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

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PREVIEW

REDBLACKS, STAMPS TEE UP GREY CUP REMATCH IN CALGARY
CFL.CA STAFF

CALGARY — Week 1 of the Canadian Football League season will see a rematch of the 106th Grey Cup presented by Shaw.

The defending Grey Cup Champion Calgary Stampeders will host the Ottawa REDBLACKS at McMahon Stadium to kick off a Saturday night CFL double-header.

For the first time since November, the best teams from last year’s divisions will square off. Over the last four seasons, the Grey Cup has seen either the REDBLACKS or the Stampeders take to the field.

Calgary won all three matchups against the REDBLACKS last season, including a 27-16 Grey Cup win in November. Quarterback Bo Levi Mitchell was named the game’s Most Outstanding Player after throwing two touchdowns, two interceptions, and 253 yards passing. With the victory, Mitchell became the first quarterback in franchise history to capture two Grey Cups.

The Stampeders were the best team in the CFL last season, racing to a 13-5 record. The team also boasted the second-highest scoring offence (522 points) and the best defence (363 points allowed). The REDBLACKS were the best team in the East Division and finished the year with an 11-7 record. No other team in the East finished the season with a winning record.

But both teams will be fielding completely different squads than the ones that took the field last November.

Calgary lost a number of players on both sides of the ball, including receiver DaVaris Daniels, defensive tackle Micah Johnson and linebacker Alex Singleton. The team even lost defensive coordinator DeVone Claybrooks, who joined the BC Lions as their new head coach.

Brett Monson is tasked as the team’s new defensive coordinator, assembling a unit that’s missing roughly two thirds of the starters that took the field last November.

The REDBLACKS have had their changes too. While the defence, under Noel Thorpe, remains mostly intact, quarterback Trevor Harris, receivers Diontae Spencer and Greg Ellingson, offensive tackle SirVincent Rogers and running back William Powell all landed elsewhere during a winter of unparalleled off-season movement.

Despite the changes, the Stampeders remain confident group under Head Coach Dave Dickenson, who enters his fourth season with a 41-11-2 regular season record.

“Everybody thinks we have a little Grey Cup hangover,” Stampeders running back Terry Williams said earlier in the week in an interview with Stampeders.com. “You can bet against us, but we’re going to be Stampeders and do what we do.”

Williams will return kicks and also spell starting running back Don Jackson. Romar Morris is currently on the six-game injured list as he recovers from an Achilles injury suffered last November.

It helps that the Stamps still have Mitchell, their star quarterback and the league’s number one ranked player according to this year’s TSN top-50, back in the fold. Mitchell re-upped with the Stamps in the off-season by signing a four-year deal worth nearly three million dollars.

While Daniels along with Chris Matthews, Marken Michel and Lemar Durant will no longer be catching passes for the Red and White, and Kamar Jorden will be out for the foreseeable future as he recovers from last year’s season-ending knee injury, Mitchell will have plenty of familiar targets.

Eric Rogers, whose three-touchdown performance in the Western Final helped the Stamps win the Grey Cup, leads a talented core that also includes promising up-and-comers Reggie Begelton, Markeith Ambles and Canadian Juwan Brescacin. University of Calgary product Michael Klukas has won a starting job at wide receiver and will make his first career start after a strong training camp.

On the Ottawa side of the ball, the REDBLACKS will start quarterback Dominique Davis behind centre. The East Carolina alum won the starting job in training camp over off-season addition Jonathon Jennings and will look to fill the shoes of departed quarterback Trevor Harris.

Davis, 29, joined the REDBLACKS in 2018 as a backup to Harris. The pivot threw three touchdowns and 373 yards in eight games played last season.

“It means a lot, I’ve been waiting for my moment and the time is here. I just want to do the best I can to win games and hoist the Grey Cup,” Davis told OttawaREDBLACKS.com earlier this week.

After losing much of their core, the offence comes into 2019 with something to prove. Many are doubting the REDBLACKS this season, while the team was ranked eighth in the pre-season Nissan Titan Power Rankings, ahead of only the Montreal Alouettes.

While mainstays Brad Sinopoli and RJ Harris will do much of the heavy lifting, Caleb Holley showed immediate chemistry with Davis throughout the pre-season. Dominique Rhymes has also won a starting job, while Canadian Seth Coate gets the nod at field wideout. Mossis Madu is the starter at running back going into Week 1.

Up front, the REDBLACKS will start five Canadian offensive linemen, a rarity in the CFL, as 2018 first round draft pick Mark Korte gets the assignment at left tackle. On the defensive side of things, veteran corner Chris Randle will get the start for Ottawa.

BY THE NUMBERS

7 – The consecutive number of home openers the Calgary Stampeders have won. The last time the Stamps lost a home opener was July 1, 2011 in a 23-21 loss to the Toronto Argonauts.

35 – The number of touchdown passes thrown by Bo Levi Mitchell last season for Calgary. Not only was the total good enough to lead the league, they’re the most touchdowns the Texas native has thrown in a single season since joining the CFL in 2012.

11 – REDBLACKS named to the All-East team in 2018. Only five of those players remain with Ottawa for this season.

116 – Receptions for REDBLACKS receiver Brad Sinopoli, who set a career-high while also leading the league in catches and targets (154). The Canadian was the only receiver to have made over 100 grabs last season.

The Stampeders will commemorate their Grey Cup victory by raising a flag in the northeast corner of their stadium prior to kickoff. Singleton, who’s now signed with the Philadelphia Eagles of the National Football League, will be in attendance to sign autographs before the game as well.

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

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PREVIEW

REILLY, NICHOLS SET TO SQUARE OFF IN VANCOUVER
CFL.CA STAFF

VANCOUVER – Two of the CFL’s premier quarterbacks are set to square off, as the BC Lions and Mike Reilly open their 2019 season against the Winnipeg Blue Bombers and Matt Nichols Saturday night at BC Place.

Saturday will be Reilly’s first game in orange and black since 2012. His resume with the Edmonton Eskimos speaks for itself – the 2017 Most Outstanding Player Award, three straight seasons of at least 5,500 passing yards and a Grey Cup ring. His signing with the Leos in the off-season was touted as a homecoming, since Reilly began his CFL career with BC.

Reilly’s quarterback counterpart for the Blue Bombers is his former backup in Edmonton. Nichols and Reilly went head-to-head in an open competition for the starting job with the Esks in 2013. Said competition was ended prematurely when Nichols tore his ACL in the first pre-season game, giving Reilly the reins to the offence. Nichols was traded to Winnipeg in 2015 and hasn’t looked back.

“No matter what football throws at me, I think I’ve seen it all now,” Nichols told BlueBombers.com. “I have a pretty good outlook going into this season that nothing is going to negatively affect me. I’ve been through it all now.”

