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Stephen Nover CFL Picks
Date Match Up Rating Score Result Profit Lead Time Analysis
07-12-18 Calgary v. Ottawa +3.5 27-3 Loss -105 26 h 51 m Show
The CFL's two best defenses are pitted here. It's short revenge for Ottawa. The Redblacks suffered their lone loss of the season, 24-14, to Calgary two weeks ago.  Calgary has been relying on takeaways. Stampeders QB Bo Levi Mitchell is completing barely 60 percent of his throws. That's not impressive especially in the pass-happy CFL.  The Redblacks have the league's top rusher in William Powell. Ottawa's defense gives up fewer than 20 points a game.  Calgary has failed to beat Ottawa the past three times when not playing at home. The Redblacks and Stampeders tied in Ottawa last season and they also had a tie when they played in Ottawa two years ago. The teams also met at a neural site, Toronto, for the Grey Cup championship in 2016 and the Redblacks won that game in overtime. So getting points with the home 'dog looms large here. 
07-07-18 Edmonton v. Toronto OVER 55.5 17-20 Loss -107 73 h 59 m Show
It's not a surprise Edmonton has gone Over in each of its first three games. The Eskimos are No. 2 in the CFL in scoring and yards per game. However, they have the third-worst defense in the league yielding 30 points per game.  The average combined total score in Edmonton's three games this season is 61.6 points. Eskimos quarterback Mike Reilly is among the top two in each of the major passing categories. He has the second-leading rusher in the league, C.J. Gable, and the CFL's two top receiving yardage leaders in D'haqille Williams and Derel Walker. Toronto has the worst defense in the CFL. The Argos are surrendering an average of 34 points a game and 439 yards.  So I have no doubt Edmonton is going to put up monster numbers. The key is Toronto. Can the Argos contribute their share of points? I believe they can. The Argos are winless and had a bye last week. Their coach, Marc Trestman, is an offensive guru. The Over has cashed in 11 of the past 13 times the Argos came off a bye. The Argos should be fired-up here. But their path to victory is offense not defense. Trestman has had extra time to get James Franklin, Toronto's new starting quarterback, prepared for this game. Franklin has good arm strength and is mobile. He knows Edmonton, too, having played for the Eskimos during the previous three seasons.  Franklin has a huge ace with running back James Wilder Jr. He should have a big game against an Eskimo run defense that ranks second-to-last.  There is a strong Over tendency in this series with the Over cashing in 10 of the last 11 meetings. The Eskimos also have gone Over in all but one of their last nine road contests. 
07-05-18 Hamilton v. Saskatchewan OVER 49 13-18 Loss -119 58 h 35 m Show
Quarterback Jeremiah Masoli is thriving under offensive guru June Jones. Masoli has thrown for the most yards in the CFL and the Tiger-Cats are averaging 34 points in their last two games. Masoli has thrown for 300 or more yards in eight straight games going back to last season. Brandon Banks is one of the best receivers in the CFL and Hamilton has solid running back depth. So I definitely see the Tiger-Cats holding up their scoring end here.  Saskatchewan has been underacheiving. The Roughriders are without their starting quarterback, Zach Collaros. They've been hurt by turnovers. But they have the talent to turn things around offensively as Brandon Bridge gets more comfortable behind center.  I see the Roughriders coming out very determined and Bridge playing much better than last week when the team suffered an embarrassing home loss to Montreal. 
 
06-29-18 Winnipeg v. Hamilton OVER 58 17-31 Loss -109 50 h 48 m Show
Jeremiah Masoli is becoming an elite CFL quarterback and Hamilton is rolling offensively. Going back to last season, the Tiger-Cats have scored 30 or more points in six of their last eight games. Masoli has continued his strong play from last season. He leads the CFL in passing yards. Going back his last seven games, Masoli has a 12-to-3 touchdown-to-interception ratio and has passed for 300 yards in each game.  Masoli had a big game when these teams last met last October completing 27 of 33 throws for 338 yards and two touchdowns as the Tiger-Cats ran up 30 points. Masoli has three excellent wide receiving targets in Luke Tasker, Brandon Banks and Jalen Saunders. They've already combined for 31 receptions in Hamilton's two games.  Winnipeg, sparked by rookie quarterback Chris Streveler, is averaging 33 points in its two games this season. Streveler leads the CFL with six TD passes. The Over has cashed in 23 of the Blue Bombers' last 32 games. Winnipeg has been an especially great Over team on the road going above the total in 13 of its last 16 away matchups. 
06-28-18 Ottawa +8 v. Calgary 14-24 Loss -120 31 h 5 m Show
This is a horrendous spot for Calgary. The Stampeders just played a great game against Toronto this past Saturday and now have to play again on Thursday. They were able to hold just one practice this week and that practice didn't go well, according to reports. Ottawa played Calgary twice last season, both early in the season. The Redblacks tied the Stampeders, 31-31, at home and lost 43-39 at Calgary. The Redblacks are 4-1 in their last five games, including winning impressively in their opening game this season against the Roughriders, 40-17. The Redblacks have covered 20 of their last 26 road games. Calgary often is overpriced, which is the case here. The Stampeders have failed to cover in six of their last seven games. 
06-28-18 Ottawa v. Calgary UNDER 57 Top 14-24 Win 100 32 h 56 m Show
This is the highest over/under on the Week 3 Canadian Football League card. It's justified if you look at how strong these offenses looked last week. Ottawa scored 40 points against Saskatchewan. Calgary reeled off 41 points against Toronto.  But what's being overlooked by this high total is Calgary's tremendous defense and the situation the Stampeders are in.  Calgary has allowed only 21 points all season. They are No. 1 in pass defense and run defense.  The Stampeders find themselves in a tough spot here. They just played at Toronto on Saturday. So this is a very short week for them. It's such a short week they only were able to get in one practice, which did not go well, according to sources. The short week is going to hurt Calgary's offense more than its defense especially this being so early in the season.  Ottawa's defense was sharp in its 40-17 victory versus the Roughriders last Thursday. The Redblacks were idle opening week. So they are going to be the fresher team. Most of the Roughriders' passing yards came in garbage time as Ottawa entered the final quarter leading, 33-14.  Calgary has a history of going Under early in the season. The Under has cashed in 79 percent of the Stampeders' past 24 June games. 
06-23-18 Calgary v. Toronto OVER 52 41-7 Loss -107 17 h 46 m Show
This is the Grey Cup rematch and I'm expecting a high scoring game. Both offenses could have played better last week during Week 1 and the result was each team went Under the total.  Calgary has tremendous firepower. The Stampeders looked much better in the second half. Calgary has excellent receiving depth and rookie running back Don Jackson flashed rushing for 87 yards while aveaging 7.2 yards per carry. Calgary has averaged 32.5 points versus the Argos during its past two road trips to Toronto. The last three games in this series played in Toronto has resulted in an average combined total of 61 points scored.  Toronto has the coaching with Marc Trestman and the skill position talent, too, to put up points against a Calgary defense breaking in several new players. The Stampeders have yielded 27 or more points in four of their last six games. It wasn't a huge surprise the Argos started slow in Week 1 because their starting offense didn't get much work together during preseason. Their offense should be more in sync in this Week 2.  
06-22-18 Hamilton +7 v. Edmonton Top 38-21 Win 100 33 h 16 m Show

