Ron Raymond's Week 1 CFL Football Previews

[ATSDatabase]

CFL Week 1 Previews

By CFL Handicapper Ron Raymond of the Phoenix Sports Ticket.
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The CFL kicks off the 2008 campaign in <?xml:namespace prefix = st1 ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-comffice:smarttags" /><st1:City w:st="on">Hamilton</st1:City> this Thursday at Ivor Wynne Stadium and the second game of the day will be played in <st1lace w:st="on"><st1:City w:st="on">Calgary</st1:City></st1lace>, as the Stampeders will host the BC lions. On Friday, the Toronto Argonauts will head to <st1:City w:st="on"><st1lace w:st="on">Winnipeg</st1lace></st1:City> to face the Blue Bombers at Canad-Inns Stadium and it will be TSN’s first Wendy’s Friday Night Football telecast of the season. Week 1 finishes with Ricky Ray and the Eskimos heading to <st1lace w:st="on"><st1:State w:st="on">Saskatchewan</st1:State></st1lace> to face the defending Grey Cup Champions at Mosaic Stadium formally known as Taylor Field.
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Three of the 4 CFL home teams are Favorites in Week 1 and since 1996, when you have a Home Favorite during Week 1 of the season, the home team is 23-11-1 SU, 16-19-0 ATS and the o/u is 16 overs, 19 unders and 0 pushes.
<st1:City w:st="on">Montreal</st1:City> (48) vs. <st1lace w:st="on"><st1:City w:st="on">Hamilton</st1:City></st1lace> (-2.5)

<st1:City w:st="on">Montreal</st1:City> vs. <st1lace w:st="on"><st1:City w:st="on">Hamilton</st1:City></st1lace>: 19-20-1 (ATS) 25-14-1 (SU) 15-24-1 (O/U/P)
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The Alouettes will limp into Ivor Wynne Stadium this Thursday night with 11 players on the injury reserve list, including All-Star slot back Ben Cahoon and Back up QB Marcus Brady leading the injury parade. The Tiger Cats will start the season with Casey Printers at the helm and look to start the season on the right foot, as they are labeled a -2.5 point home favorite, but have been since bet down to -1.0. The bookmakers opened this game total at 48, but it’s been bet down to 46 and considering all the injury problems on the Alouettes team, it’s hard to figure out why the money is coming in on the Als. History tells us the Alouettes are a good football team in this role this Thursday, they are 8-2 SU and ATS when they are a road team vs. division opponent during Week 1 to Week 4 of a season, with the UNDER being 7-3-0. However, when <st1lace w:st="on"><st1:City w:st="on">Montreal</st1:City></st1lace> played as a Road team and the total is between 46.5 to 49.0, vs. a Division Opponent; they are 2-7-1 SU in this spot since 1996. <st1:City w:st="on"><st1lace w:st="on">Hamilton</st1lace></st1:City> on the other hand are full of optimism heading into their season opener and who can blame them? They have great ownership, they went out and got a number one QB in Casey Printers and if Jesse Lumsden can stay healthy, they could give teams in the Eastern Division a run for their money. I’m sold on this Tiger Cats defense, I felt there was nothing wrong with this defense last year, they just got burnt out for being on the field too long, because of their unproductive offense. <st1lace w:st="on"><st1:City w:st="on">Hamilton</st1:City></st1lace> is in a favorable role this Thursday, because when the Tigercats played as a Home team, vs. division opponent and the total is between 46.5 to 49, they are 9-3-1 SU in this position since ’97.
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BC Lions (55) vs. <st1lace w:st="on"><st1:City w:st="on">Calgary</st1:City></st1lace> Stampeders (-3)

BC Lions vs. Calgary : 20-18-1 (ATS) 22-16-1 (SU) 15-22-2 (O/U/P)<o></o>
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The John Hufnagel era begins in <st1lace w:st="on"><st1:City w:st="on">Calgary</st1:City></st1lace> and what better way to test the new head coach with one of the top football teams of the last 5 years entering your stadium for the home opener! The BC Lions will start either Jarious Jackson or Buck Pierce this Thursday and don’t be surprised if Wally Buono goes Steve Spurrier on the Stamps by rotating quarterbacks, as Buck Pierce can be a starter on any CFL teams, should they choose to trade him. The Stampeders are pretty much a .500 ball club vs. the Lions at home, they are 10-9-1 vs. the Leo’s and the O/U is 11-7-2 favoring the under. However, the Lions are in a nice spot here, they are 14-1 SU when they are a road favorite before a division game since 1999 and the UNDER is 12-3-0. If you like the underdog Stampeders in this game, they are 8-3 SU as a home team vs. division foe the first 4 weeks of a CFL season since ‘96.
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ATSDatabase.com 80% Club stat: When ANY CFL Team played as Home team as a Underdog -Vs British Columbia opponent -Total is 54.5 or more; the UNDER is 11-2-0 since 2004.
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<st1:City w:st="on">Toronto</st1:City> (46) vs. <st1lace w:st="on"><st1:City w:st="on">Winnipeg</st1:City></st1lace> (-2.5)