While the Lions were one of many CFL franchises that made key changes in the off-season – only three quarterbacks and four head coaches remain from Week 1 of 2018 – the Bombers held steady in the off-season. Many of their key playmakers are returning, including reigning Most Outstanding Defensive Player Adam Bighill.

“Now that we have our roster, I definitely feel like, on paper, we have a better roster than we did last year,” said Bighill. “That’s not a slight on anything or on anyone. It’s just about the new guys that have come in and the pieces we’ve added.”

For the second consecutive year, the Bombers will not be at full strength for their season opener. Nichols was injured in training camp, forcing him to miss the first three games of 2018, and this season, receiver Chris Matthews and offensive lineman Patrick Neufeld are on the one-game injured list.

Matthews is slated to be one of Nichols’ favourite targets this season, along with returning wideouts Darvin Adams and Nic Demski. The offence also boasts the 2018 league rushing leader, Andrew Harris, who will play against his former team.

“As much success as I’ve had, there have always been naysayers and there always will be,” said Harris. “That’s just part of this business. A lot of people take that negatively. I take it and turn it into a positive thing for me. It just works for me.”

Lucky Whitehead and Kenny Lawler will both make their first starts with the Bombers at receiver.

For the Bombers’ defence, Saturday will be somewhat of a homecoming. In addition to Bighill, starters Chandler Fenner, Anthony Gaitor and Winston Rose have all played for the Lions, as well as backup defensive end Craig Roh.

Among a handful of new faces on Winnipeg’s defence, Willie Jefferson may be the most exciting. Jefferson was one of the league’s top free agents this off-season after recording 10 sacks, two interceptions and two touchdowns.

Joining Reilly on the Leos is new head coach DeVone Claybrooks. Long considered one of the best defensive coordinators in the league, the 41-year-old, askew cap-wearing former defensive lineman has brought a culture change to the Lions.

“We’re a fast, physical team that likes to fly around,” Claybrooks told BCLions.com. “We’re going to work hard. We’re going to enjoy the process, and that means allowing the players to be themselves, but in the team concept.”

In addition to Reilly and Claybrooks, the polarizing Duron Carter finds his way to the West Coast, joining a receiving core with returning stalwarts Bryan Burnham and Shaq Johnson. Canadian Lemar Durant also signed with the Lions after winning the 106th Grey Cup with the Calgary Stampeders.

On the defensive side of the ball, the Lions gave up the second-fewest passing yards-per-game last season, but had the seventh-best run defence. Linebackers Chris Edwards and Maleki Harris were added to a front seven that already includes Odell Willis, but Claybrooks and defensive coordinator Rich Stubler working with the defence could make them one of the most formidable in the league.

“I feel like we got better on the defensive side, coaching-wise and player-wise” said Willis. “We’re not worried about Andrew Harris, we’re just worried about ourselves. It all depends on what we do.”

On offence, the Lions’ running back tandem of Brandon Rutley and John White will attempt to go toe-to-toe on the ground with Harris. Injuries have limited White to just nine games over the last two seasons, but he will be looking to regain the form that saw him rush for more than 800 yards in 2014 and 2016. The 28-year-old is also plenty familiar with Reilly – they spent five seasons together in Edmonton from 2013 to 2017.

The Lions go into Saturday’s contest with nine projected Canadian starters, including four on the offensive line. Former draft pick Brett Boyko will make his debut at right tackle after spending time south of the border. On defence, Dominique Termansen will start at corner.

BY THE NUMBERS

62 – Darvin Adams is 62 receiving yards away from 4,000 for his career.

7-2 – BC Place was a fortress for the Lions in 2018, it was their 2-7 road record that was their downfall.

2015 – The last time Winnipeg won a game in Week 1. That’s the longest active drought in the league.

Kickoff is at 10:00 p.m. ET and can be seen on TSN, RDS and ESPN+, and followed live via CFL.ca Game Tracker.

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SATURDAY, JUNE 15
GAME TIME(ET) PICK UNITS

OTT at CGY 07:00 PM
CGY -8.5
O 51.0

WPG at BC 10:00 PM
WPG -1.0
U 50.5

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GAME RECAP
DAVIS’ LATE SCORE HELPS REDBLACKS STUN STAMPS
CFL.CA STAFF

CALGARY — It was better late than never for the Ottawa REDBLACKS on Saturday night in Calgary.

In a rematch of the 106th Grey Cup Championship, quarterback Dominique Davis scored his third rushing touchdown with just 1:22 remaining, giving the REDBLACKS their first lead of the game and a 32-28 come-from-behind victory over the Calgary Stampeders.

The last-minute touchdown capped off an up-and-down evening for Davis, but the first-time starting quarterback persevered despite throwing four interceptions — including three to Stampeders sophomore corner Tre Roberson — to lead Ottawa to a season-opening win.

Mossis Madu had a game-high 112 rushing yards on 24 carries to lead the REDBLACKS, while RJ Harris chipped in with 82 receiving yards on six catches. Brad Sinopoli added seven catches for 75 yards. Lewis Ward made all three field goal attempts, including his 50th in a row dating back to 2018.

Stamps pivot Bo Levi Mitchell, coming off his second career Most Outstanding Player honour in 2018, completed 23 of 39 passes for 275 yards, a touchdown and an interception, but the Stamps’ offence sputtered in the second half, managing only seven points.

Juwan Brescacin caught a 50-yard touchdown pass for Calgary, while defensively, in addition to Roberson’s big game, veteran linebacker Cory Greenwood had a game-high nine tackles.

Davis’ first drive as the REDBLACKS’ starting quarterback didn’t quite go as planned. On his first pass of the game, on second-and-six, Davis’ throw was jumped and intercepted by Roberson.

Gifted great field position at the Ottawa five-yard-line, the Calgary offence cashed in on the early turnover with a one-yard run by Don Jackson, taking an early 7-0 lead.

His team in an early hole, Davis bounced back confidently. A 14-yard pickup by Harris moved the chains on second down, while Caleb Holley and J.C. Beaulieu also got involved, leading the offence on a 13-play, 86-yard jaunt culminating in a one-yard touchdown run by Davis. Davis completed six of seven passes following the early turnover, though he couldn’t convert the two-point attempt.

After a 42-yard field goal by the consistent Rene Paredes, Roberson hauled in his second interception of the game when Davis’ pass was deflected off the hands of the receiver. Two plays later, Brescacin beat Corey Tindal on a skinny post and Mitchell made no mistake, finding the national pass-catcher for a 50-yard touchdown.

A successful two-point conversion by Reggie Begelton gave the Stamps an 18-6 lead after an eventful first 15 minutes. Early in the second, they’d add to their lead with a 17-yard chip shot field goal from Paredes, his second of the game.