Hamilton has become a much better team since June Jones took over. The Tiger-Cats nearly pulled the upset against Calgary last week, but Jeremiah Masoli threw a late interception and Calgary scored a touchdown while running out the clock resulting in a misleading 28-14 final. The Tiger-Cats have covered the past five times following a loss. They've also enjoyed excellent ATS success in Edmonton covering the past five times there.  Edmonton had to scramble to nip Winnipeg last week, 33-30. Edmonton was the only CFL road winner during Week 1. The Eskimos host unbeaten BC next week so this is a bit of an early season sandwich spot for them.  The Eskimos have failed to cover in 13 of their last 19 home games. The Eskimos showed some defensive vulnerability in beating the Blue Bombers. This series has been close with each of the last six head-to-head matchups being decided by a touchdown or less. 

06-21-18 Saskatchewan v. Ottawa UNDER 51 Top 17-40 Loss -115 31 h 20 m Show
Saskatchewan may have its best defense since Chris Jones became the Roughriders coach three seasons ago. Jones is a top-notch defensive coach so that's saying a lot. Saskatchewan held Toronto, the defending Grey Cup champions, to 19 points and fewer than 300 yards in last week's 27-19 home win.  The Roughriders, though, weren't sharp on offense. The Under has won in 10 of the Roughriders' last 11 games.  Ottawas was the lone team that didn't play opening week. So the Redblacks are going to be rusty and operating against a strong defense that has already played a game.  Saskatchewan has a very good defensive front seven and Ottawa quarterback, Trevor Harris, still isn't 100 percent from knee and ankle injuries he suffered during preseason. Harris should start, but the Redblacks are likely to have a conservative game plan since they also have a banged-up and an unsettled offensive line.  The Redblacks have been a strong Under team going 12-4-1 to the under during their last 17 games.
06-16-18 Montreal v. BC -7.5 10-22 Win 100 72 h 40 m Show

BC went 7-11 last season. The Lions look improved entering this season having upgraded in the trenches. New quarterback coach Jarious Jackson appears to be a good fit for Jonathon Jennings. 

