Cnotes 2018 Canadian Football League Picks - News - Trends !

[CNOTES]

GAME RECAP


STAMPS GALLOP AWAY IN SECOND HALF TO TOP ARGOS AT MCMAHON


CALGARY — The Calgary Stampeders advanced to the playoffs for a club-record 14th straight season after a 38-16 home victory against the Toronto Argonauts on Friday night. Receiver Marken Michel stepped up in a major way for the Stamps, scoring a 36-yard rushing touchdown to open the scoring and a 21-yard receiving touchdown to help put the game out of reach.


While the Argos were only down by four points at halftime, the Stamps completely took over in the second half and scored 24 unanswered points to improve their record to 11-2 while handing Toronto their fifth straight loss.


Bo Levi Mitchell chipped in a productive performance for Calgary, completing 20 of 24 passes for 307 yards and two touchdowns. Mitchell completed passes to nine different receivers and now has touchdown passes in 14 consecutive games.


An impressive 36-yard sweep play by Michel opened up the scoring on the Stamps’ first drive of the game. Michel got into open space and used his speed to make multiple Argo defenders miss on his way to the end zone. But the extra point kick went wide to the right, leaving Calgary with the early 6-0 lead.


The Argos responded right away with a touchdown drive of their own, as a 17-yard completion from McLeod Bethel-Thompson to S.J. Green set up a one-yard quarterback sneak touchdown run by James Franklin, his 12th rushing score of the season. Zack Medeiros added the extra point to grab the one-point lead for Toronto.


Calgary suffered a major loss in the first quarter when receiver Reggie Begelton went down with an injury during a special teams play. The 25-year-old receiver was carted off to the locker room and did not return. The Stamps did regain the lead shortly after when the Argos surrendered a safety, putting Calgary up 8-7.


Kicker Rene Paredes extended Calgary’s lead to four points with a 13-yard field goal near the start of the second quarter. Mitchell set up the field goal with key completions to young receivers Markeith Ambles and Richard Sindani.


Green came through with one of the nicest plays of the season so far when he stretched out to make a highlight reel 29-yard grab near the left sideline. The spectacular catch helped the Argos pull within a point by setting up a successful 29-yard field goal from Medeiros.


The Stamps quickly battled back, with Mitchell finding Ambles again for a big 44-yard gain to put the team in scoring position. But the Argo’s defence held strong and forced Calgary to settle for a nine-yard field goal from Paredes, giving the Stamps a 14-10 lead at halftime.


Calgary added to their lead at the start of the second half when a big 40-yard catch from Julan Lynch brought the team into Argos territory. Mitchell dropped the pass in perfectly where only Lynch could get it, and the receiver gained 13 yards after the catch to set up a 14-yard field goal from Paredes that gave the Stamps a 17-10 lead.


The Argos attempted to answer back, but Bethel-Thompson was picked off by Stamps defensive back Brandon Smith while attempting to complete a throw to Armanti Edwards. The Stamps’ offence capitalized right away with a two-yard quarterback sneak touchdown run from Nick Arbuckle. Paredes added the extra point to put Calgary on top 24-10 in the third quarter.


Michel struck again in the fourth quarter with another big touchdown play. The 25-year-old receiver showcased his playmaking ability once again by taking a Mitchell pass and gaining an extra 17 yards after the catch to accelerate his way to the end zone for the score. Paredes knocked the convert through to give Calgary a 31-10 lead.


Calgary didn’t take their foot off the gas pedal after that, and Mitchell threw his second touchdown strike of the night by hitting receiver Juwan Brescacin for a 5-yard score. The touchdown was set up by another impressive play from Lynch in which he gained took a short pass and gained 22 yards. The extra point gave the Stamps a 38-10 lead in the fourth quarter.


The Argos added another short rushing touchdown in the game’s final minute when Bethel-Thompson scored from a yard out, but it was too little too late as the Stamps walked away with the 38-16 victory to clinch a playoff spot.


The Toronto Argonauts will be on the road again in Week 17 when they face the BC Lions on October 6th, while the Calgary Stampeders will travel to take on the Montreal Alouettes on October 8th.

 

[CNOTES]

Sept. Picks................and Best Bets


09/28/2018 2-0-0 100.00% +10.00
09/22/2018 4-2-0 66.66% +9.00
09/21/2018 1-1-0 50.00% -0.50
09/07/2018 0-2-0 0.00% -11.00
09/03/2018 1-3-0 25.00% -11.50
09/02/2018 1-0-1 100.00% +5.00




TOTALS............5-6-1........45.45%......-8.00




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




09/28/2018..........1 - 0.................+5.00..................1 - 0..................+5.00..............+10.00
09/22/2018..........3 - 0.................+15.00................1 - 2...................-6.00...............+9.00
09/21/2018..........0 - 1.................-5.50...................1 - 0..................+5.00...............-0.50
09/07/2018..........0 - 1.................-5.50...................0 - 1...................-5.50...............-11.00
09/03/2018..........0 - 2.................-11.00.................1 - 1...................-0.50...............-11.50
09/02/2018..........1 - 0.................+5.00..................0 - 0..................+0.00..............+5.00




TOTALS................5 - 4..................+3.00................4 - 4...................-2.00................+1.00

 

[CNOTES]

Saturday’s six-pack


Teams ranked #7-12 in Blue Ribbon Yearbook’s top 25 basketball teams:


12) North Carolina Tar Heels


11) Mississippi State Bulldogs


10) Michigan State Spartans


9) Oregon Ducks


8) Auburn Tigers


7) Virginia Cavaliers


Quote of the Day
“I worked out with him (Jimmy Butler) all summer so when I said what I meant, it was like a right hook, I didn’t see it coming. I didn’t know. I thought — it looked like from everything things were going good. But sometimes it’s a money aspect and fans and different players got to understand that. I understand that with being in the league for so many years, but got to try to just see what we can do. … One thing about everybody who’s here, from the coaching staff, players, everybody’s familiar with each other, we’ve been through a lot together so we just got to keep trying.”
Timberwolves’ Taj Gibson


Saturday’s quiz
Where did Jimmy Butler play his college basketball?


Friday’s quiz
Before the Texas Rangers became the Texas Rangers, they were the Washington Senators.


Thursday’s quiz
The Sun Bowl is held in El Paso, TX every December.


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


Saturday’s List of 13: Trends on non-top 13 college football games


13) Army lost in OT at Oklahoma LW; they’re 9-4-1 vs spread in last 14 games as a single digit underdog. Under Monken, Cadets are 7-7-2 as road underdogs. Buffalo is 3-0-1 in last four games as a home favorite. Home side won last three series games, with all three games decided by 8 or fewer points.


12) Northern Illinois won its last six games with Eastern Michigan, last two 30-27/31-24. NIU is 10-5 as road underdogs under Carey, 0-2 this year. Since ’08, EMU is 5-12 as home favorites, 3-3 in last six. Eagles are 14-15 SU in their last 29 games, after going 7-41 from 2012-15.


11) Syracuse upset Clemson at home LY, after losing 54-0 in Death Valley two years ago; under Babers, Orange are 7-3 as road underdogs- they covered seven of last nine games when getting 20+ points. Since 2008, Tigers are 12-21 when laying 20+ points.


10) Air Force won three of last four games with Nevada, with average total in those games, 84. Wolf Pack lost 45-48 OT/48-31 in last two visits here. Nevada is 4-9 in its last 16 games as home favorites, 7-9 in last 16 games as single digit dogs. Since 2009, Falcons are 8-16 as MW home favorites.


9) Arizona State/Oregon State split last six meetings; Beavers lost 30-17/35-20 in last two trips to Tempe. Since ’12, ASU is 19-11 as home favorites; they covered only one of last five when laying 20+ points. Since 2014, OSU is 7-14-1 as road underdogs, 2-4-1 when getting 20+ points.


8) Underdogs covered five of last six Georgia-Tennessee games. Dawgs beat Tennessee 41-0 in Knoxville LY; prior to that, previous five meetings were all decided by 7 or fewer points, with average total of 67. Vols are 0-6 vs spread last six times they got 20+ points.


7) TCU won four of last five games with Iowa State, losing 14-7 (-6 in Ames LY; Cyclones are 6-4 as road underdogs under Campbell, 5-2 in last seven games as double digit dogs. TCU lost last two games to Ohio St/Texas; they’re 2-9-1 in last dozen games as home favorites.


6) Not only is Nebraska 0-3 for first time since 1945; they’re 0-9 vs spread in last nine home games; Cornhuskers won four of last five games with Purdue, winning 27-14/35-14 in last two games played here. Underdogs are 22-7 vs spread in Purdue’s last 29 road games; since 2012. Boilers are 0-3 as road favorites.


5) Louisiana Tech won three of last four games with North Texas, but Mean Green upset Tech 24-23 in Ruston LY- road teams won four of last five series games. Since 2011, UNT is 14-7 as home favorite, but only 2-5 in last seven C-USA games as a HF. Tech is 11-3 in last 14 games as a road underdog.


4) Western Kentucky won three of last four games with Marshall, but lost 30-23 (+10) in Huntington LY. Since 2014, Marshall is 8-6-1 as road favorites; they’re 6-3-1 in last 10 games as single digit dogs. Since 2009, Hilltoppers are 12-5 as home underdogs.