But the REDBLACKS, down two scores in their season-opener, responded in workmanlike fashion. Three rushing first downs by Madu and another by Davis aided a 13-play, 74-yard drive, culminating on Davis’ second touchdown of the game. Harris’ two-point convert made it an eight-point play, cutting Ottawa’s deficit to just seven points ahead of the three-minute warning.

The Stampeders’ first turnover of the game, a fumble by Begelton on second down, led to a 44-yard field goal by Ward, making it 21-17 Calgary heading into the half.

As the field continued to tilt in the REDBLACKS’ favour in the third, one play was all it took for the momentum to completely reverse. Davis’ pass to Harris was off target, and the resulting deflection was picked off by Brandon Smith, who returned it 59 yards for the defensive touchdown. Davis’ third interception of the game put Ottawa in a 10-point hole with eight minutes remaining in the third.

Despite the offensive miscues, the visitors refused to go away. Ward’s second field goal of the game — and 50th consecutive dating back to 2018 — pulled the REDBLACKS to within seven, while a punt single from Richie Leone made it a six-point game early in the fourth.

The Stamps picked off Davis for a fourth time, when Roberson came down with a jump ball for his third interception of the game. But Calgary’s offence remained ice cold in the second half, as a 2-for-7 stretch for Mitchell forced the Stampeders to punt.

Still trailing by six, a special teams play gave Ottawa a golden opportunity to surge ahead midway through the fourth, when Lorenzo Jerome — replacing an injured Terry Williams — fumbled a punt. Linebacker De’Andre Montgomery recovered at the Calgary 19. But the REDBLACKS would have to settle for another Ward field goal, making it a 28-25 Calgary lead with six minutes to go in the game.

The defensive clinic continued all through the second half, but the battle for field position gave Ottawa a chance at a late lead. On a drive that started at the Calgary 47 following a 15-yard penalty for no yards, Davis connected with Sinopoli for 24 yards, then on second-and-goal from the five took matters into his own hands, scrambling and then diving for the go-ahead touchdown — the REDBLACKS’ first lead of the game with 1:22 remaining.

Mitchell and the Stamps’ last-gasp effort was intercepted by REDBLACKS corner Jonathan Rose in the end zone, sealing a season-opening win for Rick Campbell’s squad.

In the end, Ottawa piled up 100 more net yards than the Stamps, holding Mitchell and company to just 299 yards. The REDBLACKS also controlled the clock throughout much of the evening, possessing the ball for 33:04.

After scoring an early touchdown, Stamps running back Jackson was held to just 22 rushing yards on nine carries, though he did chip in with five catches for 43 yards.

The Stamps get an early bye in Week 2, while the REDBLACKS head home to the nation’s capital for a date with the Saskatchewan Roughriders on June 20.

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GAME RECAP
NICHOLS AND HARRIS LEAD BOMBERS TO VICTORY AGAINST LIONS
CFL.CA STAFF

VANCOUVER — The Winnipeg Blue Bombers came out on top in an exciting back-and-forth battle against the BC Lions on Saturday, closing out Week 1 with a 33-23 victory. Quarterback Matt Nichols led the way with three touchdown strikes while completing 21 of 33 passes for 184 yards to help the Bombers win their first season opener since 2015.

2018 league rushing leader Andrew Harris did not miss a beat to start the new season, as he gashed the Lions’ defence for 148 yards on 16 rushes and averaged 9.3 yards per carry. The versatile playmaker also added five catches for 27 yards.

Darvin Adams made an impact with five catches for 73 yards and a touchdown, eclipsing 4,000 receiving yards for his CFL career.

Mike Reilly had some good moments as the Lions’ new starting quarterback, finishing the game with 324 yards and a touchdown on 22 completions.

Winnipeg receiver Drew Wolitarsky contributed two touchdown catches to go with his 43 receiving yards, and Bombers safety Jeff Hecht added two key interceptions to help Winnipeg grab the road win.

Brandon Rutley made his presence known on special teams for the Lions with an incredible 108-yard kickoff return touchdown, and BC receiver Bryan Burnham led all pass catchers on the night with five receptions for 153 yards.

Both defences stood strong to start the game, with Lions defensive end Odell Willis notching his first sack of the season and 98th of his career. But Reilly got things going for BC near the end of the first quarter with two big throws to Burnham for 97 yards. The Leos appeared to be on their way to the end zone, but a time count violation caused the promising drive to stall. Lions kicker Sergio Castillo made the 23-yard field goal to put the first points on the board.

Nichols and the Bombers’ offence responded quickly to start the second quarter. The veteran passer led his offence down the field and made a brilliant throw on the run while escaping pressure to find trusted target Adams in the end zone for a five-yard score. Harris chipped in 15 rushing yards on the drive and kicker Justin Medlock knocked the extra point through to give Winnipeg an early 7-3 lead.

The Lions narrowed Winnipeg’s lead down to one point on a 40-yard field goal from Castillo after receiver Lemar Durant and running back John White moved the chains by turning short passes into significant gains.

Momentum remained firmly on the Bombers’ side as the ensuing drive unfolded, with Nichols making his biggest throw of the opening half on a 43-yard pass to Adams. Nichols demonstrated perfect touch and accuracy on the play action play to hit Adams in stride and put Winnipeg in position to add to its lead. Nichols capped off the drive with a 15-yard touchdown pass to Wolitarsky, and Medlock added the extra point to give the Bombers a 14-6 lead.

But the Lions answered back right away on the very next play, as running back and return specialist Brandon Rutley took the deep kickoff and used his speed to return it all the way to the end zone for a 108-yard touchdown as the home crowd roared. The Lions went for two points on the next play to even the score, and Reilly connected with new weapon Duron Carter in the left side of the end zone to make it a tie ball game.

The Leos took the lead on the final play of the half with Castillo’s third field goal of the game, a 45-yarder that put BC on top 17-14.

The Bombers stepped up on defence in the third quarter with a big interception from Hecht. The Bombers safety made a spectacular play by picking off Reilly and returning it 51 yards to set up a first-and-goal situation for Winnipeg. Nichols capitalized on the turnover by using his legs once again to extend the play to his left as he found Wolitarsky for a seven-yard touchdown pass to put the Bombers ahead. Medlock added the extra point to make it a 21-17 game.

It was now BC’s turn to respond, and the offence found a way to answer the call once again. Reilly found Carter for another key play, this time hitting his new receiver down the right side of the field for a 32-yard gain. The Lions regained the lead two plays later on a 15-yard touchdown strike from Reilly to Durant. But the extra point attempt from Castillo was blocked by Bombers defensive back Marcus Sayles. Brandon Alexander recovered the ball for Winnipeg before making a lateral to Chandler Fenner who took it 80 yards to the end zone for two points, tying the game at 23 points apiece.

Big gains on the ground and in the air from Harris helped set up a 30-yard go-ahead field goal from Medlock near the end of the third quarter, putting Winnipeg up 26-23.

