CFL Previews - July 1-4 - Week One

Football Betting Lines

06/30/2010 - Philadelphia, PA (Sportsbook Betting Lines) -

MONTREAL ALOUETTES (0-0) AT SASKATCHEWAN ROUGHRIDERS (0-0)

DATE & TIME: Thursday, July 1, 7:00 p.m. (et).

GAME NOTES: The 2010 CFL schedule kicks off in grand style on Thursday evening, as the Saskatchewan Roughriders and the Montreal Alouettes tangle in a rematch of last year's Grey Cup title game at Mosaic Stadium in Regina.

Montreal was the team to beat last year as it cruised to a franchise-best 15-3 regular-season record and was a perfect 9-0 at home. The squad scored almost twice as many points (600) as it allowed (324) in those regular-season meetings, and it appeared as though it was going to be more of the same in the playoffs as the Als dismantled British Columbia, 56-18.

However, the championship game was another story and could have easily gone to Saskatchewan, had Montreal not been given a second chance at a game-winning field goal after the Roughriders were flagged for having too many men on the field. Needless to say, Saskatchewan knows full well that its 28-27 loss in the title match meant that it could be the team to beat this time around.

Nevertheless, the trophy remains in the possession of the Als and head coach Marc Trestman and they intend on demonstrating why they deserve to be the reigning champs in the league.

Trestman, who was named the 2009 CFL Coach of the Year in just his second season at the helm, has all the trust in the world in his offensive leader, quarterback Anthony Calvillo, and it is easy to see why. Calvillo threw for 4,639 yards, 26 touchdowns and only six interceptions while completing 72 percent of his attempts, the second highest single-season completion percentage in CFL history. For his efforts, the signal-caller was named the CFL Most Outstanding Player for the second year in a row and for the third time in his career.

Making life a bit easier for Calvillo and the offense will again be Scott Flory, named the CFL's Most Outstanding Lineman for the second straight year in 2009. He, along with the rest of the offensive line, allowed just 35 sacks a year ago and ensured that the squad would rank first in the CFL in offense with more than 390 ypg.

Wideout Kerry Watkins will again be the premier receiver for the Alouettes, while Avon Cobourne shows why he should be considered one of the top running backs in the league as he follows up a campaign in which he averaged close to 5.5 yards per carry and hit the end zone 13 times on the ground.

Because the Montreal offense was so potent last year, opponents were forced to play from behind more often than not and that played right into the hands of the Als defense which allowed a league-low 296.1 ypg.

By comparison, the Roughriders were a bit more forgiving on defense as they surrendered 353.4 ypg, eventually resulting in 26.9 ppg for the Saskatchewan competition.

Saskatchewan head coach Ken Miller, who was instrumental in leading the Roughriders to the Grey Cup only a few years ago, has reason to believe that this year's talent could knock the Als down a peg or two after his club finished in a tie for first in the CFL West Division with a record of 10-7-1 a year ago.

Quarterback Darian Durant is again slated to handle the passing duties for the club, after he finished fourth in the league in passing yardage with 4,348 yards on 60.4 percent accuracy. While Durant was able to get the ball into the end zone 24 times (second-most in the league), his inconsistency also caused more than a few headaches as he issued a league-high 21 interceptions as well.

Now entering his third season with the Roughriders, Weston Dressler is the top returning receiver for the group after collecting 62 balls for 941 yards, yet just four touchdowns. In his rookie year of 2008, Dressler caught six fewer balls, yet ended up with more yardage (1,123) and more TDs (six), so the potential to turn simple routes into big plays is always there.

Running back Wes Cates (932 yards, five touchdowns in 2009) will have to shoulder more of the load, along with his fellow backs, if the offense is going to keep Durant from getting himself into awkward situations.

The Roughriders failed to assert themselves in either of their two preseason games this season, losing first to BC (19-17) and then bowing to Calgary in a lopsided 41-17 final a week ago Sunday.

