Games of the Day: CFL Doubleheader
Montreal Alouettes at Winnipeg Blue Bombers (-3, 53)
The Montreal Alouettes look to build off their impressive Week 2 victory over the defending Grey Cup champions when they travel to Winnipeg to face the Blue Bombers on Friday. Rookie quarterback Rakeem Cato made it look easy in his CFL debut, throwing for 241 yards and three touchdowns as the Alouettes stunned the Calgary Stampeders 29-11.
Montreal has won four consecutive games against West Division opponents – playoffs included – dating back to last season, but has dropped four straight meetings to the Blue Bombers. Winnipeg hopes to recover mentally and physically from a 52-26 defeat to the Hamilton Tiger-Cats. The Blue Bombers lost Drew Willy in the first quarter after he took a vicious hit to the head and lay motionless for several moments before wobbling off the field, but the 28-year-old quarterback is ready to go after returning to practice Monday. “I feel good and I was glad to be out there competing with my teammates,” Willy told reporters. “I’m looking forward to looking at the practice film and keep working this week.”
TV: 7 p.m. ET, TSN, RDS
LINE HISTORY: Most books opened the Blue Bombers at -3 and have yet to move. The total climbed from 52.5 to 53.
INJURY REPORT:
Alouettes – LB Bear Woods (Ques-Shoulder), OL Philip Blake (Ques-Hand), DB Chris Ackie (Ques-Hamstring)
Blue Bombers – QB Drew Willy (Prob-Head), DB Maurive Leggett (Ques-Upper Body), DL Keshawn Fraser (Ques-Toe)
WHAT ODDSMAKERS SAY: “Bettors are divided on this one as the Bombers opened as a 3.5 or 4 point choice with little movement off that number. Although both teams 1-1 at the moment, the ‘what have you done for me lately’ theory may apply here as Winnipeg comes off a 52-26 home thumping at the hands of the Ti-Cats while the Alouettes were impressive in a 29-11 victory as hosts to the Stampeders. Montreal QB Rakeem Cato may have some sex appeal to bettors after his inspiring debut in last week’s upset win. The total also held fairly steady at a current 52½ as bettors try to figure out if Montreal’s defence (31 points in two games) is that good or Winnipeg’s ‘D’ is that bad (78 points in two games).” – CFL Oddsmaker Randall “The Handle”
ABOUT THE ALOUETTES (1-1 SU, 1-1 ATS, 0-2 O/U): Cato finished 20-of-25 and completed his first five passes as he led Montreal on a nine-play, 95-yard touchdown drive on its opening possession. “I’m proud of the way I played,” Cato told reporters. “I had fun, played fast and took advantage of what the defence was giving me.” Tyrell Sutton helped Cato out by rushing for 134 yards on 25 carries and Nik Lewis came back to haunt his old team by catching three passes for 65 yards and a touchdown.
ABOUT THE BLUE BOMBERS (1-1 SU, 1-1 ATS, 2-0 O/U): Willy was 3-of-6 for 48 yards and one interception before being knocked out of the game and his replacement Brian Brohm fared no better, going 16-of-28 with two interceptions returned for touchdowns against the Tiger-Cats. go to askthebookie. Running back Paris Cotton is off to a fast start as he’s rushed for 154 yards and a touchdown to go along with seven receptions for 81 yards and a score in two games. Winnipeg’s defence has given up 39 points per game and has conceded a league-worst 477 yards per contest.
TRENDS:
*Alouettes are 4-11 ATS in their last 15 games in July.
*Blue Bombers are 0-3-2 ATS in their last 5 home games.
*Under is 11-2 in Alouettes last 13 road games.
*Over is 4-1 in Blue Bombers last 5 games overall.
CONSENSUS: 50.2 percent are being the Als with 54.9 percent on the ‘Under.
Saskatchewan Roughriders at BC Lions (-3, 49)
The BC Lions host the Saskatchewan Roughriders on Friday in a battle of winless teams. The Lions had high expectations heading into their season opener, but the Jeff Tedford era began with a thud following a 27-16 loss to the Ottawa Redblacks.
BC quarterback Travis Lulay threw his first touchdown pass since 2013 after battling shoulder injuries for the past two years and hopes to stay healthy as the Lions try to avoid their second consecutive 0-2 start. go to askthebookie. The Roughriders look to bounce back from a disheartening 42-40 double-overtime loss to the Toronto Argonauts. Saskatchewan let a seven-point lead slip away in the final minute of regulation before falling in the second overtime and has lost its first two contests by a combined six points. “When you lose them tight that means you are really close,” Roughriders head coach Corey Chamblin told reporters. “As the guys continue to grow, we won’t be losing them by two or three.”
TV: 10 p.m. ET, TSN
LINE HISTORY: The spread climbed half-a-point from Lions -3.5 to -3. The total has climbed from 47.5 to 49.
INJURY REPORT: Roughriders – LB Shea Ery (Out-Neck), WR Chaz Schilens (Out-Suspension) Lions – DB Staven Clarke (Ques-Undisclosed), G Cody Husband (Ques-Undisclosed)
WHAT ODDSMAKERS SAY: “After losing opening two games at home for just the fourth time in 80 years, the Roughriders head to Vancouver to take on the 0-1 Lions. Something’s gotta give. The Lions opened as 3.5-point chalk, dropping slightly to current 3’s across the board. The two teams split last year’s contests, both winning and covering at home. The irony here is that Saskatchewan QB Kevin Glenn was the pivot for BC in both contests and the 26-13 win on this field. The total opened at 47.5 and has seen a slight upward tick, sitting at 48 and 48.5’s in various books. This despite neither game reaching 40 points in pair of meeting last season. The total opened at 47.5 but Thursday afternoon saw a flurry of activity on the over, driving it up to as much as 50. The bump came despite neither game reaching 40 points in pair of meetings last season.” – CFL Oddsmaker Randall “The Handle”
ABOUT THE ROUGHRIDERS (0-2 SU, 0-2 ATS, 2-0 O/U): Kevin Glenn, who started 17 games for the Lions last season, finished with 477 yards and two touchdowns, but threw an interception that was returned 100 yards for a score in the fourth quarter. Ryan Smith was named one of the CFL top performers of the week after he caught eight passes for 174 yards and a touchdown and Jerome Messam accumulated 156 total yards as Saskatchewan’s offence finished with 579 yards. Former BC kicker Paul McCallum, who was picked up by Saskatchewan last week, kicked field goals of 9, 22, 30 and 49 yards.
ABOUT THE LIONS (0-1 SU, 0-1 ATS, 0-1 O/U): Lulay’s surgically repaired shoulder held up nicely as he went 18-of-32 for 254 yards and a touchdown while former Indianapolis Colts wide receiver Austin Collie caught five passes for 65 yards and a score on his CFL debut. Defensive back Ryan Phillips injured his hamstring while trying to make an interception in the fourth quarter and will likely be out for the foreseeable future. “It probably was very severe,” Tedford told reporters. “If you just get a tweak in your hamstring, usually you’re just walking off the field.”
TRENDS:
*Roughriders are 3-7 ATS in their last 10 meetings in BC.
*Lions are 8-3-1 ATS vs. a team with a losing record.
*Over is 5-2 in Roughriders last 7 games following a S.U. loss.
*Under is 20-6 in the last 26 meetings in BC.
CONSENSUS: 55.9 percent of the public is on the Lion with 55 percent on the ‘Over.
