwood had five receptions for 95 yards and a touchdown before suffering an ankle sprain and is likely to miss Thursday's clash while running back Tyrell Sutton will sit out a second straight game with a calf injury.

ABOUT THE BLUE BOMBERS (2-2 SU, 3-1 ATS, 3-1 O/U): Justin Medlock had made a franchise-record 28 consecutive field goals before missing a potential game-tying 50-yard attempt with one second remaining against BC. Matt Nichols completed 28-of-36 passes for 254 yards and three touchdowns, but threw a costly interception with 1:29 left in the fourth quarter, which led to the Lions' go-ahead field goal. Winnipeg linebacker Derek Jones blocked the fifth kick of his career in the first quarter, which is three shy of the franchise record set by Rod Hill while T.J. Thorpe caught eight passes for 65 yards in his regular-season debut after suffering a couple injury setbacks in training camp.

TRENDS:

* Alouettes are 0-8 ATS in their last 8 Thursday games.
* Blue Bombers are 5-1 ATS in their last 6 games overall.
* Under is 8-2 in Alouettes last 10 games in July.
* Over is 13-3 in Blue Bombers last 16 games overall.
* Under is 4-1 in the last 5 meetings in Winnipeg.

CONSENSUS: The home favorite Blue Bombers are getting 57 percent of the action from Covers users and the Over is picking up 52 percent of the totals wagers. View full consensus data for this matchup here.

EXTRA POINTS:

* Montreal has dropped five of its last seven road games.
* Alouettes QB Darian Durant has thrown a league-high six interceptions through five games.
* Winnipeg leads the the CFL with eight interceptions.

[StarDust Bum]

ALS, BOMBERS KICKOFF WEEK 6 ON THURSDAY NIGHT FOOTBALL

WINNIPEG — The Montreal Alouettes and Winnipeg Blue Bombers look to get back in the win column on Thursday night when they open up Week 6 action at Investors Group Field.

Both the Als and Bombers lost by small margins last week to divisional opponents in two matches that came down to the wire.

For the Alouettes, it was a 24-19 loss to the former Grey Cup Champion Ottawa REDBLACKS. Montreal scored two second half touchdowns to pull within five points of Ottawa’s lead midway through the second half. The Als managed to find their way into the red zone with less than three minutes on the clock, but Ottawa’s defence came up big by denying a third down rush attempt to hold on for the win.

Darian Durant racked up an impressive 452 passing yards, throwing two touchdowns and two interceptions in the Alouettes loss while receivers Ernest Jackson and B.J. Cunningham posted 101 receiving yards each.

It was also a milestone night for Nik Lewis, who became only the fourth player in CFL history to record 1,000 catches in his career.

Montreal’s offence has been preparing for a loud fan base on Thursday night in Winnipeg.

“Number one, be able to deal with the crowd noise,” Durant told MontrealAlouettes.com about his team’s goals for the week. “Don’t have any pre-snap penalties. Eliminate the errors and eliminate the turnovers. We have a great defence and we don’t want to put them in bad situations.”

The Als will be without receiver Tiquan Underwood, who is out with an ankle injury. Taking his place in the starting lineup in his CFL debut will be 24-year-old Eugene Lewis.

Also out of the lineup this week is starting running back Tyrell Sutton. According to TSN’s Joey Alfieri, the team was planning to give the veteran some routine rest but the 30-year-old is also dealing with a calf injury.

The Bombers also narrowly lost their Week 5 matchup, dropping a high-scoring 45-42 contest to the BC Lions. A field goal with less than a minute on the clock gave the Lions the edge in the rematch of last year’s Western Semi-Final. BC made up a 15-point deficit in the final quarter by outscoring the Bombers 18-0.

Winnipeg pivot Matt Nichols threw for 254 yards with three passing touchdowns, a rushing major and an interception. Darvin Adams racked up 87 yards and a pair of touchdowns, including a one-handed highlight reel grab in the corner of the end zone.

Nichols says that despite the loss, there are a lot of positives that his team can take away from Vancouver.

“I felt like the effort was there, which is great to see,” Nichols told BlueBombers.com. “Everyone played for four straight quarters. We did some great things and just came up a little short. That’s how football goes… we went five-for-five in the score zone which is something you always preach, to get sevens down there instead of threes.

“There are some good things to carry over, but we just have to finish off the game.

Linebacker Maurice Leggett will miss his second straight week with an undisclosed lower-body injury. He was a surprising scratch from the Bombers’ lineup last week against BC.

Running back Andrew Harris continues to be a dual threat in the pass and run game heading into Week 6. The Winnipeg native leads his team in receptions caught through five weeks of play.

The Bombers have won six of their last eight meetings with the Alouettes.