3) Florida Atlantic beat Middle Tennessee 38-20 LY, ending 9-game series skid; under Kiffin, FAU is 9-3 vs spread as favorites, 3-1 on road. Since ’08, Blue Raiders are 4-10 as home dogs. Owls lost last visit to Murfreesboro 77-56 two years ago.


2) Boise State won five of last six games with Wyoming, losing 30-28 (-14) in last visit to Laramie, two years ago (Josh Allen was Wyoming’s QB). Since ’08, Boise is 37-16 as a road favorite- they’re 15-19 in last 34 games when laying 10+ points.


1) Michigan beat Northwestern 38-0 at home in 2015, teams’ last meeting; Wolverines won last three visits to Evanston, by 1-8ot-18 points. Since ’13, Michigan is 5-8 as road favorites; they’re 17-18 in last 35 games as double digit favorites. Wildcats are 7-3 in last 10 games as double digit underdogs.

 

[CNOTES]

PREVIEW


TICATS LOOK TO GET EVEN IN REMATCH WITH LIONS


HAMILTON — The Hamilton Tiger-Cats and BC Lions will close out their home-and-home series at Tim Hortons Field on Saturday in a rematch of what may have been the CFL game of the year.


The Lions emerged with a thrilling 35-32 overtime victory in Week 15 after scoring a touchdown and two-point conversion on the final play of regulation to send the game into OT.


There was controversy surrounding the Ticats’ decision to kick a punt single rather than attempt a 44-yard field goal with less than a minute left in the game. Rather than potentially being down by 10 points, BC got the ball back down by only eight.


Lions quarterback Jonathon Jennings executed a miraculous drive in the dying second of the game that led to a 20-yard Bryan Burnham touchdown with zeros on the clock. Jennings found Burnham again for the two-point covert. The initial ruling on the field of an incomplete pass was overturned after video review showed that Burnham was in bounds.


The two squads exchanged field goals on their first possessions in overtime, but the Ticats’ second attempt from 42 yards out went wide. The miss set up a 39-yard game-winning field goal for Lions kicker Ty Long.


“It was crazy,” Jennings told BCLions.com post-game. “When you’re in the moment, it doesn’t seem as crazy, but when you look back and see all the things we had to jump through at the end of the game to find a way to win, it’s nuts.”


Jennings finished the night with 347 yards and three touchdown passes. His favourite target of the night was Burnham, who collected 90 yards and two touchdowns on 10 catches.


Both received Shaw CFL Top Performer of the Week honours.


Defensive tackle Davon Coleman was also impressive, racking up three quarterback sacks against his former squad.


Jeremiah Masoli threw for 311 yards and two touchdowns. Mike Jones was on the receiving end of both touchdown passes, finishing with a career high 138 yards.


Linebacker Larry Dean had a game-high and career-high 11 tackles.


When asked about the decision to not attempt a field goal late in the game, Jones said the clock was the biggest factor.


“You’ve got that much time, you’re going to win the game right?” Jones told Ticats.ca. “Who thinks they’re going to go touchdown and two-point conversion.”


Hamilton will get a boost with the return of Brandon Banks. The team’s leading receiver is expected to play after missing the past two games with a groin injury.


‘Speedy B’ says it has been tough to watch his team from the sidelines.


“I don’t like sitting out,” said Banks. “With the two losses, I feel like I could have helped there somewhere. Just being around the guys, I miss that.”


Fellow receiver Terrence Toliver was placed under concussion protocol after being injured last week, but has been cleared to play on Saturday.


On defence, the Ticats will be without defensive linemen Jamaal Westerman and Jason Neill. Westerman has been placed on the six-game injured list with an apparent ankle injury while Neill is dealing with a pulled hamstring.


Kelvin Palmer will start at left tackle in place of Avery Jordan, who will miss the game due to a family matter.


With so much parity in the league, it is difficult to beat the same team twice, let alone two weeks in a row.


The Lions are trying not to focus on the difficulties of playing the Ticats back-to-back.


“It’s better to approach it as a new game,” said Head Coach Wally Buono. “It’s better to approach it as a whole new adventure….The conditions aren’t the same. The atmosphere won’t be the same. It’s the next game on the schedule.”


The last time the Lions were at Tim Hortons Field in July of 2017, Jennings was injured on the team’s first play from scrimmage and did not return. Travis Lulay came into the game and threw for 464 yards en route to a 41-26 victory. Lulay set a CFL record for most yards thrown by a quarterback in relief.


With the veteran out with a shoulder injury, it’s now Jennings’ turn to step up.


“It’s redemption for me because the last time I was here, obviously I got hurt,” said Jennings. “So I’m excited to be back…It’s loud out here. It’s windy out here. It makes for a challenge in a sense, but as a football player, as a competitor, it’s always exciting playing in front of a crowd like that.”


By The Numbers:


3 – Overtime games played between the Lions and Ticats. BC has won all three contests (1994, 2000, 2018).


6 – Sacks by Davon Coleman over the past three games.


24th – Straight start for Jeremiah Masoli this week. The last Hamilton QB to start as many as 24 consecutive games was Henry Burris through 2011-2012.


431.5 – League high total yards per game by Hamilton’s offence.


Don’t sleep on the BC Lions.


After a mid season slump, the Leos have now won three straight and currently hold the crossover spot in the West Division.


The Lions have a recent history of being better after the nine-game mark. From 2011 to 2016, BC’s record over the final nine games was 35-19 compared to 30-24 mark before the midway mark.


A win for Hamilton would see them split the season series with BC for the fifth time in the last six years.


Can the Tabbies snap their two game losing skid? Or will the Lions make it four in a row?


Kickoff is at 4:00 p.m. ET and can be seen on TSN and ESPN+.

 

[CNOTES]

GAME RECAP


THE HAMMER DROPS ON LIONS; TICATS WIN AT THF


HAMILTON — May it be the time difference or simply just being outperformed by the Ticats, the Lions seemed to enter Round 2 of the back-to-back series against the Tabbies asleep as they went on to lose 40-10 in Hamilton. The win brings the Tiger-Cats back to a .500 record with four games remaining on their schedule.


The two teams were coming off an exciting Week 15 tilt in Vancouver, with the Lions coming out on top in that contest following a last-second touchdown and two-point conversion to force overtime, eventually finishing in favour of the Lions. However, it would be the Ticats who got the last word in Saturday’s Week 16 matchup between the two squads at Tim Hortons Field.


In his first game back since an injury on September 8 sidelined him for the next two games, Ticats’ Brandon Banks got involved in the offence right off the hop with a first down reception.


The Hamilton Tiger-Cats opened up the scoring on their first offensive drive that covered 88 yards in eight plays. Luke Tasker caught the 13-yard pass from Jeremiah Masoli, putting the Tabbies up with a route over the middle of the end zone.


Lirim Hajrullahu missed the point after attempt, limiting Hamilton to a 6-0 lead.


Jonathon Jennings and the Lions offence were looking to continue their momentum from last weekend’s thrilling win against the Ticats, however, Hamilton’s Don Unamba had other plans as he intercepted Jennings on his first pass attempt. The Ticats’ linebacker then rumbled 30 yards to give the Ticats a 13-0 lead following the made point after.


BC’s offence continued to struggle in the early going’s of the first quarter, going two-and-out. On second down, Justin Cappiccotti of the Tiger-Cats grabbed ahold of Jennings as the pocket quickly collapsed on the Lions signal-caller, leading to a fumble of which Jennings would pounce on, but not before losing several yards.


Hamilton continued to pile on the points in the first quarter, further extending their lead to 20-0 after a seven play drive, capped off with a seven-yard touchdown to Brandon Banks, who was playing his first game since September 8 due to a groin injury that forced him out of the Tabbies last two games.


As the first quarter wrapped up, the Ticats had inserted their dominance on the ground over the course of the first 15 minutes. Hamilton running back John White closed out the quarter with 81 yards on the ground with six carries. White would finish the game eclipsing the century mark by rushing the ball.


Ty Long snapped the scoreless half for the Lions with a 29-yard field goal after the Lions had their strive stalled by the Ticats defence after marching 47 yards.


With a catch that everyone needed a second glance to understand, Mike Jones hauled in a 38-yard bomb that slipped through the hands of a Lions defender as a falling Jones cradled the ball in unsuspectingly for the reception. On the same play, Terrence Toliver went down with an undisclosed injury, which prevented him from returning to the game.


Banks scored his second touchdown of the game and ninth of the season with five minutes remaining in the first half. The touchdown further extended the Hamilton lead to 27-3 following the point after by Hajrullahu.


The first half struggles continued for the Lions as Jennings threw his second interception on the ensuing drive. On a play where the pass was tipped by Hamilton’s Simoni Lawrence, Cariel Brooks came down with his third interception of the season.


Before the half expired, Hajrullahu made his first field goal of the day with a 24-yard field goal to push the Ticats up to a 27-point advantage, leading 30-3.


The Lions marched their way downfield on their following offensive drive all the way to the goal line, only to have DeVier Posey drop a touchdown pass as the clock hit zeros.