<st1:City w:st="on">Toronto</st1:City> vs. <st1lace w:st="on"><st1:City w:st="on">Winnipeg</st1:City></st1lace>: 19-15-1 (ATS) 21-13-1 (SU) 17-18-0 (O/U/P)
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The Rich Stubler period begins, as last years head coach Michael Pinball Clemons accepted a front office job and now it’s Stubler’s time to steer the boatman towards another winning season. The <st1lace w:st="on"><st1:City w:st="on">Argos</st1:City></st1lace> were a great ATS monster last year for gamblers, as they covered 14 of the 19 games they played last season and the O/U went 12-7-0. The <st1:City w:st="on"><st1lace w:st="on">Argos</st1lace></st1:City> made some noise in the off-season, as they picked up former NFL receiver David Boston and former New England Patriots receiver Bethel Johnson. The <st1:City w:st="on">Argos</st1:City> travel to <st1:City w:st="on"><st1lace w:st="on">Winnipeg</st1lace></st1:City> to face the Blue Bombers as a +2.5 point road underdog and they are 1-8 SU in this role since 1996. As for the Blue Bombers, they are considered one of the favorites to win the CFL Eastern Division (Winnipeg Blue Bombers +210 at Bookmaker) and look for the Bombers to have a nice one two punch in Kevin Glenn and Ryan Dinwiddie of Boise State at QB. If you recalled, Dinwiddie played his first CFL game last year in the Grey Cup and represented the Bombers nicely. The Bombers are coached by no nonsense guy Doug Berry and they have a great tailback in Charles Roberts. Since 1996, the Bombers are only 1-3 SU in home openers in Week 1, but they are 6-4 SU as a Home team, vs. Division Opponent, During Week 1 to 4 of the season. If you’re a line follower, the early money has been pouring in on the UNDER, as the total opened up at 46.0 and it’s been bet down to 43.5 at the Greek!
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<st1:City w:st="on">Edmonton</st1:City> Eskimos (53.5) vs. <st1lace w:st="on"><st1:State w:st="on">Saskatchewan</st1:State></st1lace> Roughriders (-6)

<st1:City w:st="on">Edmonton</st1:City> vs. <st1lace w:st="on"><st1:State w:st="on">Saskatchewan</st1:State></st1lace>: 15-19-3 (ATS) 21-16 (SU) 21-16-0 (O/U/P)
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The defending Grey Cup Champions have a huge task at hand this season, their CFL Coach of the Year Kent Austin left to take a offensive coordinator position with the Ole Miss Rebels and their All-Star QB Kerry Joseph left for greener pastures in <st1:City w:st="on"><st1lace w:st="on">Toronto</st1lace></st1:City>. Hard to believe you can go greener after leaving the prairies, but that’s an argument for another day riderville! The Edmonton Eskimos on the other hand, find themselves in unchartered water, they are 3-7 SU as a Road team, when the total is between 51.5 to 54 and it’s week 1 to 4 of the season. Marcus Crandell gets the nod at QB this season and it’s sink or swim with the back ups. The smart money has been coming in on the Eskimos, as they were a +6 point road underdog vs. the Prairie dogs and the current line is now set at -5 for the Green Riders. History tells us this might turn into a shootout, the OVER is 12-4-0 when the Eskimos are in town and they haven’t fared well with a 5-11 SU record and they are 6-10 against the spread.
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ATSDatabase.com Stat of the Game: When ANY CFL Team played as a 3.5 to 6.5 Road Underdog -During Week 1 to 4 -Before a division game; the Road Underdog is 10-6-0 since 1996.
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Good luck and remember, this is the CFL, anything can happen during the 3 minute warning! Trust me; I’ve got the scars to prove it!

 

[PhilMoneyMargonis]

good info, thanks

 

[OAKAS]

Hey Ron. Don't you ever answer your e-mails?:lolBIG:

Thanks for the info on the CFL.

Good luck on the upcoming season.

 

[ATSDatabase]

what email address are you sending it too?

 

[OAKAS]

what email address are you sending it too?

Hey Ron. I don't think they like posting emails here.
I know it is good because it is the one you send me all the time. I will send another one.

You have to like Hamilton and the UNDER in the kickoff game tonight, don't you?

Good luck, Ron

 

[rolltide]

doubt he will tell you since he gets paid for picks

 

[OAKAS]

doubt he will tell you since he gets paid for picks

I know he gets paid for his picks, but sometimes Ron will throw a little something out. Ron is one of the good guys.

 

[VenomousSanction]

Forgot to thank U for ur infod1g1t ATS