CFL
Friday, July 17
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Game of the day: CFL Doubleheader
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Edmonton Eskimos at Ottawa Redblacks (+3.5, 48.5)
After notching their first victory of the season at the expense of the Ottawa Redblacks, the Edmonton Eskimos look to complete a home-and-home sweep when the clubs reconvene in the nation's capital on Friday. Matt Nichols made the most of his debut with Mike Reilly sidelined 10-12 weeks with a knee injury, going 12-of-21 for 212 yards and three touchdowns in a convincing 46-17 victory on July 10.
Adarius Bowman stepped up in lieu of injuries to both Reilly and running back John White (season-ending ruptured Achilles tendon), reeling in five catches for 120 yards and a touchdown as Edmonton emerged victorious following its early bye week. The Eskimos reverted to the form that made them the league's top defence in 2014 by limiting Ottawa to just 25 yards rushing while also taking advantage of 13 penalties for 139 yards in the win. "You don't win the Grey Cup in July, you don't lose the Grey Cup in July," Redblacks wide receiver Maurice Price told the Ottawa Citizen after the team surrendered its highest point total in its 21 regular-season games to date. "There's no sense in dwelling on it and letting it hang around. Just put it behind you and move on."
TV: 7 p.m. ET, TSN, RDS, ESPN3
LINE HISTORY: There has been no movement on either the spread or total since open.
INJURY REPORT: Eskimos - DT Gregory Alexandre (Ques), WR Wallace Miles (Ques), DE Elie Ngoyi (Ques) Redblacks - QB Brock Jensen (Ques), WR Khalil Paden (Ques), DB Forrest Hightower (Ques), RB Jeremiah Johnson (Ques), Justin Capicciotti (Ques)
ABOUT THE ESKIMOS (1-1 SU, 1-1 ATS, 1-1 O/U): Coach Chris Jones admittedly was impressed after watching rookie cornerback John Ojo's momentum-turning interception for a touchdown in the first meeting. "What I liked most about it was when the opportunity presented itself, John had the wherewithal and the ability to finish," Jones told the Edmonton Journal on Monday. "Instinctually, he's playing corner. He was a natural safety in college (at Florida A&M), so he's still learning the position, but certainly he still brings everything we look for as far as physical attributes."
ABOUT THE REDBLACKS (2-1 SU, 2-1 ATS, 1-2 O/U): After throwing for 559 yards and four touchdowns in wins over Montreal and B.C., Henry Burris stumbled out of the blocks in the first meeting with the Eskimos. Burris tossed the interception by Ojo and completed just 20-of-36 passes for 162 yards before being pulled in the third quarter. "That pick-six was uncontested," coach Rick Campbell said. "Then, we took so many penalties in the first half ... it's hard to play winning football that way."
TRENDS:
*Eskimos are 6-2 ATS in their last 8 games following a ATS win.
*Under is 10-4-1 in RedBlacks last 15 games overall.
*Under is 12-2 in Eskimos last 14 games following a ATS win.
CONSENSUS: 57 percent of the public is backing the Eskimos with 50.5 percent on the over.
BC Lions at Saskatchewan Roughriders (-3.5, 51.5)
The Saskatchewan Roughriders seek their first victory of the season when they host the BC Lions on Friday. The only remaining winless team in the league, Saskatchewan has been close in each of its first three contests, losing by a total of nine points.
After opening the campaign with a four-point defeat to Winnipeg, the Roughriders dropped a two-point decision to Toronto and suffered a 35-32 setback at BC last Friday - both in overtime. The Lions rallied from a 29-18 deficit late in the fourth quarter, with rookie Richie Leone kicking his fifth field goal of the game - a club-record 56-yarder - with 15 seconds remaining before Travis Lulay hit Manny Arceneaux with a 4-yard pass in overtime for the winning score. "To be able to come back like that says a lot about our team," said BC first-year coach Jeff Tedford, who notched his initial CFL win. "I was so proud of the guys."
TV: 10 p.m. ET, TSN, RDS, ESPN3
LINE HISTORY: Initially the Roughriders were favored by three points, but have shifted to -3.5. The total has jumped a full point since opening at 50.5 and is now 51.5.
INJURY REPORT: Lions - SB Courtney Taylor (Prob), G Cody Husband (Ques), DB Ryan Phillips (Ques), LB Jason Arakgi (Doub) Roughriders - LB Shea Emry (Ques)
ABOUT THE LIONS (1-1 SU, 1-1 ATS, 1-1 O/U): Safety Eric Fraser has returned home, as the native of Burnaby was signed by BC on Tuesday. A product of Central Michigan, Fraser spent four seasons with Calgary after being selected in the first round of the 2010 draft. The 28-year-old was taken by Ottawa in the expansion draft following the 2013 season but was cut by the Redblacks during this year's training camp.
ABOUT THE ROUGHRIDERS (0-3 SU, 0-3 ATS, 3-0 O/U): With Weldon Brown nursing a shoulder injury, Saskatchewan also added to its defensive backfield Tuesday by signing cornerback Geoff Tisdale. A former All-Star, Tisdale has collected 29 interceptions - four for touchdowns - in 114 career games with Hamilton, Calgary and Montreal. The Roughriders also signed cornerback Paul Woldu, who was released after the preseason, to the practice squad.
TRENDS:
*Lions are 0-4-2 ATS in their last 6 games overall.
*Roughriders are 1-7 ATS in their last 8 home games.
*Under is 36-15 in the last 51 meetings.
CONSENSUS: 57.3 percent of the users are backing the 'Riders with 61 percent on the over.
