Cnotes CFL 2019 News / Notes / Picks / Exhibition Football Schedule

[StarDust Bum]

GAME RECAP
ARGOS COMPLETE INCREDIBLE COMEBACK AGAINST BOMBERS
CFL.CA STAFF

TORONTO — The Toronto Argonauts pulled off an incredible fourth quarter comeback against the Winnipeg Blue Bombers on Thursday night, completing a game-winning touchdown drive in the final seconds to edge Winnipeg 28-27. Argos quarterback McLeod Bethel-Thompson had his strongest performance of the season, completing 37 of 49 passes for 343 yards and three touchdowns to lead Toronto to its first win.

Andrew Harris helped give Winnipeg a 20-point lead in the first half with a pair of touchdown runs, but the Argos managed to score 10 unanswered points before half-time and continued to build momentum before tying the game in the third quarter.

The Bombers appeared to pull away down the stretch with a seven-yard touchdown catch from receiver Chris Matthews and strip sack from defensive end Willie Jefferson, but Bethel-Thompson led a game-winning drive with under a minute left that ended with an 11-yard touchdown pass to receiver S.J. Green.

Toronto return specialist Chris Rainey stepped up with 229 total return yards, and Green racked up 120 yards and a touchdown on ten catches.

Harris reclaimed the league rushing lead with 152 rushing yards and two touchdowns on 15 carries, while quarterback Matt Nichols completed 21 of 31 passes for 169 yards and a touchdown.

Winnipeg struck first on the opening drive of the game with a big 51-yard field goal from kicker Justin Medlock. The Bombers extended their lead later in the first quarter when Harris broke free for his longest rush of the season, a 56-yard touchdown run up the right side of the field. Medlock added the extra point to give Winnipeg an early 10-0 lead.

The Bombers notched a big play on special teams when Shayne Gauthier blocked an Argos punt, giving Winnipeg’s offence solid field position. But Toronto’s defence made a strong stand to keep the Bombers out of the end zone, as Argos linebacker Micah Awe sacked Nichols and forced Winnipeg to settle for a 42-yard field goal from Medlock.

Toronto’s defence stepped up with another big play in the second quarter when linebacker Justin Herdman-Reed stripped the football from Harris as the Bombers running back fought for extra yardage in scoring territory. Argos defensive back Qudarius Ford recovered the ball to shut down a long and promising drive for Winnipeg, but the offence was unable to convert the turnover into points.

Harris added his second touchdown of the game with under five minutes to go in the opening half on a 13-yard touchdown run that capped off another long Bombers drive. Medlock kicked the convert to put Winnipeg up 20-0.

The Argos then responded with their first points of the game on a 45-yard field goal from kicker Tyler Crapigna, and the team’s offence then began to get things rolling after getting the ball back shortly before half-time.

Bethel-Thompson helped cut the Bombers’ lead in half by driving his team down the field with accurate throws to Green, Derel Walker, Brandon Burks and Jimmy Ralph. Receiver Rodney Smith then hauled in a short pass and broke a tackle attempt from linebacker Adam Bighill to reach the end zone for a 12-yard touchdown. Crapigna added the extra point to make the score 20-10 heading into the third quarter.

The Argos managed to make it a one-score game on the first drive of the second half. A 20-yard field goal from Crapigna capped off another lengthy drive that saw Bethel-Thompson continue to find a rhythm with key passes to Burks, Ralph and Green. Burks exploded for a 55-yard touchdown on a screen pass early in the drive, but the score was negated due to a holding penalty on Toronto.

The Argos’ defence stood strong to force a quick punt, and the team continued to build momentum after that with a big special teams play. Rainey turned on the jets for a 78-yard punt return, taking the ball all the way down to Winnipeg’s seven-yard line. Rainey broke multiple tackles on the play and nearly scored before finally being taken down by Winnipeg’s Kerfalla Exumé.

Bethel-Thompson finished off the drive with a one-yard touchdown pass to an unlikely target: offensive lineman Jamal Campbell. Crapigna added the extra point to tie the game at 20 apiece heading into the final quarter.

The Bombers pulled ahead once again on a seven-yard touchdown pass from Nichols to Matthews, and Winnipeg’s defence appeared to shut down the Argos’ comeback attempt when Jefferson stripped the ball away from Bethel-Thompson.

But Toronto got the ball back once again with under two minutes left and proceeded to drive down the field for the game-winning touchdown, with Bethel-Thompson finding Green in the end zone for the 11-yard score.

Week 9 will see the Winnipeg Blue Bombers host the Calgary Stampeders next Thursday, while the Toronto Argonauts will get a week off before hosting the Edmonton Eskimos in Week 10.

[StarDust Bum]

GAME RECAP
FAJARDO GUIDES RIDERS BACK IN VICTORY OVER TICATS
CFL.CA STAFF

REGINA – Cody Fajardo proved to be the quarterback with the upper hand in the final moments of Thursday night’s game as the Saskatchewan Roughriders topped Dane Evans and the Hamilton Tiger-Cats 24-19 at Mosaic Stadium.

With the win, Saskatchewan improves to 4-3 on the season while the Ticats lose just their second game of the year. Hamilton drops to a 5-2 record, however, they still on top of the East Division.

Fajardo passed for 313 yards against the Hamilton defence, completing 25 of his 31 passing attempts on the night. The Riders’ signal-caller also topped his team’s rushing stats, dashing his way for 56 yards and a touchdown.

Both the Saskatchewan Roughriders and Hamilton Tiger-Cats entered Thursday’s tilt having undergone significant changes at the quarterback position.