Jeremiah Masoli finished the first half with three touchdowns and 175 yards through the air.


In the third quarter, Ted Laurent and the Hamilton defence continued to apply the pressure onto Jennings. Laurent recorded two sacks on back-to-back drives by the Lions offence.


The Lions continued their offensive woes as Jonathon Jennings threw his third interception of the game. Ticats’ Mike Daly got his mitts on the pass and returned the ball 58 yards for Hamilton’s second defensive touchdown of the game. The pick stands as Daly’s third interception of the season and first career touchdown.


With the score, the Lions continued to find themselves in a deeper and deeper hole, falling behind 40-3 as the third quarter came to a close.


Cody Fajardo came in to replace Jennings on the Lions’ final drive of the third quarter and continued the fourth quarter at the helm of the BC offence. On the Lions first full drive of the final quarter, Fajardo and the offence started their drive already with good field position in the Hamilton end of the field. Six plays later, Fajardo found Shaquille Johnson in the end zone for the Lions’ first major of the game. A missed two-point conversion kept the Ticats lead at a 31-point differential.


Prior to the three-minute warning of the fourth quarter, the Ticats sent backup quarterback Dane Evans into the game to finish the game as the Tiger-Cats went on to win a dominating performance with a 40-10 victory of Round 2 of the feline fight.


Hamilton will take the win and enjoy Week 17 on their final bye week of the season. As for the Lions, the loss in Hamilton marks their sixth road loss of the season, having only won once as the away team so far this season. They will be at home in Week 17 against the Argonauts on Saturday night with a 7:00 p.m. ET kickoff.

 

[CNOTES]

GAME RECAP


PRAIRIE FOGG: BOMBERS STIFLE ESKS IN ONE-SIDED WIN


EDMONTON — There’s something about playing the Edmonton Eskimos that brings the best out of Kevin Fogg.


Nearly four months after scoring on a 110-yard missed field goal return in the season-opener, the Winnipeg Blue Bomber defender was at it again on Saturday night, forcing one fumble, recovering another and scoring on an interception to help the visitors defeat the Eskimos 30-3.


Fogg and the Bomber defence stifled Mike Reilly from start to finish, scoring 20 points off seven turnovers to silence a crowd of 28,788 at The Brick Field at Commonwealth Stadium in Edmonton.


Reilly was held to 164 yards on 17-of-31 passing and threw two interceptions, including the pick-six to Fogg in the third quarter that put the game out of reach for the Green and Gold.


The Eskimos’ pivot left the game in some discomfort with just over four minutes remaining in the fourth quarter after taking a sack, but was later spotted wearing his helmet and appeared to be alright.


Matt Nichols did what was needed, completing 16 of 20 for 169 yards and an interception in the win, while Andrew Harris rushed for a first-half touchdown and 73 yards on 20 carries.


With the win, the Bombers pulled into a third-place tie in the West with the Eskimos, the division rivals owning identical 7-7 records.


The two teams will meet again to close out the regular season on Nov. 3 in a rematch at Commonwealth, with the season series now knotted at one game apiece.


Rookie defensive back Marcus Sayles seemed like he was everywhere early in the game, setting the tone with a blocked punt on the opening possession to set up a Justin Medlock field goal, giving the Bombers the game’s first strike.


Sayles was at it again the next time on defence, delivering an echoing hit on Sam Giguere to force the Eskimos to punt for the second consecutive time out. The Bombers mustered a first down thanks to some pinpoint accuracy from Nichols on a 29-yard completion to Drew Wolitarsky, but all they could do was flip the field before having to punt.


Field position would become the theme of the first half, with the Eskimos’ second major miscue of the first quarter tilting the gridiron in Winnipeg’s favour. With Duke Williams looking to extend the drive on a second-down catch, Fogg forced him to fumble and sophomore Brandon Alexander recovered, setting the Bomber offence up near midfield.


However, the Bomber offence failed to take advantage, as a false start penalty and Kwaku Boateng‘s ninth sack of the season led to a second-and-23, and eventually another punt by Medlock.


After the two offences combined for just five first downs and 104 yards of offence through 15 minutes, the Bombers finally cashed in on their edge in field position early in the second quarter. It started with an illegal contact penalty, which extended the drive on second down before Harris moved the sticks again with back-to-back runs into Eskimos territory.


Following completions to Wolitarsky and rookie Daniel Petermann — making his first career start in place of the injured Nic Demski — Chris Streveler finished things off with a one-yard sneak from the one, scoring the game’s first major to put Winnipeg ahead 10-0.


The Eskimos’ third turnover of the first half would prove to be the costliest. After a two-and-out, Reilly was back on the field and looking to make something happen, but his pass on second-and-nine was intercepted by Bombers national safety Taylor Loffler and, after a pitch to Fogg, returned to the Edmonton 26.


Moments later, the workhorse running back Harris was on his way into the end zone for his first touchdown of the game, extending the Bombers’ lead to 17-0.


The Esks broke their goose egg with a late field goal from Sean Whyte, but trailed by two touchdowns going into the break. Nichols completed nine of his 11 passing attempts in the first half for the Bombers, but the big difference through 30 minutes was the three turnovers by the Eskimos.


It was more of the same for the Green and Gold early in the third quarter, when Reilly, driving the Eskimos into scoring position to try and pull within a touchdown, threw an errant pass that was intercepted by Fogg. The Bombers’ playmaking corner had his fourth pick of the season, and would take it back 71 yards for a touchdown the other way, extending Winnipeg’s lead to 24-3.


The Bomber defence wasn’t finished yet. Soon after, Alexander hit Reilly’s arm from behind while throwing, with the fumble falling into the hands of Fogg, marking the fifth turnover of the game for the Eskimos. Medlock added another three-pointer, extending the lead to 27-3, with 20 of those points coming off turnovers.


Medlock added his third field goal of the night for the Bombers, while Nichols was picked off by Eskimos defender Monshadrik Hunter in the fourth quarter.


Reilly left the game with 4:30 left and was replaced by Danny O’Brien after being sacked and getting up slowly. He was looked at by trainers but was later spotted standing with a helmet on alongside Kevin Glenn.


Turnovers were by far the biggest factor in the game, with the Bombers holding a 7-1 edge in the takeaway department. The Eskimos gave the football away three times each on fumbles and interceptions, and once on downs. That took the pressure off the Bomber offence, which needed just 239 net yards and 17 first downs to notch the W.


Wolitarsky led Bombers receivers with four catches for 51 yards, while Harris, in addition to his 73 yards on the ground, added 24 receiving yards on four receptions. With 1,051 yards on the season, Harris remains the league’s second-ranked rusher, still 90 yards back of league-leader and Ottawa REDBLACK William Powell.


Despite the one-sided score, running back C.J. Gable had 64 yards on 11 carries for the Eskimos. Their passing attack was led by Bryant Mitchell, who finished with a game-high 69 yards on six receptions.


Both teams hold a two-point edge over the fifth-place Lions, as the race for playoff positioning in the West continues to intensify. The top three teams are guaranteed a spot, but a fourth addition is almost a certainty via the East Division crossover.


The slumping Eskimos, who have lost back-to-back games and four of their last five, look to get back on track in a Thanksgiving clash with the Saskatchewan Roughriders on Oct. 8.


The Bombers seek a third straight win on Oct. 5 when they visit the nation’s capital to take on the REDBLACKS.

 

[CNOTES]

Sept. Picks................and Best Bets


09/29/2018 2-2-0 50.00% -1.00
09/28/2018 2-0-0 100.00% +10.00
09/22/2018 4-2-0 66.66% +9.00
09/21/2018 1-1-0 50.00% -0.50
09/07/2018 0-2-0 0.00% -11.00
09/03/2018 1-3-0 25.00% -11.50
09/02/2018 1-0-1 100.00% +5.00




TOTALS............7-8-1........46.66%......-9.00




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


09/29/2018..........0 - 2.................-11.00..................2 - 0.................+10.00.............-1.00
09/28/2018..........1 - 0.................+5.00..................1 - 0..................+5.00..............+10.00
09/22/2018..........3 - 0.................+15.00................1 - 2...................-6.00...............+9.00
09/21/2018..........0 - 1.................-5.50...................1 - 0..................+5.00...............-0.50
09/07/2018..........0 - 1.................-5.50...................0 - 1...................-5.50...............-11.00
09/03/2018..........0 - 2.................-11.00.................1 - 1...................-0.50...............-11.50
09/02/2018..........1 - 0.................+5.00..................0 - 0..................+0.00..............+5.00




TOTALS................5 - 6..................-8.00................6 - 4...................+8.00................+0.00

 

[CNOTES]

PREVIEW


RIDERS LOOK TO CONTINUE STRONG SECOND HALF AGAINST ALS


MONTREAL — The Saskatchewan Roughriders and Montreal Alouettes are close out Week 16 Sunday afternoon, as the cross division rivals collide for a matinee at Percival Molson Memorial Stadium.


The Riders are on a roll, having won five of their last six games. Meanwhile, the slumping Als are looking to avoid a third straight loss.


Saskatchewan held off the Toronto Argonauts for a 30-29 victory on the road last week. The Riders led by as many as 13 points in the second quarter, but saw the lead slip away as the game progressed.