The Bombers extended their lead in the fourth quarter with a one-yard rushing touchdown from quarterback Chris Streveler after Nichols put the team in position to score with big passes to Wolitarsky and Kenny Lawler. Medlock knocked the extra point through to make it a 10-point game.

Hecht added another key interception near the end of the game to seal the victory for the Blue and Gold.

Week 2 will see the BC Lions face the Edmonton Eskimos on the road next Friday at 9:00 P.M. EDT, while the Winnipeg Blue Bombers will have a week off before they host the Eskimos on June 27th.

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WEEK 2

Thursday, June 21, 2018
Time (ET) Away Home
7:30 PM Saskatchewan Roughriders Ottawa Redblacks

Friday, June 22, 2018
Time (ET) Away Home
7:00 PM Winnipeg Blue Bombers Montreal Alouettes
10:00 PM Hamilton Tiger Cats Edmonton Eskimos

Saturday, June 23, 2018
Time (ET) Away Home
7:00 PM Calgary Stampeders Toronto Argonauts


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CANADIAN FOOTBALL LEAGUE BEST BETS AND OPINIONS

DATE W-L-T % UNITS RECORD


06/15/2019 2-2-0 50.00% -1.00
06/13/2019 1-1-0 50.00% -0.50

Totals...............3-3-0 50.00% -1.50


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BEST BETS:


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


06/15/2019.............1 - 1.....................-0.50..................1 - 1....................-0.50..............-1.00
06/13/2019.............0 - 1.....................-5.50..................1 - 0....................-0.50..............-0.50


Totals..................... 1 - 2.....................-6.00..................2 - 1....................+4.50.............-1.50

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Sunday’s 6-pack

Six best college football QB’s for this year, according to Phil Steele’s magazine:

— Trevor Lawrence, Clemson

— Tua Tagovailoa, Alabama

— Sam Ehlinger, Texas

— Justin Herbert, Oregon

— Jalen Hurts, Oklahoma

— D’Eriq King, Houston

Tweet of the Day
“Ok, I say we all chip in and buy Whataburger back. Make honey butter chicken biscuits available all day, add kolaches to the menu and change nothing else. Especially not the ketchup.”
JJ Watt, after Whataburger was sold to a Chicago investment firm

Sunday’s quiz
Where did JJ Watt play his college football?

Saturday’s quiz
Chicago White Sox used to play their home games at Comiskey Park.

Friday’s quiz
Tom Seaver, Mike Piazza are the two players who have had their number retired by the Mets.

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Sunday’s List of 13: Wrapping up a sports Saturday…….

13) Happy Father’s Day to all the dads out there. Hope you all have a great day.

12) There are 25 guys in the major leagues right now whose dads also played in the big leagues.

11) New Orleans Pelicans traded Anthony Davis to the Lakers Saturday, for three players and three first round draft picks, one of which is the #4 pick in next week’s draft.

Celtics wouldn’t include Jayson Tatum in trade talks, which was a deal breaker for them.

10) There is no clock in baseball, except for the pitch clock:

Padres trailed 11-5 in the ninth inning Friday night, but tied the game and wound up winning 16-12 in extra innings. Horrific loss for the Rockies, who’ve played well recently.

9) Why do the Padres play Austin Hedges behind the plate every day?

He has a reputation as a great defensive catcher, but he’s hitting .217 at home, .154 on the road- it is like having two pitchers in the lineup. The guy can’t hit.

8) Dodgers led the Cubs 5-3 in 9th inning Friday night; Chicago had a guy on 2nd with two out, so tying run is at the plate. LA closer Kenley Jansen balks intentionally, so the runner can go to third base. Why?

Because when a runner is on second base, he can see the catcher’s signs, and relay them to the hitter; Jansen didn’t want that to happen, so he balked the runner to third and got the save.

7) Baseball stuff:
— Cubs put Kyle Hendricks (shoulder) on the IL
— Tigers put C Grayson Greiner (back) on IL.
— Indians traded P Brooks Pounders to the Mets for cash.

6) Pro golfer Patrick Reed hit a shot with a wedge on the 18th hole Friday, and he didn’t like it. He really, really didn’t like it.

He disliked it so much that he snapped the wedge in half over his knee, the way Bo Jackson used to do with his bat after he struck out. Looked like Kevin Costner in Tin Cup.

5) Cubs are considering putting a sportsbook in Wrigley Field, which would be interesting.

4) Angels DFA’d closer Cody Allen, who is getting $8.5M from the Halos this season; his ERA this year is 8.33, with 20 walks in 23 IP. Not good.

3) Phillies 8, Braves 5— Scary moment when Atlanta starter Sean Newcomb got drilled in the back of his head by a 102 mph liner off JT Realmuto’s bat. Newcomb left the game but is OK.

2) There are rumors that even though this is Bruce Bochy’s last year managing the Giants, he may not be done managing. Bochy could manage France in the next WBC (he was born there) or take a shot with another big league team, if that chance comes up. Who wouldn’t want to hire a guy who has won three World Series?

1) Christmas in June; the Phil Steele college football magazine came in the mail Saturday, marking the unofficial start to the college football season. Let the studying begin.

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Betting Recap - Week 1
Joe Williams

League Betting Notes

-- Favorites/underdogs went 2-2 SU in Week 1
-- Underdogs went 3-1 ATS in Week 1
-- Home/road teams posted a 2-2 SU record in Week 1
-- Away teams posted a 3-1 ATS record in Week 1
-- The 'Over' went 3-1 in Week 1

Analysis

Ottawa (1-0) picked up an impressive 32-28 road victory against Calgary (0-1), a little bit of revenge on their rivals' field after losing the Grey Cup to the Stampeders last November. 'Over' (50) bettors were in good shape after 49 points were on the board through three quarters. The fourth quarter was interesting, though, as the Stamps actually led 28-21 before getting blanked 11-0 in the first period.

Winnipeg (1-0) spent most of the week as an underdog, including opening as a two-point 'dog in Vancouver. The money came in on the Blue Bombers, and that was a wise investment. They won on the road against the BC Lions (0-1), taking a 33-23 decision. The game started off a bit slow with just three points on the board in the first quarter, but they posted 28 total points in the second quarter to snap things back on track.

In the first game of the weekend, Hamilton (1-0) got off on the right foot with a win and narrow cover against Saskatchewan (0-1), winning 23-17 as five-point favorite as the 'under' (48.5) connected.

We'll save the bad beat of the weekend for last, however. Edmonton (1-0) posted a 32-25 win against Montreal (0-1). It was bad for 'under' (49.5) bettors, who felt like they were in good shape with an 18-8 score on the board through three quarter. The teams combined for 31 points in the fourth quarter. Edmonton was covering for a majority of the game, but Montreal actually tied it up late before Edmonton picked up a touchdown with 1:07 to go.