The day following the trade of Zach Collaros to the Toronto Argonauts, quarterback Fajardo has been handed the reigns to the Roughriders offence for the foreseeable future. As for the Tiger-Cats, the news of Jeremiah Masoli missing the remainder of the season after suffering a knee injury last week against the Blue Bombers put former Tulane standout Dane Evans behind centre for the Tabbies. The start marked just his second career start.

Fajardo and the Riders appeared to have the upper hand in the early-going of the game, having passed for 115 yards in the quarter. A touchdown by William Powell would have Saskatchewan ahead after the opening 15 minutes, leading the Ticats 7-3.

Aside from Powell’s first-quarter touchdown, special teams would be responsible for the majority of the scoring in the first half. Gabriel Ferraro notched a 30-yarder, only to then tack on 10 more yards to his second make of the half, further extending the Riders lead.

Hamilton’s Lirim Hajrullahu booted a pair of field goals to keep the Black and Gold with a fighting chance heading into the locker rooms.

In the first half, Fajardo passed for over 200 yards as the Riders doubled up on the Ticats 13-6.

Shaquelle Evans put forth a game’s worth of stats in the first 30 minutes as well, hauling in six receptions for 137 yards receiving.

As for Hamilton, Evans and the offence struggled to piece together a drive that saw them get deep into the Riders’ end of the field. The Ticats quarterback only passed for 81 yards and the offence was kept under 20 yards on the ground.

In the second half, another Hajrullahu field goal cut into the deficit Hamilton was facing with their offensive woes continuing.

It wasn’t until later in the quarter where Tommy Condell, Hamilton’s offensive coordinator, started moving around his most seasoned receiver in Luke Tasker throughout the offensive formation, eventually leading to a touchdown connection between Evans and Anthony Coombs, who cradled his toes tightly along the sideline to uphold the major. The touchdown pushed the Tabbies ahead for their first lead of the game.

Despite a slow start in the first half, Evans ended up flipping the script and completing the game with 196 yards through the air, completing 19 of his 29 throws. Like Fajardo, Evans would also lead his team in rushing yards (34) for the night.

The offence built off the success of their previous drive, marching down the field before being halted by the Saskatchewan defence. Hajrullahu would end up tallying his fourth successful field goal of the game to give Hamilton a six-point cushion.

A field goal by Ferraro a few minutes later narrowed the Hamilton lead to three, making for an exciting final few minutes of the fourth quarter.

Using the receiving-tandem of Evans and Kyran Moore, Fajardo marched the Riders quickly into scoring position with less than a minute left in the game.

Fajardo dashed his way to the far pylon, diving in for the go-ahead touchdown with 24 seconds remaining in the fourth quarter, but not enough for Evans to work with as time would expire.

Up next for the Riders, they’ll pay the soaring Alouettes a visit in Montreal on Friday of Week 9. Hamilton will be playing host to the struggling BC Lions, wrapping up the week’s schedule on Saturday at Tim Hortons Field as they hope to maintain their lead over the rest in the East Division.

[StarDust Bum]

CANADIAN FOOTBALL LEAGUE BEST BETS AND OPINIONS

DATE W-L-T % UNITS RECORD


08/01/2019 3-1-0 75.00% +9.50


Totals...............3-1-0 75.00% +9.50



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BEST BETS:


DATE........................ATS........... ..UNITS..............O/U..............UNITS.............TOTAL


08/01/2019..............2 -0 ............+10.00.............1 - 1..............-0.50..............+9.50


Totals.................... .2 - 0............+10.00..............1 - 1..............-0.50..............+9.50

[StarDust Bum]

Friday’s 6-pack

— Mets 4, White Sox 0— New York won its last seven games.

— Cardinals 8, Cubs 0— St Louis leads NL Central by a game.

— Rays 9, Red Sox 4— Tampa Bay sweeps three games in Fenway.

— Former Carolina Panthers’ C Ryan Kalil un-retired and signed on with the Jets.

— Indians’ manager Terry Francona underwent unexpected eye surgery Thursday; he was at the ballpark Thursday night, but didn’t manage the game. We wish him well.

— If the playoffs started today (they do not):

NL: Braves-Cardinals-Dodgers. Wild Card: Cubs-Nationals

AL: New York-Twins-Astros. Wild Card: Rays-Indians

Quote of the Day
“Everything we did was so inorganic and unsustainable and, frankly, not fun. I was miserable. Literally the moment we won the championship I knew I was gonna leave. There was no way I was gonna stay for any amount of money.”
New Orleans Pelican GM David Griffin, on his time in Cleveland

Friday’s quiz
Bill Murray, Scarlett Johanssen starred in a 2003 movie Lost in Translation; where does the movie take place?

Thursday’s quiz
SF Giants have won three World Series in this decade; they beat Rangers, Royals, Tigers.

Wednesday’s quiz
New Hampshire is known as the Granite State.

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Friday’s List of 13: Random stuff with weekend here…….

13) Looking at Week 1 of the NFL which is only five weeks away, there are four games with a spread of 7+ points. The question occurred to me, how do favorites of 7+ points do in Week 1 of the NFL? So I looked it up.

Last six years, 16 teams have been favored by 7+ points in Week 1; those teams went 4-11-1 vs spread. Last three years, Week 1 favorites of 7+ are just 6-4 SU.

Since 2009, in Week 1 games with a spread of 7+ points, over is 18-12-1.