Kicker Brett Lauther booted a 56-yard go-ahead field goal with just over a minute remaining in the game to put the Riders back on top. The Argos attempted a 51-yard field goal for the with 10 second left on the clock, but fell short of the comeback.


Riders quarterback Zach Collaros threw for 233 yards with two touchdowns and two interceptions in the win. Jordan Williams-Lambert turned both of his receptions into touchdowns, while Naaman Roosevelt had a team-high 105 yards on 10 catches.


Head Coach and General Manager Chris Jones was happy with his team’s effort, despite letting the win almost get away.


“We’re never going to apologize for a win, I can assure you that,” Jones told Riderville.com. “We’re on the road, east coast travel, so there’s a lot of factors and things against you. You look at all these game where you have to travel, they’re tough games. They did a good job of scrapping and getting back into the football game… we’re fortunate to walk out of here with a win.”


The Riders have a bone to pick with Montreal after the Als defeated them back in Week 3. Saskatchewan fell behind early in the game and fought back in the second half, but ultimately lost 23-17. It was Montreal’s first win of the season.


“That was a big game for us early in the season, and for us to just lose it the way we lost it…” said defensive lineman Willie Jefferson. “We’ve grown a lot as a team now. We’re just trying to get over that hump, get through this next game and keep going.”


They will have to try and pick up a win without their top receiver. Roosevelt is being kept out of the lineup for precautionary reasons after taking a hit last week.


Kenny Shaw, a former 1,000-yard receiver with the Toronto Argonauts before signing with the Ottawa REDBLACKS last season and then being cut this off-season, will take his place.


One player that wasn’t part of the narrative the last time these teams faced was Alouettes pivot Johnny Manziel.


The Als are aware that they will be going up against an unpredictable quarterback in Manziel — a challenge that defensive back Ed Gainey is looking forward to.


“He’s a guy that can make plays any time he’s out there,” said Gainey. “He’s the quarterback that we’re playing against this week. We’re not going to make it bigger than what it is. I know he’s looking to get in his groove, but not against us.”


The Als looked to be trending in the right direction heading into their Week 13 bye, winning two straight games. However, Montreal has struggled since returning to action, dropping two straight.


The Winnipeg Blue Bombers downed the Als 31-14 in Week 15, snapping a four-game losing skid. Manziel’s first start in six games wasn’t enough to lead Montreal to victory. He completed 18-of-25 attempts (72%) for 212 yards with one interception.


Manziel said he felt more comfortable in his third CFL start, but not seeing the results is frustrating.


“These guys want to win,” Manziel said after the loss. “There’s no denying the will and the want to in this locker-room and with this team. It’s the little things that we’re not doing to keep us together as far as penalties, flipping the field when we need to, doing little bitty things that we can execute better on.”


Manziel will still be searching for his first CFL win when he takes the field on Sunday afternoon.


The Als still have a lot of kinks to work out, and little time to do it. Montreal is averaging a league-low 303.2 net yards on offence, while giving up a league-worst 427.5 yards on defence.


In a move for the future of the franchise, the Alouettes decided to trade veteran running back Tyrell Sutton to the BC Lions earlier in the week in exchange for a second round pick and conditional sixth round in 2019.


The 31-year-old spent six seasons with the Alouettes, amassing 3,573 yards on 649 carries in 69 games. Sutton has not seen the field since Aug. 18 and was on the teams six-game injured list.


Twenty-four-year William Stanback’s time has arrived, becoming the full-time starter in Montreal with long-term upside. Stanback offers a unique blend of size and speed, and has earned the role of lead back after averaging 6.4 yards per season to date throughout his rookie campaign.


By The Numbers:


13 – League-leading sacks for Riders defensive lineman Charleston Hughes. However, he has now gone three games without taking down a quarterback.


16 – Straight games that the Riders have gone without reaching the 300-plus yard passing mark.


48 – Sacks given up this season by the Montreal Alouettes.


79 – Tackles this season by Als linebacker Henoc Muamba, the second most in the league behind only Alex Singleton of the Calgary Stampeders.


It’s no secret that the Riders are the favourites heading into Week 16, especially given their record in the second half of the CFL season.


However, it’s Montreal’s recent track record against Saskatchewan that is working in their favour.


The Als have won four of their last five meetings against the Riders, and have used a different quarterback in each win – Kevin Glenn, Vernon Adams Jr, Darian Durant and Drew Willy.


Can the Riders pull off a fifth win with Manziel? Or will the Riders continue to cruise into the playoffs?


Kickoff is at 1:00 p.m. ET and can be seen on TSN, RDS and ESPN2

 

[CNOTES]

GAME RECAP


RIDERS HOLD OFF ALS FOR 34-29 VICTORY AT PERCIVAL MOLSON STADIUM


MONTREAL — The Saskatchewan Roughriders keep finding a way to win.


The Riders picked up their sixth win in seven games, taking down the Montreal Alouettes 34-29 to cap off Week 16.


Zach Collaros threw for 394 yards with one touchdown and one interception in the win.


Johnny Manziel threw his first two CFL touchdown passes in the victory, but his efforts just fell shorts of a comeback win.


The Als got on the board first after capitalizing on a Riders’ turnover. Jesse Joseph sacked Collaros, forcing the ball loose, which was then recovered by Ryan Brown at Saskatchewan’s own 32-yard line.


Manziel followed that play up with a long 24-yard pass to Ernest Jackson to place the Als deep in the red zone. Antonio Pipkin capped off the drive with a short run across the goal line to put Montreal up 7-0 midway through the first quarter.


The lead didn’t last long.


The Riders responded on their ensuing drive as Tre Mason blew past Montreal’s defence for a 27-yard rushing touchdown.


Saskatchewan would take their first lead of the game before the end of the first quarter. On the final play, a scrambling Collaros connected with Kyran Moore for a 23-yard major.


The extra point was unsuccessful.


It was Johnny time in the second quarter.


Manziel’s first CFL touchdown was a display of trickery. The Als pulled off a double reverse that fooled the Riders’ defence. Manziel found Adarius Bowman in stride on the play for a 47-yard touchdown strike to give the Als a 14-13 lead.


Boris Bede notched an 18-yard field goal to pull the Als further ahead midway through the second quarter.


However, the Riders would regain the lead before the end of the half.


Collaros led a steady drive down the field, guiding his team deep into Alouettes territory and just short of the end zone. Nick Marshall dove across the goal line on a quarterback sneak to put the Riders back ahead.


Saskatchewan’s two-point convert was successful, giving the Riders a 21-17 lead.


A late field goal by Brett Lauther put the Riders ahead 24-17 at halftime.


Saskatchewan continued putting points on the board in the third quarter. Collaros connected with Jordan Williams-Lambert for a 23-yard gain on the opening drive of the half. It appeared that Williams-Lambert had just made it into the end zone, but automatic video review showed that he was just inches short.


Marshall finished the job with a one-yard quarterback sneak to give the Riders a 30-17 lead.


Despite giving themselves a significant hurdle to overcome, Montreal continued to fight.


Momentum began to shift in favour of the Als at the end of the third quarter when Stefan Logan scored a 74-yard kick return touchdown, making it a one point game.


The Als weren’t done there.


Henoc Muamba was able to pick off a pass that was tipped off the fingers of a Riders receiver, and run the ball back to Montreal’s 51-yard line to give the offence a short field to work with.


Manziel showed off his speed on the drive by dashing for 25 yards, putting his team in the red zone. On the next play, Manziel found Ernest Jackson in the end zone for a 20 yard touchdown pass to trail the Riders 31-29.


Manziel appeared to dive into the end zone for the two-point convert attempt, but was ultimately ruled short.


That was as close as the Als would get as the Riders held on for the win.


Lauther kicked another field goal with just over four minutes remaining in the game to extend their lead to 34-29.


The Riders were able to run down the clock after getting the ball back to hold on for the ‘W.’


Saskatchewan will travel to Edmonton next week for a West Division clash with the Riders, while the Als will be in tough against the Calgary Stampeders.