Team Betting Notes

-- The Roughriders will look to cool off the RedBlacks in Week 2. Saskatchewan enters just 1-4 ATS in the past five road games, and they're 0-5 ATS in the past five Week 2 battles. They're also just 2-5 ATS in the past seven games in the month of June. In this series, Ottawa is 4-1 ATS in the past five meetings, with the 'over' 6-2 in the past eight.

-- Ottawa enters 5-1 ATS in the past six games, and 4-1 ATS in the past five outings at home. They're also 7-1 ATS in the past eight outings in the month of June, while going 4-0 ATS in the past four in Week 2.

-- The BC Lions travel to meet Edmonton on Friday night. The Lions are 0-4 ATS in the past four games overall, and they're 5-11 ATS in the past 16 road outings and 3-7 ATS in the past 10 in Week 2.

-- The Esks haven't been much better against the number, going 2-5 ATS in the past seven overall, including their bad beat non-cover in Week 1. They're also 1-4 ATS in the past five in Week 2, and 2-6 ATS in the past eight outings against teams with a losing overall record.

-- The over is 4-0-1 in the past five meetings between BC and Edmonton, and 4-1 in the past five meetings in Edmonton.

-- Toronto makes their 2019 regular-season debut, and they look to snap an 0-7 ATS against teams from the East to close out the 2018 campaign. The Tiger-Cats are 0-4 ATS in their past four against East teams, so something's gotta give.

-- Hamilton has destroyed Toronto in recent seasons, at least against the number, going 12-3 ATS in the past 15 meetings, and 8-2 ATS in their past 10 trips up the QEW. The over is 4-0 in the past four meetings, and 4-1-1 in the past six battles in TO.

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CFL Betting Notes - Week 2
David Schwab

The CFL returned to action this past weekend and the favorites went 3-1 straight-up with an even 2-2 record ATS. Hamilton got things started on Thursday night with a 23-17 victory against Saskatchewan to cover as a 4 ½-point home favorite. On Friday night, Edmonton got past Montreal 32-25, but the Eskimos could not cover as eight-point favorites at home.

Saturday’s doubleheader of betting action started off with Ottawa stunning Calgary 32-28 as an 8 ½-point road underdog in a rematch of last season’s Grey Cup title game. Winnipeg scored another victory for the road teams with a 33-23 victory against British Columbia as a slight one-point favorite.

Thursday, June 20

Saskatchewan Roughriders (0-1 SU, 0-1 ATS) at Ottawa RedBlacks (1-0 SU, 1-0 ATS)
Point-spread: Ottawa -5 ½
Total: 48 ½

Game Overview

The Roughriders were hoping to make a run to the top of the West this season with a healthy Zach Collaros at quarterback, but an injury on his opening drive in Thursday’s loss brought an early end to his night.

Both Cody Fajardo and Isaac Harker saw playing time in his place and combined for 194 yards passing and zero touchdown throws against a pair of interceptions. One bright spot of the night was William Powell’s 104 yards rushing and one touchdown on 20 carries.

Ottawa got off to a solid start in defense of last season’s East Division title. Dominique Davis is the RedBlacks’ new starting quarterback and he did more damage with his legs than his throwing arm in Saturday’s big win in Calgary.

He ended that game with 276 yards passing, but he was picked off four times without finding the end zone through the air. He did run the ball five times for 10 yards with three of those rushing attempts going for scores. Mossis Madu ran the ball 24 times for 112 yards to highlight the running game.

Betting Trends

-- Ottawa has a 4-1 edge ATS in its last five games against Saskatchewan. The total has gone OVER in six of the last eight meetings in this inter-division tilt. The Roughriders have won four of their last six road games against Ottawa SU.


Friday, June 21

British Columbia Lions (0-1 SU, 0-1 ATS) at Edmonton Eskimos (1-0 SU, 0-1 ATS)
Point-spread: Edmonton -4 ½
Total: 55 ½

Game Overview

The much anticipated debut of Mike Reilly as BC’s new quarterback did not disappoint other than the final score of Saturday’s loss. He put the ball up 39 times and completed 22 passes for 324 yards and one touchdown throw. He was also picked off twice.

He completed passes to six different players including five throws to Bryan Burnham for 153 yards. The Lions’ ground game was non-existent with John White running the ball four times for four yards.

The Eskimos turned to Trevor Harris as their replacement for Reilly at quarterback. He made an even bigger splash with his new team by throwing for 447 yards and three scores with no interceptions. He put the ball up 41 times and completed 32 passes to seven different players.

Ricky Collins was the leading receiver with nine catches for 175 yards. Edmonton also got a strong effort from CJ Gable running the ball. He gained 154 yards rushing on 20 carries.

Betting Trends

-- Edmonton as a SU 7-3 edge against BC over the past 10 meetings, including a perfect 5-0 run at home. The Eskimos have covered in four of their last six home games against BC with the total going OVER in four of the last six meetings in Edmonton.


Saturday, June 22

Hamilton Tiger-Cats (1-0 SU, 1-0 ATS) at Toronto Argonauts (0-0 SU, 0-0 ATS)
Point-spread: Hamilton -2 ½
Total: 52

Game Overview

Expectations for the Tiger-Cats were running high heading in to Week 1 as favorites to win the East this season. Jeremiah Masoli threw for the second-most yards last year in the CFL and he started this season with 169 yards passing and one score while completing 17 of his 28 attempts in Thursday’s win.

Brandon Banks had a big game catching the ball with six receptions for 77 yards and a score. Hamilton gained just 63 yards on the ground while allowing 172 rushing yards on defense.

Saturday will be Corey Chamblin’s debut as Toronto’s new head coach. He was the defensive coordinator for the Argonauts in their run to the 2017 Grey Cup title. Following the team’s fall from grace to just four victories last season, there is definitely some work to be done to get back on track.

James Franklin will get the start at quarterback, but he could be on a short leash if things get out of hand early. One of his top targets should be wide receiver Derel Walker, who came to Toronto from Edmonton this past offseason.

Betting Trends

-- The Tiger-Cats have covered ATS in eight of their last 10 road games against the Argonauts and the total has gone OVER in five of the last six meetings in Toronto. Hamilton also has a 4-1 edge both SU and ATS in the last five meetings overall.

[StarDust Bum]

CFL
Long Sheet

Week 2

Thursday, June 20

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SASKATCHEWAN (0 - 1) at OTTAWA (1 - 0) - 6/20/2019, 7:30 PM
Top Trends for this game.
OTTAWA is 12-2 ATS (+9.8 Units) in June games since 1996.
SASKATCHEWAN is 86-61 ATS (+18.9 Units) as an underdog of 3.5 to 9.5 points since 1996.
SASKATCHEWAN is 141-104 ATS (+26.6 Units) as an underdog since 1996.

