Cnotes 2017 Canadian Football League Picks/Trends/News thru Grey Cup !!

[CNOTES]

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


Date W-L-T % Units


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


Totals:..........................16 - 16.............50.00%......................-8.00


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


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


Totals...........................10 - 6.....................6 - 10....................- 8.00

 

[CNOTES]

Sunday’s six-pack


— ’96 Indians hit a double in 75 consecutive games, which is the all-time record- next highest streak is 51, by the ’99 Braves.


— Dodgers are first team EVER to have a rookie hit 25+ HR’s three years in a row.


— Colorado is going to limit some of their young starters’ innings; 4 of their 5 starters are rookies, so this makes sense.


— Zack Cozart got his donkey from Joey Votto for making the All-Star Game.


— Johnny Cueto (blisters) is on the DL. This year’s baseballs are giving more pitchers blisters, and that is a problem.


— RIP Babe Parilli 87; one of the AFL’s best QB’s- he played college ball for Bear Bryant at Kentucky.


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


Sunday’s List of 13: Clearing out a cluttered mind………


13) Two-way G-League contracts that marginal NBA players will sign (two per team) can be worth as much as $270,000 per player. Beats going over to Europe to play. So technically, NBA teams will have 17-man rosters this year- the two-way players can spend as many as 45 days in the NBA, before their deal would have to be upgraded to a regular NBA contract.


12) In NBA Summer League, when guys are fighting like hell to get a contract, they run over and pick up teammates after they get fouled. They root for their teammates while they’re on the bench, they do all the little suck-up things that scrubs in high school do when they’re fighting an uphill battle to make the team. It is amusing.


I’ll check back in in November/December and see how much of this is going on once the regular season starts.


11) Dennis Smith Jr looks like a steal for the Mavericks with the #9 pick in the draft; he had an excellent July in two summer leagues, but he tried to dunk in traffic during Thursday’s game, and missed. He really has great athletic ability- maybe the Knicks should’ve taken him with the 8th pick in the draft.


Anyway, ESPN’s Mark Jones lost his mind on the air about the dunk attempt, gushing over and over about a missed dunk. Luckily the mute button was within arm’s reach.


10) The one thing you don’t want to hear a scout say about a prospect: “Sometimes I question his motor.” Translated: “He doesn’t try hard all the time.”


9) White Sox trading Jose Quintana to the Cubs Thursday was the first Windy City trade in 11 years, when the Sox dealt lefty reliever Neal Cotts for David Aardsma and Carlos Vazquez. Over the last 50 years, the two Chicago teams have made 18 trades with each other.


8) I had never heard of Steve Whitmore until this week; turns out he has been the voice of Kermit the Frog since the death of Muppets creator Jim Henson in 1990. Whitmore was fired as Kermit’s voice this week; Disney, which owns the Muppet Studio, offered no explanation.


Kind of sad that a guy who worked for The Muppets since 1978 is now out of work.


7) Former Georgetown coach John Thompson III has surfaced as a studio analyst on NBA TV, during the summer league, at least.


6) Western Kentucky hired Mark Hsu as an assistant basketball coach; he comes from New Mexico State/Cal-Bakersfield— this hire was widely approved on Twitter. Hsu will help the Hilltoppers, who lost two assistants earlier this month.


5) Knicks traded a 2nd-round pick and cash to Sacramento so they could hire Scott Perry as their new GM. Perry went 19-61 as coach at Eastern Kentucky from 1997-2000, and never was a head coach again after that. Now he is the GM of an NBA team.


4) ESPN analyst Rip Hamilton said that he used to change sneakers every two games, when he was an NBA star. When you’re a star and the sneakers are free, you can do that.


3) For whatever reason, Bark at the Park Night has become a popular night at some major league ballparks. No idea why anyone would want to bring their dog to a ballgame, but they do.


2) Mets 14, Rockies 2— Friday night, Colorado had a runner thrown out at home on a sac fly to fairly deep left field when the score was 9-2. Great throw, horrendous baserunning.


1) Warren LeGarie is Executive Director of the Las Vegas NBA Summer League; he is also an agent, for both coaches and players— he started as a player agent for guys playing in Europe. Among his current clients are Rick Carlisle, George Karl, Terry Stotts and Dave Joerger.


The success of the summer league is mostly his doing— it has become a fun event to attend, and it is also good on TV. Filled up the baseball All-Star break for me, I know that. Thanks!!!

 

[CNOTES]

Wednesday’s six-pack


Odds on non-favorites to win the British Open this week……..


60-1— Rafael Cabrera-Bello


80-1— Charl Schwartzel


100-1— Jason Dufner


125-1— Bill Haas


150-1— Bubba Watson


200-1— Billy Horschel


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


Wednesday’s List of 13: Mid-week musings…….

13) TheMMQB.com ran a very interesting feature this week— an all-time draft of NFL players, with some veteran NFL minds drafting the players. Bill Polian, Ernie Accorsi, Dan Fouts, Gil Brandt were four of the 12 people picking teams.


None of this solves anything, but it is great fodder for debate. Here are the 12 QB’s who were taken, in the order they were selected.


1) Unitas 2) Brady 3) Otto Graham 4) Montana 5) Elway 6) Staubach 7) Manning 8) Bradshaw 9) Rodgers 10) Favre 11) Marino 12) Aikman


12) Other highlights of the draft:
— Lawrence Taylor was the first player taken. I have a friend Scott who knows more about football than anyone I know— when he reads that, he is not going to like it.
— Dan Fouts drafted Terry Bradshaw; he should’ve drafted Dan Fouts, who was better than Bradshaw and Aikman.
— Fouts drafted Ray Guy in the first round; I don’t have an explanation for that.
— Sammy Baugh got drafted, but as a punter, not a QB.
— Each team also drafted a coach; here are the 12 coaches picked, in order:


1) Lombardi 2) Walsh 3) Levy/Dungy (co-coach— Bill Polian did that) 4) Noll 5) Shula 6) Gibbs 7) Landry 8) Belichick 9) Coryell 10) Paul Brown 11) Curly Lambeau 12) Madden


No Parcells is weird; picking your buddies Levy/Dungy over Belichick is plain stupid. George Allen could be in this group of 12, but some of these guys just took their friends. Then again, if I was picking a team, my coach undoubtedly would’ve been Dick Vermeil. ��


Again, the whole draft is on TheMMQB.com. It is kind of fun to look through.


11) Best coaches who were left out: Parcells, Vermeil, Hank Stram, Bud Grant, Jimmy Johnson, Tom Flores, Sid Gillman.


10) Best QB’s who were left out: Bart Starr, Drew Brees, Ken Stabler, Kurt Warner, Jim Kelly, Fran Tarkenton, Steve Young.


9) Dodgers have swept 11 series this year; Clayton Kershaw didn’t pitch in 3 of the 11 series.


8) Announced attendance in Oakland Monday night was 9,736, a very quiet 9,736. It was the A’s smallest home crowd in six years.


When you start selling off players, it may be good business over the long haul, but it sends the message that “we’ve quit for this year.” People don’t like to shell out money to watch teams who have quit for the season.


White Sox are 0-4 since dealing Jose Quintana; A’s are now 1-1 since trading the two relievers to the Nationals. I’m going to track this as teams sell off guys the rest of this month.


7) Former big league 1B James Loney is off to Korea to play for the LG Twins on a $350,000 deal. Eric Thames played over in Korea for three years and now he is back in the majors with Milwaukee.


6) Weird Story of the Day: Cowboys WR Lucky Whitehead is asking for help locating his pitbull Blitz, who was abducted; the thieves are demanding a $10,000 ransom. Seriously, they are.


5) I wish they’d legalize online poker in this country so ESPN would start showing the World Series of Poker again (no one will buy commercial time if online poker is illegal). First prize this year is $8.1M; the final table is set, but I’ve never heard of any of the nine guys.


If you’re the first guy eliminated at the final table, you still bank $1M, so thats not too bad.