The Als split their two preseason games this year, picking up a 31-23 win over Toronto a couple weeks ago after opening with a 34-10 loss to Winnipeg. In terms of the series between these two clubs in 2009, Montreal swept all three meetings with a 43-10 rout on the road in the middle of July and a 34-25 victory at home the third week of August, before squeezing by in the season finale.

In terms of a series record between the clubs, heading into last year's title game Montreal was ahead by a count of 33-26-1, as far as regular-season games were concerned.

As long as Durant is not put in too many demanding positions the Roughriders have every reason to think they can keep this one close, especially since they have something to prove from last season.

Sportsbook Betting Lines Predicted Outcome: Montreal 35, Saskatchewan 28

TORONTO ARGONAUTS (0-0) AT CALGARY STAMPEDERS (0-0)

DATE & TIME: Thursday, July 1, 10:00 p.m. (et).

GAME NOTES: Carrying over the longest active losing streak in the CFL, the Toronto Argonauts hope to kick off the 2010 campaign on a positive note as they visit the Calgary Stampeders at McMahon Stadium on Thursday night.

Toronto was beaten and battered all season long in 2009 and after splitting the first four games of the year, won just once in the remaining 14 appearances. Following the team's 25-22 double-overtime win against Hamilton on September 11, the Argos went on to drop eight straight decisions. Due to the miserable turn of events, Argos president Bob Nicholson made the decision to terminate Bart Andrus after just a single season at the helm.

In hopes of bringing a winning feeling back to Toronto, the club brought back a familiar face in former head coach Jim Barker. Barker, who most recently served as an executive with Calgary, has been a part of three Grey Cup title teams, both as a coach and an executive.

The head coach of the 1999 version of the Argonauts, Barker has to somehow find a way to erase the memories of a 3-15 season a year ago, an effort that included just a single home win in nine opportunities.

Last year the team used both Kerry Joseph and Cody Pickett as the primary passing options, but the pair combined for just 13 touchdowns and 19 interceptions. Needless to say, coach Barker has made the decision to move on to another signal-caller and has Cleo Lemon atop the depth chart, with Ken Dorsey right behind. Both players bounced around the NFL a bit and are now looking to make their mark in the Great White North.

Chad Lucas was the leading receiver for Toronto last season with his 69 catches for 950 yards, but he landed in the end zone just twice, which is one of the reasons why the Argos went out and picked up Jeremaine Copeland in a trade with Calgary, sending P.K. Sam to the Stampeders.

Toronto had the weakest rushing attack of any team in the CFL a year ago, averaging a mere 82.5 ypg, so anything produced by the likes of Cory Boyd and Bryan Crawford would be a bonus.

As for Calgary, a squad that finished in a tie for first place in the West Division with Saskatchewan at 10-7-1, head coach and general manager John Hufnagel has every reason to believe he can get his squad back to championship form.

Quarterback Henry Burris was still one of the top signal-callers in the league a year ago., ranking second in the CFL in passing yards with 4,831, completing more than 59 percent of his attempts, yet he was saddled with 16 interceptions while tossing just 22 scores for the team.

In 2009 it was Copeland who carried much of the load for the Stampeders in terms of receiving, leading the squad with a league-best 12 touchdown catches on 81 grabs. However Sam, a seldom used two-year performer who has a total of just five TDs in his brief career, will be filling in some of the void left by Copeland.

It is expected that Romby Bryant will now be the focal point of the passing attack for Calgary, even though he somehow managed to make a total of 47 catches between the Stamps and Winnipeg last year and never made it into the end zone. Calgary hopes Bryant returns to the form that saw him average more than 18 yards per grab and tally nine scores in his first CFL season in 2008.

Of the nine players to record at least 1,000 yards receiving in the CFL last season, Nik Lewis is the one who the Stamps can count on the most. Lewis, the only receiver on the roster who has played more than two seasons with Calgary, is one of the most reliable performers the program has, having logged six straight seasons with at least 1,000 yards.