Head-to-Head Series History
OTTAWA is 4-1 against the spread versus SASKATCHEWAN over the last 3 seasons
OTTAWA is 3-2 straight up against SASKATCHEWAN over the last 3 seasons
3 of 5 games in this series have gone OVER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons

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Friday, June 21

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BRITISH COLUMBIA (0 - 1) at EDMONTON (1 - 0) - 6/21/2019, 9:00 PM
Top Trends for this game.
BRITISH COLUMBIA is 60-36 ATS (+20.4 Units) as an underdog of 3.5 to 9.5 points since 1996.
BRITISH COLUMBIA is 39-23 ATS (+13.7 Units) as a road underdog of 3.5 to 7 points since 1996.
EDMONTON is 57-81 ATS (-32.1 Units) when playing on a Friday since 1996.
EDMONTON is 0-8 ATS (-8.8 Units) in home games when playing against a team with a losing record over the last 3 seasons.

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

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Saturday, June 22

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HAMILTON (1 - 0) at TORONTO (0-0) - 6/22/2019, 7:00 PM
Top Trends for this game.
HAMILTON is 3-11 ATS (-9.1 Units) when playing on a Saturday over the last 3 seasons.
TORONTO is 22-45 ATS (-27.5 Units) in a home game where the total is greater than or equal to 52 since 1996.

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

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CFL

Week 2

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Trend Report
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Thursday, June 20

Saskatchewan Roughriders
Saskatchewan is 3-6 ATS in its last 9 games
Saskatchewan is 9-4 SU in its last 13 games
The total has gone UNDER in 4 of Saskatchewan's last 6 games
Saskatchewan is 1-4 ATS in its last 5 games on the road
Saskatchewan is 5-2 SU in its last 7 games on the road
The total has gone OVER in 4 of Saskatchewan's last 6 games on the road
Saskatchewan is 1-4 ATS in its last 5 games when playing Ottawa
The total has gone OVER in 6 of Saskatchewan's last 8 games when playing Ottawa
Saskatchewan is 4-2 SU in its last 6 games when playing on the road against Ottawa

Ottawa RedBlacks
Ottawa is 5-1 ATS in its last 6 games
Ottawa is 5-1 SU in its last 6 games
Ottawa is 4-1 ATS in its last 5 games at home
Ottawa is 4-1 SU in its last 5 games at home
Ottawa is 4-1 ATS in its last 5 games when playing Saskatchewan
The total has gone OVER in 6 of Ottawa's last 8 games when playing Saskatchewan
Ottawa is 2-4 SU in its last 6 games when playing at home against Saskatchewan


Friday, June 21

British Columbia Lions
British Columbia is 1-4 ATS in its last 5 games
British Columbia is 1-4 SU in its last 5 games
British Columbia is 5-11 ATS in its last 16 games on the road
British Columbia is 3-13 SU in its last 16 games on the road
British Columbia is 2-4 ATS in its last 6 games when playing Edmonton
British Columbia is 3-7 SU in its last 10 games when playing Edmonton
The total has gone OVER in 4 of British Columbia's last 5 games when playing Edmonton
British Columbia is 2-4 ATS in its last 6 games when playing on the road against Edmonton
British Columbia is 0-5 SU in its last 5 games when playing on the road against Edmonton
The total has gone OVER in 4 of British Columbia's last 5 games when playing on the road against Edmonton

Edmonton Eskimos
Edmonton is 2-5 ATS in its last 7 games
Edmonton is 8-1 SU in its last 9 games at home
The total has gone OVER in 4 of Edmonton's last 6 games at home
Edmonton is 4-2 ATS in its last 6 games when playing British Columbia
Edmonton is 7-3 SU in its last 10 games when playing British Columbia
The total has gone OVER in 4 of Edmonton's last 5 games when playing British Columbia
Edmonton is 4-2 ATS in its last 6 games when playing at home against British Columbia
Edmonton is 5-0 SU in its last 5 games when playing at home against British Columbia
The total has gone OVER in 4 of Edmonton's last 5 games when playing at home against British Columbia


Saturday, June 22

Hamilton Tiger-Cats
Hamilton is 2-4 ATS in its last 6 games
Hamilton is 2-4 SU in its last 6 games
The total has gone OVER in 9 of Hamilton's last 12 games
Hamilton is 2-3-1 ATS in its last 6 games on the road
Hamilton is 2-4 SU in its last 6 games on the road
The total has gone OVER in 5 of Hamilton's last 5 games on the road
Hamilton is 4-1 ATS in its last 5 games when playing Toronto
Hamilton is 4-1 SU in its last 5 games when playing Toronto
The total has gone OVER in 4 of Hamilton's last 5 games when playing Toronto
Hamilton is 8-2 ATS in its last 10 games when playing on the road against Toronto
Hamilton is 4-2 SU in its last 6 games when playing on the road against Toronto
The total has gone OVER in 5 of Hamilton's last 6 games when playing on the road against Toronto

Toronto Argonauts
Toronto is 1-5 ATS in its last 6 games
Toronto is 1-9 SU in its last 10 games
The total has gone OVER in 6 of Toronto's last 9 games
The total has gone OVER in 5 of Toronto's last 7 games at home
Toronto is 1-4 ATS in its last 5 games when playing Hamilton
Toronto is 1-4 SU in its last 5 games when playing Hamilton
The total has gone OVER in 4 of Toronto's last 5 games when playing Hamilton
Toronto is 2-8 ATS in its last 10 games when playing at home against Hamilton
Toronto is 2-4 SU in its last 6 games when playing at home against Hamilton
The total has gone OVER in 5 of Toronto's last 6 games when playing at home against Hamilton

[StarDust Bum]

CFL
Dunkel

Thursday, June 20

Saskatchewan @ Ottawa

Game 689-690
June 20, 2019 @ 7:30 pm

Dunkel Rating:
Saskatchewan
112.537
Ottawa
112.477
Dunkel Team:
Dunkel Line:
Dunkel Total:
Saskatchewan
Even
43
Vegas Team:
Vegas Line:
Vegas Total:
Ottawa
by 5
45
Dunkel Pick:
Saskatchewan
(+5); Under


Friday, June 21

BC Lions @ Edmonton

Game 691-692
June 21, 2019 @ 9:00 pm

Dunkel Rating:
BC Lions
109.157
Edmonton
110.689
Dunkel Team:
Dunkel Line:
Dunkel Total:
Edmonton
by 1 1/2
53
Vegas Team:
Vegas Line:
Vegas Total:
Edmonton
by 4 1/2
55 1/2
Dunkel Pick:
BC Lions
(+4 1/2); Under