4) NBA season is starting October 17 this year, earlier than usual, as the league tries to reduce the amount of back/backs each team plays.


3) Astros’ SS Carlos Correa is out 6-8 weeks (thumb), another victim of the headfirst slide. Guys need to wear that hand protector Mike Trout is wearing now if they want to slide headfirst.


2) White Sox traded Todd Frazier, David Robertson and Shaker High’s Tommy Kahnle to the Bronx for Tyler Clippard (???) and two prospects. According to someone on Twitter who says they know a lot about the minor leagues, White Sox have 10 of the top 68 prospects in the minors, but top prospect Yoan Moncada is now headed to the Windy City.


1) Arizona acquired free agent-to-be JD Martinez from Detroit for three prospects. Guy on MLB Network said the three prospects aren’t that great, and that Arizona got off cheap on the deal.

 

[CNOTES]

CFL Betting Recap - Week 4
July 16, 2017


League Betting Notes


-- Favorites went 3-1 SU in Week 4


-- Favorites/underdogs went 2-2 ATS in Week 4


-- Home teams posted a 3-1 SU record in Week 4


-- Home/road teams posted a 2-2 ATS record in Week 4


-- The 'Over' went 3-1 in Week 4




Analysis

After underdogs ended up going 8-0 ATS over the first two weekends, normalcy continued in Week 4 with 'dogs splitting 2-2 ATS in Week 4. Hamilton (0-3) didn't help out that trend, however, as they were pounded at home on Saturday night by BC Lions (3-1), not even coming close to covering a three-point number at Tim Horton's Stadium. In fact, the TiCats were the only home team failing to win outright on their home turf on the weekend.


In addition, it was a high-scoring weekend in CFL play. There were 222 points scored in Week 4, second-highest in the league this season. However, the points were more evenly distributed and the 'over' finished in the majority for the first time (3-1). In Week 1, a total of 199 points were scored (under went 3-1). In Week 2, the highest-scoring weekend of the season with 250 points, the over/under split 2-2 with the points mostly scored in two of the matchups. In Week 3, we had the lowest-scoring weekend with just 186 points (under went 3-1).


Ottawa (0-3-1) continues its downward spiral after appearing in the Grey Cup last season. That's mostly because they cannot take care of the football. The RedBlacks are averaging 2.0 turnovers per game through four weekends, highest in the CFL (tied with the Argonauts). It's not surprise they find themselves heading into Week 5 still searching for that elusive first victory.


Team Betting Notes


-- Next up for the RedBlacks will be a date with Montreal (2-2). The Alouettes posted a nice 30-23 win over previously unbeaten Calgary (2-1-1). It was a rare high-scoring game for the Alouettes, who entered on a 3-0 'under' run, averaging just 17.3 points per game. Their defense continues to be the story, however, allowing 23 or fewer points in each game so far, including an amazing three-week run allowing exactly 23 points.


-- Speaking of the Stamps, last season they were cover kings with a league-best 13-5 ATS mark in 18 regular season games. They were also 6-2-1 SU on the road and 15-2-1 SU overall, going 1-1-1 SU over the first three weekends. Might we see a similar run this season after a slow start? After Week 5, the Stamps covered seven in a row in 2016.


-- Edmonton (3-0) picked up a third consecutive wins to open the season, although their narrow win in Ottawa was anything but easy. The Eskimos failed to cover for a second straight weekend while the 'under' cashed for the third time in as many games. Next up for the Esks is a trip east to face winless Hamilton.


-- As mentioned, the TiCats have dropped three in a row to open their season, and they're 0-3 ATS to kick off the season. A lack of offense and a lack of defense is not a very good mix for success. Hamilton is averaging just 20.3 points per game while yielding 36.7 PPG. The 'over' has hit in two straight for Hamilton, as they have allowed 78 points during the span.


-- The Lions won and covered for the third consecutive outing. They dropped 41 points in Hamilton, their most prolific offensive performance of the season. BC wrapped up an impressive 3-0 SU/ATS East Coast swing through Toronto, Montreal and Hamilton, but there won't be much time to celebrate. They have a tough home game Friday night against Winnipeg (2-1).


-- The Blue Bombers travel to BC on Friday, and they're 1-0 SU/ATS on the road this season. The Bombers look for revenge after being ousted 32-31 from the postseason in BC on Nov. 13, 2016. The Bombers had success against the Lions in the 2016 regular season, however, winning and covering each meeting. In fact, Winnipeg is a perfect 4-0 SU/ATS over the past four regular season meetings with British Columbia.


-- Toronto (2-2) dropped a 33-25 decision in WPG, as consistency hasn't been their strong suit to date. They have alternated wins and losses through the first four weeks, doing the same against the number (2-2 ATS). The Argonauts are also tied with the RedBlacks for the most turnovers (eight) in the CFL through Week 4.

 

[CNOTES]

CFL Betting Notes - Week 5
July 17, 2017


Last week in the CFL started on Thursday night with Winnipeg’s 33-25 victory against Toronto as a three-point home favorite. In the first of two Friday games, the home team won again with Montreal stunning Calgary 30-23 as a four-point underdog. Edmonton went on to beat Ottawa 23-21 in the nightcap, but it could not cover the three points at home.


Week 4 wrapped up on Saturday night with British Columbia breaking the streak of home team victories with a convincing 41-26 romp over Hamilton as a 3 ½-point road favorite.


Wednesday, July 19


Montreal Alouettes (2-2 SU, 2-2 ATS) vs. Ottawa RedBlacks (0-3-1 SU, 3-1 ATS)
Point-spread: Ottawa -3 ½
Total: 50 ½

Game Overview


Montreal continues to be one of the top defensive teams in the CFL this season with a points-allowed average of 21.3 and the fact that it was able to score 30 points in last week’s win is a major step forward for its offense. Prior to that, this unit had failed to score more than 19 points in any of its first three contests. Darian Durant threw for 296 yards against Calgary and the ground game added 143 yards on 26 rushing attempts.


The RedBlacks continue to keep every game they play close, but it still comes down to wins and losses as far as the East Division standings. Trevor Harris deserves a good deal of the credit for keeping Ottawa competitive on offense with 1,379 passing yards and a league-high eight passing touchdowns through his first four games. Ottawa’s defense has been a whole other story with a points-allowed average of 30.8.

Betting Trends


-- The road team has won the last three meetings straight-up and Ottawa has a 6-1 edge against the spread in the last seven games between these two division rivals. The total has stayed UNDER in six of the last nine games.


Thursday, July 20


Edmonton Eskimos (3-0 SU, 1-2 ATS) vs. Hamilton Tiger-Cats (0-3 SU, 0-3 ATS)
Point-spread: Edmonton -3
Total: 54 ½


Game Overview


Edmonton has forged the early lead in the highly competitive West Division behind a balanced attack on offense and a defense that has done a fairly good job at keeping opposing teams out of the end zone. Led by quarterback Mike Reilly, the Eskimos have averaged 25.3 points per game in their undefeated start. He has completed 71.8 percent of his 103 attempts for 866 yards and four touchdown throws.


The Tiger-Cats are in danger of letting this season slip out of control behind an offense that is averaging just 20.3 PPG complementing a defense that has been burnt for 32 points or more in each of its first three losses. In last week’s double-digit loss to BC, Zach Collaros ended the game with 361 passing yards and 22 more on the ground, but it is pretty obvious that he cannot get it done on his own.


Betting Trends


--Edmonton has won three of the last four meetings SU and it has gone 4-0-1 ATS in its last five road games against the Tiger-Cats. The total has stayed under in all five of those games at Hamilton.


Friday, July 21


Winnipeg Blue Bombers (2-1 SU, 2-1 ATS) vs. British Columbia Lions (3-1 SU, 3-1 ATS)
Point-spread: BC -8 ½
Total: 56 ½


Game Overview


The Blue Bombers put up 43 points in overtime in its Week 1 victory at Saskatchewan and they rolled up 33 points last week. This effort was wrapped around a 19-point loss to Calgary in which this unit produced just 10 points. Matt Nichols has done a decent job under center with 826 yards passing and five touchdown throws in three games and while Andrew Harris has racked up 170 yards on the ground, this unit still needs better consistency from week to week.