 

[CNOTES]

WEEK 17


Friday, October 5, 2018
Time (ET) Away Home
7:30 PM Winnipeg Blue Bombers Ottawa Redblacks


Saturday, October 6, 2018
Time (ET) Away Home
7:00 PM Toronto Argonauts British Columbia Lions

Monday, October 8, 2018
Time (ET) Away Home
1:00 PM Calgary Stampeders Montreal Alouettes
4:00 PM Edmonton Eskimos Saskatchewan Roughriders




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




Sept. Picks................and Best Bets


09/30/2018 1-1-0 50.00% -0.50
09/29/2018 2-2-0 50.00% -1.00
09/28/2018 2-0-0 100.00% +10.00
09/22/2018 4-2-0 66.66% +9.00
09/21/2018 1-1-0 50.00% -0.50
09/07/2018 0-2-0 0.00% -11.00
09/03/2018 1-3-0 25.00% -11.50
09/02/2018 1-0-1 100.00% +5.00




TOTALS............8-9-1........47.05%......-9.50




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


09/30/2018..........1 - 0.................+5.00..................0 - 1..................-5.50................-0.50
09/29/2018..........0 - 2.................-11.00..................2 - 0.................+10.00.............-1.00
09/28/2018..........1 - 0.................+5.00..................1 - 0..................+5.00..............+10.00
09/22/2018..........3 - 0.................+15.00................1 - 2...................-6.00...............+9.00
09/21/2018..........0 - 1.................-5.50...................1 - 0..................+5.00...............-0.50
09/07/2018..........0 - 1.................-5.50...................0 - 1...................-5.50...............-11.00
09/03/2018..........0 - 2.................-11.00.................1 - 1...................-0.50...............-11.50
09/02/2018..........1 - 0.................+5.00..................0 - 0..................+0.00..............+5.00




TOTALS................6 - 6..................-3.00................6 - 5...................+2.50................-0.50

 

[CNOTES]

Tuesday’s six-pack


Major league teams with best attendance this season:


1) LA Dodgers 47,033 per game


2) Bronx 42,998


3) St Louis 42,019


4) San Francisco 38,965


5) Chicago Cubs 38,798


6) LA Angels 37,286


Quote of the Day
“We were terrible on offense. I don’t think it made a difference for the offense. That’s what it was. It was as bad as we’ve played on offense with that many yards in a long time.”
Aaron Rodgers


Tuesday’s quiz
Which current NFL player played for the Amsterdam Admirals, in 1996?


Monday’s quiz
Tom Brady tied an NFL record Sunday, throwing a TD pass to his 70th receiver; he shares this record with Vinny Testaverde.


Sunday’s quiz
Saints’ coach Sean Payton was a QB for the Chicago Bears in the strike replacement games they had during the 1987 season.




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




Tuesday’s List of 13: Nobody asked me, but……


13) You don’t think pro football players are tough? Vikings’ long snapper Kevin McDermott lost the tip off of his left pinky Thursday, when it got caught in a player’s helmet. He didn’t just lose his fingernail, he lost the tip of his finger, and later on, he came back into the game, missing only one punt snap while they bandaged up the finger.


12) Bad beat from late Saturday night: USC was -3.5 over Arizona, and led 24-14 in the last 2:00. Wildcats had 4th-and-goal inside the 10-yard line, but instead of kicking the easy FG to make the game a one-score game, Kevin Sumlin goes for it and Arizona scores a TD with 1:40 left.


Now all they all have to do to cover the spread is make the extra poi— you got it, they missed, and USC won 24-20, covering by half a point.


11) UMass football coach Mark Whipple was suspended without pay for one week by the school, after he drew an analogy to rape while discussing a sequence in his team’s game.


On UMass’ radio broadcast after the Minutemen’s 58-42 loss at Ohio U, Whipple referred to a play on which he believed the Bobcats should have been called for pass interference, saying, “We had a chance there … and they rape us, and (the referee) picks up the flag.”


No bueno. Choose your words better, coach.


10) Billy McKinney is a 24-year old OF for the Blue Jays who was a first round pick of the Oakland A’s five years ago. Weird thing is, he’s already been traded three times:


— July 5, 2014, A’s traded him to the Cubs as part of the Jeff Samardzija/Addison Russell swap.
— July 25, 2016, Cubs traded him to New York as part of the Aroldis Chapman trade.
— July 26, 2018, New York traded him to Toronto as part of the JA Happ swap.


9) After a 56-27 loss to Notre Dame last week, Wake Forest fired defensive coordinator Jay Sawvel; their defense scored two TD’s Saturday in a 56-24 win over Rice. Obviously Rice isn’t close to being as good as Notre Dame, but did the coaching change make a difference?


8) With Sam Bradford the #3 QB in Arizona now, he loses an active roster bonus of $312,500 per game, not that he is hurting for money. Bradford banked $65M in the five years he played for the Rams, so he should be OK financially.


7) The grandfather of Rams’ WR Cooper Kupp was an offensive lineman in the NFL for 11 years; he played for the Saints in their early days, where he blocked for Archie Manning.


6) NHL’s Carolina Hurricanes will wear Hartford Whaler throwback uniforms for their December 23 home game; very cool green uniforms with the great Whaler logo. Hurricanes were the Hartford Whalers from 1972-97, before moving from Hartford to Raleigh.


5) Tony Parker looks weird in a Charlotte Hornets’ uniform; he played 17 years for the Spurs. Some things you just get used to.


4) There is a US Senator from Rhode Island named Sheldon Whitehouse; if you’re a politician and your last name is Whitehouse, don’t you have to run for President?


3) Brewers 3, Cubs 1……….Dodgers 5, Rockies 2


Colorado visits Wrigley Field tonight in the NL Wild Card game.


2) Last week, a psychology professor at the University of Toronto started showing a presentation to his class of 500 students, but instead of his presentation showing on the screen, a hard core porn movie appeared. Whoops.


1) Last three games the Pittsburgh Steelers played at home, they allowed 37.7 ppg. Atlanta is coming to Steel City this coming Sunday; Falcons’ defense is a mess, too.

 

[CNOTES]

CFL Betting Notes - Week 17
David Schwab


The final weekend of CFL games in the month of September tipped things off on Friday night with Calgary rolling over Toronto 38-16 to easily cover the 13-point spread at home. The Stampeders officially clinched a playoff spot with that win.


Saturday’s action got underway with the Hamilton pasting British Columbia 40-10 as a 6 ½-point home favorite to even this home-and-home series at one game apiece. Later that night, Winnipeg made a statement in the West Division playoff race with an impressive 30-3 victory against Edmonton as a 5 ½-point underdog on the road.


Week 16 in the CFL carried over to Sunday with Saskatchewan slipping past Montreal 34-29, but failing to cover as a 6 ½-point road favorite.


Friday, Oct. 5


Winnipeg Blue Bombers (7-7 SU, 7-6-1 ATS) at Ottawa RedBlacks (8-5 SU, 6-7 ATS)
Point-spread: Ottawa -1
Total: 52 ½


Game Overview


The Blue Bombers have won their last two games both straight-up and against the spread to move into a tie for third in the West standings. The total has stayed UNDER in both contests after going OVER in their previous four games. They have benefitted from much better play on the defensive side of the ball the last two games. During its previous four-game losing streak, Winnipeg had allowed at least 31 points in each of the four losses.


Ottawa is a game and half ahead of Hamilton in the East coming off last week’s bye. It brings a modest two-game winning streak (SU and ATS) into Friday’s inter-division clash and the total has stayed UNDER in four of the RedBlacks’ last six games. They are 2-4 ATS at home this season and 2-4 ATS in six previous games closing as favorites. Trevor Harris is fourth in the CFL in total passing yards and he has tossed 14 touchdowns. Despite the bye, he is still listed as questionable on the latest injury report.


Betting Trends


-- Winnipeg has covered ATS in eight of its last 12 games against the RedBlacks, but it lost the first meeting this season 44-21 as a 6 ½-point home favorite. The total has gone OVER in four of the last five meetings in Ottawa.




Saturday, Oct. 6


Toronto Argonauts (3-10 SU, 5-8 ATS) at British Columbia Lions (6-7 AU, 8-5 ATS)
Point-spread: BC -7
Total: 51 ½


Game Overview


Toronto’s straight-up losing streak reached five games with Friday night’s loss. The defending Grey Cup Champions continue to play their way out of this season’s playoffs. They have only covered the spread once in this current slide and the total has gone OVER the closing line in their last four games with a points-allowed average of 36.5 points in those four losses. Toronto gave up 24 unanswered second-half points against Calgary after trailing by just four points at the half.


The Lions recent three-game winning streak (SU and ATS) came to an end with Saturday’s loss. That total ended as a PUSH on a closing line of 50 after staying UNDER in five of their previous seven games. BC lost to Toronto 24-23 in August with Travis Lulay at quarterback. It closed as a three-point road favorite with the total staying UNDER 50 ½ points. Jonathan Jennings and Cody Fajardo split time at quarterback in Saturday’s loss with a combined 215 yards passing, one touchdown throw and three interceptions.


Betting Trends


-- Toronto has won four of its last five road games against the Lions SU and it has a 5-1 edge ATS in its last six trips to BC. The total has stayed UNDER in five of the last six meetings overall.




Monday, Oct. 8


Calgary Stampeders (11-2 SU, 8-5 ATS) at Montreal Alouettes (3-11 SU, 7-7 ATS)
Point-spread: Calgary -12
Total: 50 ½


Game Overview


The Stampeders have had a few hiccups along the way, but they have once again positioned themselves for a deep run at this year’s Grey Cup title. This will be the 14th-straight season they advanced to the playoffs, but the memory of two-straight losses in the title game as favorites is still fresh in their mind. Calgary quarterback Bo Levi Mitchell completed 20 of his 34 passing attempts against Toronto on Friday night for 307 yards and two scores. He has now tossed 29 touchdowns on the year.


Give credit to the Alouettes for covering against one of the hottest teams in the CFL in the loss to Saskatchewan, but you get the feeling that Montreal fans are counting the days for this season to be over. Johnny Manziel tossed a pair of touchdowns in Sunday’s loss against no interceptions, but he ended the day with just 138 yards passing to go with a team-high 45 yards running the ball.


Betting Trends


-- Montreal has been able to cover in seven of its last eight games against Calgary including a 25-8 loss in July as a heavy 19 ½-point road underdog. The total has stayed UNDER in seven of the last nine meetings.