Saturday, June 22

Hamilton @ Toronto

Game 693-694
June 22, 2019 @ 4:00 pm

Dunkel Rating:
Hamilton
113.535
Toronto
101.050
Dunkel Team:
Dunkel Line:
Dunkel Total:
Hamilton
by 12 1/2
54
Vegas Team:
Vegas Line:
Vegas Total:
Hamilton
by 2 1/2
52
Dunkel Pick:
Hamilton
(-2 1/2); Over


**************************************


CFL
Armadillo's Write-Up

Week 2

Saskatchewan (0-1) @ Ottawa (1-0) (-5.5, 45.5)— RedBlacks won three of last four meetings; road team won five of last six series games- Roughriders won three of last four visits here, losing 40-17 (+2) LY. Six of last eight series games went over the total. Saskatchewan (+4) lost 23-17 in Hamilton LW, after leading 13-10 at half, giving up go-ahead TD on a punt return. Riders had a 366-232 edge in yardage, but were -2 in turnovers. Ottawa (+9) won 32-28 in Calgary LW, after trailing 18-6 in first quarter- they outscored Stampeders 9-0 in 4th quarter.

BC Lions (0-1) @ Edmonton (1-0) (-4, 55)— Home side won seven of last nine series games; Lions lost last four visits to Edmonton, last two by 19-11 points. Over is 4-0-1 in last five series games. Lions (even) lost 33-23 at home to Winnipeg LW, despite running kick back for a TD; BC was -2 in turnovers in Reilly’s first game against his old team. Eskimos scored with 1:30 left to edge Montreal 32-25 LW; Edmonton led 18-8 after three quarters, holding Alouettes to a single point in 2nd/3rd quarters- they had 35 first downs and gained 608 TY.

Hamilton (1-0) (-3.5, 52) @ Toronto (0-0)— Season opener for Toronto, downside of having a 9-team league. Ti-Cats won last three series games SU, by 14-11-14 points, covered 12 of last 15: they won last two visits here, 34-20/36-25. Winning side scored 34+ points in last five series games. Last six Hamilton-Toronto games went over. Hamilton held off Saskatchewan 23-17 LW, despite being outgained 366-232; they held Riders to four points in second half, after trailing 13-10 at halftime.

[StarDust Bum]

CFL Week 2

Saskatchewan (0-1) @ Ottawa (1-0) (-5.5, 45.5)— RedBlacks won three of last four meetings; road team won five of last six series games- Roughriders won three of last four visits here, losing 40-17 (+2) LY. Six of last eight series games went over the total. Saskatchewan (+4) lost 23-17 in Hamilton LW, after leading 13-10 at half, giving up go-ahead TD on a punt return. Riders had a 366-232 edge in yardage, but were -2 in turnovers. Ottawa (+9) won 32-28 in Calgary LW, after trailing 18-6 in first quarter- they outscored Stampeders 9-0 in 4th quarter.

BC Lions (0-1) @ Edmonton (1-0) (-4, 55)— Home side won seven of last nine series games; Lions lost last four visits to Edmonton, last two by 19-11 points. Over is 4-0-1 in last five series games. Lions (even) lost 33-23 at home to Winnipeg LW, despite running kick back for a TD; BC was -2 in turnovers in Reilly’s first game against his old team. Eskimos scored with 1:30 left to edge Montreal 32-25 LW; Edmonton led 18-8 after three quarters, holding Alouettes to a single point in 2nd/3rd quarters- they had 35 first downs and gained 608 TY.

Hamilton (1-0) (-3.5, 52) @ Toronto (0-0)— Season opener for Toronto, downside of having a 9-team league. Ti-Cats won last three series games SU, by 14-11-14 points, covered 12 of last 15: they won last two visits here, 34-20/36-25. Winning side scored 34+ points in last five series games. Last six Hamilton-Toronto games went over. Hamilton held off Saskatchewan 23-17 LW, despite being outgained 366-232; they held Riders to four points in second half, after trailing 13-10 at halftime.

[StarDust Bum]

SIZE=1]Armadillo: Thursday's six-pack

Odds to win Travelers Championship this week:

7-1— Brooks Koepka

10-1— Patrick Cantlay

16-1— Paul Casey, Jordan Spieth

18-1— Jason Day, Francesco Molinari

20-1— Justin Thomas

25-1— DeChambeau, Fleetwood, Leishman, Oosthuizen, Watson


**********

Armadillo: Thursday's List of 13: Doing some thinking out loud…….

13) Nationals 2, Phillies 0— Max Scherzer broke his nose Tuesday during bunting practice, but he pitched the nightcap of this twinbill a day later, though he looked like Rocky Balboa, with a blackened right eye.

Throwing seven shutout innings the day after you break your nose is excellent.

12) Newly-signed P Dallas Keuchel will make his 2019 debut for the Braves Friday night against Washington.

11) San Diego’s Manny Machado hit a high infield pop-up Wednesday; four Brewers stared at each other and the ball fell harmlessly to the ground between the mound and the first base line. No one touched it, so it was called a single, which drives me nuts.

How the bleep can the pitcher be penalized for that? Next guy walked, next guy hit a home run and he gets nailed for three earned runs? That rule has to change; just plain stupid.

10) Milwaukee TV analyst Bill Schroeder, who is very good, ripped Machado for not being on second base when the ball fell, which ignites a different debate.

That ball gets caught 99 times out of 100; do you want your players sprinting when there is a 1% chance of getting an extra base, as opposed to a higher chance of pulling a muscle? I can see both sides of this argument.

9) Memphis Grizzlies traded PG Mike Conley to Utah for Kyle Korver, Jae Crowder and Grayson Allen, as well as two draft picks. Conley scored 21.1 ppg LY; he played the first 12 years of his NBA career with the Grizzlies.

8) Braves 7, Mets 2— Nick Markakis had played in 240 consecutive games, longest active streak in the major leagues; he didn’t start this game, but had a 2-run pinch single in the 8th inning to extend his streak to 241.

7) Baseball stuff:
— Braves put P Sean Newcomb on 7-day concussion IL.
— Tampa Bay put 3B Yandy Diaz (hamstring) on IL.

6) Random movie/TV trivia: actress Shera Danese, who played Vicky, the 2nd hooker in Risky Business, was married to Peter Falk (Columbo) for 34 years until he died in 2011. She appeared in six of the Columbo movies, from 1976-97.

5) College basketball transfer portal:
— F Karrington Davis bolts from Nebraska to Southern Illinois.

4) Alex Meruelo, who owns the SLS Las Vegas hotel/casino, was approved to become the owner of the NHL’s Arizona Coyotes. SLS has the smallest rooms I’ve ever stayed in in Las Vegas, but it was a cool place. Good food places there.

3) Detroit Lions’ QB Matthew Stafford played last season despite “tiny fractures in his back”; he was listed as questionable in Weeks 14-16, but started all three games.