12) Week 1 favorites of 7+ points this year:
— Eagles (-9) vs Washington
— Seahawks (-9.5) vs Cincinnati
— Cowboys (-7.5) vs NY Giants
— Saints (-7) vs Houston

11) Over last 20 years, only five teams haven’t been a Week 1 favorite of 7+ points:
Bengals, Browns, Chiefs, Giants, 49ers.

10) New England has been a Week 1 favorite of 7+ points eight times since 2005; they’re 2-5-1 vs spread in those games. Patriots are -6 vs Pittsburgh in Week 1 this year.

9) Day after the trade deadline, baseball GM’s who made trades the day before go on their local TV broadcasts and get patted on the back for the great deals he made the day before.

On Miami telecasts, one of the worst-run franchises in the sport, they tout the new kids in the organization, even the ones hitting .204 and .206 in the minors. Oy.

8) Marlins 5, Twins 4 (12)— Miami tied game with three runs in 9th, won it in the 12th.

7) Baseball stuff:
— Texas DFA’d IF Asdrubel Cabrera and C Tim Federowicz.

6) Six players and both managers got suspended after the Pirates-Reds fracas the other night; Keone Kale got 10 games, Amir Garrett 8 games. Cincy skipper David Bell got six games, Clint Hurdle got two.

According to Hall of Fame writer Jayson Stark, this is the most players suspended for one fight since a 2013 incident involving Ian Kennedy/Zack Greinke.

5) Longtime kicker Phil Dawson retired from the NFL this week, after a 20-year career where he kicked 441 FG’s, 518 PAT’s- he even punted nine times.

4) White Sox P Lucas Giolito is from a family of actors; his grandfather appeared in five episodes of Seinfeld, playing Susan Ross’ father. His mother Lindsay Frost lists 49 TV and movie credits.

3) The other night, I stumble upon this old movie, Guilty As Sin on cable late at night while I’m writing; hard to take a movie real serious when the first character you see in the movie is a judge being played by the guy who was Morty in Meatballs.

Movie had Jack Warden and Rebecca DeMornay in it, though, so it wasn’t all bad.

2) San Francisco Giants have won three World Series in this decade; surprising thing is who they beat in those series, the Rangers, Tigers, Royals.

1) One bettor at the Westgate in Las Vegas placed a $100,500 wager on the 76ers to make the playoffs this coming season at -$5,000 odds; the bet would win $2,010.

Same guy made/won a similar bet on Golden State last season.

[StarDust Bum]

Friday, Aug. 2

Ottawa RedBlacks (2-4 SU, 2-4 ATS) at Montreal Alouettes (3-2 SU, 4-1 ATS)
Point-spread: Montreal -7
Total: 53

Game Overview

Ottawa’s current four-game losing streak SU includes a 36-19 loss to Montreal on July 13 as a nine-point home favorite. The total went OVER 51 ½ points in that game, but it has stayed UNDER in the other three losses. Jonathon Jennings made his second-straight start at quarterback for an injured Dominique Davis. He did complete 83.3 percent of his 18 passing attempts in the loss to Calgary, but he only gained 125 yards through the air with one touchdown pass and two interceptions.

The Alouettes went into last week’s bye with a SU three-game winning streak while closing as underdogs in all three contests. They were 13 ½-point underdogs against Hamilton at home on July 4 and 5 ½-point home underdogs against Edmonton in Week 6. Vernon Adams Jr. has taken the majority of the snaps at quarterback and he has thrown for 1,027 yards and five touchdowns against two interceptions.

Betting Trends

-- Ottawa has won its last five road games against Montreal both SU and ATS. It has a 10-3 SU edge in the last 13 meetings overall and the total has stayed UNDER in the last five meetings at Percival Molson Memorial Stadium.


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Friday, August 2

Ottawa @ Montreal

Game 693-694
August 2, 2019 @ 7:00 pm

Dunkel Rating:
Ottawa
110.030
Montreal
111.549
Dunkel Team:
Dunkel Line:
Dunkel Total:
Montreal
by 1 1/2
46
Vegas Team:
Vegas Line:
Vegas Total:
Montreal
by 7 1/2
53
Dunkel Pick:
Ottawa
(+7 1/2); Under



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Friday, August 2

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OTTAWA (2 - 4) at MONTREAL (3 - 2) - 8/2/2019, 7:00 PM
Top Trends for this game.
OTTAWA is 17-7 ATS (+9.3 Units) as an underdog over the last 3 seasons.
MONTREAL is 51-81 ATS (-38.1 Units) after 2 or more consecutive straight up wins since 1996.

Head-to-Head Series History
OTTAWA is 4-3 against the spread versus MONTREAL over the last 3 seasons
OTTAWA is 5-2 straight up against MONTREAL over the last 3 seasons
6 of 7 games in this series have gone UNDER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons


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Friday, August 2

Ottawa RedBlacks
Ottawa is 1-4 ATS in its last 5 games
Ottawa is 1-4 SU in its last 5 games
Ottawa is 16-7 ATS in its last 23 games on the road
The total has gone UNDER in 4 of Ottawa's last 5 games on the road
Ottawa is 9-4 ATS in its last 13 games when playing Montreal
Ottawa is 10-3 SU in its last 13 games when playing Montreal
The total has gone UNDER in 7 of Ottawa's last 8 games when playing Montreal
Ottawa is 5-0 ATS in its last 5 games when playing on the road against Montreal
Ottawa is 5-0 SU in its last 5 games when playing on the road against Montreal
The total has gone UNDER in 5 of Ottawa's last 5 games when playing on the road against Montreal