With the running game all but an afterthought in Canada, the Stamps saw an opportunity and ran with it last season as they led the league with close to 130 ypg on the ground. Joffrey Reynolds shouldered much of the load as he led the league in rushing for the second straight season with just over 1,500 yards. Reynolds posted nine games with 100 yards or more on the ground. But more than just a ball carrier coming out of the backfield, Reynolds also contributed 36 receptions for a career-best 431 yards, making him the top man in terms of yards from scrimmage (1,935) in 2009.

As great as the offense was for the Stamps last season, the defense could not keep pace and was second-to-last with 368.1 ypg allowed. The run defense had the hardest time keeping up with the competition, permitting a league-high 6.6 yards per attempt. It also didn't help that the secondary allowed foes to convert on almost 65 percent of their passing attempts, yet somehow the group still managed to place third in the CFL with 24.6 ppg allowed.

In his first year with Calgary, defensive lineman Malik Jackson led the way in terms of total tackles for the club with his 65 stops, adding three sacks. Linebacker Charleston Hughes had barely one-third the number of tackles in 2009 (24) as he did in his first year in 2008 (66), yet he still came up with a team-leading six sacks. Unfortunately, Calgary finished second-to-last in the league with 35 sacks.

The preseason showed the Argos had some fight still in them as they captured a 13-10 win over Hamilton on June 13 and then stayed within reach of the Montreal Alouettes in a 31-23 setback on the road six days later.

As for the Stamps, they posted a pair of wins in as many preseason outings, defeating Edmonton on the road (23-21) and then crushing Saskatchewan at home (41-17).

Last season these two clubs clashed twice, with Calgary taking both matchups. The first meeting took place in the middle of July, with the Stamps posting a resounding 44-9 victory at home. Six weeks later the Argonauts made things a bit tougher on their field as they allowed Calgary to slip by in a 23-20 final. In terms of an all-time series mark between the two clubs, Calgary maintains a 40-36-1 advantage in regular-season tests and has now won five in a row following the sweep in 2009.

Based on the stability the Stamps have at quarterback, that should be enough of a reason to lean in favor of the home team in this opener.

Sportsbook Betting Lines Predicted Outcome: Calgary 31, Toronto 14

HAMILTON TIGER-CATS (0-0) AT WINNIPEG BLUE BOMBERS (0-0)

DATE & TIME: Friday, July 2, 8:00 p.m. (et).

GAME NOTES: With a new head coach leading the charge, the Winnipeg Blue Bombers try to get the 2010 CFL season off on the right foot Friday night as they host the Hamilton Tiger-Cats at Canad Inns Stadium.

Blue Bombers head man Paul LaPolice, a former offensive coach with the club, most recently spent three years with the Saskatchewan Roughriders as part of their offensive staff. He returns to assume control of a squad that finished third in the East Division standings in 2009 with a record of 7-11, leaving the group four points behind Hamilton (9-9) in the race for the postseason.

After having one of the weakest passing attacks in the league last year, coach LaPolice has revamped the quarterback position by bringing in former British Columbia signal-caller Buck Pierce. The one-time New Mexico State QB is expected to play a significant role with the offense, even though he had more interceptions (12) than touchdowns (10) last season. However Steven Jyles, another new acquisition, should also factor into the team's efforts in one way or another.

Perhaps the safest bet on offense for the Blue Bombers this year is Fred Reid, ranked second in the CFL last season with his 1,371 yards rushing. With an average of close to six yards per attempt, it was easy to see how Reid found his way into the end zone seven times on the ground for Winnipeg.

Because the passing game was less-than-stellar for the Bombers a year ago, things can only get better. Adarius Bowman stood out as the most successful receiver for the group with his 55 catches for 925 yards and six touchdowns. If nothing else, averaging close to 17 yards per reception placed Bowman among the elite in that category and should give defenses reason to pay more attention to him this time around.