BC could be the most complete team in the CFL on both sides of the ball right now. The Lions are definitely the deepest team in talent at the quarterback position after Travis Lulay stepped in for an injured Jonathon Jennings in the first quarter of last week’s game against Hamilton to throw for 436 yards while completing 29 of his 36 attempts.


Betting Trends


-- The Blue Bombers are 5-0-1 ATS in its last six games against BC and they are 5-1 ATS in their last six road games against the Lions. The total has gone OVER in the last four meetings.


Saturday, July 22


Saskatchewan Roughriders (1-2 SU, 2-1 ATS) vs. Calgary Stampeders (2-1-1 SU, 1-3 ATS)
Point-spread: Calgary -11 ½
Total: 57 ½


Game Overview


The Roughriders come into this game off a bye week and they have been able to cover ATS in five of their last six games played on the road. Kevin Glenn has done a solid job at quarterback with 1,055 yards passing and seven touchdown throws. He has completed 99 of his first 136 passing attempts to post the top completion percentage in the CFL (72.8). Saskatchewan has still had its issues with a defense that is allowing an average of 26.7 PPG.


Calgary appeared to be on track for another successful run to the top of the West Division standings before last week’s shocking upset at the hands of Montreal. The Stampeders had a slight 20-16 lead against the Alouettes heading into the final quarter, but their defense could not make the plays at the end of the game when it had to the most.

Betting Trends

-- Calgary is a perfect 6-0 SU in the last six meetings and it has a 4-2-1 edge ATS in its last seven home games against the Roughriders. The total stayed UNDER in both meetings last season after going OVER in the previous four games between these two West Division foes.


Monday, July 25


Ottawa RedBlacks (0-3-1 SU, 3-1 ATS) vs. Toronto Argonauts (2-2 SU, 2-2 ATS)
Point-spread: Toronto -1 ½
Total: 54


Game Overview


Ottawa has the unfortunate task of playing two games in a span of six days and fatigue on the road is bound to be a factor in this game regardless of what happens at home against Montreal on Wednesday night. The RedBlacks have been able to cover ATS in their last four road games and the total has stayed UNDER or ended as a PUSH in five of their last six games played in July.


Toronto finds itself in an excellent position to get back above .500 on the year against a division foe, but consistency has not been one of this team’s strong points this season. Ricky Ray has done his part at quarterback with a CFL-high 1,529 passing yards and his top target SJ Green also leads the league in receiving yards with 452 in his first four games.


Betting Trends


-- These two already met this season in Week 3 with Toronto coming away with a tight 26-25 win as a four-point road underdog. The total stayed UNDER 55 points in that game and it has now stayed UNDER in the last four meetings in this East Division tilt.

 

[CNOTES]

WEST DIVISION


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


1 Edmonton 3 3 0 0 6 76 67 2-0-0 1-0-0 1-0-0


2 BC 4 3 1 0 6 119 87 0-1-0 3-0-0 0-1-0


3 Calgary 4 2 1 1 5 126 110 1-0-0 1-1-1 1-0-0

4 Winnipeg 3 2 1 0 4 86 94 1-1-0 1-0-0 1-1-0

5 Saskatchewan 3 1 2 0 2 93 80 1-1-0 0-1-0 0-1-0



EAST DIVISION


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


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

2 Montreal 4 2 2 0 4 82 85 2-1-0 0-1-0 0-0-0

3 Ottawa 4 0 3 1 1 116 123 0-1-1 0-2-0 0-1-0

4 Hamilton 3 0 3 0 0 61 110 0-1-0 0-2-0 0-1-0

 

[CNOTES]

PREVIEW


REDBLACKS, ALOUETTES SET FOR KEY MIDWEEK MATCHUP




OTTAWA — Talk about role reversal.


Entering the 2017 CFL season, the Ottawa REDBLACKS were seen by many as favourites to win an East Division with plenty of question marks, while the Montreal Alouettes’ myriad personnel changes made for low expectations in their first year under new GM Kavis Reed.


Fast forward to Week 5 and Jacques Chapdelaine’s Als are tied for the division lead at a respectable 2-2, while Rick Campbell’s REDBLACKS search for their first win of the 2017 season.


The two teams will meet in the nation’s capital with plenty on the line this Wednesday (7:30 p.m. ET) in a rare Wednesday night duel. Ottawa needs a win for many reasons, not the least of which to quell creeping doubts, while Montreal can establish itself as a legitimate threat in the wide open East with a road victory.


The Alouettes made a statement with Saturday’s 30-23 win over the heavily-favoured Calgary Stampeders and will take their show on the road this week to face the winless-but-almost-there REDBLACKS.


In order to pick up their second win on the trot, Jacques Chapdelaine’s squad may have to find a way to keep the offence rolling without star running back Tyrell Sutton and his CFL-best 295 rush yards. Didier Orméjuste of RDS reports that Sutton will not play in Week 5.


Brandon Rutley will get his first start since 2016 in the Montreal backfield and looks poised for a breakout game. The San Jose State alum rushed for nearly 500 yards last season and has averaged just shy of five yards per carry in his four-year CFL career.


Pivot Darian Durant has been decent since joining the Als from Saskatchewan, throwing four touchdowns to equal four interceptions and completing roughly two thirds of his passes. Marquee off-season acquisition Ernest Jackson, currently third on the team in receiving yards, believes the best is yet to come from the veteran quarterback.


“We only had a short time to get chemistry with the QB,” Jackson told MontrealAlouettes.com. “Now we know how to work with each other, and you’ve seen that last week (and) you’ll see it this week.”


As for facing his former team, Jackson says Wednesday’s contest will come down to execution.


“With a short week, you have to be mentally prepared,” said the Buffalo alum. “(It’s a) team with no wins, they’re coming in even harder, they’re hungry for a win (and) it’s going to be a dogfight. We have to expect that when we step on the field, and really focus in on the plays, execute and stay away from penalties.”


The top-ranked Alouette defence will get a boost with the return of defensive back Jonathon Mincy from the injured list. The 24-year-old Auburn alum missed the last two games after suffering an injury in Week 2 against Edmonton.


Montreal has allowed a league-low 21.3 points-per-game on the strength of a defence that does many things — collapsing the pocket, neutralizing big-time receivers, etc. — well. Individual standouts include Chris Ackie and his CFL-best two forced fumbles along with veteran Kyries Hebert with his team-leading 28 tackles.


Some personnel notes out of Montreal: Veteran DB Ryan Phillips was released on Monday, while 2017 draft-pick Malcolm Carter was placed on the retired list and expected to return to an unknown school on the Canadian university circuit.


The Ottawa REDBLACKS have something to prove about their mettle and ability on Wednesday night.


A quartet of close games for Rick Campbell’s football team has produced one measly tie and three defeats; the REDBLACKS have been close to victory at various points in all four games, but haven’t been able to secure the elusive first win of 2017.


“The margin is razor thin,” Campbell told OttawaREDBLACKS.com. “The thing we haven’t been doing on defence is creating that big, momentum-changing turnover play — we have to keep working on that and the unforced errors.”


Finding the big play on defence has proven difficult for Ottawa through four games — Jerrell Gavins’s Week 1 forced fumble remains the team’s only defensive takeaway.


“Our biggest issue is turnovers,” explained Campbell. “We need to create more and give up less. We’re undefeated when we win turnover battle. We’ve done some pretty good work, in terms of keeping people down. Part of that’s just hustle, and good things will happen. You play hard, we got some more pressure on the QB. That creates mistakes from the offence.”


In the midst of an 11-day, three-game stretch, the REDBLACKS are hurting on the defensive side of the ball: Ottawa’s two leading tacklers, Nick Taylor (28) and Khalil Bass (21), are on the injured list — Taylor on the six-game — and little-tested Serderius Bryant and Adam Berger will slide into the lineup.