Montreal Alouettes
Montreal is 9-1 ATS in its last 10 games
Montreal is 5-2 SU in its last 7 games
Montreal is 8-17 SU in its last 25 games
The total has gone OVER in 5 of Montreal's last 7 games
Montreal is 5-0 ATS in its last 5 games at home
Montreal is 4-12 SU in its last 16 games at home
Montreal is 4-9-1 ATS in its last 14 games when playing Ottawa
Montreal is 3-10 SU in its last 13 games when playing Ottawa
The total has gone UNDER in 7 of Montreal's last 8 games when playing Ottawa
Montreal is 0-5 ATS in its last 5 games when playing at home against Ottawa
Montreal is 0-5 SU in its last 5 games when playing at home against Ottawa
The total has gone UNDER in 5 of Montreal's last 5 games when playing at home against Ottawa


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[StarDust Bum]

PREVIEW
REDBLACKS, ALS SET FOR KEY EAST DIVISION BATTLE
CFL.CA STAFF

MONTREAL — Two East Division foes going in opposite directions will take to the field on Friday Night Football with a lot on the line.

The Montreal Alouettes look to win their fourth straight game of the season at home against the Ottawa REDBLACKS (2-4), who are on a four-game losing streak, at Percival-Molson Memorial Stadium in Montreal. A victory for Montreal would give them the tiebreak over Ottawa, having already defeated the REDBLACKS in Week 5.

“I told the guys earlier this week, we just want to take this game one at a time,” Alouettes quarterback Vernon Adams Jr. said. “Try to get this win. Improve to 4-2. We know it’s going to be huge in standings so that’s why we really want to get this win.”

Adams Jr. will make his fifth consecutive start Friday since taking over for an injured Antonio Pipkin. The Oregon product has five touchdown passes and has thrown for over 1,000 yards since assuming the starter’s role, but feels he can still learn how to take command.

“We have a great group of leaders on this team who are helping me learn how to lead,” Adams Jr. said. “I’m just going to keep learning how to lead first and help try to win games and go from there.

“You look at guys like John Bowman, Kristian Matte, DeVier Posey. Taylor Loffler. Tommie Campbell. Who’ve been through it (as) All-Stars or won Grey Cups, they just know how to be professionals.”

The Als anticipate that the REDBLACKS will play with desperation.

“We know they’re going to be hungry,” said Adams Jr. “They’re going to want to get a win. This is a [divisional] game so we have to come out with everything we have and give them our best shot.”

REDBLACKS players like Kevin Brown are hoping they can build off the end of their Week 7 17-16 loss to Calgary. The REDBLACKS scored a fourth quarter touchdown, giving them a lead until the dying seconds of the contest when a late Rene Paredes field goal won the game for the Stampeders.

“We just have to build off of last week’s little bit of momentum we had,” Brown said. “I feel like there were positives to take away. As long as we stay together and keep playing hard and physical.”

Despite being the road team, REDBLACKS fullback Jean-Christophe Beaulieu says he’ll have fans and enough support making the trek to La Belle Province.

“Oh yeah. Family’s going to be there. Fans are going to be there,” Beaulieu said. “R Nation is going to be sitting behind our bench, it’s going to be crazy.”

Meanwhile, the REDBLACKS will start Dominique Davis at quarterback. The pivot missed the last two games due to a lower leg injury.

“Dom is back so timing is getting better,” Beaulieu added. “We just have to execute.”

Davis won’t be the only member of the REDBLACKS added into the lineup. Linebacker Jeff Knox Jr. has been added into the mix, alongside fellow linebacker De’Andre Montgomery and Carleton alum and defensive lineman Kene Onyeka.

The Alouettes will have deep threat B.J. Cunningham back at slotback Friday. The receiver hadn’t played since Week 5 against Ottawa. They’ve also added quarterback Antonio Pipkin to the active roster, and had to cut Canadian Brandon Bridge earlier in the week to bring him in.

BY THE NUMBERS

400 — The Ottawa REDBLACKS have allowed over 400 net yards to each of their opponents in each of their last five games for the first time in team history.

4 — Vernon Adams Jr. can join the names of Jonathan Crompton, Tracy Ham, and Anthony Calvillo if he and the Alouettes win this week. They’re the only quarterbacks since 1985 who’ve led the Als to four straight wins.

64 — Ottawa REDBLACKS kicker Lewis Ward is still Mr. Automatic, having made 64 consecutive field goals.

61 — REDBLACKS receiver Brad Sinopoli did the best he could for his team last week, accounting for nearly half of his team’s receptions (7 of 15) and 61 per cent of his team’s passing yards (76 yards).

Kickoff is at 7 p.m. ET and can be seen on TSN, RDS and ESPN+ and followed live via CFL.ca Game Tracker.