Edmonton Eskimos (7-7 SU, 6-8 ATS) at Saskatchewan Roughriders (9-5 SU, 7-7 ATS)
Point-spread: Saskatchewan -4
Total: 52 ½


Game Overview


Behind Mike Reilly as the CFL’s most prolific passer and CJ Gable as the third leading rusher in the league, the Eskimos had been able to average 28.3 points through the first 13 games of the season. This is what made the recent three-point effort against Winnipeg so stunning at this point of the season. It never helps when you turn the ball over seven times resulting in 20 points for the opposing team.


Saskatchewan has a golden opportunity to take a firm grip on the second spot in the West Division playoffs while posting its seventh SU win in its last eight games if it can get past Edmonton on Monday. The Roughriders have failed to cover in their last three outings. The total has gone OVER in their last five games and they have scored at least 30 points in four of those contests.


Betting Trends


-- Edmonton has a 4-2 edge against its West Division rivals in its last six trips to Saskatchewan and it has gone 5-2 ATS in its last seven road games against the Roughriders. The total has stayed UNDER in four of the last five meetings in Saskatchewan.

 

[CNOTES]

CFL
Long Sheet


Week 17


Friday, October 5


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


WINNIPEG (7 - 7) at OTTAWA (8 - 5) - 10/5/2018, 7:30 PM
Top Trends for this game.
OTTAWA is 30-14 ATS (+14.6 Units) in games where the line is +3 to -3 since 1996.
WINNIPEG is 19-7 ATS (+11.3 Units) in road games over the last 3 seasons.
WINNIPEG is 19-7 ATS (+11.3 Units) in road lined games over the last 3 seasons.
WINNIPEG is 10-1 ATS (+8.9 Units) in road games in non-conference games over the last 3 seasons.
WINNIPEG is 10-2 ATS (+7.8 Units) in road games revenging a loss versus opponent over the last 3 seasons.

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

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


Saturday, October 6


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

TORONTO (3 - 10) at BRITISH COLUMBIA (6 - 7) - 10/6/2018, 7:00 PM
Top Trends for this game.
TORONTO is 0-7 ATS (-7.7 Units) in road games after 2 or more consecutive straight up losses over the last 3 seasons.

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

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


Monday, October 8


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

CALGARY (11 - 2) at MONTREAL (3 - 11) - 10/8/2018, 1:00 PM
Top Trends for this game.
MONTREAL is 11-21 ATS (-12.1 Units) in all games over the last 2 seasons.
MONTREAL is 11-21 ATS (-12.1 Units) in all lined games over the last 2 seasons.
MONTREAL is 4-12 ATS (-9.2 Units) in home games over the last 2 seasons.
MONTREAL is 4-12 ATS (-9.2 Units) in home lined games over the last 2 seasons.
MONTREAL is 4-12 ATS (-9.2 Units) in home games in games played on turf over the last 2 seasons.
MONTREAL is 13-30 ATS (-20.0 Units) in home games in October games since 1996.
MONTREAL is 1-10 ATS (-10.0 Units) in home games revenging a loss versus opponent over the last 2 seasons.

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

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

EDMONTON (7 - 7) at SASKATCHEWAN (9 - 5) - 10/8/2018, 4:00 PM
Top Trends for this game.
SASKATCHEWAN is 126-94 ATS (+22.6 Units) revenging a loss versus opponent since 1996.
EDMONTON is 10-2 ATS (+7.8 Units) as an underdog over the last 2 seasons.
SASKATCHEWAN is 12-25 ATS (-15.5 Units) in home games in October games since 1996.

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

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








CFL


Week 17


------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Trend Report
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------


Friday, October 5


Winnipeg Blue Bombers
Winnipeg is 2-4-1 ATS in its last 7 games
Winnipeg is 2-4 SU in its last 6 games
The total has gone OVER in 4 of Winnipeg's last 6 games
Winnipeg is 19-6 ATS in its last 25 games on the road
Winnipeg is 2-4 ATS in its last 6 games on the road
Winnipeg is 2-4 SU in its last 6 games on the road
The total has gone OVER in 17 of Winnipeg's last 23 games on the road
Winnipeg is 8-4 ATS in its last 12 games when playing Ottawa
The total has gone OVER in 11 of Winnipeg's last 16 games when playing Ottawa
Winnipeg is 5-1 ATS in its last 6 games when playing on the road against Ottawa
Winnipeg is 5-2 SU in its last 7 games when playing on the road against Ottawa
The total has gone OVER in 4 of Winnipeg's last 5 games when playing on the road against Ottawa
Ottawa RedBlacks
Ottawa is 4-2 SU in its last 6 games
The total has gone UNDER in 4 of Ottawa's last 6 games
Ottawa is 1-4 ATS in its last 5 games at home
Ottawa is 4-2 SU in its last 6 games at home
The total has gone UNDER in 4 of Ottawa's last 5 games at home
Ottawa is 4-8 ATS in its last 12 games when playing Winnipeg
The total has gone OVER in 11 of Ottawa's last 16 games when playing Winnipeg
Ottawa is 1-5 ATS in its last 6 games when playing at home against Winnipeg
Ottawa is 2-5 SU in its last 7 games when playing at home against Winnipeg
The total has gone OVER in 4 of Ottawa's last 5 games when playing at home against Winnipeg








Saturday, October 6


Toronto Argonauts
Toronto is 1-4 ATS in its last 5 games
Toronto is 0-5 SU in its last 5 games
The total has gone OVER in 4 of Toronto's last 5 games
Toronto is 1-5 ATS in its last 6 games on the road
Toronto is 0-5 SU in its last 5 games on the road
The total has gone OVER in 6 of Toronto's last 9 games on the road
Toronto is 7-18 SU in its last 25 games when playing British Columbia
The total has gone UNDER in 5 of Toronto's last 6 games when playing British Columbia
Toronto is 5-1 ATS in its last 6 games when playing on the road against British Columbia
Toronto is 4-1 SU in its last 5 games when playing on the road against British Columbia
Toronto is 4-9 SU in its last 13 games when playing on the road against British Columbia
The total has gone OVER in 4 of Toronto's last 6 games when playing on the road against British Columbia
British Columbia Lions
British Columbia is 7-3 ATS in its last 10 games
British Columbia is 8-16 SU in its last 24 games
The total has gone UNDER in 4 of British Columbia's last 6 games
British Columbia is 5-1 ATS in its last 6 games at home
British Columbia is 5-1 SU in its last 6 games at home
The total has gone UNDER in 4 of British Columbia's last 6 games at home
British Columbia is 18-7 SU in its last 25 games when playing Toronto
The total has gone UNDER in 5 of British Columbia's last 6 games when playing Toronto
British Columbia is 1-5 ATS in its last 6 games when playing at home against Toronto
British Columbia is 9-4 SU in its last 13 games when playing at home against Toronto
British Columbia is 1-4 SU in its last 5 games when playing at home against Toronto
The total has gone OVER in 4 of British Columbia's last 6 games when playing at home against Toronto






Monday, October 8


Calgary Stampeders
Calgary is 11-2 SU in its last 13 games
The total has gone OVER in 5 of Calgary's last 6 games
Calgary is 4-2 ATS in its last 6 games on the road
Calgary is 9-4 SU in its last 13 games on the road
The total has gone OVER in 4 of Calgary's last 5 games on the road
Calgary is 1-7 ATS in its last 8 games when playing Montreal
Calgary is 4-2 SU in its last 6 games when playing Montreal
The total has gone UNDER in 7 of Calgary's last 9 games when playing Montreal
Calgary is 1-4 ATS in its last 5 games when playing on the road against Montreal
Calgary is 1-5 SU in its last 6 games when playing on the road against Montreal
The total has gone UNDER in 4 of Calgary's last 5 games when playing on the road against Montreal
Montreal Alouettes
Montreal is 5-2 ATS in its last 7 games
Montreal is 7-18 ATS in its last 25 games
Montreal is 3-22 SU in its last 25 games
The total has gone UNDER in 4 of Montreal's last 5 games
Montreal is 2-10 ATS in its last 12 games at home
Montreal is 1-11 SU in its last 12 games at home
The total has gone OVER in 6 of Montreal's last 9 games at home
Montreal is 7-1 ATS in its last 8 games when playing Calgary
Montreal is 2-4 SU in its last 6 games when playing Calgary
The total has gone UNDER in 7 of Montreal's last 9 games when playing Calgary
Montreal is 4-1 ATS in its last 5 games when playing at home against Calgary
Montreal is 5-1 SU in its last 6 games when playing at home against Calgary
The total has gone UNDER in 4 of Montreal's last 5 games when playing at home against Calgary