While the passing attack for Winnipeg stumbled in 2009, the defense did more than carry its own weight against opposing passers, leading the CFL with a staggering 31 interceptions. However, while Jovon Johnson (six INTs) is back at his cornerback position, there are several changes in personnel that will require the unit to revamp its efforts and approach this year.

As for the Tiger-Cats and head coach Marcel Bellefeuille, whose 2009 season ended with a 34-27 overtime loss to British Columbia in the playoffs, they hope that Marquay McDaniel can approach the sort of success he had last year when he led the entire league in combined yards with a staggering 2,535. The wideout did a little bit of everything for the program and showed that he has the sort of explosive talent that can open up games and give the Ti-Cats a fighting chance every time out.

In addition to McDaniel, Hamilton also has DeAndra' Cobb to lean on coming out of the backfield. Not only was Cobb one of the league leaders in rushing with 1,217 yards, he also handled another 60 receptions to 542 yards, placing him second in the league overall in yards from scrimmage.

The issue for Hamilton this year will be picking a starting quarterback and sticking with him for the long haul. Last season Kevin Glenn and Quinton Porter split time at the position, so it will be crucial for one of them to assert themselves and take a leading role so that receivers like Arland Bruce (88 catches, 1,242 yards, 10 TDs) can get their timing down and focus solely on the idiosyncrasies of one signal-caller. Having Bruce around from the very start of the season can only help matters as he gets even more comfortable with the offense after coming over in the middle of 2009 from Toronto.

Even though veteran receiver Dave Stala (67 receptions, 751 yards) is playing down the revenge factor from the difficult loss that ended Hamilton's season last year, there's no doubt that the manner in which the Tiger-Cats bowed out is still fresh in the minds of the players who should have something to say about the outcome of this year's opener.

Hamilton had some fine defensive efforts last year, strong enough to place second in the league in points allowed per game (23.8), but the squad has to be aware that opponents found it rather easy to gain successful running plays on the club, something they'll have to do a better job defending in this outing, and those yet to come in 2010.

The teams took the opportunity to warm up against each other during the preseason back on June 20, with Hamilton capturing an easy 38-20 decision.

The squads met a total of three times in 2009, with Hamilton taking a pair of victories, including a lopsided 39-17 final the second week of November to keep the Bombers from advancing to the playoffs. Despite the setback, Winnipeg still maintains a 53-43 advantage in the regular-season series.

The key to this meeting will be the play of Pierce for the Blue Bombers and how well Hamilton can contain him in the pocket. Should the signal-caller get rattled it might open the door for Hamilton to make things interesting.

Sportsbook Betting Lines Predicted Outcome: Winnipeg 28, Hamilton 23

BRITISH COLUMBIA LIONS (0-0) AT EDMONTON ESKIMOS (0-0)

DATE & TIME: Sunday, July 4, 7:00 p.m. (et).

GAME NOTES: With the CFL's new four-year Collective Bargaining Agreement now in place, the British Columbia Lions and the Edmonton Eskimos can now focus on kicking off their respective schedules on Sunday evening at Commonwealth Stadium.

Even though the Lions finished the 2009 regular season two games under .500 at 8-10, the squad still caught enough breaks to take part in the postseason. However, even though that might be a positive for the Lions to take from last year, there's no doubt that the club and head coach Wally Buono have their sights set on moving up from fourth place in the West Division.

Buono, who has a record of 82-43-1 since taking over BC in 2003, knows what it takes to get to the Grey Cup Championship and win it all, having done so against Montreal in 2006, but the question is whether or not he has the talent in place to get the Lions to again reach such lofty heights.