[StarDust Bum]

WEST DIVISION

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

1 Winnipeg 7 5 2 0 10 211 131 3-0-0 2-2-0 2-0-0

2 Calgary 6 4 2 0 8 167 136 2-1-0 2-1-0 2-0-0

3 Edmonton 6 4 2 0 8 161 102 3-0-0 1-2-0 2-1-0

4 Saskatchewan 7 4 3 0 8 207 173 3-1-0 1-2-0 2-1-0

5 BC 7 1 6 0 2 145 241 0-3-0 1-3-0 0-6-0


EAST DIVISION

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

1 Hamilton 7 5 2 0 10 229 139 4-0-0 1-2-0 2-1-0

2 Montreal 5 3 2 0 6 127 131 2-0-0 1-2-0 2-1-0

3 Ottawa 6 2 4 0 4 126 182 1-3-0 1-1-0 0-1-0

4 Toronto 7 1 6 0 2 103 241 1-2-0 0-4-0 0-1-0

[StarDust Bum]

FRIDAY, AUGUST 2
GAME TIME(ET) PICK UNITS

OTT at MTL 07:00 PM

OTT +7.0

O 52.5

[StarDust Bum]

GAME RECAP
REDBLACKS EDGE ALS IN OVERTIME TO SNAP LOSING STREAK
CFL.CA STAFF

MONTREAL — A pair of spectacular return touchdowns from DeVonte Dedmon helped lead the Ottawa REDBLACKS to a 30-27 overtime victory over the Montreal Alouettes on Friday night. Dedmon set a franchise record with 377 combined return yards, and the REDBLACKS improved their record to 3-4 while snapping a four-game losing streak.

Montreal’s defence notched an interception and a fumble in the first quarter, and a pair of rushing touchdowns from Vernon Adams Jr. gave the team early momentum. But the REDBLACKS responded each time with an explosive special teams touchdown, as Dedmon broke free for an 111-yard kickoff return touchdown and a 95-yard punt return touchdown that gave Ottawa life heading into the second half.

An interception from defensive lineman Michael Wakefield and a Dominique Davis touchdown pass gave Ottawa its first lead, and the Als were dealt a major blow in the third quarter when Adams left the game with an apparent injury to the neck and head area. Backup quarterback Antonio Pipkin finished the game under centre for Montreal, and the team pulled ahead in the second half with a pair of field goals from kicker Boris Bede.

Ottawa made it a three-point game late in the fourth quarter on a 46-yard field goal from kicker Lewis Ward, and Ward tied the game on a 30-yard field goal in the final seconds of regulation to send the game to overtime. Ward then put the game away with a 14-yard field goal, extending his CFL record to 67 consecutive field goals made.

The Als defence finished the game with four takeaways, including a pair of interceptions from defensive back Ciante Evans. Running back William Stanback had another solid performance for Montreal with 88 rushing yards on 12 carries.

Montreal’s defence got a break in the first quarter when a Davis pass bounced off the hands of receiver Julian Feoli-Gudino and ended up in the waiting hands of Evans for an interception. Evans returned the pick 36 yards down to Ottawa’s 17-yard line, but the REDBLACKS’ defence prevented Montreal from reaching the end zone. The Als opted for an 18-yard field goal from Bede to take the early lead.

The Als’ defence notched another turnover later in the quarter when defensive back Taylor Loffler stripped the ball from Ottawa receiver Brad Sinopoli and recovered it himself. Adams and the Als’ offence made the most of the turnover, as the quarterback completed sharp passes to B.J. Cunningham and Quan Bray for first down gains before following it up with a highlight-reel 13-yard touchdown run.

Adams outran the Ottawa defenders to the corner of the end zone and dove towards the pylon for the score. Bede added the extra point to extend Montreal’s lead to 10 points.

Ottawa responded right away with a huge special teams play, as Dedmon broke into open space and turned on the jets for an amazing 111-yard kickoff return touchdown. Running back Brendan Gillanders ran the ball into the end zone for the two-point conversion to make the score 10-8 with just under five minutes to go in the first quarter.

Montreal kept things moving on offence and extended its lead on the next drive. Stanback broke free for a 21-yard run, and receiver Eugene Lewis caught a short pass and took the ball down to the one-yard line to set up Adams’ second rushing touchdown of the half. Bede kicked the convert to put the Als up 17-8 heading into the second quarter.

Dedmon struck again with another amazing return touchdown shortly before the half, breaking multiple tackles and spinning away from defenders on his way to scoring a 95-yard punt return touchdown. Ottawa’s ensuing two-point conversion attempt fell short, making it a 17-14 ball game heading into half-time.

Ottawa continued to build momentum after the half, as defensive lineman Michael Wakefield tipped an Adams pass into the air and caught it himself for the interception. The REDBLACKS’ offence made the most of the turnover deep in Montreal territory, with Davis throwing a five-yard touchdown pass to Sinopoli that gave the team its first lead. Ward kicked the extra point to put Ottawa up 21-17.

The Als appeared to reclaim the lead on a deep touchdown pass from Adams to Bray, but the scoring play was overturned when a review revealed that Bray failed to maintain possession after going to the ground. Montreal’s offence was shut down from there, and Bede added a 30-yard field goal to cut Ottawa’s lead down to one point.

Montreal tied the game up on the ensuing kickoff after the REDBLACKS conceded a single point on a 90-yard kick from Bede, and the Als’ defence added two more turnovers in the third quarter with an interception and a fumble.

The Als grabbed the lead later in the quarter on a 45-yard field goal from Bede after Pipkin came in to replace an injured Adams, and Bede added an 18-yard field goal in the fourth quarter to put Montreal up 27-21.

Ottawa responded with a 46-yard field goal from Ward to make it a three-point game with just under seven minutes remaining, and a big sack from defensive lineman Avery Ellis forced the Als to punt the ball away with two minutes to go. Ottawa sent the game to overtime with a 30-yard field goal from Ward as time ran out in the fourth quarter, and Ward gave Ottawa the victory with a 14-yard field goal in overtime.

Both teams will be in action again next Friday, with the Montreal Alouettes hosting the Saskatchewan Roughriders and the Ottawa REDBLACKS traveling to face the Edmonton Eskimos on the road.