Edmonton Eskimos
Edmonton is 1-4 SU in its last 5 games
The total has gone UNDER in 4 of Edmonton's last 5 games
Edmonton is 8-4 ATS in its last 12 games on the road
Edmonton is 1-5 SU in its last 6 games on the road
The total has gone UNDER in 4 of Edmonton's last 6 games on the road
Edmonton is 10-5 ATS in its last 15 games when playing Saskatchewan
Edmonton is 2-4 ATS in its last 6 games when playing Saskatchewan
Edmonton is 7-2 SU in its last 9 games when playing Saskatchewan
The total has gone UNDER in 8 of Edmonton's last 12 games when playing Saskatchewan
Edmonton is 5-2 ATS in its last 7 games when playing on the road against Saskatchewan
Edmonton is 4-2 SU in its last 6 games when playing on the road against Saskatchewan
Edmonton is 8-15 SU in its last 23 games when playing on the road against Saskatchewan
The total has gone UNDER in 4 of Edmonton's last 5 games when playing on the road against Saskatchewan
Saskatchewan Roughriders
Saskatchewan is 6-1 SU in its last 7 games
The total has gone OVER in 5 of Saskatchewan's last 5 games
The total has gone OVER in 4 of Saskatchewan's last 5 games at home
Saskatchewan is 4-2 ATS in its last 6 games when playing Edmonton
Saskatchewan is 5-10 ATS in its last 15 games when playing Edmonton
Saskatchewan is 2-7 SU in its last 9 games when playing Edmonton
The total has gone UNDER in 8 of Saskatchewan's last 12 games when playing Edmonton
Saskatchewan is 2-5 ATS in its last 7 games when playing at home against Edmonton
Saskatchewan is 15-8 SU in its last 23 games when playing at home against Edmonton
Saskatchewan is 2-4 SU in its last 6 games when playing at home against Edmonton
The total has gone UNDER in 4 of Saskatchewan's last 5 games when playing at home against Edmonton

 

[CNOTES]

CFL
Armadillo's Write-Up


Week 17

Winnipeg (7-7) @ Ottawa (8-5) (-1, 52.5)— Blue Bombers won three of last four series games, but they lost 44-21 at home to Ottawa in August; road team won five of last six. Bombers won their last two visits here, 33-20/33-30; over is 3-1 in last four series games. In its last 13 games, Winnipeg is 7-0 when it scores 29+ points, 0-6 when it scores less- they’re 3-4 on road. Over is 6-3 in last nine Bomber games. RedBlacks held its last six opponents to 26 or less; they won last two games, are 4-2 at home this season. Three of their last four games stayed under.

Toronto (3-10) @ BC Lions (6-7) (-7, 51.5)— Road team won eight of last nine series games; Argos won last four visits here (three by 11+ points), and also beat Lions 24-23 (+3) at home back in August. Under is 5-1 in last six series games. Toronto lost its last five games (1-4 vs spread); they’re 1-3 as road underdogs, but one cover was back in July. Argos’ last four games went over total. Lions won three of last four games but got smoked by Hamilton LW; BC is 5-1 SU at home, 2-1 as home favorites.

Calgary (11-2) (-12.5, 50.5) @ Montreal (3-11)— Home side won last ten series games; Calgary lost last four visits here, all as road favorites (three by 7+ points)- they beat Alouettes 25-8 at home July 21. Under is 7-2 in last nine series games. Stampeders are 11-2 but they lost two of last three road games; they’re 4-1 as road favorites. Over is 5-1 in their last six games. Als lost their last three games, by 18-17-5 points; they’re 1-6 at home, 2-5 as home underdogs. Four of their last five games stayed under.

Edmonton (7-7) @ Saskatchewan (9-5) (-4, 52.5)- Eskimos won seven of last nine series games, beating Roughriders 26-19 back in August; Edmonton won two of its last three trips to Regina. Under is 3-1 in last four series games. Eskimos lost four of last five games, losing 28-15/30-3 last two weeks; Edmonton lost its last four road games, but is 2-0 as a road underdog this season. Saskatchewan won six of its last seven games after a 3-4 start; they’re 1-4 vs spread as favorites this year. Riders’ last four games were all decided by five or fewer points.


Through week 16: Favorites 26-35; Under 34-24-2

 

[CNOTES]

CFL
Dunkel


Week 17


Friday, October 5

Winnipeg @ Ottawa


Game 651-652
October 5, 2018 @ 7:30 pm


Dunkel Rating:
Winnipeg
111.743
Ottawa
120.547
Dunkel Team:
Dunkel Line:
Dunkel Total:
Ottawa
by 9
46
Vegas Team:
Vegas Line:
Vegas Total:
Ottawa
by 1
51 1/2
Dunkel Pick:
Ottawa
(-1); Under




Saturday, October 6

Toronto @ BC Lions


Game 653-654
October 6, 2018 @ 7:00 pm


Dunkel Rating:
Toronto
99.367
BC Lions
115.115
Dunkel Team:
Dunkel Line:
Dunkel Total:
BC Lions
by 16
52
Vegas Team:
Vegas Line:
Vegas Total:
BC Lions
by 7
51
Dunkel Pick:
BC Lions
(-7); Over




Monday, October 8

Calgary @ Montreal


Game 655-656
October 8, 2018 @ 1:00 pm


Dunkel Rating:
Calgary
115.574
Montreal
107.749
Dunkel Team:
Dunkel Line:
Dunkel Total:
Calgary
by 8
52
Vegas Team:
Vegas Line:
Vegas Total:
Calgary
by 14
50 1/2
Dunkel Pick:
Montreal
(+14); Over


Edmonton @ Saskatchewan


Game 657-658
October 8, 2018 @ 4:00 pm


Dunkel Rating:
Edmonton
108.850
Saskatchewan
111.02
Dunkel Team:
Dunkel Line:
Dunkel Total:
Saskatchewan
by 2
59
Vegas Team:
Vegas Line:
Vegas Total:
Saskatchewan
by 4
52 1/2
Dunkel Pick:
Edmonton
(+4); Over

 

[CNOTES]

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




Sept.& Oct. Picks................and Best Bets


09/30/2018 1-1-0 50.00% -0.50
09/29/2018 2-2-0 50.00% -1.00
09/28/2018 2-0-0 100.00% +10.00
09/22/2018 4-2-0 66.66% +9.00
09/21/2018 1-1-0 50.00% -0.50
09/07/2018 0-2-0 0.00% -11.00
09/03/2018 1-3-0 25.00% -11.50
09/02/2018 1-0-1 100.00% +5.00




TOTALS............8-9-1........47.05%......-9.50




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


09/30/2018..........1 - 0.................+5.00..................0 - 1..................-5.50................-0.50
09/29/2018..........0 - 2.................-11.00..................2 - 0.................+10.00.............-1.00
09/28/2018..........1 - 0.................+5.00..................1 - 0..................+5.00..............+10.00
09/22/2018..........3 - 0.................+15.00................1 - 2...................-6.00...............+9.00
09/21/2018..........0 - 1.................-5.50...................1 - 0..................+5.00...............-0.50
09/07/2018..........0 - 1.................-5.50...................0 - 1...................-5.50...............-11.00
09/03/2018..........0 - 2.................-11.00.................1 - 1...................-0.50...............-11.50
09/02/2018..........1 - 0.................+5.00..................0 - 0..................+0.00..............+5.00




TOTALS................6 - 6..................-3.00................6 - 5...................+2.50................-0.50




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


FRIDAY, OCTOBER 5
GAME TIME(ET) PICK UNITS


WPG at OTT 07:30 PM
WPG +1.5
U 52.5


SATURDAY, OCTOBER 6
GAME TIME(ET) PICK UNITS


TOR at BC 07:00 PM
BC -7.0
O 51.5


MONDAY, OCTOBER 8
GAME TIME(ET) PICK UNITS


CGY at MTL 01:00 PM
MTL +12.0
O 50.5


EDM at SSK 04:00 PM
SSK -3.5
U 52.5

 

[CNOTES]

GAME RECAP


NICHOLS SHINES AS BOMBERS TOP REDBLACKS IN OVERTIME THRILLER


OTTAWA – It was a certain victory, until it wasn’t.


Despite holding a 15-point lead with just over three minutes remaining in the fourth quarter, the Blue Bombers saw a victory which seemed so sure nearly slip through their hands after Trevor Harris and the REDBLACKS staged a remarkable comeback, tying the game in regulation and forcing OT.


But it was the Bombers who emerged victorious, as QB Matt Nichols and his offence converted the touchdown and two-point conversion in overtime while the defence did the rest, as LB Adam Bighill forced a fumble to seal the victory for Winnipeg.


Nichols finished the game with 265 yards passing and three touchdowns, while RB Andrew Harris racked up 163 all-purpose yards, including 132 rushing.


The Bombers were desperate to reverse their fortunes from the last time the two teams met, suffering a lopsided victory at the hands of the REDBLACKS back in week 10.


After an opening drive field goal by Justin Medlock opened the scoring for the Blue Bombers, the REDBLACKS took over, and RB William Powell showed why he is the leafs leading rusher through 16 weeks. After a quick toss by QB Trevor Harris to WR Greg Ellingson, Powell found a gaping hole in the Bomber defence, sprinting down the left sideline for a 48-yard gain. Two plays later, Harris found Powell on a wheel route and the running back made no mistake, finding the end zone for the game’s first major. Despite K Lewis Ward‘s remarkable consistency, the REDBLACKS opted to go for the two-point convert, and Harris found SB Brad Sinopoli for the conversion.