Antoine Pruneau will drop down into a linebacker spot along with Bryant, while Berger will take over duties at safety.


By The Numbers:


2 – Sacks allowed by the Alouettes, the fewest in the league.


3 – Wins in four career starts against Montreal for Ottawa quarterback Trevor Harris.


5 – Catches needed by Alouettes receiver Nik Lewis to reach 1,000 on his career — a mark only reached by three players in league history.


123 — Points allowed by the REDBLACKS, the most in the CFL.


The Skinny


Officially, nobody in Ottawa is hitting the panic button yet. But trailing division leaders Toronto and Montreal by three points this early in the campaign was certainly not in the REDBLACKS’ plans.


We’re starting to enter win-or-else territory in the nation’s capital; a fourth loss on the trot for Ottawa could put the ball in motion for significant schematic and even personnel changes.


On the Alouettes side of the equation, Jacques Chapdelaine’s team feels it isn’t getting the early-season respect it deserves after wins against Calgary and Saskatchewan. People have labelled Montreal as a fluke, a team that won’t get it done on the road, etc. — Wednesday is an opportunity for them to change the conversation.


Both teams have something to prove, and with the heightened atmosphere provided by the REDBLACK faithful at TD Place, this season’s first edition of Wednesday Night Football could prove to be a must-watch contest.


Kickoff is slated for 7:30 p.m. ET and can be followed live via CFL.ca Game Tracker or seen on TSN and ESPN3.

 

[CNOTES]

Week 5 CFL


Montreal (2-2) @ Ottawa (0-3-1)— RedBlacks lost last three games, by total of 7 points; they’re winless, despite scoring 29 pts/game. Underdogs covered all four of their games. Ottawa is 5-1 in last six games vs Montreal; under is 6-3 in series games. Alouettes are 3-2 in Ottawa- visitors won four of last five series games. Montreal is 2-2 this year; all four games were decided by 7 or less points- three of them stayed under total. Ottawa is winless, but trailed only one game at the half (1-1-2).


Edmonton (3-0) @ Hamilton (0-3)— Eskimos are 3-0, with wins by 3-4-2 points; all three games stayed under, were covered by the underdog. Hamilton is 0-3, losing by 17-17-15 points; they allowed 367 pts/game, 512 yds/game. Road team won last five series games; Edmonton won its last three visits to Hamilton, winning by 7-3-3 points, last of which was a playoff game LY. Eskimos have run ball for 99.3 yds/game this year. Hamilton has allowed 441 passing yards a game this season.


Winnipeg (2-1) @ BC Lions (3-1)— Last four series games were all decided by 3 or less points, all went over the total. Blue Bombers won four of last five series games; losing side scored 31+ points in all three meetings LY. Team that was leading at halftime lost all three Winnipeg games; they won only road game so far, in OT at Regina. Lions won last three games, all on road- three of their four games stayed under total. Bombers are 3-2 in last five visits here.


Saskatchewan (1-2) @ Calgary (2-1-1)— Roughriders are off their bye week; they scored 40-37 points in last two games- their two losses are by total of 4 points. Riders lost their last six games vs Calgary, dropping last three visits here, by 13-23-20 points. Over is 8-4 in last 12 series tilts. Stampeders lost in Montreal last week; they beat Ottawa 43-39 (-7) in only home game this year. Calgary has yet to lead at halftime (0-2-2) this season; three of their four games went over total.


Favorites vs spread for season: 6-10


over/under: 7-9

 

[CNOTES]

INSIGHT AND ANALYSIS
JULY 18, 2017
CAUZ: OVER 13 SEASONS, RYAN PHILLIPS HAS ALWAYS STOOD OUT


Week 5 is going to be so weird for me and it has nothing to do with the prospects of Bo Levi Mitchell dealing with the threat of a potential two-game losing streak for the first time since Week 2 of the 2016 season (quick props to Mitchell, who before losing 30-23 to Montreal had gone 17-0-2 since Calgary’s 20-18 loss in last year’s season opener to the BC Lions).


For the first time since season 2005, Ryan Phillips will not be in his usual position of defensive back after being released last Sunday by Montreal. This was reported on our site in a quick and efficient 134-word article. For Lions fans, most of what I am going to say will be redundant but for a player of his pedigree I think attention must be paid.


In a league where durability is cherished and elusive, Phillips stands out among a sea of MRIs and torn MCLs. In his dozen years with the BC Lions he only missed four games and at one point played in 181 straight games. Above all his other accomplishments, that one is the most extraordinary. This is such a physical game yet when you look at his profile page under the “games played” category, all you see is year after year of 18 games.


Phillips has nearly 500 tackles, 47 interceptions, he holds five Lions defensive records, was a four-time CFL All-Star and won two Grey Cups but his attendance record is what I will remember most about his time in BC. I understand it is unfair to say that being healthy is a skill — injuries can be so random — but your ability to be available is as important as any of the other counting statistics.


Finally, Phillips played 12 seasons for one team! How often do you see a player last that long with one organization in such a transitory league like the CFL?


Phillips’ path to unemployment could not have been more predictable. Most of the time, players don’t get to dictate their final act; happy endings are in the movies, not in professional football. At the age of 33, of course Phillips’ play would start to dip, which led to the inevitable request by management for a pay cut which of course soon led to his release. I don’t blame Phillips for refusing to take a pay cut considering how much of his life he gave to the Lions, nor am I surprised that the team asked for one. There is no such thing as a lifetime supply of uncompromising loyalty in football and when teams need to save money or go on a youth movement, no one is spared.


The real shame is just how quickly it ended for Phillips with his new team, Montreal. But sticking with the same theme from the previous paragraph, you could see this coming. Phillips was dealing with hamstring issues in training camp, suffered a head injury in Week 2 against Edmonton, was a healthy scratch against Calgary and then soon after was released. I can only bet just how frustrating the past couple months have been for the proud veteran.


My hope is that this column will soon be obsolete, that Phillips will be picked up by another team and will be given a chance to thrive again. Ryan’s twitter timeline is filled with pleas from fans across the country for him to join their respective team.


Considering the Tiger-Cats have given up a CFL record Ka-Billion passing yards through three games I wouldn’t be surprised if Phillips finds work soon. I’d love to see a return to the Lions with a chance to break the team’s all-time interception record of 51 held by Larry Crawford but I think that ship has sailed. Phillips’ former teammate (albeit for a brief period of time) Nik Lewis tweeted out: “Whoever gets @ryan_4real21 is getting a great player and great teacher. He will be missed. #Respect”.


Ryan certainly has the mindset to be able to rise above this adversity. In an interview he did during Lions training camp in 2016, Phillips said: “You gotta make your game progress every single year. There is always something you can learn. The game always changes. When you get that new opportunity you have to continue to have your game adapt you can’t be the same all the time” (Full interview here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rGzrsCuvJgM).


Considering where Phillips is today, those words sound so prophetic. Here’s hoping Phillips can adapt his game to a new opportunity.