[StarDust Bum]

CANADIAN FOOTBALL LEAGUE BEST BETS AND OPINIONS

DATE W-L-T % UNITS RECORD

08/02/2019 2-0-0 100.00% +10.00
08/01/2019 3-1-0 75.00% +9.50


Totals...............5-1-0 83.33% +19.50



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BEST BETS:


DATE........................ATS........... ..UNITS..............O/U..............UNITS.............TOTAL

08/02/2019..............1 - 0.............+5.00...............1 - 0.............+5.00.............+10.00
08/01/2019..............2 - 0 ............+10.00.............1 - 1..............-0.50..............+9.50


Totals.................... .3 - 0............+15.00..............2 - 1..............+4.50..............+19.50

[StarDust Bum]

Saturday’s 6-pack

— White Sox 4, Phillies 3 (15)— OF Roman Quinn pitched, took the loss; P Vince Velasquez made a great catch and threw a guy out at the plate from LF.

— Cubs 6, Brewers 2— Javier Baez had three hits, knocked in three runs.

— Washington 3, Arizona 0— Diamondbacks had only one hit.

— Rangers 5, Tigers 4— Detroit lost 34 of its last 41 games.

— Dodgers put P Hyun-Jin Ryu (neck) on the IL.

— 77 players were traded in 30 deals at the trade deadline Wednesday.

Quote of the Day
“I would like to know what the deal is with Lowrie, does he even exist?”
Mets radio announcer Howie Rose, talking about oft-injured 2B Jed Lowrie

Saturday’s quiz
Who was the Dallas Cowboys’ coach before Jason Garrett?

Friday’s quiz
Bill Murray, Scarlett Johanssen starred in a 2003 movie Lost in Translation; the movie takes place in Tokyo.

Thursday’s quiz
SF Giants have won three World Series in this decade; they beat Rangers, Royals, Tigers.

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Saturday’s Den: College football knowledge……..

Numbers/ratings in this list are from Phil Steele’s college football magazine:
13) Top 3 quarterbacks in country:
Trevor Lawrence (Clemson), Tua Tagovailoa (Alabama), Justin Herbert (Oregon)

12) Top three offensive lines in country:
Oregon, Georgia, Clemson

11) Most experienced offensive lines in country:
Oregon, UL-Monroe, UL-Lafayette, Texas Tech

10) Teams who lose lot of close games one year tend to improve the next year; these teams had 4 net close losses last year:

Arkansas, Nebraska, North Carolina, Western Kentucky (2 have new coaches this year)

9) Teams who win lot of close games one year tend to regress the next year; these teams had 4 net close wins last year:

Notre Dame, Ohio State, Texas

8) Michigan State gained 18.3 yards per point LY, 2nd-worst in country, which means their defense/special teams provided very little help to the offense. As a result, Spartans regressed from a 10-3 record in 2017 to 7-6 LY.

Here is how Michigan State fared the last six years:
2013-15: 36-5 W-L, +46 turnover margin
2016-18: 20-18 W-L, -1 turnover margin

7) Then there is Utah State, which gained only 10.46 yards/point LY, best in country, as they jumped from 6-7 to 11-2, and their coach jumped to Texas Tech for more money.

Aggies were +14 in turnovers LY, after being -2 in turnovers from 2015-17.

6) These four teams had the best defensive yards/point in country LY:

Clemson, Fresno State, Kentucky, Mississippi State— Bulldogs have only 9 of 22 starters back this season; other three teams all have only four starters back on defense. Experienced teams tend to get the most out of what they have, then take a step back when new guys step n.

5) These three teams had the worst defensive yards/point in country LY:
Bowling Green, Louisville, Western Michigan

Louisville went 57-21 from 2012-17, then went 2-10 LY and fired the coach; Bowling Green also fired its coach, who was 9-27 the last three years (they were 28-14 from 2013-15).

4) Toughest schedules in country this fall:

South Carolina, Auburn, USC, Texas A&M

3) Since 1991, 353 teams went -10 or worse in turnovers; 67% of them improved the next year, only 23% got worse:

-17: UTEP, UConn
-14: East Carolina, Rutgers
-12: Louisville, UL-Monroe

2) Since 1991, 440 teams went +10 or better in turnovers; only 28% of them improved the next year, 64% got worse:

+22 Georgia Southern
+16 Kansas
+14: UCF, Utah State
+13: Syracuse, Ohio U.

1) Over the last seven seasons, 53 teams were +14 or better in turnovers; 45 of those 53 teams did worse the following season.

Kansas went 3-9 with a +16 turnover ratio, which isn’t easy; they fired the coach and brought in Les Miles, so the Jayhawks will be a fascinating study for the next couple years. Miles will improve their talent base.

[StarDust Bum]

Saturday, Aug. 3

Edmonton Eskimos (4-2 SU, 3-3 ATS) at Calgary Stampeders (4-2 SU, 1-5 ATS)
Point-spread: Edmonton -1
Total: 48

Game Overview

The total stayed UNDER 52 points in Thursday’s shutout against Toronto and it has stayed UNDER in the Eskimos’ last four games. They are 1-2 SU and ATS on the road this season with the total staying UNDER in all three contests. Trevor Harris completed 27-of-39 passing attempts for 298 yards his last time out. He is currently ranked first in the CFL in total passing yards (1,931) and he has tossed eight touchdowns against two interceptions. Shaquille Cooper had a big night running the ball against Toronto with 128 yards and a score on 22 rushing attempts.