By The Numbers

3 – Average points that the Alouettes have given up in the first quarter all season. Yet, they have led just once after 15 minutes of play.

7 – Career games Darian Durant has thrown for 400 or more yards.

8 – Quarterback pressures recorded by John Bowman so far this year, ranking him fifth in the league.

9 – Touchdowns the Bombers have scored in their past two games.

26 – Receptions needed by Nik Lewis to pass Geroy Simon and become the CFL’s all-time receptions leader.

126 – Number of catches running back Andrew Harris is on pace for this year. The CFL record for receptions by a running back is 102, set by Craig Ellis back in 1982.

The Skinny

This game will see a clash between the CFL’s top-ranked defence and second-ranked offence. The Als have given up a league best 21.8 points per game while the Bombers offence is averaging 32 points per game.

On the offensive side of the ball, Montreal leads the league in rushing yards (502) but with Sutton out of the lineup, the Als may turn more to their passing game. Durant is coming off of his most successful game of the season and will look to ride that momentum into Week 6 despite the losing effort against the REDBLACKS. Montreal’s offensive line continues week after week to give Durant ample time to make decisions, with a league-low three sacks allowed all season.

The Bombers defence also ranks at the top of the league in stopping the run. They have allowed a CFL best 50.3 yards per game on the ground. The Als have heavily relied on their run game thus far, but if the rush is halted, Durant must turn to his receiving core to move the chains.

Kickoff is slated for 8:30 p.m. ET and can be followed live via CFL.ca Game Tracker or seen on TSN.

[StarDust Bum]

CFL
Armadillo's Write-Up

Week 6

Thursday's game
Montreal (2-3) @ Winnipeg (2-2)— Alouettes lost three of last four games; they’re 0-2 on road, losing 23-19 (+9) at Edmonton, 24-19 (+4.5) at Ottawa last week. Four of Montreal’s five games stayed under the total. All five of their games this year were decided by 7 or less points. Blue Bombers split their first four games; three of the four games went over. Winnipeg is 3-0 vs spread if game goes over total, 0-1 if it doesn’t- they scored 33+ points in three of four games.


Favorites vs spread for season: 9-11-1
over/under: 9-12

[StarDust Bum]

THURSDAY, JULY 27

GAME TIME(ET) PICK UNITS

MTL at WPG 08:30 PM

WPG -3.5

O 50.5

[StarDust Bum]

NO LEAD IS SAFE: MIRACLE LAST-MINUTE COMEBACK LEADS BOMBERS OVER ALS

WINNIPEG – It was over. Until it wasn’t.

Trailing by 12 with less than two minutes remaining in the fourth quarter, the Blue Bombers looked down and out. But QB Matt Nichols led the Bombers on a furious comeback capped by a last-second touchdown run from RB Andrew Harris, and the Bombers had their third victory of the season 41-40.

It was a rough start for the Als, as Winnipeg DL Jackson Jeffcoat showed off some soft hands for a big man, intercepting Durant’s second pass attempt of the game. With great field position, it took just three plays for Matt Nichols and the Blue Bombers to capitalize on the turnover, as RB Andrew Harris scored his third touchdown of the 2017 season to put Winnipeg ahead early.

Durant quickly shook off the early interception, completing four consecutive passes and marching the Als down the field. He appeared to have receiver BJ Cunningham in the end zone, but the receiver was hauled down for a pass interference call. With the ball on the one-yard line, Alouettes fullback JC Beaulieu scored his first CFL touchdown on a drive up the middle and Montreal tied the game at seven.

A 15-yard punt return from Stefan Logan after a Bombers two-and-out gave Montreal possession inside the Winnipeg half, and Durant and the Als went back to work. RB Brandon Rutley showed off his agility, scampering up the sideline for an 18-yard gain before another Bombers’ penalty moved the Alouettes inside the 10-yard line. Durant finished the drive with a dart to Cunningham at the one-yard-line, stepping into the end zone to give Montreal their first lead of the game.

The Bombers battled back on the next drive, as the combination of Nichols and Harris moved down the field with ease. Nichols finished the drive with a beautiful pass through the uprights to Clarence Denmark, and Medlock’s convert tied the game again.

Durant was firmly in his groove with the Als looking for points heading into the half, completing four straight passes for four first downs as Montreal barrelled through the Winnipeg defense. After scrambling for three yards, Durant found Ernest Jackson deep for a 36-yard touchdown, giving Montreal a seven-point lead in the final minute of the half.

After forcing a quick two-and-out, Durant and the Montreal offense gobbled up field in a hurry, and Boris Bede extended the Als halftime lead to 10 with a field goal.

The 24 points scored by the Alouettes in the first half of Thursday’s matchup exceeded their previous season high for a game, as Durant and the offense were firing on all cylinders early.