 

[CNOTES]

CFL
Dunkel


Week 5


Wednesday, July 19

Montreal @ Ottawa


Game 351-352
July 19, 2017 @ 7:30 pm


Dunkel Rating:
Montreal
108.761
Ottawa
120.695
Dunkel Team:
Dunkel Line:
Dunkel Total:
Ottawa
by 12
55
Vegas Team:
Vegas Line:
Vegas Total:
Ottawa
by 4
50
Dunkel Pick:
Ottawa
(-4); Over




Thursday, July 20

Edmonton @ Hamilton


Game 353-354
July 20, 2017 @ 7:30 pm


Dunkel Rating:
Edmonton
115.179
Hamilton
106.062
Dunkel Team:
Dunkel Line:
Dunkel Total:
Edmonton
by 9
47
Vegas Team:
Vegas Line:
Vegas Total:
Edmonton
by 3
54 1/2
Dunkel Pick:
Edmonton
(-3); Under




Friday, July 21

Winnipeg @ BC Lions


Game 355-356
July 21, 2017 @ 10:00 pm


Dunkel Rating:
Winnipeg
110.221
BC Lions
120.415
Dunkel Team:
Dunkel Line:
Dunkel Total:
BC Lions
by 10
52
Vegas Team:
Vegas Line:
Vegas Total:
BC Lions
by 7
56 1/2
Dunkel Pick:
BC Lions
(-7); Under




Saturday, July 22

Saskatchewan @ Calgary


Game 357-358
July 22, 2017 @ 9:00 pm


Dunkel Rating:
Saskatchewan
111.576
Calgary
118.159
Dunkel Team:
Dunkel Line:
Dunkel Total:
Calgary
by 7
60
Vegas Team:
Vegas Line:
Vegas Total:
Calgary
by 10 1/2
57
Dunkel Pick:
Saskatchewan
(+10 1/2); Over


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


CFL
Long Sheet


Week 5


Wednesday, July 19


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


MONTREAL (2 - 2) at OTTAWA (0 - 3 - 1) - 7/19/2017, 7:30 PM
Top Trends for this game.
OTTAWA is 15-6 ATS (+8.4 Units) when playing with 6 or less days rest over the last 3 seasons.

Head-to-Head Series History
OTTAWA is 5-1 against the spread versus MONTREAL over the last 3 seasons
OTTAWA is 5-1 straight up against MONTREAL over the last 3 seasons
3 of 6 games in this series have gone OVER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons

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


Thursday, July 20


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

EDMONTON (3 - 0) at HAMILTON (0 - 3) - 7/20/2017, 7:30 PM
Top Trends for this game.
EDMONTON is 36-60 ATS (-30.0 Units) after 2 or more consecutive straight up wins since 1996.

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

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


Friday, July 21


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

WINNIPEG (2 - 1) at BRITISH COLUMBIA (3 - 1) - 7/21/2017, 10:00 PM
Top Trends for this game.
WINNIPEG is 9-2 ATS (+6.8 Units) in road games over the last 2 seasons.
WINNIPEG is 9-2 ATS (+6.8 Units) in road lined games over the last 2 seasons.

Head-to-Head Series History
WINNIPEG is 5-0 against the spread versus BRITISH COLUMBIA over the last 3 seasons
WINNIPEG is 4-1 straight up against BRITISH COLUMBIA over the last 3 seasons
4 of 5 games in this series have gone OVER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons

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


Saturday, July 22


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

SASKATCHEWAN (1 - 2) at CALGARY (2 - 1 - 1) - 7/22/2017, 9:00 PM
Top Trends for this game.
SASKATCHEWAN is 129-93 ATS (+26.7 Units) as an underdog since 1996.
SASKATCHEWAN is 53-34 ATS (+15.6 Units) in July games since 1996.

Head-to-Head Series History
CALGARY is 3-1 against the spread versus SASKATCHEWAN over the last 3 seasons
CALGARY is 4-0 straight up against SASKATCHEWAN over the last 3 seasons
2 of 4 games in this series have gone OVER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons

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


CFL


Week 5


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


Wednesday, July 19


7:30 PM
MONTREAL vs. OTTAWA
Montreal is 1-5 SU in its last 6 games when playing Ottawa
The total has gone UNDER in 6 of Montreal's last 9 games when playing Ottawa
The total has gone UNDER in 6 of Ottawa's last 9 games when playing Montreal
Ottawa is 2-4 SU in its last 6 games when playing at home against Montreal




Thursday, July 20

7:30 PM
EDMONTON vs. HAMILTON
Edmonton is 4-1 SU in its last 5 games when playing on the road against Hamilton
The total has gone UNDER in 5 of Edmonton's last 5 games when playing on the road against Hamilton
The total has gone UNDER in 4 of Hamilton's last 6 games when playing Edmonton
Hamilton is 2-3-1 ATS in its last 6 games when playing Edmonton




Friday, July 21

10:00 PM
WINNIPEG vs. BRITISH COLUMBIA
Winnipeg is 8-2 SU in its last 10 games on the road
The total has gone OVER in 5 of Winnipeg's last 6 games when playing British Columbia
The total has gone OVER in 5 of British Columbia's last 7 games at home
The total has gone OVER in 5 of British Columbia's last 6 games when playing Winnipeg




Saturday, July 22

9:00 PM
SASKATCHEWAN vs. CALGARY
Saskatchewan is 2-11 SU in its last 13 games when playing Calgary
The total has gone OVER in 5 of Saskatchewan's last 7 games when playing Calgary
The total has gone OVER in 5 of Calgary's last 7 games at home
Calgary is 5-0 SU in its last 5 games at home




Monday, July 24

7:30 PM
OTTAWA vs. TORONTO
Ottawa is 1-8 SU in its last 9 games when playing on the road against Toronto
The total has gone UNDER in 6 of Ottawa's last 9 games when playing on the road against Toronto
The total has gone UNDER in 5 of Toronto's last 7 games
The total has gone UNDER in 6 of Toronto's last 9 games when playing at home against Ottawa

 

[CNOTES]

WEDNESDAY, JULY 19


GAME TIME(ET) PICK UNITS


MTL at OTT 07:30 PM


MTL +4.5


U 50.5

 

[CNOTES]

GAME RECAP
REDBLACKS END LATE THREAT FROM ALS, HOLD ON FOR WIN


OTTAWA – The Ottawa REDBLACKS defence forced four turnovers and held strong late in the fourth quarter over the Montreal Alouettes to secure the team’s first victory of the season.


With the Als threatening in the red zone with less than three minutes remaining, the REDBLACKS denied a third down rush attempt to secure the 24-19 win.


While Darian Durant had a strong second half, it was not enough to overcome some early struggles. He threw for 452 yards, two touchdowns and two interceptions in the loss. His counterpart Trevor Harris threw two touchdown passes of his own to go with 376 passing yards.


Jerrell Gavins intercepted Durant on the first Als possession, the first pick recorded by the REDBLACKS this season. Mixing it up on offence, the REDBLACKS used both the rush and the pass to chip away and move the chains to march downfield but it was not enough to get into scoring territory and Ottawa was forced to punt.


Getting the ball back on offence, Harris found a wide open Brad Sinopoli downfield for a 22-yard gain that put the REDBLACKS in the red zone. Brett Maher booted a field goal to give Ottawa an early 3-0 lead.


The REDBLACKS defence frustrated the Als again, forcing a Brandon Rutley fumble that was recovered by Jonathan Rose with 6:05 remaining in the opening frame. Dionate Spencer dropped a pass in the end zone but Maher recorded another field goal as the REDBLACKS doubled their lead.


Montreal responded on its next drive with a field goal of their own, cutting the deficit to 6-3. The REDBLACKS notched a single at the start of the second quarter.


Back-to-back catches by George Johnson pushed the Alouettes past midfield. Receptions by BJ Cunningham and Lewis kept the chains moving before Rutley found some room to get the near the goal line. The momentum ended on an Antoine Pruneau interception in the end zone, Durant’s second pick of the game.






Ottawa took advantage of the turnover and they did so quickly. Harris connected with Ellingson at midfield and the wideout took care of the rest, outrunning the defence 80 yards to the end zone to increase the REDBLACKS lead to 14-3.


With the three minute warning approaching, Cunningham took matters into his own hands, making a leaping grab on a deep ball from Durant for a 36-yard gain. The Als drive was halted by another turnover, the team’s fourth of the half, as Taylor Reed tackled Durant and forced a fumble which was recovered by the REDBLACKS. Maher added another field goal as the Ottawa lead grew to 17-3.


Unfazed and with less than a minute remaining in the first half, Durant used a series of short passes and worked the sidelines to get into scoring range. Boris Bede kicked a 30-yard field goal to add three more points for Montreal as the halftime whistle sounded.


A special moment kicked off the second half of the game. With 14:12 remaining in the third quarter, Nik Lewis recorded a nine-yard gain for the 1,000th reception in his career. He entered the game five catches shy of the milestone. From there, Ernest Jackson notched a 14-yard gain before Durant connected 51 yards downfield with Tiquan Underwood for the first Als major of the night. Montreal failed to convert on the two-point attempt and still trailed 17-12.