Calgary has quietly moved itself to just one game off the pace in the West Division standings with back-to-back wins against Toronto at home and Ottawa on the road. It has failed to cover the closing spread in its last three games and the total has stayed UNDER the closing line in its last four contests. Nick Arbuckle has played well at quarterback in place of an injured Bo Levi Mitchell. He has thrown for 1,284 yards and five touchdowns while completing 73.9 percent of his 138 passing attempts.

Betting Trends

-- Calgary has gone 18-5 SU in its last 23 games against Edmonton, but the Eskimos have covered ATS in the last five meetings. The total has gone OVER in six of the last nine matchups in this heated West Division rivalry.


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Saturday, August 3

Edmonton @ Calgary

Game 695-696
August 3, 2019 @ 7:00 pm

Dunkel Rating:
Edmonton
122.453
Calgary
108.450
Dunkel Team:
Dunkel Line:
Dunkel Total:
Edmonton
by 14
35
Vegas Team:
Vegas Line:
Vegas Total:
Edmonton
by 1
47
Dunkel Pick:
Edmonton
(-1); Under


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Saturday, August 3

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

EDMONTON (4 - 2) at CALGARY (4 - 2) - 8/3/2019, 7:00 PM
Top Trends for this game.
CALGARY is 49-29 ATS (+17.1 Units) in August games since 1996.

Head-to-Head Series History
EDMONTON is 5-1 against the spread versus CALGARY over the last 3 seasons
CALGARY is 4-2 straight up against EDMONTON 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, August 3

Edmonton Eskimos

Edmonton is 5-2 SU in its last 7 games
The total has gone UNDER in 4 of Edmonton's last 5 games
Edmonton is 1-5 ATS in its last 6 games on the road
Edmonton is 1-8 SU in its last 9 games on the road
The total has gone UNDER in 7 of Edmonton's last 8 games on the road
Edmonton is 5-0 ATS in its last 5 games when playing Calgary
Edmonton is 5-18 SU in its last 23 games when playing Calgary
The total has gone OVER in 6 of Edmonton's last 9 games when playing Calgary
Edmonton is 1-10 SU in its last 11 games when playing on the road against Calgary

Calgary Stampeders
Calgary is 1-5 ATS in its last 6 games
Calgary is 4-1 SU in its last 5 games
The total has gone UNDER in 4 of Calgary's last 5 games
Calgary is 2-5 ATS in its last 7 games at home
Calgary is 4-1 SU in its last 5 games at home
Calgary is 0-5 ATS in its last 5 games when playing Edmonton
Calgary is 18-5 SU in its last 23 games when playing Edmonton
The total has gone OVER in 6 of Calgary's last 9 games when playing Edmonton
Calgary is 10-1 SU in its last 11 games when playing at home against Edmonton

[StarDust Bum]

PREVIEW
STAMPS, ESKS RENEW TENSIONS IN THE BATTLE OF ALBERTA
CFL.CA STAFF

CALGARY – The Battle of Alberta is always a fierce matchup and the 2019 edition brings plenty of intrigue as the Calgary Stampeders and Edmonton Eskimos get set to duke it out at McMahon Stadium on Saturday night.

A share of first place in the West Division is on the line after the Winnipeg Blue Bombers were stunned by the Toronto Argonauts on Thursday night. The winner of Saturday’s game will improve to 5-2 and on the season, tied with the Bombers for western supremacy.

“The season’s going to be up and down,” Stampeders head coach Dave Dickenson told Stampeders.com. “It’s gonna be a dogfight, though. I do think you can set yourself up in a better position. We play these guys three times, two at home. If you just protect your turf, obviously win the series, that would be big for us.”

The personnel taking the field is also different compared to previous years. Either Bo Levi Mitchell or Mike Reilly have appeared in every head to head matchup since Nov. 2, 2012 – a span of 16 games. With Mitchell on the injured list and Reilly plying his trade with the BC Lions, that streak will come to an end.

Replacing Mitchell is Nick Arbuckle, who has gone 3-1 since taking over as starting quarterback. Dickenson hasn’t been afraid to rely on the 25-year-old, with Arbuckle throwing 30 or more passes in each of his last three games.

“We know what kind of team we are,” Arbuckle told Stampeders.com. “We know what kind of success we’ve had in the past. We also know it’s a really long season. Just because you have success, or lack of success, in the first third of the season doesn’t mean things can’t turn around later in the year.”

Trevor Harris will get his first taste of the Battle of Alberta – and history is not on his side. The Green and Gold haven’t won at McMahon Stadium since 2015. Moreover, Harris is 0-6-2 in his career against the Stampeders, including a loss in last year’s Grey Cup.

“Any time you get in a Battle of Alberta, it’s a big deal,” Harris told Esks.com. “When I was in Ottawa, you knew about the Battle of Alberta. It’s a good rivalry. I just want to be a part of it.”

If the Eskimos do emerge victorious on Saturday, Harris will have beaten every CFL team during his eight-year career.

However, Harris will have to do it without his favourite target. Greg Ellingson will not be suiting up for this tilt due to injury. Ellingson has caught more passes and been thrown to more than any other Eskies receiver.

Edmonton could get a boost with DaVaris Daniels returning to the lineup. Daniels missed the first four games of the year and found himself back on the shelf last week for the Eskimos 26-0 win over the Argos. Daniels hauled in 10 passes during his two games played, including one touchdown pass.

Daniels’ situation is especially interesting, as he has plenty of experience from the Calgary side of the Battle of Alberta, having played with the Stamps from 2016 to 2018.

