CFL Game of the Day: Friday CFL doubleheader
Calgary Stampeders at Ottawa RedBlacks (+5, 47)
The Calgary Stampeders look to continue their hot start when they travel to Ottawa to face the Redblacks on Friday. The Stampeders erased a 16-point deficit en route to a 26-25 victory over the Winnipeg Blue Bombers in Week 4 to take sole possession of first place in the West Division.
The defending Grey Cup champions haven't exactly steamrolled their way to the best record in the CFL, winning their three games by a combined seven points, but are a sparkling 18-4 in their last 22 regular-season contests. The Redblacks' 2-0 start seems like a distant memory following back-to-back losses to the Edmonton Eskimos. Ottawa suffered a humiliating 46-17 setback in Edmonton before dropping a 23-12 decision in the nation's capital, and hopes its sputtering offense can get back on track in order to notch its first win in franchise history against Calgary. "We have good enough players on offense if we can get the ball in their hands," Redblacks coach Rick Campbell told reporters. "Calgary is a big challenge but it's doable."
TV: 7 p.m. ET, TSN
LINE HISTORY: Books opened Ottawa as a 5.5-point home dog. The total opened 47.5.
INJURY REPORT: Stampeders - WR Kamar Jordan (Questionable, undisclosed), OL Karl Lavoie (Questionable, shoulder). RedBlacks - WR Khalil Paden (Questionable, undisclosed), RB Jeremiah Johnson (Questionable, undisclosed).
ABOUT THE STAMPEDERS (3-1 SU, 0-4 ATS, 0-4 O/U): Bo Levi Mitchell struggled with his accuracy against the Blue Bombers as he went 12-of-21 for 165 yards and a touchdown while Jon Cornish was named one of the CFL Top Performers of the Week after racking up season-high 120 rushing yards on 15 carries. "I just have to play better," Mitchell told reporters. "My team got it done for me man." Calgary's patchwork offensive line will need to be reshuffled once more as Karl Lavoie injured his left knee in the first half against Winnipeg and was to have an MRI to determine the severity of the injury.
ABOUT THE REDBLACKS (2-2 SU, 2-2 ATS, 1-3 O/U): Ottawa quarterback Henry Burris has looked all of his 40 years in the last two weeks, throwing two interceptions while being held without a passing touchdown. "That's not acceptable," Burris told reporters. "We have the personnel that can get it done and now we just have to make it happen." Chris Williams caught seven passes for 90 yards against the Eskimos and is ranked fifth in the CFL with 270 receiving yards and Zack Evans recorded two sacks to bring his season total to three.
TRENDS:
* Stampeders are 0-5 ATS in their last five games overall.
* Under is 10-2 in RedBlacks last 12 Friday games.
* Under is 6-0 in Stampeders last six games in July.
* Under is 7-2 in RedBlacks last nine home games.
CONSENSUS: Fifty-six percent are backing the Stamps.
Toronto Argonauts at B.C. Lions (-3, 54)
The Toronto Argonauts look to get back into the win column when they stay out West to take on the BC Lions on Friday. The Argonauts suffered a 25-20 setback to the Calgary Stampeders in the second of four straight road games and have lost nine of their last 12 contests away from home since the start of 2014.
Toronto has dropped 11 of its last 12 games in Vancouver but hopes to build off its 40-23 victory at BC Place last year, and improve to 3-1 for the first time since 2010 in the process. The Lions look to win three consecutive games for the first time since August 2014 after squeaking out a 27-24 victory over the Saskatchewan Roughriders. BC quarterback Travis Lulay is showing no ill effects from the shoulder trouble that has hampered him for the last two seasons and is flashing the ability that won him the CFL's Most Outstanding Player in 2011. BC's offense is starting to rev up too, putting up 62 points in its last two games as the players get more comfortable in Jeff Tedford's new high-powered system.
TV: 10 p.m. ET, TSN
LINE HISTORY: Books opened the Lions as 3.5-point home favorites. The opening total was 54.
INJURY REPORT: Argonauts - OL Branndon Braxton (Questionable, suspension), SB Andre Durie (Out indefinitely, knee). Lions - G Cody Husband (Questionable, undisclosed), DB Ryan Phillips (Questionable, hamstring), LB Jason Arakgi (Questionable, hamstring).
ABOUT THE ARGONAUTS (2-1 SU, 3-0 ATS, 1-2 O/U): Trevor Harris continues to be a revelation in his first year as a starter as he threw for 223 yards and two touchdowns to give him a CFL-best nine on the year. Vidal Hazelton caught a team-high six passes for 98 yards and Tori Gurley and Kevin Elliott each hauled in a score to pace the aerial attack for Toronto. Defensive tackle Cleyon Laing and defensive back Devin Smith were fined after being penalized for late hits as the league continues to crack down on unnecessary roughness.
ABOUT THE LIONS (2-1 SU, 0-1-1 ATS, 1-1 O/U): Lulay threw for 127 yards and two touchdowns and added 105 yards on the ground to become the first BC quarterback since Casey Printers in 2005 to rush for more than 100 in a game. "Travis is a very special player," running back Andrew Harris told reporters. "When he can do that for us it's going to change a lot of things." A.C. Leonard caught the first two touchdown passes of his CFL career and Harris was his usual reliable self, running for 94 yards and a score versus the Roughriders.
TRENDS:
* Under is 16-6 in the last 22 meetings.
* Argonauts are 5-1 ATS in their last six road games.
* Lions are 1-6 ATS in their last seven games in Week 5.
* Over is 3-0-1 in Lions last four home games.
CONSENSUS: Fifty-two percent are backing the Lions.