After entering the game to convert on second-and-short, back-up QB Dan LeFevour remained for the next series and rewarded the Bombers by scampering to the right sideline and just breaking the plane for the touchdown.

Beaulieu seemed to feed off the momentum of his early touchdown on his second carry, bouncing off multiple tackles in the backfield and rumbling his way to the Winnipeg 25-yard line. Bede’s field goal pushed Montreal’s lead back up to six.

Justin Medlock kicked two field goals to the end the quarter, tying the game headed to the fourth.

After Bede put the Als ahead by three once again, Medlock got another chance to tie the game with a field goal, but a rare miss from the Winnipeg kicker resulted in just a single and a two-point Montreal lead.

The Alouettes appeared to seal the victory by running the ball down the throat of the Winnipeg defence, and it looked too easy as Stefan Logan sprinted up the middle of the field to the end zone for a 31-yard score.

Cue the unlikely comeback. Managing the clock the best he could, Nichols marched the Bombers offence down the field before finding receiver Ryan Lankford for the score. The Medlock convert brought Winnipeg within five points, though only 44 seconds remained in the game.

Bombers gunner Brandon Alexander leaped to recover the onside kick, and the Bombers battled their way to the one-yard line with just four seconds remaining. Nichols put the ball into the hands of Harris and he made no mistake, crossing the plane and sealing the improbable comeback victory.

The Alouettes will lick their wounds after a difficult loss with a bye in week seven, while the Blue Bombers will look to notch another victory as they visit the Ottawa REDBLACKS.

[StarDust Bum]

Friday, July 28

British Columbia Lions (4-1 SU, 3-2 ATS) vs. Edmonton Eskimos (4-0 SU, 1-3 ATS)
Point-spread: Edmonton -3
Total: 54 ½

Game Overview

This will be the second time this season that these two bitter West Division rivals will square off against one another after BC dropped its season opener to Edmonton 30-27 as a four-point home favorite. The Lions went on to win their next four games including three-straight on the road before last week’s victory at home against Winnipeg. Travis Lulay has done an excellent job in relief of injured quarterback Jonathon Jennings with 840 passing yards and five scoring strikes in eight quarters of action.

Mike Reilly has gone the distance for the Eskimos at quarterback and in four games he has tallied 1,216 yards passing and seven touchdown throws. Edmonton’s offense has also gotten a boost on the ground from Travon Van and John White with a combined 322 rushing yards. This unit has averaged 26.8 PPG this year to complement a defense that is holding opposing teams to 23.8 PPG.

Betting Trends

-- Head-to-head in this division tilt, Edmonton now has a 4-1 SU edge in the last five meetings, but the Lions are 4-2 ATS in the last six games between the two. The total has stayed UNDER in the last three meetings after staying UNDER the closing 59 ½-point line in Week 1.

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Friday, July 28

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BRITISH COLUMBIA (4 - 1) at EDMONTON (4 - 0) - 7/28/2017, 9:30 PM
Top Trends for this game.
BRITISH COLUMBIA is 92-64 ATS (+21.6 Units) as an underdog since 1996.
BRITISH COLUMBIA is 69-45 ATS (+19.5 Units) in road games off a division game since 1996.
BRITISH COLUMBIA is 41-24 ATS (+14.6 Units) in road games off a win over a division rival since 1996.
BRITISH COLUMBIA is 29-14 ATS (+13.6 Units) in road games in weeks 5 through 9 since 1996.
EDMONTON is 1-8 ATS (-7.8 Units) in a home game where the total is greater than or equal to 52 over the last 2 seasons.
EDMONTON is 1-8 ATS (-7.8 Units) in a home game where the total is between 52.5 and 56 over the last 2 seasons.
EDMONTON is 1-8 ATS (-7.8 Units) after 2 or more consecutive straight up wins over the last 2 seasons.

Head-to-Head Series History
BRITISH COLUMBIA is 4-2 against the spread versus EDMONTON over the last 3 seasons
EDMONTON is 4-2 straight up against BRITISH COLUMBIA over the last 3 seasons
3 of 6 games in this series have gone OVER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons

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Friday, July 28

9:30 PM
BRITISH COLUMBIA vs. EDMONTON
British Columbia is 1-4 SU in its last 5 games when playing Edmonton
British Columbia is 1-4 SU in its last 5 games when playing on the road against Edmonton
Edmonton is 6-1 SU in its last 7 games at home
The total has gone UNDER in 6 of Edmonton's last 8 games when playing at home against British Columbia

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Friday, July 28

BC Lions @ Edmonton

Game 373-374
July 28, 2017 @ 9:30 pm

Dunkel Rating:
BC Lions
114.016
Edmonton
118.660
Dunkel Team:
Dunkel Line:
Dunkel Total:
Edmonton
by 4 1/2
62
Vegas Team:
Vegas Line:
Vegas Total:
Edmonton
by 1 1/2
54 1/2
Dunkel Pick:
Edmonton
(-1 1/2); Over