 Montreal was the worst team in the CFL last year. The Alouettes not only went 3-15, but failed to win or cover any of their last 11 agmes. They remain the worst team in the CFL and I don't see them cutting the gap enough to cover this spread.  I'm not a fan of Montreal's new coach, Mike Sherman. The Alouettes looked just as bad in training camp and in their two preseason games as they did last season. Their putrid offense managed just one touchdown and three field goals in exhibition play. They don't have the playmakers and skill position depth to put up enough points to hang around.  So look for the Lions to win and cover for the sixth straight time in this series. 
06-15-18 Toronto v. Saskatchewan UNDER 50 19-27 Win 100 53 h 18 m Show
Early money has come on the Under and it's the right play. Saskatchewan quarterback Zach Callaros looked timid playing behind a porous offensive line during preseason. He nearly was picked off four times in the first quarter alone during the Roughriders' last preseason game. I can't see the Roughriders getting their offensive line on track so soon and they don't have the quarterbacks that can compensate. Saskatchewan always is going to be respectable on defense, though, with head coach Chris Jones. The teams combined for only 46 points during their playoff game last season. The Under has cashed four of five times when the teams have played since Jones took over as head coach for the Roughriders in 2016. 
06-15-18 Toronto -135 v. Saskatchewan 19-27 Loss -135 53 h 17 m Show
The difference on offense between these two teams is absolutely huge. It helps put me on Toronto. The Argonauts have future Hall of Famer Ricky Ray at quarterback. He's backed by maybe the best running back in the league, James Wilder Jr., and a top-three wide receiver in S.J. Green.  The Argonauts look to be in good shape right now to defend their Grey Cup title. They beat Saskatchewan by four points in the division finals last season and should be able to duplicate that feat especially given the Roughriders' problems on offense.  The Roughriders are likely to go with Zach Collaros as their starting quarterback. He hasn't been good the past couple of years having lost his last 12 starts. Neither Collaros nor Brandon Bridges played well during preseason. A big reason for this was Saskatchewan's offensive ilne was horrendous. I can't see the Roughriders getting their offensive line back on track this fast. 
11-12-17 Edmonton -140 v. Winnipeg 39-32 Win 100 77 h 5 m Show
Matt Nichols is going to play for Winnipeg, but Edmonton has the momentum. The Eskimos have won five in a row, covering four of the five. This streak happen to coincide with the acquistion of running back C.J. Gable giving Mike Reilly another key weapon. Reilly has had another big year throwing for 5,830 yards, completing 68.3 percent of his throws and connecting on 30 touchdown passes to 13 interceptions. The defenses are fairly even, but Nichols may not be at full strength and the Blue Bombers went cold without him failing to score a touchdown in their last two games. Nichols hasn't played a full start-to-finish game in three weeks. He suffered a lower body injury in the first quarter against British Columbia back on Oct. 28.  The Eskimos hold an important kicking edge with Sean Whyte over Justin Medlock.  Winnipeg hasn't won a playoff game since 2011. 
10-09-17 Edmonton -7 v. Montreal Top 42-24 Win 100 102 h 35 m Show
Edmonton overachieved when it opened the season 7-0. But the Eskimos aren't as bad as their current six-game losing streak shows with five of the defeats coming to Calgary, Winnipg and Saskatchewan. Those teams own the three best records in the CFL.  Look for the Eskimos to halt their losing streak against Montreal, the worst team in the CFL.  The Alouettes haven't been good for a few years. They've struggled offensively, but had a decent defense. Now their defense has fallen apart surrendering an average of 38 points per game during their last seven games, all losses and non-covers. Montreal's offense remains bad, too, failing to break the 20-point barrier in all but one of those seven defeats. Montreal management tried to shake things up firing head coach Jacques Chapdelaine and defensive coordinator Noel Thorpe a couple of weeks ago. That hasn't helped. The Alouettes have lost their last two games by a combined 62 points.  Edmonton needs to improve its ground attack. The Eskimos took a key step to doing just that trading for C.J. Gable, who just gained 157 yards on 18 carries and scored two touchdowns for Hamilton last week. Gable should rev up Edmonton's offense.  The Eskmos have covered six of the last seven in the series.  
09-04-17 Edmonton +10.5 v. Calgary Top 18-39 Loss -110 7 h 17 m Show
The Eskimos are calling this their biggest game of the year. The line is inflated so the Eskimos with this many points are the right side. Edmonton has lost two in a row after opening 7-0. I don't see the Eskimos being flat a second straight week. The Eskimos are starting to get their injured players back, including wide receiver Brandon Zylstra. Wide receivers Adarius Bowman and Vidal Hazelton both are expected to play now, too, along with offensive lineman Simeon Rottier.  The Stampeders are the best team in the CFL. But Calgary hasn't played an above .500 opponent during its last four games. I don't see the Stampeders winning by double-digits here. 
08-25-17 Saskatchewan +6 v. Edmonton Top 54-31 Win 100 33 h 33 m Show
Saskatchewan is coming on and this spot sets up well for the Roughriders.  The Roughriders have won three of their last five and off probably their most impressive performance of the season beating BC, 41-8, two weeks ago. Saskatchewan was idle last week. Both their offensive and defensive line played well for Saskatchewan in that win against BC. Kevin Glenn has thrown 14 TD passes in seven games.  Edmonton lost for the first time this season falling on the road to Winnipeg last week. The Eskimos may be down following that defeat. They also have a huge look-ahead matchup for their next game when they meet Calgary with first place in the Western Division at stake.  Given their lengthy injury list, it's not surprising the Eskimos finallly lost after opening with seven consecutive victories. They have close to 20 players hurt, including JC Sherritt, Adarius Bowman, John White, Brandon Zylstra, Almondo Sewell and Marcus Howard.  The Roughriders have lost 15 straight road games versus division foes. Expect that to change with Chris Jones in charge. This is just Jones' second year as Roughriders coach. He's one of the top coaches in the league. Edmonton has failed to cover in 10 of its last 14 home games. The Eskimos also haven't covered during their past three games against the Roughriders with two of the past three going into overtime. 
08-18-17 Ottawa v. Hamilton +3.5 37-18 Loss -105 15 h 40 m Show
The defending Grey Cup champion Redblacks probably are better than their 1-6-1 record. But that's said every week - and they've failed to win in seven of their eight games.  Now the snake bit Redblacks are laying more than a field goal on the road. I don't see it.  Hamilton has a terrible record, too, at 0-7. But aside rom a 60-1 no-show against the Stampeders, the Tiger-Cats have had some good stretches during the season. They can't buy a win either just like Ottawa.  The Redblacks have failed to pass for more than 300 yards during their last three games. Despite their horrendous record, they could enter this matchup overconfident. Ottawa isn't good enough to cover as road chalk without a very good performance. The Redblacks have shot themselves in the foot all year. I don't care for their coaching.  Even though they are 0-7, the Tiger-Cats still harbor playoff hopes being fortunate to reside in the East Division where every team has a losing record. I expect Hamilton to put forth a strong effort at home. 
08-17-17 Edmonton v. Winnipeg OVER 58.5 26-33 Win 100 11 h 31 m Show
Look for a quarterback shootout here between Mike Reilly and Winnipeg's Matt Nichols.  The Eskimos are averaging more than 29 points a game with Reilly and rank No. 1 in yards gained. Reilly has thrown the third most touchdowns and third most yards in the CFL this season. Edmonton's offense should be even better with the expected return of offensive line starters Danny Groulx and Justin Soresnon. Also Duke Williams should be back. He's one of the Edmonton's better receivers.  Winnipeg gives up the second-most points in the CFL. But the Blue Bombers are the No. 2 scoring team in the league with Nichols developing into a star. Winnipeg has scored 33 or more points in each of its last five games. Nichols catches a break in that the Eskimos have a cluster injury problem in their defensive line.  Note, too, the Over has cashed seven of the last eight times when the Blue Bombers have met a foe from the Western Division. 
08-13-17 BC -130 v. Saskatchewan 8-41 Loss -130 36 h 11 m Show
BC is the superior team here. The Lions are 5-2. Their two losses have each come to unbeaten Edmonton. The Lions have won their other five games by an average of 10.6 points per game. This includes a 30-15 home victory against Saskatchewan last week.  That game wasn't even as close as the 15-point final, BC jumped to a 30-0 lead and let down in the fourth quarter allowing the Roughriders to score a couple of garbage touchdowns with their backup quarterback.  Saskatchewan is 2-4. The Roughriders remain inconsistent. They have trouble protecting quarterback Kevin Glenn. Worse, the Roughriders still can't beat a Western Division opponent. They are 1-12 in their last 13 games versus Western foes, including being winless this season. Going back even more, the Roughriders have lost 26 of their past 29 matchups against Western Division opponents.  The Roughriders were disappointing last year. They opened 1-5 in 2016. They aren't much better at 2-4 this season. Sure it's a revenge spot for the Roughriders. That, and home field advantage, make this a low spread. Low enough where it's worth a money line play.  But the Lions are much the better team. They are 13-5 ATS during their past 18 road games, including 3-1 SU and ATS this year. The Roughriders have failed to cover the last five times they've hosted BC. 
08-10-17 Edmonton v. Ottawa +2.5 27-20 Loss -115 29 h 16 m Show
The defending Grey Cup champion Redblacks are 1-5-1. Are they that bad? No. They've been snakebit losing their five games by a combined 13 points. They've only been outscored by eight points on the season. Ottawa is 7-2 ATS during its last nine games, including 5-2 ATS this season. The Reblacks should have beaten Winnipeg last week. At least they get to stay home as this is their second consecutive home matchup. Reports from practice say the Redblacks remain upbeat.   Edmonton is the lone remaining unbeaten team in the CFL at 6-0. Are the Eskimos this good? No. All but one of their victories have been by five points or fewer. They have a losing spread record.  The Eskimos have a long injury list. Among those out are several starting offensive linemen, including center Justin Sorenson, two starting linebackers, their top receiver - Brandon Zylstra - and starting cornerback Gary Peters.  This is good news for Ottawa quarterback Trevor Harris, who leads the CFL with 14 TD passes and is No. 2 in passing yards.  The Redblacks have covered five of the last six in this series. 
08-10-17 Edmonton v. Ottawa UNDER 56 27-20 Win 100 29 h 18 m Show
Edmonton is unbeaten thanks in part to a defense that gives up the fewest yards in the CFL and the second-fewest points per game.  So I trust the Eskimos defense to do their part. The problem for Edmonton is going to be on offense due to a long injury list that keeps growing.  The Eskimos have a cluster injury problem in their offensive line and now will be without Brandon Zylstra, their most dynamite receiver. Zylstra leads Edmonton in receiving hauling in 39 of 47 targets.  These two teams have a history of going under the total doing so in seven of their past 10 meetings. 
08-04-17 Winnipeg v. Ottawa -2.5 Top 33-30 Loss -110 29 h 16 m Show
Winnipeg is 3-2. Ottawa is 1-4-1. But the Redblacks are favored here. What does that tell you? It tells me the oddsmaker believes the Redblacks are going to win. And I fully agree. The defending Grey Cup champion Redblacks have played a very tough schedule. They are better than their record having gone 5-1 ATS. Their average losing margin is 2.5 points a game. Their record could be just the opposite with a few breaks.  This time Ottawa is in a good spot. The Redblacks had a much needed bye last week while Winnipeg is coming off a victory for the ages nipping Montreal, 41-40, last Thursday. The Blue Bombers scored two touchdowns in the final 48 seconds to pull out the victory scoring on the final play after recovering an on-side kick.  I respect Winnipeg's offense, but the Blue Bombers have a porous defense. Giving up 40 points to the Alouttes is downright scary. The Blue Bombers are surrendering an average of 35.8 points per game during their last five games and must deal with the league's top quarterback-to-receiver tandem in Trevor Harris and Greg Ellingson.  The Redblacks have won four of the last five meetings against the Blue Bombers, too. 
07-28-17 BC +2 v. Edmonton Top 26-37 Loss -105 19 h 18 m Show
The teams met opening week at BC and the Eskimos won, 30-27, as 4 1/2-point road 'dogs. Edmonton still hasn't lost. The Eskimos are 4-0.  So why fade the lone unbeaten team in the CFL?  The short answers are the Lions are the better team right now, Edmonton is due to lose with its four victories coming by a combined 12 points for an average win of three points and BC revenge motivation.  The Eskimos have covered only three of their last 12 home games. BC has won four in a row. The Lions have won and covered all three of their road games beating Toronto by 13, Montreal by seven and Hamilton by 15.  BC has improved since its Week 1 loss to Edmonton. QB Travis Lulay has been a revelation filling in for injured starter Jonathon Jennings. The Lions are averaging 43 points during their last two games with Lulay behind center. BC's secondary also has shown major improvement.  Edmonton struggled versus winless Hamilton last week before pulling out a 31-28 win. The Eskimos have injuries on defense and will be minus suspended cornerback Garry Peters against BC. 
07-27-17 Montreal +3 v. Winnipeg 40-41 Win 100 11 h 54 m Show
Montrea leads the CFL in rushing. The Alouettes are the only team averaging more than 100 yards on the ground. This isn't a big deal because the CFL is a passing league with probably around 70 percent of the plays being passes.  But the Alouettes' sleepy passing attack came to life last week with veteran Darian Durant throwing for 452 yards. Montreal produced 27 first downs and nearly 500 yards of offense against the defending Grey Cup champion Redblacks in a 24-19 loss.  Montreal features a tough defense. That hasn't been the problem for the 2-3 Alouettes If they can get their passing game going - which showed definite signs of that last week - they could win this game straight-up.  The Alouettes have a bye next week so they will be going all out here.  Winnipeg has been inconsistent on offense and have gotten hit by injuries on defense. They've also faced the fewest rushing attempts in the league so the Alouettes should be able to establish a balanced attack making things easier for Durant. 
  