Matt Nichols picked up right where he left off on the Bombers second drive, completing six of seven passes on an efficient drive, picking his way through the REDBLACKS defence with completions to four different receivers. After an Andrew Harris rush put the Bombers at the 11, Nichols capped the drive by finding Darvin Adams for the touchdown, pushing the Bombers back into the lead.


The two teams traded field goals on their next two drives as offences ruled in a first half which saw five lead changes.


After a would-be first down for the REDBLACKS was cancelled out by an offensive penalty, DE Tristan Okpalaugo made one of the first big defensive plays of the game, bringing down Harris in the backfield for a sack and forcing the first punt of the game midway through the second quarter.


Defences tightened up as the half drew to a close after a wide-open first quarter, and Medlock kicked home his fourth field goal of the half as time expired to give the Blue Bombers a 19-11 lead.


Starting at their own 46-yard line, the Bombers made their way all the way down to the REDBLACKS five yard line, thanks in large part to a big 19-yard scamper by RB Andrew Harris. But they couldn’t find the dagger for their second major of the evening, and settled for yet another Medlock field goal – his fifth of the night – and extended Winnipeg’s lead to 11 points.


Despite Medlock’s dominance in this one, his counterpart on the REDBLACKS found a way to outshine him. Rookie kicker Lewis Ward responded with another field goal of his own, in the process tying the all-time record of 39 consecutive field goals.


Andrew Harris continued to put his mark on the game for the Bombers, ripping off a 23-yard gain on the first play of the ensuing Winnipeg drive. But teammate Nic Demski didn’t fare nearly as well on the following play, as he lost a hold of the football and the REDBLACKS recovered in prime field position.


Ottawa’s offence failed to convert a first down on their ensuing possession, and rather than going for it on third and short, the REDBLACKS turned to their trusty kicker to help chip away at the Blue Bombers lead. With a 39-yard field goal, rookie Lewis Black set a new CFL record with his 40th consecutive field goal, surpassing the record previously set by Rene Paredes.


The fourth quarter brought a breakthrough for the Blue Bombers, as Matt Nichols‘ tossed his second touchdown pass of the game, this time finding SB Weston Dressler. The short drive was aided in part by a couple of roughness penalties by the REDBLACKS defence, a thorn in Ottawa’s side for much of the evening.


Another Medlock field goal extended the Bomber lead to 15, but the REDBLACKS weren’t giving up just yet.


Harris came out firing, first finding Brad Sinopoli for a 19 yard gain, and then putting a perfect pass into the hands of Julian Feoli-Gudino for another big first down. Harris would find his latter target once more two plays later wide open down the right sideline, as Feoli-Gudino scored his first touchdown as a member of the REDBLACKS.


Ward’s convert brought Ottawa to within eight points of the Bombers with juust over three minutes remaining in the fourth quarter.


After a big stop by the REDBLACKS defence, Harris and the offence got the ball back with just under two minutes to go, and a long field to drive in order to tie the game up.


Facing third-and-three with the game on the line, SB Greg Ellingson brought down a remarkable catch to convert the first down and keep Ottawa’s chances alive. After being invisible in the first half, Feoli-Gudino continued to be a gamebreaker late in this one, making several key catches on the drive.


But it was Ellingson who shone brightest late in the game, bringing down a pass from Harris to move inside the 10-yard line, and capping the drive with a crucial touchdown catch just inside the end zone. Not content to finish his night there, Ellingson also brought in the two-point conversion, tying the game at 32 and forcing overtime.


After losing the coin-toss, The Bombers would get possession first, and Nichols and the offence did their job. Nichols first found Dressler for his second touchdown of the night before completing the two-point convert to Darvin Adams.


The REDBLACKS nearly got it done on their drive following the score, but Adam Bighill forced a Brad Sinopoli fumble to end the game.

 

[CNOTES]

SATURDAY, OCTOBER 6
GAME TIME(ET) PICK UNITS


TOR at BC 07:00 PM
BC -7.0
O 51.5

MONDAY, OCTOBER 8
GAME TIME(ET) PICK UNITS


CGY at MTL 01:00 PM
MTL +12.0
O 50.5

EDM at SSK 04:00 PM
SSK -3.5
U 52.5

 

[CNOTES]

PREVIEW


LIONS LOOK TO HELP PLAYOFF ODDS VS. ARGOS


VANCOUVER — The BC Lions will try to keep pace in the West when they take on the Toronto Argonauts on Saturday at BC Place.


The Lions are in a tight race for a playoff spot. BC currently sits last in a log jammed division, but is only two points back of fourth place Edmonton and four points back of third seated Winnipeg.


While the Argos have not mathematically been ruled out of the playoffs, their chances of making the post-season are bleak, but the defending Grey Cup Champions can stay alive with a win Saturday night.


The Double Blue dropped to 3-10 on the season with a lopsided 38-16 loss to the Calgary Stampeders last week. Toronto trailed by only four points heading into halftime, but the Stamps proved why they own the best record in the league, galloping away in the second half.


Pivot McLeod Bethel-Thompson threw for 273 yards with no touchdowns and one interception. The loss was Toronto’s fifth straight.


Despite a disappointing year for the reigning Grey Cup Champs, Head Coach Marc Trestman is determined to finish the season strong.


“I tend to see the glass half full,” Trestman told Argonauts.ca after the game. “I think we’ve got good leadership on this team. I think we’ll find a way to weather the storm. We know it’s going to pass eventually. We’re building some backbone along the way and we’re learning some life lessons.”


This wasn’t the season the Argos envisioned. They lost their leader Ricky Ray to injury in Week 2. The team has struggled to find an identity ever since.


Neither Bethel-Thompson or James Franklin have been unable to fill the huge shoes left by the future hall of famer, leading to offensive struggles.


The Boatmen are averaging just 21.6 points per game this season, the second lowest in the league behind only the Montreal Alouettes.


The Argos have also yet to win a game on the road this season, making the matchup at BC Place even more daunting.


“They’re a great team,” said defensive back William Likely. “They’re playing at home so they’re going to have a lot of momentum. They’re trying to make a playoff run. We’ve just got to go out and execute and play defence and play Argo football.”


Th Lions have only lost once at BC Place all season, tipping the scales in favour of the home team.


Newly acquired DeVier Posey will be playing against his former team for the first time on Saturday. Despite only signing a few weeks ago, Posey knows there is a lot on the line for the Lions.


“It’s an important game in our season for us,” Posey told BCLions.com. “It’s a turning point to keep up in the Western race. A win is important, and that’s what I’m focused on this week. “


The Lions playoff hopes took a hit last week with a 40-10 loss against the Hamilton Tiger-Cats. The game was over before the half as the Ticats led 30-3 after 30 minutes of play. Quarterback Jonathon Jennings struggled, throwing for only 146 yards and three interceptions before being replaced by Cody Fajardo in the second half. Two of those interceptions were returned for pick sixes.


The 26-year-old says he is ready to turn the page on a disappointing game.


“You can’t win football games like the way we turned the ball over,” said Jennings. “That’s a big emphasis on my part. I think that we’re locked in and focused on what we need to do to be better than last week.”


The Argos narrowly edged the Lions 24-23 at BMO Field in their only previous meeting back in Week 10. Wilder Jr. had a big performance for Toronto with 18 carries for 91 yards and four catches for 49 yards. Lions running back Jeremiah Johnson kept pace with Wilder, racking up 117 total yards and a rushing touchdown.


That was the last game the Argos won. They have since dropped five straight. The Lions are 3-2 during that same time span.


“I really just think we’re a better team than when we played against them the first time,” said defensive back Otha Foster. “Of course, we’re playing them at home. Our home field record is good. We feel we have a good game plan going in and we feel like we can take them down this time.”


While linebacker Solomon Elimimian is close to returning to the field after having wrist surgery, he will sit out Saturday’s contest. Quarterback Travis Lulay is still battling a shoulder injury after taking a hard hit in Week 14. Jennings will once again get the start.


By The Numbers:


5 – Straight years that the Lions and Argos have split their season series.


21 – Sacks made by the BC Lions defence in the last five games.


37 – Average points allowed by the Argos in their last four contests (42, 36, 30 and 28). Toronto is allowing a league-worst 31.8 points per game through 17 weeks.


784 – Team leading receiving yards for Toronto’s S.J. Green.


The BC Lions can’t afford to make any mistakes.


The Winnipeg Blue Bombers picked up a crucial 40-32 victory over the Ottawa REDBLACKS on Friday night. A Lions loss on Saturday would put them further behind in the division with just few weeks left in the season.


This is the last game against an East opponent for BC. The final four matches on the schedule are versus divisional rivals, including two meetings with the powerhouse Stamps.


With favourable home field advantage and a 4-3 record against teams in the East, the Lions need to play to their advantage on Saturday.


The first step is taking care of the Argos.


Kickoff is at 7:00 p.m. ET and can be seen on TSN and ESPN+.

 

[CNOTES]

SATURDAY, OCTOBER 6
GAME TIME(ET) PICK UNITS


TOR at BC 07:00 PM
BC -7.0
O 51.5

MONDAY, OCTOBER 8
GAME TIME(ET) PICK UNITS


CGY at MTL 01:00 PM
MTL +12.0
O 50.5

EDM at SSK 04:00 PM
SSK -3.5
U 52.5