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BC Lions (4-1) @ Edmonton (4-0)— Lions won last four games since losing 30-27 in Week 1 home opener to Edmonton, a game Eskimos led 13-5 at half- they outgunned BC 420-394. Lions scored 41-45 points last two weeks, throwing for 840 yards- they won/covered all three road games. Edmonton is 4-0 with wins by 3-4-2-3 points; they snuck by winless Hamilton 31-38 LW. Underdogs are 3-0-1 vs spread in those games- three of the four stayed under the total. Both teams ran ball for 100+ yards in their first meeting. Under is 3-2 in BC’s games this year.

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CFL


Friday, July 28

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Friday's CFL betting preview and odds: Lions at Eskimos
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BC Lions are one of the hottest teams in the CFL following a thrilling 45-42 victory against the Winnipeg Blue Bombers in Week 5.

BC Lions at Edmonton Eskimos (-2, 54.5)

The Edmonton Eskimos put their perfect record on the line when they host the BC Lions in a West Division showdown Friday. The Eskimos scored 18 points in the fourth quarter, including the go-ahead touchdown with 23 seconds left, en route to a 31-28 victory over the Hamilton Tiger-Cats to improve to 4-0 for the first time since 2014, and hope to take sole possession of first place in the West by downing the Lions for the second time following a 30-27 win in the season opener.

"For a Week 6 matchup it doesn't get much bigger than this," Edmonton quarterback Mike Reilly told reporters. "I think both teams are playing great and are on four-game win streaks so what more could you ask for?" BC is one of the hottest teams in the CFL following a thrilling 45-42 victory against the Winnipeg Blue Bombers in Week 5. The Lions rallied from a 15-point deficit with less than 10 minutes remaining in the fourth quarter to extend their winning streak to four games and hope to unseat the Eskimos by notching their first victory at Commonwealth Stadium since a 17-3 triumph July 13, 2013. Travis Lulay has been nothing short of spectacular in relief of Jonathon Jennings, who is out 3-to-6 weeks with a shoulder injury, as the veteran quarterback has thrown for more than 400 yards in two appearances, and hopes to continue his magic against a staunch Edmonton defence that has allowed a league-low 23.8 points per game.

TV: 9:30 p.m. ET, TSN, ESPN2

LINE HISTORY: The Eskimos opened as three-point home favorites and that spread has been bet down slightly to -2. The total hit the betting board at 54.5 and remains on that number as of Thursday evening.

ABOUT THE LIONS (4-1 SU, 3-1 ATS, 2-2 O/U): Lulay threw for 404 yards and accounted for three total touchdowns while Jeremiah Johnson ran for 48 yards and a score against Winnipeg to take his league-leading total to five rushing TDs through five games. Manny Arceneaux caught five passes for 50 yards and two touchdowns to move past Mervyn Fernandez (6,690) in third spot on the franchise's all-time receiving yards list. Marquee free-agent acquisition Chris Williams, who caught 77 passes for 1,246 yards and 10 touchdowns with the Ottawa Redblacks in 2016, practiced for the first time with his new team after rehabbing a torn ACL, but is not expected to make his BC debut for at least another week.

ABOUT THE ESKIMOS (4-0 SU, 0-2-1 ATS, 1-2 O/U): Mike Reilly threw for 350 yards and three touchdowns against Hamilton to move past Matt Dunigan (87) for fifth place on Edmonton's all-time passing list. Defensive back Garry Peters will miss Friday's clash after he was handed a one-game suspension for shoving an official during the Tiger-Cats game. Wide receiver Bryant Mitchell caught five passes for 76 yards and a touchdown in his season debut as he filled in for an injured Adarius Bowman, who was put on the six-game injured list with a sore hamstring while offensive lineman Jacob Ruby and linebacker Kevin Jackson were added to the practice roster.

TRENDS:

* Lions are 4-1 ATS in their last 5 road games.
* Eskimos are 1-5 ATS in their last 6 games in Week 6.
* Over is 5-1 in Lions last 6 games following a straight up win.
* Under is 4-1 in Eskimos last 5 Friday games.
* Lions are 4-1 ATS in their last 5 meetings.

CONSENSUS: The home favorite Eskimos are getting 55 percent of the action from users and the Over is picking up 52 percent of the totals wagers.

EXTRA POINTS:

* Edmonton's four wins have come by a combined 12 points in 2017.
* Johnson is the only player in the CFL to rush for a touchdown in every game this season.
* Reilly hasn't thrown an interception in his last 215 regular-season pass attempts.


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