07-24-17 Ottawa v. Toronto -135 Top 24-27 Win 100 64 h 1 m Show
There are frequent scheduling quirks in the CFL. This is one of them - and it favors Toronto in a big way. Ottawa will be playing for the third time in 11 days. During this span, the Redblacks hosted Toronto - losing by a point - lost at Edmonton and got past Montreal at home this past Wednesday. They are 1-7 ATS following a victory and facing serious fatigue issues.  The Argonauts, on the other hand, last played on July 13. They will be the far fresher team and have the advantage of being home with plenty of time to game plan.  Toronto coach Marc Trestman is good at three things - devising game plans, working with quarterbacks and coaching in the CFL. He's much more in his element in the CFL than he was in the NFL. It's probably not a coincidence Ricky Ray has passed for 300 yards in each of Toronto's first four games. The last time Ray, a probable CFL Hall of Famer, had a string of four straight 300-yard passing games was 2009.   Toronto has the better defense sparked by linebacker Bear Woods, who is averaging nearly seven tackles a game.  Ray is going to put up points against Ottawa. Toronto beat the Redblacks in Ottawa earlier this month. Now the Argonauts are home and given the situational circumstances, should have little difficulty winning again.  
07-21-17 Winnipeg +4 v. BC Top 42-45 Win 100 19 h 57 m Show
Winnipeg has covered in five of its last six visits to British Columbia. Yet this is a huge revenge spot for the Blue Bombers, who were nipped 32-31 during their last visit to BC. That came in the playoffs last season and ended the Blue Bombers' year.  Both teams are playing well. But this is a good spot for Winnipeg, which has covered the past seven times it has met a foe with a winning mark.  BC could be a bit fat and happy coming home after being on the road for three straight games - all victories. These games all were in the Eastern time zone being in Toronto, Montreal and Hamilton. British Columbia is in the Pacific time zone.  The last time BC played at home was opening week. The Lions lost that game to Edmonton, 30-27, as 4 1/2-point favorites.  The Lions will be minus their outstanding quarterback, Jonathon Jennings. He got hurt against Hamilton last week. So career backup-type Travis Lulay took over and proceeded to throw for 436 yards, most in CFL history for a quarterback coming off the bench.  That certainly was impressive. It also came against a bad Hamilton defense. Winnipeg will be prepared for Lulay, who isn't nearly that good. The Blue Bombers do an excellent job of disguising their coverages and also are opportunistic on defense. An outright Blue Bombers victory would not be a surprise. 
07-19-17 Montreal v. Ottawa -4 19-24 Win 100 52 h 54 m Show
The defending Grey Cup champion Redblacks are 0-3-1. But that record is deceiving. They've played tough competition and their three defeats have come by a combined seven points. Ottawa could be unbeaten instead of winless with a few breaks.  Ottawa led Toronto by 11 points two weeks ago. The Redblacks built a 9-0 lead versus Edmonton on the road last week. The Redblacks aren't going to let offensively-challenged Montreal off the floor if they go out in front as anticipated.  Both teams played this past Friday. Montreal, however, has to travel on the short week. The Alouettes are off a huge home upset victory against Calgary. They don't have much time to refocus. They also are 3-7 ATS following a victory.  Ottawa has the better offense and enough defense to take advantage of the Alouettes' weak offense, the worst in the CFL.  Montreal averaged only 17.3 points during its first three games, scoring just four touchdowns. The Alouettes put up 30 points on Calgary in Week 4 this past Friday, but their offense produced just three touchdowns. So I'm not convinced their offensive struggles have ended.  Ottawa has covered in six of its past seven games against Montreal. 
07-14-17 Ottawa +4 v. Edmonton 21-23 Win 100 11 h 58 m Show
Ottawa is winless in three games. But the Redblacks could be 3-0. They tied with Calgary, the most impressive team in the CFL in my view, lost to the Stampeders by four on the road and were nipped by one point by Toronto last week. The defending Grey Cup champion Redblacks are due and desperate for a win. I see the Redblacks coming in with their "A" game against Edmonton, a foe they went 3-0 SU and ATS against last season.  Ottawa is averaging 31.7 points per game, which is second-best in the CFL. Edmonton averages five points fewer per game. The Redblacks have covered 10 of their past 13 road games. The Eskimos have failed to cover in eight of their last 11 home games and are 2-7 ATS the past nine times when home favorites. 
07-13-17 Toronto v. Winnipeg -3 Top 25-33 Win 100 79 h 37 m Show
Winnipeg didn't get the job done against Calgary this past Friday losing 29-10 after leading at halftime. Then, again, the Blue Bombers never beat the Stampeders having lost 17 of the past 18 times to them, including nine straight at home.  Calgary probably was the best team in the CFL last season. The Stampeders are likely the best team this year. So there's no shame in losing to them.  The Blue Bombers' offense is much better than they showed against the Stampeders. I see them bouncing back to beat Toronto, a very bad road team. The Argonauts are off a rare road victory. They nipped Ottawa, the defending Grey Cup champion, 26-25, as four-point road 'dogs this past Thursday. Toronto had failed to cover in its previous six road contests. The Argos also are just 3-12 ATS in their last 15 overall games. They are 1-4 ATS following a victory. Winnipeg is playing for just the third time. This is Toronto's fourth game and the Argos played this past Saturday. So they are traveling again having played only five days ago. Winnipeg is the fresher team.  Blue Bombers QB Matt Nichols has played well since becoming the starter in Game 6 last year. Sparked by Nichols, the Blue Bombers went 11-7 and qualified for the playoffs for the first time since 2011. Nichols is off his worst game, though. So he should be highly motivated, especially at home, to play much better this weak against a much weaker opponent. Nichols has a lot going with 10 returning starters, including his entire offensive line. He has all-star running back Andrew Harris and veteran wideouts Darvin Adams, Clarence Denmark and Weston Dressler.  The Blue Bombers are opportunistic defensively leading the league in takeaways last season with 59. Toronto ranks third-from-the-bottom in scoring per game this season. 
 