2) Lakers and Pelicans are reportedly set to complete the Anthony Davis trade July 6; had they waited until July 30 to make the deal, LA would’ve saved $9M in cap space, and that difference could prevent them from pursuing another free agent for a max contract. No bueno.

1) Told you few days ago about this terrific new book “Then One Day” that I am reading now. Written by Chris Andrews, who runs the sportsbook at SouthPoint in Las Vegas, it is filled with stories from the gambling world over the last 40 years. An example……..

Have you ever played Keno in a casino? Keno is Chinese in origin; the guy who introduced it in Nevada casinos a long, long time ago got the idea by talking to Chinese immigrants who were working on the railroad in Montana, where the guy lived at the time.

I’ve never played Keno myself, but you always see people playing it in casinos. Knowing how it became a thing in Nevada, coming from China, is pretty interesting.[/SIZE]

[StarDust Bum]

CFL Week 2 preview, odds, picks and predictions: Argonauts add more weapons
Rohit Ponnaiya

James Wilder Jr. should play a major role for the Toronto Argonauts as they take on the Hamilton Tiger-Cats in their CFL season opener on Saturday.

We went 2-2 in our betting predictions to kick off Week 1 of the CFL, which is kind of like ordering a salad in a steakhouse, sufficient but disappointing. We head back to the board for the matchups in Week 2 with Mike Reilly making his return to Edmonton and Toronto playing its season opener against next-door neighbor Hamilton.

What did we learn from Week 1? Underdogs still rule early in the season with 'dogs going 3-1 ATS. Overs, on the other hand, went 3-1 reversing a trend which saw them go 1-3 in Week 1 during each of the last two years. We break down the odds and give you our best bets and predictions for the three games in Week 2 of the CFL.

Week 1 Picks: 2-2

SASKATCHEWAN ROUGHRIDERS AT OTTAWA REDBLACKS

Line: Ottawa -5.5, O/U 44
Time: Thursday, June 20, 7:30 p.m. ET

The O/U for this game opened at 49.5 and has already plummeted to 44. The Riders defense proved they were legit last week, holding Hamilton's high-powered offense to a combined 232 passing and rushing yards. They failed to pull off the win though, with their offense also sputtering after quarterback Zach Collaros was sidelined following a vicious hit to the head early in the opening quarter.

Collaros had a history of concussion problems prior to getting knocked out of that game, and has been placed on the 6-game injured list. Riders coach Craig Dickenson is still undecided on who will start at QB on Thursday between Cody Fajardo and Isaac Harker.

The Redblacks stunned prognosticators - including yours truly - last week by shocking the defending champion Stampeders with a fourth-quarter comeback in Calgary. Ottawa lost a plethora of key players on offense from last year but were still able to put up points thanks to new starters in Mossis Maddu (112 rushing yards) and QB Dominique Davis who ran for three touchdowns and passed for 276 yards (making up for the four picks he threw).

I would have backed the Under for this game at anything above 46, but the current total of 44 is giving me pause. That said, the Riders' situation under center is an absolute mess; Harker was probably the better passer in Week 1 but he's a rookie from the Colorado School of Mines (raise your hand if you think that sounds fake).

Whoever plays QB will be in trouble against a Redblacks defense that returns 11 of 12 starters from last year and held the Stamps to 318 combined rushing and passing yards last week. I'm laying the points with Ottawa.

PICK: Ottawa -5.5


BC LIONS AT EDMONTON ESKIMOS

Line: Edmonton -4, O/U 55.5
Time: Friday, June 21, 9:00 p.m. ET

The marquee matchup of Week 2 features a head-to-head battle between star QBs Mike Reilly and Trevor Harris, with Reilly making his return to Edmonton after six years as the Eskimos starter. Harris fit in seamlessly in his first game with Edmonton racking up 447 passing yards and three TDs in the opener. Reilly threw for 324 yards in his BC debut but completed less than 57 percent of his passes and was picked off twice. That said, Edmonton played against woeful Montreal while the Lions played against a Blue Bombers squad that might be the best in the league.

Despite the stellar signal-callers, both of these teams showed flaws on offense in Week 1. Edmonton outgained Montreal 608-325 in terms of combined passing and rushing yards but won by just seven points because of sloppy turnovers. BC had a one-dimensional offense against the Bombers, running the ball just four times (that's not a typo they had FOUR freaking carries all game). However, expect the Lions to play with more balance on Friday against a Esks run defense that was gashed for 134 yards on 17 carries against the Alouettes.

The difference-maker could be the Lions' superior return unit led by Brandon Rutley. They piled up 457 kickoff return yards versus the Bombers, including a 108 yard touchdown. I faded the Lions in Week 1 and felt they were a bit overrated going into the season but they are flying a bit under the radar for this game. Back BC and the points.

PICK: BC +4


HAMILTON TIGER-CATS AT TORONTO ARGONAUTS

Line: Hamilton -2.5, O/U 52
Time: Saturday, June 22, 4:00 p.m. ET

The Argonauts will play their first game of the season on Saturday. After winning the Grey Cup in 2017 they tied for the fewest wins in the league last year, going 4-14. All four of those wins came at home, but they took the L in both of their home tilts with the Ti-Cats, losing 36-25 in September and 34-20 in October.

Hamilton QB Jeremiah Masoli had a rough start to the season, completing 17 of 28 passes for 169 yards. But we predicted as much since he was going up against a tough Saskatchewan defense that shut him down in two games last season as well. This is still the same QB that threw for 5209 yards for the No. 1 rated offense in 2018 and Hamilton's offense has stayed more or less intact - which is a rare sight in a league with as much offseason turnover as the CFL.

The Argos allowed a league-worst 560 points last year and despite adding DB Kevin Fogg will likely not be much better. Masoli struggled against some of the better defenses in the league last year but absolutely tore up the Argos, averaging 343.3 yards through the air and tossing 12 TDs in three games.

On offense, Toronto should be improved from the unit that scored the second-fewest points in the league last year at 20.5 per game. They added WR Derel Walker (875 receving yards in just 11 games in 2018), RB Tyrell Sutton and former Florida Gator speedster Chris Rainey ( 452 rushing and receiving yards with an additional 2,112 yards on returns), along with first overall draft pick OL Shane Richards from Oklahoma State.

Argo running back James Wilder Jr, one of the top HS recruits in the U.S. class of 2011, is expected to play after leaving Toronto to deal with a family issue. Wilder has been on the verge of a breakout campaign for a couple seasons and missed five games with various ailments in 2018. Quarterback James Franklin also played with more consistency towards the end of last season. Take the Over.

PICK: Over 52

[StarDust Bum]

THURSDAY, JUNE 20
GAME TIME(ET) PICK UNITS

SSK at OTT 07:30 PM

OTT -4.5

U 43.5