Even though the Lions completed almost 61 percent of their pass attempts a season ago, the position was in disarray with as many as five different signal-callers attempting at least 28 passes during the campaign. Buck Pierce did some of the damage for the group as he made good on 63.2 percent of his chances, but he still had more interceptions (12) than touchdowns (10). Despite attempting barely half the number of passes as Pierce, who is no longer with the club, Jarious Jackson logged a team-best 12 TDs, giving him an even 50 for his career with BC.

The most productive receiver for the Lions a year ago was Geroy Simon, a slotback out of the University of Maryland who has been with the club for a decade now. Simon has logged at least 1,200 yards receiving in each of the last seven campaigns and led the squad with 1,239 yards in 2009, but the end result was just six touchdowns. While Simon was moving the ball between the 20's, it was Paris Jackson who had the most receiving TDs with eight on 76 catches for the team.

Not to be lost in all of this is Emmanuel Arceneaux out of Alcorn State. As a rookie last year Arceneaux put up some impressive numbers with 63 catches for 858 yards and seven touchdowns, so it is expected that those stats will increase given his familiarity with the system.

Another area that will need considerable attention this year is at running back, seeing as how Martell Mallett played just one year with the Lions and then signed with the Philadelphia Eagles of the NFL in January. Mallett, who set a franchise record with 213 yards rushing against Montreal in early September, was also fifth on the team with his 43 receptions for 342 yards and two touchdowns.

Finding a replacement for Mallett will be a challenge, especially when you take into consideration that the next two leading ground gainers for the Lions in 2009 were quarterbacks (Pierce and Jackson). Jamal Robertson, who came over from Toronto, will hopefully pick up where he left off in 2009 when he gained 1,031 yards and scored nine touchdowns, although he did average less than five yards per attempt.

The overall defense for the Lions a year ago was dismal, allowing 27.9 ppg to rank second-to-last in the league and if not for the lackluster efforts of Winnipeg, the rankings would be even more disappointing for BC. The secondary permitted opponents to generate 8.1 yards per pass, tied with Edmonton for the most in the CFL in 2009.

The Edmonton defense placed last in the CFL in first downs allowed via the pass (244), yet both Calgary and the Lions fell below the Eskimos in terms of average yards allowed per outing overall. The unit was last among all eight CFL programs in quarterback sacks with just 32 quarterback take-downs over the course of 2009. Also counting against Edmonton's defense was the group's mere 34 takeaways, second-fewest in the league, subsequently leaving the team third from the bottom in turnover differential with a minus-11.

The biggest positive for the Eskimos is having quarterback Ricky Ray back at the helm for a team that finished an even 9-9 during the regular season. Ray, who connected on better than two-thirds of his pass attempts, was the lone signal-caller to eclipse the 400-completion plateau. With a league-high 4,916 yards to go along with his 22 touchdowns and just 12 picks, Ray had the second-best efficiency rating (96.4) in the league a year ago as well.

Handling the action on the other end of many Ray pass attempts should be Fred Stamps who nearly doubled his yardage production from 2008 (751) by reeling in 85 balls for a league-high 1,402 yards, leading to eight scores in 2009.

When the ball stays on the ground, expect to see Arkee Whitlock handling the action more often than not, especially after he finished third in the league in rushing a year ago with 1,293 yards on 211 carries. Perhaps more important, Whitlock managed to take the ball 12 times into the end zone, taking some of the pressure off Ray and the rest of the offense.

With respect to a series record between these two clubs, Edmonton leads in regular-season meetings by a count of 99-66-4

BC took the first two games between the squads last season, logging a 40-22 victory on the road in the middle of July and then posting a 34-31 triumph at home the second week of October. However, Edmonton turned the tables on the Lions on November 6 with a resounding 45-13 final on the road.

With a reliable offensive tandem like Ray and Whitlock the Eskimos have what it takes to get off on the right foot this season, but the defense will have to hold up its end of the bargain at the same time.

Sportsbook Betting Lines Predicted Outcome: Edmonton 31, British Columbia 22.