07-06-17 BC -3.5 v. Montreal 23-16 Win 100 10 h 5 m Show
Underdogs are a perfect 8-0 ATS heading into this Week 3 of the Canadian Football League season. Look for that 'dog streak to end right here, however, with British Columbia laying a field goal on the road to Montreal.  BC's defense has improved. Montreal's defense was good last year. It's good again this season. However, the Alouettes remain stuck on netural offensively. Montreal has scored just three touchdowns in two games, averaging only 18 points a game. That's not good in the NFL and it's downright terrible in the more wide open CFL.  I like BC quarterback Jonathon Jennings far more than Montreal's past-his-prime QB Darian Durant. Montreal's defense was on the field for nearly 35 minutes during the team's 23-19 road loss to Edmonton six days ago. So there could be a fatigue factor.  The Lions' offensive line looked much better in the second half of their 28-15 road victory against Toronto last Friday. Montreal didn't allow Durant to get sacked last week, but surrendered the most sacks last season with 64. The Als have been working hard to establish a ground attack, which has been unsuccessful up to this point. If this continues, their offensive line will get exposed in pass protection when the team is forced to throw more. 
07-01-17 Winnipeg v. Saskatchewan OVER 50 43-40 Win 100 13 h 42 m Show
This matchup isn't going to be for the faint of heart. Not with this rivalry game being played on a Saturday night in Regina on Canada Day. It's also the first regular season game to be played at the new $278 million Mosaic Stadium.  Look for plenty of fireworks.  Winnipeg drew the Week 1 bye last week. So the Blue Bombers will be fully freshed and prepared. They return nearly their entire offense, including what should be a much more comfortable and confident Matt Nichols at quarterback. Nichols took over starting duties in Week 6 last year and led Winnipeg to seven consecutive victories and its first playoff berth since 2011. The Blue Bombers scored 30 or more points in 10 of their last 14 games after Nichols became the starter.  Saskatchewan could put up just 16 points in a 17-16 opening-week loss to Montreal. The Alouettes have a tough defense, though. The Roughriders did total 37 first downs. Kevin Glenn went 31-for-44 for 298 yards and two touchdowns. He connected with six different receivers.  The Roughriders have enough offense to take advantage of a Winnipeg defense in transition breaking in three new defensive line starters and lacking depth in the secondary. 
06-30-17 Montreal +9.5 v. Edmonton 19-23 Win 100 87 h 47 m Show
Montreal is a better team than perceived and the Alouettes catch the Eskimos in a sandwich spot. So the timing is good to back Montreal catching this many points. Edmonton is coming off an upset road victory against British Columbia to open the season. The Eskimos are in letdown mode and also in a look-ahead spot as they host Grey Cup champion Ottawa the following week. Edmonton has failed to cover in seven of its last 10 home games. The Alouettes have had a good defense the past several years. That hasn't changed. But now Montreal has upgraded its offense bringing in veteran quarterback Darian Durant, rebuilding its offensive line and adding highly-coveted free agent receiver Ernest Jackson. The Alouettes also are flying charter now to their road games instead of commerical. Durant isn't spectacular, but he knows how to manage a game. He's healthy from a knee injury that caused him to miss time during training camp. Durant had a QB rating of 108.7 in leading Montreal past Saskatchewan opening week. He'll face an Eskimos defense down two starting linebackers, including defensive captain JC Sherritt.  Montreal has won and covered its past four away games.
06-24-17 Edmonton v. BC UNDER 59.5 30-27 Win 100 17 h 43 m Show
The quarterbacks, Mike Reilly and Jonathon Jennings, and offenses of these two teams get the publicity and hype. The defenses aren't getting enough respect. BC linebacker Solomon Elimimian might be the best defensive player in the CFL.  BC has made some changes in its offensive line. Edmonton has beefed up its pass rush. Jennings threw a league-high 15 interceptions last season. I envision these teams not being as sharp offensively as perceived in this opening week matchup.   Edmonton and BC met twice last season and each time the total fell under 60 points. The under has cashed seven of the last nine times the Eskimos have been a road 'dog. 
06-22-17 Saskatchewan v. Montreal UNDER 50 16-17 Win 100 29 h 8 m Show

Only one team scored fewer points than Montreal last year. The Alouettes averaged just 19.2 points during their last five games and were held to fewer than 21 points in 13 of their last 18 games.  Montreal, though, did give up the second-fewest points in the CFL last year.  You can say it was just a preseason game. But Saskatchewan looked absolutely dreadful in its final exhibition matchup this past Friday losing 42-10 to B.C. The Roughriders had 13 two-and-outs. They didn't pick up their initial first down until 38:31 and only had six first downs all game.  The Roughriders aren't going to fix their offense until they fix an offensive line that drew six penalties against B.C. and could be missing veteran guard Brendon LaBatte due to a sprained ankle. I don't see that happening in just six days. 
 Saskatchewan quarterback Kevin Glenn is serviceable at best. He played for Montreal last season before being benched and traded. So the Alouettes are familiar with him. The Roughriders certainly know Montreal quarterback Darian Durant. The 34-year-old spent 12 years with Saskatchewan before coming to Montreal. Roughriders coach Chris Jones is defensive-minded and should be able to have a solid game plan knowing Durant's tendenicies.  This isn't a high total by CFL standards. But it is for games involving Montreal. The under is 1-5-1 the past seven times an Alouettes game has a total of 49 or higher. 