The REDBLACKS offence hit the field looking for a quick response and first down grabs by Spencer, Sinopoli and Joshua Stangby kept the ball moving. Sinopoli capped the nine-play drive with a touchdown and pushed the REDBLACKS lead to 24-12.


Looking to claw back into the game, Durant kept the REDBLACKS defence moving with passes across the field, using his full receiving corps. On his first touchdown grab of the season, Lewis scored on a 4-yard major. Bede missed the extra point kick as Montreal still trailed 24-18.


Both teams locked in on defence in the fourth quarter, not allowing many yards to be gained. The Als added a single halfway through, cutting the deficit to just five points.


A big 35-yard mark by Jackson pushed the Als to midfield. A key run on third down by Cunningham kept the drive alive as Durant worked with under three minutes left in the game. Trying their luck again on third down inside the red zone, the Als were denied and stuffed by the REDBLACKS defence on the eight-yard line to end the threat and secure the victory.


Jackson finished the game with eight receptions and 101 receiving yards in his first game against his former team.


Next week, the Als head west to take on the Winnipeg Blue Bombers while the REDBLACKS visit the Toronto Argonauts on Monday night.

 

[CNOTES]

Thursday’s six-pack


Odds to win the World Series this year:


— Los Angeles Dodgers 3-1


— Houston Astros 9-2


— Washington Nationals, Boston Red Sox 6-1


— Cleveland Indians 7-1


— Chicago Cubs 8-1


— New York (A) 16-1


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

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


13) A helicopter carrying WWE’s Shane McMahon made an emergency landing Wednesday in the Atlantic Ocean off Long Island; the helicopter took off from Westchester County Airport, made a stop at a heliport in Manhattan, then was flying east along the Long Island coast when the incident occurred.


The pilot issued a mayday call before going into the water; a commercial flight heading to Kennedy Airport heard it and relayed it to FAA controllers at a radar facility. McMahon and the pilot are both OK.


12) Quote of the Day, Part 2:
“My sense is the law will change in the next few years in the United States……..People want to bet throughout the game. It results in enormous additional engagement with the fans.”
NBA commissioner Adam Silver, on sports gambling becoming legal in the near future


11) You wonder why the other 29 NFL teams looked the other way when the Rams, Raiders and Chargers pulled up stakes and moved? There are relocation fees those teams have to pay to the league. EACH of the other 29 teams banked $55M in relocation fees this year. Must be nice.


10) Los Angeles Dodgers have been held to 1 or 2 runs in six of Clayton Kershaw’s 20 starts this year; they won five of those six games, thats how good Kershaw has been. LA won his last 14 starts- they’ve also won Alex Wood’s last 11 starts.


9) Dodgers are on a 30-4 roll; last major league team to go 30-4 in any stretch? The ’77 Royals.


8) Cubs’ 3B Kris Bryant left Wednesday’s game early with a sprained pinky he hurt while sliding head-first into third base……..Freddie Freeman left the same game early with an illness……… Stephen Souza Jr left the Rays’ game early with a hip injury suffered while sliding feet-first…. …….Charlie Blackmon left the Rockies’ game with a tweaked hamstring.


7) Rockies 18, Padres 4— In three games in Denver this week, San Diego starting pitchers allowed 24 runs in 10 IP. No bueno. Nolan Arenado had 3 HR’s, 7 RBI for Colorado.


6) Rockies’ catcher Ryan Hanigan is the son of an FBI agent. Has to be difficult to get away with childhood hijinx when your dad is a federal agent.


5) Todd Frazier is going to be the everyday 3B in the Bronx; Chase Headley gets the next shot at being the everyday 1B.


4) Chargers’ first-round draft pick, Clemson WR Mike Williams, might need season ending back surgery, not how the Bolts wanted their first year up north to start.


3) There have been 19 games where a team scored in every inning of a major league game; by way of contrast, there have been 21 perfect games in the big leagues.


2) In 1972, Robert Irsay bought the Rams for $19M, then traded them to Carroll Rosenbloom in exchange for the Baltimore Colts. Think something like that could ever happen today?


1) Wednesday was National Hot Dog Day; there is an ongoing question on the Interweb, as to whether a hot dog is indeed a sandwich. My opinion; a hot dog is a sandwich. Meat in between bread, that would qualify it as a sandwich. Others disagree, some vehemently. So be it.

 

[CNOTES]

Thursday, July 20


Edmonton Eskimos (3-0 SU, 1-2 ATS) vs. Hamilton Tiger-Cats (0-3 SU, 0-3 ATS)
Point-spread: Edmonton -3
Total: 54 ½


Game Overview


Edmonton has forged the early lead in the highly competitive West Division behind a balanced attack on offense and a defense that has done a fairly good job at keeping opposing teams out of the end zone. Led by quarterback Mike Reilly, the Eskimos have averaged 25.3 points per game in their undefeated start. He has completed 71.8 percent of his 103 attempts for 866 yards and four touchdown throws.


The Tiger-Cats are in danger of letting this season slip out of control behind an offense that is averaging just 20.3 PPG complementing a defense that has been burnt for 32 points or more in each of its first three losses. In last week’s double-digit loss to BC, Zach Collaros ended the game with 361 passing yards and 22 more on the ground, but it is pretty obvious that he cannot get it done on his own.


Betting Trends


--Edmonton has won three of the last four meetings SU and it has gone 4-0-1 ATS in its last five road games against the Tiger-Cats. The total has stayed under in all five of those games at Hamilton.


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


Thursday, July 20


Edmonton @ Hamilton


Game 353-354
July 20, 2017 @ 7:30 pm


Dunkel Rating:
Edmonton
115.179
Hamilton
106.062
Dunkel Team:
Dunkel Line:
Dunkel Total:
Edmonton
by 9
47
Vegas Team:
Vegas Line:
Vegas Total:
Edmonton
by 3
54 1/2
Dunkel Pick:
Edmonton
(-3); Under


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


Thursday, July 20


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


EDMONTON (3 - 0) at HAMILTON (0 - 3) - 7/20/2017, 7:30 PM
Top Trends for this game.
EDMONTON is 36-60 ATS (-30.0 Units) after 2 or more consecutive straight up wins since 1996.


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


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


Edmonton (3-0) @ Hamilton (0-3)— Eskimos are 3-0, with wins by 3-4-2 points; all three games stayed under, were covered by the underdog. Hamilton is 0-3, losing by 17-17-15 points; they allowed 367 pts/game, 512 yds/game. Road team won last five series games; Edmonton won its last three visits to Hamilton, winning by 7-3-3 points, last of which was a playoff game LY. Eskimos have run ball for 99.3 yds/game this year. Hamilton has allowed 441 passing yards a game this season.


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


Thursday, July 20


7:30 PM
EDMONTON vs. HAMILTON
Edmonton is 4-1 SU in its last 5 games when playing on the road against Hamilton
The total has gone UNDER in 5 of Edmonton's last 5 games when playing on the road against Hamilton
The total has gone UNDER in 4 of Hamilton's last 6 games when playing Edmonton
Hamilton is 2-3-1 ATS in its last 6 games when playing Edmonton

 

[CNOTES]

PREVIEW
ESKS, TICATS SET FOR SEMI-FINAL REMATCH


HAMILTON — The Hamilton Tiger-Cats will be out for vengeance when the Edmonton Eskimos roll into Steeltown on Thursday night for a rematch of last year’s Eastern Semi-Final.


Edmonton narrowly defeated the Ticats 24-21 after a Hamilton comeback fell just short in that game, while the Tabbies outscored the Esks 12-3 in the final quarter to pull within three points but the effort was too little to late.


The Esks are the only undefeated team in the league heading into Week 5 after squeaking past the Ottawa REDBLACKS 23-21 in Week 4. The REDBLACKS were just one throw away from forcing overtime, but a two-point convert attempt after a late scoring drive was unsuccessful with less than 30 seconds left on the clock.