“I know it’s a game that everybody looks forward to,” Daniels told Esks.com. “The fans will be rowdy. The game will be pretty rowdy itself. There’s a lot to be excited for. I’m just hoping we come out with a win. It’s a big-time game, and those are the types of games I usually get excited for.”

The Eskimos may have to endure the rowdy Calgary crowd, but the enter the game with (statistically) the league’s best defence. They give up a league-low 235 yards-per-game, with no opponent gaining more than 335 yards in a game.

The Stamps have struggled to move the ball on the ground this year. They average a mere 4.4 yards per carry, while also having only attempted 100 ground plays in 2019, the second-lowest total in the league.

With game-breaking running back Don Jackson still on the shelf, Romar Morris will be making his season debut for Calgary. The 26-year-old back played in 10 games for the Stampeders last year before getting hurt. His Achilles injury opened the door for Jackson to be the main man in the running game, and Morris is looking to regain the title of first-choice back.

BY THE NUMBERS

21 – Field goals this season by Edmonton’s Sean Whyte. He is on place for 63, three more than Justin’s Medlock’s CFL record of 60 set in 2016.

1 – Number of points needed by Calgary’s Rene Paredes to move into 14th on the league’s all-time scoring list.

17.5 – Edmonton’s average kickoff return this season, the shortest in the CFL.

2 – Fourth quarter game-winning drives by Nick Arbuckle…in four starts.

Kickoff is at 7:00 p.m. ET and can be seen on TSN and ESPN+, and followed live via CFL.ca Game Tracker.

[StarDust Bum]

SATURDAY, AUGUST 3
GAME TIME(ET) PICK UNITS

EDM at CGY 07:00 PM

CGY +1.0

O 47.0

[StarDust Bum]

GAME RECAP
STAMPS DEFEAT ESKS IN BATTLE OF ALBERTA
CFL.CA STAFF

CALGARY — The Calgary Stampeders came out on top against the Edmonton Eskimos on Saturday with a 24-18 home victory in the Battle of Alberta. The Stamps improved their record to 5-2 and now share first place in the West with the Winnipeg Blue Bombers.

Strong defence was the story early on, with both offences struggling to get drives going against tight coverage and heavy pressure. Calgary’s defence held quarterback Trevor Harris and the Esks’ offence to just 78 total yards in the first half.

Three field goals from Rene Paredes gave Calgary a two possession lead heading into half-time, but a safety and an 83-yard touchdown pass from Harris to Ricky Collins evened things up in the third quarter. The Stamps responded instantly and reclaimed the lead with a 103-yard kickoff return touchdown from Terry Williams, helping establish a new CFL record with the eighth kickoff return touchdown scored across the league this season.

Quarterback Nick Arbuckle extended Calgary’s lead with a 25-yard touchdown pass to receiver Eric Rogers after the Stamps forced a turnover on special teams, but Harris responded with another touchdown pass to Collins that narrowed the Stamps’ lead in the fourth quarter. Edmonton made it a three-point game with a field goal down the stretch, but Paredes added his fourth field goal of the game to seal the victory for Calgary.

Dominant defensive play from both teams led to a scoreless opening quarter, but a solid 34-yard punt return from Williams helped set the Stamps up for a 47-yard field goal from Paredes to open the scoring in the second quarter. Paredes added a 43-yard field goal later in the quarter to extend Calgary’s lead.

An 18-yard catch from receiver Reggie Begelton and a 10-yard rush from Arbuckle had the Stamps driving before half-time, but Esks defensive tackle Almondo Sewell got to Arbuckle for a sack to force another Calgary field goal. Paredes knocked the 42-yard kick through the uprights to give the Stamps a 9-0 lead heading into the third quarter.

Edmonton got on the board after the half when a big sack from defensive lineman Mike Moore forced the Stamps to concede a safety deep in their own end, making the score 9-2. The Esks’ offence then got things rolling on the ensuing drive when Harris beat the corner blitz and hit Collins deep down the field for an 83-yard touchdown bomb. Kicker Sean Whyte added the extra point to tie the game up at nine apiece.

But momentum swung right back on the very next play when Williams returned the kickoff 103 yards to the end zone, giving the lead back to Calgary. The Stamps’ two-point conversion attempt fell short, leaving Calgary with a 15-9 lead.

The Stamps notched a key turnover on special teams when Charlie Power stripped the football away from Martese Jackson on a punt return. Royce Metchie recovered the ball for Calgary, and the offence made the most of the field position by scoring its first touchdown of the game. Receiver Markeith Ambles gained 15 yards on a catch-and-run before Arbuckle found Rogers for a 25-yard touchdown pass.

Rogers broke a tackle attempt from Esks defensive back Tyquwan Glass to get into the end zone for the score, but an unsuccessful two-point conversion left the Stamps with a 21-9 lead heading into the fourth quarter.

Edmonton got back in the game with another touchdown connection from Harris to Collins, as the Esks quarterback found his playmaking receiver for a crucial 26-yard touchdown that made the score 21-15.

Edmonton made it a three-point game with just under ten minutes to go on a 31-yard field goal from Whyte. The score was set up by a turnover from the Esks’ punt coverage unit, as Nicholas Taylor forced a fumble on Williams and Godfrey Onyeka recovered the ball. Paredes added a 27-yard field goal to extend Calgary’s lead, and Edmonton’s comeback hopes fell just short on the final play of the game.

Week 9 will see the Calgary Stampeders face the Winnipeg Blue Bombers on the road next Thursday, while the Edmonton Eskimos will host the Ottawa REDBLACKS next Friday.