11-04-16 Winnipeg v. Ottawa UNDER 51.5 Top 33-20 Loss -110 44 h 29 m Show

Winnipeg doesn't want to win this game and Ottawa doesn't care. That sums up things and should result in a close-to-the-vest low-scoring matchup. The teams met last week and Ottawa won, 23-10, on the road.
The Blue Bombers aren't concerned with revenge because if they win here they risk drawing an early matchup with Calgary in the playoffs. Calgary is 15-2, four games better than the next best team in the CFL. So Winnipeg very well could be tanking.  
Ottawa, though, has no interest in this game either. The victory last week clinched first place in the East Division and a bye through to the East finals for the Redblacks.
Ottawa coach Rick Campbell wants to rest his key players. He's come out and said starting quarterback Henry Burris won't play and second-string QB Trevor Harris will play very little if at all. That means third-string quarterback Brock Jensen and fourth-string quarterback Danny O'Brien will be under center for the Redblacks. Jensen hasn't started a game since he played for North Dakota State in 2013. 
So this matchup is going to resemble an exhibition game with neither coach wanting to risk injury to a key skill position player. 

10-10-16 Calgary v. Toronto OVER 52 Top 48-20 Win 100 41 h 32 m Show

First off, the weather is going to be fine for this day game with temperatures in the 50's with no rain and little wind. 
Calgary is averaging 38.3 points in nine of its last 10 games. Toronto ranks second-to-last in scoring defense allowing 30 points per game. 
Yet the total isn't as high as it should be because the linesmaker doesn't trust the Argonauts' offense with fill-in quarterback Drew Willy throwing to many unknown targets. Toronto released four of its receivers this past Monday. 
The Argonauts had scored a combined 23 points in their last two games. So those receivers weren't doing anything. The CFL is a passing league. Eager rookies now will get the chance. Willie is a five-year veteran. He's been with the team for three weeks and got his first start for the Argonauts last week. He'll be more comfortable in the system. 
I think the downgrade is too strict given the Stampeders' powerful offense and Toronto's weak defense, a defense that has yielded 29 or more points in six of the past eight games. The Argonauts surrendered 38 points to Montreal last week. Montreal ranks second-to-last in scoring at 22.1 points per game. Calgary is the top scoring team in the league averaging 34.1 points. The Stampeders should just about be able to cover this total themselves. 
Calgary's defense isn't as good as its offense. The Stampeders have allowed at least 23 points in five of their last six games. 

10-07-16 Saskatchewan +7 v. Ottawa Top 32-30 Win 100 31 h 51 m Show

Forget the records here that show Ottawa leading the Eastern Division with a 6-6 record and Saskatchewan last in the Western Division at 3-10. 
Saskatchewan plays in the much superior Western Division and is coming off two straight victories. The Roughriders have covered in their last five games. They still are mathematically alive for a playoff spot. 
Ottawa has failed to cover in seven of its last nine games going 3-6 straight-up. The Redblacks have yet to cover in five meetings versus Western Conference foes. They also are 1-5 ATS at home. 
The Roughriders' offense has picked up behind quarterback Darian Durant and their defense has surrendered less than 20 points per game during their last three games. Roughriders coach Chris Jones has a strong defensive mastermind reputation. His team finally is buying into his intricate defensive system. 
Ottawa is giving up 27.3 points per game. The Redblacks win with offense, but are down perhaps their best offensive lineman, left tackle SirVincent Rogers. The Roughriders also have had two weeks to prepare being idle last week. 
Saskatchewan won the first meeting, 30-29, back in Week 5 as a six-point underdog. The timing is ripe for the Roughriders to pull a similar upset. 

09-23-16 Toronto v. Ottawa OVER 53.5 12-29 Loss -105 21 h 51 m Show

Look for a shootout here as Dan LeFevour has done a good job filling in for Ricky Ray for the Argonauts. Toronto is averaging 31 points in LeFevour's two starts during the past two games. 
Ottawa ranks first in total yards and passing yards thanks to quarterback Trevor Harris and four receivers who are all averaging more than 11 yards per reception. Harris can take advantage of Toronto's defense, which has injuries in its back seven. The Redblacks also could get a boost from new starting tailback Mossis Madu Jr.
Toronto is giving up nearly 30 points a game, ranking second-to-last in scoring defense. The over has cashed in five of the Argonauts' last six games. 

09-16-16 Montreal v. Hamilton -10 Top 17-20 Loss -112 32 h 23 m Show

These two teams met two months ago and Hamilton buried Montreal, 31-7, despite not playing an "A" game, or having quarterback Zach Collaros.
Now the timing is even worse for Montreal. 
The Tiger-Cats scored 11 points versus the Blue Bombers in their last game before Collaros was named the starter. In five games since then, Hamilton is averaging 37 points during its past five games. Collaros has a 112.7 quarterback rating with a 15-to-4 touchdown-to-interception ratio. 
Hamilton is off a flat spot having just lost to Toronto, 33-21, after beating the Argonauts, 49-36, at home two weeks ago. The Tiger-Cats are 11-5 ATS the past 16 times following a non-cover. They've won by double-digits the past two times at home following a road defeat. 
But not only is this a play-on spot for Hamilton, but it's a heavy fade, too, against Montreal. The Alouettes are in turmoil. They are 3-8 on the season (2-8 ATS in their last 10 games) and have a lot of dissension. Montreal coach and general manager Jim Popp traded quarterback Kevin Glenn before his team's last game. Second-year man Rakeem Cato is now the Alouettes' quarterback and he's clashed with his receivers. This past Tuesday Cato had to be removed from the practice field after shouting and pushing the team's leading receiver, Duron Carter. The two had gotten into a spat the previous week, too.
This is what Carter was quoted as saying this past Wednesday, "We lost a quarterback (Glenn). It's not helping our team. ... There's no way we can say we're better without Kevin." 
This isn't exactly a ringing endorsement for Cato. Carter had been suspended earlier this season. The players aren't happy with Popp. The locker room, according to sources, is a train wreck. 
Montreal scored one touchdown on offense last week. During the previous five games, the Alouettes have scored fewer than 19 points four times. If you can't score in the CFL you can't cover. 