Edmonton’s offence continued to find a way to win as pivot Mike Reilly completed 27-of-39 passes for 265 yards and one touchdown while sophomore Brandon Zylstra had game-high 108 yards in the air on 10 catches. Travon Van has not disappointed in place of the injured John White after racking up 103 yards on 18 carries.


The Eskimos have not posted astonishing number in any offensive or defensive category. However, they continue to win the turnover battle with a league-low two turnovers through three games.


Simply put, the Esks find a way to win each and every night they step onto the field.


“I’ve always preached that it doesn’t matter how we win football games as long as we get the ‘W’,” Mike Reilly told Esks.com after the team’s victory over Ottawa. “We’ve had some hard fought games. There’s no doubt about it… it was far from a perfect game, but for the third game of the season for us, we’re definitely pleased with how our guys are fighting and playing and finding a way to win football games.”


The Esks will be without the services of Adarius Bowman in Week 5. The slotback is sidelined with a hamstring injury and was placed on the one-game injured list. Receiver Bryant Mitchell will get the start in Bowman’s absence.


The Ticats are still looking for their first win of the season after a disappointing 0-3 start. Their most recent loss came at the hands of BC in Week 4 as the Lions cruised to a 41-26 win to spoil Hamilton’s home opener.


The Ticats got off to a promising start after Jeremiah Masoli powered into the end zone for a one-yard rushing touchdown to open the scoring on Hamilton’s second drive of the game. The Ticats led midway through the second quarter, but the Lions began to pull away with two late first half majors to leave the Ticats playing catch up for the remainder of the game.


Jalen Saunders posted an impressive 147 receiving yards and a touchdown on just five catches in the loss while Collaros threw a season-best 361 yards on 30-of-48 passing with one touchdown and one interception. Collaros managed an impressive second-half scoring drive that was capped off by a 25-yard touchdown toss to Saunders, but it was not enough to keep up with the Lions’ rapid scoring pace.


Austin says he has no worries about his pivot’s consistency heading into Week 5.


“I’m not concerned,” Austin told Ticats.ca. “A quarterback is not going to play a perfect game. He played pretty well. He had to. Did he miss some throws? Of course he did, but so did their guy … There wasn’t a game that I ever played where I didn’t want a bunch of throws back and got mad at myself for not completing more passes. Every quarterback that I know that’s worth his salt wants to complete every single pass he attempts.


“Zach’s no different that way.”


BC pivot Travis Lulay torched the Ticats defence for a career-high 436 passing yards, completing 29 of 36 attempts for three touchdowns, a rushing major and one interception. Lulay also set a CFL record for most passing yards off the bench after he replaced an injured Jonathon Jennings on the Lions’ first drive of the night.


The Ticats have given up a league worst 512 yards per game on defence but will have to keep weathering the storm without a couple of their top defensive stars. Hamilton will be without halfback Abdul Kanneh once again in the lineup as the all-star off-season acquisition is still nursing an injury and has yet to make his regular season debut.


However, the Tabbies’ defence will receive a boost as strong side linebacker Will Hill returns to action after serving his one-game suspension.


The last time the Ticats started the season 0-4 was back in 2007 and for Kent Austin’s team, avoiding that mark will be critical, especially considering who’s next on the schedule: back to back road visits to Calgary and Edmonton.

By The Numbers

2 – Interceptions for Richard Leonard heading into Week 5, ranking second in the league behind Winnipeg’s T.J. Heath.


5 – Consecutive regular season victories for Edmonton dating back to last regular season.


27 – Passing yards Mike Reilly needs to pass Esks head coach Jason Mass for 38th all-time in CFL history.


424 – Season high-net offence Hamilton recorded against the Lions in last week’s loss. The Ticats averaged just 208 yards through their first two games.


The Skinny

The Esks and Ticats are two teams that appear to be trending in opposite direction. While Hamilton is still looking for its first win of the season, Edmonton remains the only undefeated team in the league.


History favours the Esks in this matchup. Edmonton has won nine of its last 10 meetings against the Ticats. There have been a number of close games between the two teams, with four of those Ticat losses decided by three points or less.


Six of the last seven meetings between Hamilton and Edmonton have gone down to the last three minutes with 13 lead changes. All six of those games had final results decided by fewer than eight points.


Kickoff is slated for 7:30 p.m. ET and can be followed live via CFL.ca Game Tracker or seen on TSN and ESPN3.

 

[CNOTES]

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


Date W-L-T % Units


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


Totals:..........................17 - 17.............50.00%......................-8.50


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


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


Totals...........................10 - 7.....................7 - 10....................- 8.50

 

[CNOTES]

CFL


Thursday, July 20


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Thursday's CFL betting preview and odds: Eskimos at Tiger-Cats
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Mike Reilly threw for 265 yards and a touchdown against Ottawa to move within one TD toss of passing Matt Dunigan for fifth place on Edmonton's all-time list.


Edmonton Eskimos at Hamilton Tiger-Cats (+3, 53)


The Edmonton Eskimos look to remain unbeaten when they travel east to tangle with the Hamilton Tiger-Cats on Thursday. The Eskimos held off the Ottawa Redblacks 23-21 in Week 4 to notch their third consecutive victory, and hope to take sole possession of first place in the West Division standings by knocking off the Tiger-Cats in Hamilton for the fourth straight time.


Edmonton has won eight consecutive games against East Division opponents, including a 24-21 victory against Hamilton in the 2016 Eastern semifinal, and searches for its first 4-0 start since 2014. The Tiger-Cats are left to pick up the pieces following a 41-26 setback to the BC Lions. Winless Hamilton has dropped nine of its last 10 games overall dating back to last season, and is desperately searching for an identity on offence as the unit sits last in points per game (20.3), passing yards (264) and passing touchdowns (two). "I told the guys it's going to get ugly around them with all the negativity and the chatter right now," Hamilton coach Kent Austin told reporters. "They need to get their rest and keep fluids in them and be ready to prepare physically to play on a short week against another physical football team."

TV: 7:30 p.m. ET, TSN, RDS

LINE HISTORY: The Eskimos opened as three-point road favorites and that point spread has yet to move. The total hit the betting boards at 54.5 and was bet down to 53 by Wednesday evening. Check out the complete line history here.

ABOUT THE ESKIMOS (3-0 SU, 1-2 ATS, 0-3 O/U): Mike Reilly threw for 265 yards and a touchdown against Ottawa to move within one TD toss of passing Matt Dunigan for fifth place on Edmonton's all-time list. The Eskimos continue to be decimated by injuries at the linebacker position as Adam Konar was helped off the field with a leg injury late in the fourth quarter against the Redblacks and joins Cory Greenwood (ACL) and J.C. Sherritt (Achilles) on the injured list. "We're going to be on our next guy up for that and we've already had two go down at that position," Edmonton coach Jason Maas told reporters. "So we'll have to address it and we'll see who wins that job this week in practice and go forward."

ABOUT THE TIGER-CATS (0-3 SU, 0-3 ATS,2-1 O/U): Zach Collaros had his best game of the season as he threw for 361 yards with a touchdown toss to Jalen Saunders, who finished with five catches for 147 yards against BC. Richard Leonard continues to be one of the lone bright spots on defence as the first-year safety recorded two interceptions and recovered a fumble against the Lions after returning a blocked kick for a touchdown in the season opener against Toronto. Sergio Castillo, a free-agent signing who won a heated kicking competition in training camp, is 5-for-5 this season after making a season-long 48-yard attempt in Week 4.


TRENDS:


* Eskimos are 1-5 ATS in their last 6 games in Week 5.
* Tiger-Cats are 0-6-1 ATS in their last 7 home games.
* Under is 4-0 in Eskimos last 4 Thursday games.
* Under is 7-1 in Tiger-Cats last 8 games as an underdog of 0.5-3.0.
* Under is 5-0 in the last 5 meetings in Hamilton.

CONSENSUS: The road favorite Eskimos are getting 63 percent of the action from users and the Over is picking up 52 percent of the totals wagers.


EXTRA POINTS:


* Edmonton has committed the fewest turnovers in the league (two).
* Hamilton has lost seven straight games against West Division opponents.
* The Tiger-Cats have surrendered 1,322 passing yards through their first three games.




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[CNOTES]

THURSDAY, JULY 20


GAME TIME(ET) PICK UNITS


EDM at HAM 07:30 PM


EDM -2.5


O 52.5

 

[CNOTES]

RECAP
REILLY SHINES IN ESKS’ COMEBACK WIN AGAINST TICATS


HAMILTON — The Edmonton Eskimos ended the Hamilton Tiger-Cats’ hopes of grabbing their first win in a close-fought 31-28 battle at Tim Hortons Field on Thursday night.


Ticats quarterback Zach Collaros started the game off well, connecting on several quick passes. But pressure broke through on the opening drive, and a hit from defensive end Euclid Cummings forced the ball loose. Fortunately for the Ticats, Edmonton’s Marcus Howard quickly coughed it back up on the same play.


The Ticats then struck a big play when running back Ross Scheuerman took the ball into open space for 40 yards. Hamilton’s Sergio Castillo ended up knocking a short field goal through on the drive, taking the early 3-0 lead.


The Ticats’ defence looked stout early in the game, forcing the Eskimos to take a safety deep in their own end, bringing the lead to 5-0 in the 1st quarter.


The Eskimos’ defence let other potential turnovers slip away in the opening quarter, when a forced fumble was negated by a facemask penalty and an overthrown Collaros pass was dropped by Edmonton defensive back Brandyn Thompson. The Ticats retained the ball and Castillo made another field goal to bring their lead to 8-0.


The Eskimos’ offence began to come to life near the end of the 1st quarter when Mike Reilly connected with Bryant Mitchell for a 29-yard touchdown. Mitchell had a big game filling in for the injured Adarius Bowman, taking the ball an extra 21-yards after-the-catch for his first career CFL touchdown. Edmonton missed the convert, bringing the score to 8-6.


Both defences continued to look strong in the 2nd quarter, as both team’s struggled to consistently move the ball and sustain drives on offence. Hamilton defensive back Richard Leonard was all over the field in the first half, making several key pass-breakups to help keep Reilly and his receivers at bay.


The Ticats started rolling again near the end of the half, when Collaros found receivers Junior Collins and Mike Jones on back-to-back plays to move the ball into the red zone.
Receiver Luke Tasker then took a short reception inside the 5-yard line, but after falling short of the end zone, the Ticats ventured to go for it on 3rd down. Collaros made it count, finding Tasker in the end zone for the score to help put his team up 15-6. The touchdown was Tasker’s first of the season.


Edmonton started moving the ball again on offence as time began to run out in the opening half, with Reilly putting together an impressive 61-yard drive. After a brilliant scramble by Reilly to extend the play, the quarterback found receiver Brandon Zylstra near the end zone.


Travon Van took the ball into the end zone on the next play for the 2-yard rushing score, narrowing the Hamilton lead to 15-13.


The Ticats’ defence continued to look strong in the 3rd quarter. Hamilton’s Terrell Davis got penetration on special teams, blocking a Sean Whyte punt and setting up an easy scoop-and-score for Ticats linebacker Geoff Hughes. The score increased Hamilton’s lead to 22-13.


Scheuerman made another big play for Hamilton on a subsequent series, taking a screen pass for 22 yards behind a convoy of Ticats linemen. The Hamilton running back finished the game with 104 total yards.


But the Ticats’ drive stalled after that, leading to a 46-yard Castillo field goal.


The Eskimos created excitement near the start of the 4th quarter when Reilly scrambled to his left and found slotback Corey Watson. Watson turned what could have been a minor gain into a long touchdown, taking the ball 29 yards after the catch to help bring his team within five points of the Ticats.
Momentum stayed on Edmonton’s side following Watson’s score. Their defence secured a turnover when a deep Collaros pass was picked off by Esks’ defensive back Josh Woodman. The interception was Woodman’s first in his CFL career.


The Esks were unable to capitalize with a touchdown, however, as Hamilton’s Richard Leonard was once again draped all over the Edmonton receivers on the drive. Whyte kicked a 40-yard field goal through, bringing the score to 25-23.


The Ticats would add another field goal with under two minutes remaining in the game, bringing their lead to 28-23. But it turned out to not be enough.


Mike Reilly continued his effective play in the final moments of the game, leading a comeback drive in the dying minutes. Quickly bringing his team down the field, Reilly would find Vidal Hazelton for a 15-yard touchdown. Reilly then connected with Bryant Mitchell on the 2-point conversion to complete the comeback and lift the Eskimos over the Ticats 31-28.


Reilly led his team to their fourth victory with 350 yards and 3 touchdowns through the air on 27 completions.


Week 6 will see Edmonton take on the Lions, while the Ticats will look to get things going on the road against the Stampeders.

 

[CNOTES]

Friday, July 21


Winnipeg Blue Bombers (2-1 SU, 2-1 ATS) vs. British Columbia Lions (3-1 SU, 3-1 ATS)
Point-spread: BC -8 ½
Total: 56 ½

Game Overview


The Blue Bombers put up 43 points in overtime in its Week 1 victory at Saskatchewan and they rolled up 33 points last week. This effort was wrapped around a 19-point loss to Calgary in which this unit produced just 10 points. Matt Nichols has done a decent job under center with 826 yards passing and five touchdown throws in three games and while Andrew Harris has racked up 170 yards on the ground, this unit still needs better consistency from week to week.


BC could be the most complete team in the CFL on both sides of the ball right now. The Lions are definitely the deepest team in talent at the quarterback position after Travis Lulay stepped in for an injured Jonathon Jennings in the first quarter of last week’s game against Hamilton to throw for 436 yards while completing 29 of his 36 attempts.


Betting Trends


-- The Blue Bombers are 5-0-1 ATS in its last six games against BC and they are 5-1 ATS in their last six road games against the Lions. The total has gone OVER in the last four meetings.


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Friday, July 21


Winnipeg @ BC Lions


Game 355-356
July 21, 2017 @ 10:00 pm


Dunkel Rating:
Winnipeg
110.221
BC Lions
120.415
Dunkel Team:
Dunkel Line:
Dunkel Total:
BC Lions
by 10
52
Vegas Team:
Vegas Line:
Vegas Total:
BC Lions
by 7
56 1/2
Dunkel Pick:
BC Lions
(-7); Under


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Friday, July 21


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WINNIPEG (2 - 1) at BRITISH COLUMBIA (3 - 1) - 7/21/2017, 10:00 PM
Top Trends for this game.
WINNIPEG is 9-2 ATS (+6.8 Units) in road games over the last 2 seasons.
WINNIPEG is 9-2 ATS (+6.8 Units) in road lined games over the last 2 seasons.


Head-to-Head Series History
WINNIPEG is 5-0 against the spread versus BRITISH COLUMBIA over the last 3 seasons
WINNIPEG is 4-1 straight up against BRITISH COLUMBIA over the last 3 seasons
4 of 5 games in this series have gone OVER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons


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Winnipeg (2-1) @ BC Lions (3-1)— Last four series games were all decided by 3 or less points, all went over the total. Blue Bombers won four of last five series games; losing side scored 31+ points in all three meetings LY. Team that was leading at halftime lost all three Winnipeg games; they won only road game so far, in OT at Regina. Lions won last three games, all on road- three of their four games stayed under total. Bombers are 3-2 in last five visits here.


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Friday, July 21


10:00 PM
WINNIPEG vs. BRITISH COLUMBIA
Winnipeg is 8-2 SU in its last 10 games on the road
The total has gone OVER in 5 of Winnipeg's last 6 games when playing British Columbia
The total has gone OVER in 5 of British Columbia's last 7 games at home
The total has gone OVER in 5 of British Columbia's last 6 games when playing Winnipeg


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