09-10-16 Saskatchewan +10.5 v. Winnipeg Top 10-17 Win 100 100 h 19 m Show

Saskatchewan isn't going anywhere at 1-9. The Roughriders' season is essentially finished - except for this game. This is going to be their Super Bowl. 
These two teams just met this past Sunday in their annual Labour Day Classic. The Roughriders lost in controversial fashion. They outgained the Blue Bombers, but fell 28-25 on a field goal during the final play of the game. 
Winnipeg probably should not have been in position to win the game because the referees disallowed an interception by Justin Cox with 28 seconds left instead penalizing him for pass interference even though it was reported that Cox had provided textbook coverage on the play.
The Blue Bombers should be feeling fat and happy having won five in a row and returning home for the first time since Aug. 12. They are in a prime ambush spot with the Roughriders in short revenge. 
Winnipeg has played worse at home than on the road. The Blue Bombers are 1-3 SU and ATS at home this season and have failed to cover eight of the past 11 times they've met a foe with a losing record.  

09-04-16 Winnipeg v. Saskatchewan +4.5 Top 28-25 Win 100 11 h 56 m Show

Winnipeg is hot with four straight victories that have coincided since Matt Nichols was installed as its starting quarterback. Saskatchewan is 1-8, 3-6 ATS. 
But those records can be thrown out in this annual Labour Day Classic. The game is a sell-out in Saskatchewan. It's also the Roughriders' season. If they can't get a win here - in a home game they are going all out to win - then there really is no pulse on the team. 
I'm expecting the Roughriders to play their best game of the year fortified with returning injured offensive linemen and wide receiver Rob Bagg back. 
Saskatchewan has won four of the past five times hosting Winnipeg. The Blue Bombers haven't been favored since opening week. Now they're laying more than a field goal in an annual rivalry Labour Day matchup. I'm not buying it. This marks Winnipeg's third consecutive road game, too. 

08-28-16 Hamilton +4.5 v. Calgary Top 24-30 Loss -110 25 h 5 m Show

It's a rough to fade Calgary, but the Stampeders have a bit of a cushion in the West Division and could be in letdown mode.
Even if they aren't, though, Hamilton always plays the Stampeders tough. In all but two of the last eight meetings, the games have been decided by less than a touchdown. Calgary is 3-0 the past three times meeting the Tiger-Cats. However, the combined margin of victory in those three games is by a total of eight points. Hamilton has covered the past five times when playing in Calgary. 
The Tiger-Cats have picked up their game with the return of QB Zach Collaros. Hamilton has scored 31 or more points in four of its last five games. The Tiger-Cats are proven road warriors, too, covering 70 percent of their last 20 away contests.

08-26-16 Winnipeg +2.5 v. Montreal Top 32-18 Win 100 98 h 8 m Show

Montreal has the second-worst record in the Canadian Football League. The Alouettes were 1-5 in their last six games - with all the losses occurring by double-digits - until they upset Ottawa last Friday as nine-point road 'dogs. 
The Alouettes are 0-5 ATS following a win and have failed to cover in six of their last seven home games. I don't think they are very good and a fluke victory doesn't change that opinion. It just sets up a letdown scenario for Montreal against the rested and hot Blue Bombers. 
Sparked by quarterback Matt Nichols, Winnipeg has won three in a row. The Blue Bombers beat Edmonton on the road, Hamilton at home and Toronto on the road by a combined 50 points. All three of those opponents are .500 teams. The Blue Bombers were underdogs in each game. 
The Blue Bombers were idle last week and are expected to get several key injured starters back, including their top receivers. In the meantime, Nichols has found good chemistry with Clarence Denmark, Kris Adams, Jace Davis and Thomas Mayo. 
Winnipeg leads the CFL in takeaways and its secondary can get an added boost with the return of Chris Randle and Macho Harris. 
The Blue Bombers should have plenty of depth now that they are healthier. The timing is right, too, off a bye and catching Montreal in a letdown spot. 
The Alouettes have been favored only once - and that was against the worst team in the league, Saskatchewan - and they shouldn't be favored here. 

08-12-16 Winnipeg v. Toronto UNDER 50 34-17 Loss -110 56 h 21 m Show

Writeup to come shortly. 

08-06-16 Edmonton +4 v. Ottawa Top 20-23 Win 100 21 h 20 m Show

The defending Grey Cup champion Eskimos are finding out that repeating isn't going to be easy. They have lost their last two games - both as solid home favorites. It's the first time Edmonton has lost two in a row since 2014. 
Now the Eskimos go on the road to play Ottawa where they are underdogs for the first this season. Look for the Eskimos to bounce back. They won their lone away game this season and are 8-2 ATS following a straight-up loss. 
Edmonton opened its season with a 45-37 overtime loss to the Redblacks so there also is a strong revenge factor. 
There is nothing wrong with Edmonton's offense. Quarterback Mike Reilly leads the CFL in passing yards and touchdown passes per game. Reilly is attacking a banged-up Redblacks secondary down several veteran starters. 
The Eskimos certainly should put up their share of points and they're due to play much better because the talent is there. 

08-03-16 Hamilton -140 v. Winnipeg Top 11-37 Loss -140 55 h 54 m Show

If you think wide receivers are valuable in the NFL, watch a CFL game. That's really all about passing and it's a key factor why host Winnipeg is in major trouble this week with a cluster injury problem at wide receiver.


The Blue Bombers are down Darvin Adams, Weston Dressler and Ryan Smith. That's their No. 1, No. 2 and No. 5 leading receivers. They also are down several defensive backs. 
Road teams have covered an astonishing 19 of 24 games this season. The Tiger-Cats are 23-9 ATS in their last 32 away contests. Winnipeg is 0-3 SU and ATS at home. The Blue Bombers have failed to cover the past four times they've hosted the Tiger-Cats.  
This also is a big revenge game for Hamilton. The Blue Bombers stunned the Tiger-Cats on the road winning, 28-24, as 9-point 'dogs. Hamilton outgained Winnipeg in that game but was done in by five turnovers. The Tiger-Cats have been pointing to this matchup having been idle since July 23. 
Hamilton has been a far better road team going 3-0 SU and ATS beating Montreal, Toronto and Edmonton by a combined 52 points.
The Tiger-Cats rank No. 1 in total defense while the Blue Bombers are last giving up nearly 100 more yards per game than Hamilton. The Blue Bombers have covered just 28 percent the past 24 times they've met an above .500 opponent.

07-31-16 Toronto +10.5 v. Ottawa Top 23-20 Win 100 15 h 53 m Show

The number is inflated because Ottawa starting quarterback Henry Burris is back after missing five games with a finger injury, while Logan Kilgore makes his first start replacing injured No. 1 quarterback Ricky Ray for Toronto.
These teams just played each other on July 13. The score was tied 20-20 with 2:49 left when the Redblacks returned a punt 75 yards for a touchdown in a 30-20 final.
Burris could be rusty. That's a possibility. But I also believe Kilgore will be ready having had all week to practice with the first unit. Kilgore looked good in preseason and will be coached up by Scott Milanovich, who has a strong reputation for developing quarterbacks.
Also in Kilgore's favor is the Argonauts have improved their ground attack ranking in the middle after finishing last in 2015. Toronto's offensive line is coming around, too, allowing only one sack in its last game, a victory against Montreal, which has a top-four defense. The Argonauts should be primed for a big effort not only because it's short revenge, but also rallying around their replacement quarterback. 

07-29-16 BC +5 v. Calgary Top 41-44 Win 100 58 h 49 m Show

Road teams have been gold this CFL season. B.C. has contributed to that going 2-0 SU and ATS in its two away matchups. The Lions aren't strong at quarterback, but they compensate for that with a league-leading running attack and outstanding defense that ranks No. 1 in fewest yards allowed per game. The Lions' ground attack can take advantage of Calgary's defensive line injuries making it easier for quarterback Jonathon Jennings to pick his spots. 
The Lions upset Calgary, 20-18, opening week as 2 1/2-point 'dogs. Now they are off a bye and the pointspread is doubled. It wasn't a fluke the Lions won the first meeting as they outgained the Stampeders while running off 17 more plays. 
Calgary's only two wins have been against Winnipeg, which has the worst record in the league at 1-4. 
The Lions have outgained each of their first four opponents. The line is inflated because of Calgary's revenge angle and perhaps the oddsmaker not fully buying into the much improved Lions.

07-25-16 Montreal +7 v. Toronto Top 17-30 Loss -135 85 h 21 m Show

Road teams have been gold this CFL season going 13-3-1 and 15-2 against the spread through Thursday. Toronto has been part of this home field problem going 0-2 at their new BMO Field, losing by an average of 16 points to Hamilton and Ottawa. A crowd of less than 10,000 is expected so the Argonauts don't have a strong home field despite their new digs. 
This has been a road team series, too, with the visitor winning nine of the last 10 times. 
Montreal has a strong defense, but the CFL's weakest offense. A large part of the Alouettes' problems on offense have been because of injuries, including an eye injury to quarterback Kevin Glenn. But Glenn has been taking first-team reps this week after missing last week's game and is expected to start. That should give the Alouettes a needed boost.
The Alouettes do have a strong defense. Toronto averages fewer than 24 points a game and ranks last in yards gained. So this is a lot of points for the Argos to lay. 

07-15-16 Hamilton -120 v. Montreal Top 31-7 Win 100 29 h 31 m Show

Yes, there's a certain risk in getting behind Hamilton quarterback Jeremiah Masoli. He can be a turnover machine, but he's also passed for 933 yards, completed better than 71 percent of his throws and has five touchdown passes in three games. Masoli is highly mobile, too. Montreal has played decently on defense, but hasn't faced a quarterback who can operate sideline to sideline like Masoli can. 
Montreal has a number of key injuries with the latest being quarterback Kevin Glenn apparently out due to an inflamed left eye. That leaves the Alouettes' offense in the hands of untested Rakeem Cato. So not only do the Alouettes have to make do with Cato, but they remain without their starting center while breaking in new receivers. 
Road teams have fared extremely well during the first three weeks of the season entering this Week 4 covering 83 percent. Hamilton should be in circle-the-wagons mode after losing two straight home games. The Tiger-Cats are 1-0 on the road beating Toronto by 22 points as an underdog. 
That was the 12th time in its last 16 tries that Hamilton has covered on the road. Montreal has failed to cover in its last four home contests. 

07-08-16 Saskatchewan +11 v. Edmonton Top 36-39 Win 100 54 h 2 m Show

This is just too many points for Edmonton to give up considering the defense and coaching of their opponent.
Saskatchewan surrendered just 186 passing yards and 66 rushing yards to Toronto in its lone game this season. However, the Rough Riders lost because of turnovers - including a fumble return brought back for a touchdown - and bad special teams play. Saskatchewan quarterback Darian Durant looked good in the loss completing 31 of 48 throws for 310 yards and a touchdown. 
Look for Coach Chris Jones to clean that up. You know the Rough Riders are going to be tough under Jones, who knows the Eskimos having coached them to the Grey Cup last season before leaving for Saskatchewan this season along with his coaching staff. 
Edmonton also lost in its lone game this season. The Eskimos really appeared to be missing Jones as they gave up 45 points to Ottawa. The Eskimos not only are minus Jones, one of the top defensive minds in the CFL, but also are in heavy rebuilt mode at linebacker and in the secondary. 

07-01-16 Winnipeg v. Calgary -8.5 Top 22-36 Win 100 78 h 15 m Show

Calgary is double-digits better than Winnipeg especially when playing at home. 
The oddsmaker opened the Stampeders a little light because Calgary was upset by BC last Saturday, 20-18. That was the Stampeders' first season-opening loss since 2011 and should prove a wake-up call especially after blowing an 11-point second half lead. 
The last time Calgary lost two games in a row in a season was early in 2012. That's the longest streak in Canadian pro football history. Calgary is 21-6 ATS following a loss.  
Winnipeg is a bottom-three team that looked bad in losing at home to Montreal to start the season last week. Drew Willy was sacked five times and didn't look good. The Blue Bombers are averaging just 17.2 points during their last four games. So their poor offensive performance wasn't a surprise. 

06-24-16 Montreal v. Winnipeg UNDER 50.5 Top 22-14 Win 100 52 h 24 m Show

These teams are familiar with each other having just recently played a preseason game in which there were fewer than 50 points scored. 
Winnipeg upgraded its defense during the preseason particularly in the defensive line and at linebacker. 
Montreal has a strong defense led by defensive end John Bowman, who led the CFL with 19 sacks last year. The Alouettes have weapons, but quarterback Kevin Glenn is 37 and doesn't have a solid backup. The Alouettes also have a young, untested offensive line that will be missing star tackle Josh Bourke and injured center Luc Brodeur-Jourdain. Those are two key missing pieces. 
There also are a number of strong trends that point to an under in this matchup. Montreal has gone below the total in 18 of its last 21 games played in June. The Alouettes also are 16-6 to the under in their past 22 away contests. Winnipeg is 6-1-1 to the under in its last eight home games and only has gone above the total just four times during its last 16 overall games. 

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