Back to full slate of games this week, with the traditional Labour Day games on Monday....a quick look:
B.C. at Montreal - 5 1/2 58 Tonight 7:30 pm est
Montreal is the more rested team, while B.C. is starting their #2 Qb due to injury...Montreal should take care of business here..
The Pick: Montreal - 5 1/2 Under 58
Winnipeg at Saskatchewan -3 49 1/2 Sunday 3pm est
You want to play Saskatchewan here as they are clearly the better team, but having jettisoned their starting QB and trading for another one, you have to take a wait and see aprroach this week...
The Pick: Winnipeg +3 Under 49 1/2
Edmonton at Calgary -5 57 Monday 4 pm est
Although both teams playing well right now, you have to give the edge to the home team here, in what should be the most entertaining game of the weekend..
The Pick: Calgary - 5 Over 57
Toronto at Hamilton -3 54 Monday 7:30 pm est
This should be a rerun of the last time these teams in Hamilton with the Cats running wild over a wobbly Toronto D....Hamilton gets the win at home..
The East's turn to take a week off....leaving us with a pair of games out west this week:
Saskatchewan at Edmonton -3 56 Tonight 9pm est
Saskatchewan is clearly the class of the league again this year in spite of a QB and coaching change....they needed the bye week to get healthy, and should be raring to go....the only equalizer might be the natural grass field, which might sap some of Sask's speed...but I think they still have too much for Edm here..
The Pick: Sask +3 Over 56
Calgary at B.C. -3 56 Tomorrow 10:30 pm est
B.C is always very tough to beat at home...Calgary benefits more from the week off from the injury standpoint...but this is the last place you want to play on the road coming of the bye week when rust might be a factor early...I'll take the home team.
Toronto at Hamilton (+2 1/2) 49 1/2 Tonight 7pm est
Its no RB Lumsden, no chance as far as Hamilton is concerned....Argos have not looke good on offence the last few games...but the D is returning to form and the O should have enough to get the job done here.
The Pick: Toronto -2 1/2 Under 49 1/2
Calgary at Saskatchewn (-3) 52 1/2 Tonight 10:00 pm est
Having beaten the Stamps in Calgary last week, the Green Riders won't take their foot of the gas at home...Calgary is too beat up to hang with Sask on the road..
The Pick: Saskatchewan -3 Over 52 1/2
Montreal at Winnipeg(+2 1/2) 55 Tomorrow 7:30 pm est
Although he beat Calgary at home in his 2nd career start. QB Dinwiddle did not look good last week and gets a much tougher test this week vs Montreal...put me in the show-me camp with the WPG QB...
The Pick: Montreal - 2 1/2 Under 55
Edmonton at B.C. (- 5 1/2) 55 Tomorrow 10:30 pm est
B.C. simply has too much for Edmonton at home..although this should be the most entertaining game of the week...
Calgary at Winnpeg(+6) 52 1/2 52 1/2 Tonight 8 pm est
Hard to get a read on this one with the winless Blue Bombers switching QB's and the Stamps in prime position for a letdown.....that said I am going to stick with the form book until WPG shows it can be disciplined enough to compete..
The Pick: Calgary -6 Over 52 1/2
Edmonton at Hamilton (+2) 53 Tomorrow 7pm est
Edm will get the result here it should have gotten last week...with RB Lumsden on the limp...the Tiger-Cats simply lack the weapons to compete...
The Pick: Edmonton -2 Under 53
Montreal at B.C. (-7) 52 1/2 Tomorrow 10 pm est
Easily the best game of the week...B.C is thin at WR...so an injury would be disastious....Mon has showed they can put points on the board, but need to balance their attack a little more against a quality BC defense..
The Pick: Montreal +7 Over 52 1/2
Toronto at Saskatchewan(-5) 54 Sunday 4pm est
Surprised the line isn't higher given Toronto's unexpected defensive woes this season....are they simply too old? Yes they can score, but can they slow down Saskatchewan??
Hamilton at Calgary(-9 1/2) 52 1/2 Tonight 9pm est
Although Calgary is very tough at home, I have a very hard time giving away double digets against a Hamilton team that has had back to back solid outings offensively....even without RB Lumsden, Hamilton has enough to keep it close...
The Pick: Hamilton + 9 1/2 Over 52 1/2
Winnipeg at B.C. (-8 1/2) Tomorrow 8pm est
After plastering WPG last week, you have to wonder if BC might come out a tad flat this week, even though they can hardly rest on their laurels....I do not see a WPG win here...but this will be closer than it should be on paper....
The Pick: Winnipeg + 8 1/2 Under 52
Montreal at Sasketchewan(-5 1/2) 51 1/2 Saturday 7 pm est..
Toughest call of the week here as you have to wonder where Montreal's heads are at defensively after their meltdown last week....you know they will put points on the board...but can they slow down Sask on their own field?
The Pick: Saskatchewan - 5 1/2 Over 51 1/2
Edmonton at Toronto (- 3 1/2) 51 Sunday 4pm est
Given their issues on defense thus far, I cannot give away points on them vs an EDM squad that has been more solid than expected...EDM could well win this outright...
Lousy week vs spread, but balanced it with a great totals week last week...let's see if we can do even better this week:
Calgary at Montreal (-4) 55 Tonight 7 pm est
Have to keep riding the hot hand here....although Calgary looked good at Edmonton last week, they get a much stiffer test tonight....way too many points for my taste here.
The Pick: Montrreal -4 Under 55
Toronto at Edmonton (-2) 46 1/2 Tonight 10 pm est
Even though Toronto looked ugly last week at home vs Hamilton, I am going to take them on the road vs Edmonton, a clearly inferior offensive team.. with both teams struggling to score, the under is the only option here..
The Pick: Toronto +2 Under 46 1/2
B.C at Winnipeg (- 1 1/2) 47 1/2 Friday 8pm est
As shocking as the 0-2 start for B.C. is, it would be more shocking if they drop this one against a Winnipeg team that seems to have missed the bell for the start of the season. Easily the toughest call of the week on the total, tough to get a handle on how this game is going to go, but since this is the CFL, if there is any doubt you play the over..
The Pick: B.C + 1 1/2 Over 47 1/2
Saskatchewan at Hamilton (-2) 43 1/2
As impressive as last week's win at Toronto was...giving away points to the defending champs is a whole different propostion...look for Hamiton to play well...but the Green Riders have too much for them. The total is very low on this one...making it an easy call.
Well..an Ok but not great start last week....2-2 spread, 3-1 totals....let's see what Week #2 brings...
Hamilton at Toronto(-11) 48 1/2 Thurs 7 pm est
Hamilton fully showed their youth last week....although 11 points would normally give me pause...i feel Hamilton is just as bad as they showed last week...they will get better as the year goes on but this will not be the week it starts...
Toronto -11 Over 48 1/2
Calgary at Edmonton +3 53 1/2 Thurs 10 pm est
If not for Hamilton, Edmonton would clearly be the worst team in the league..this pick is a no brainer....even with EDM at home..
Calgary -3 Under 53 1/2
Winnipeg at Montreal -1 45 1/2 Fri 7 pm est
Although you could argue that it is tough to evaluate Mon based on the horrific game played by Hamilton last week....I liked what I saw...and they are at home vs a WPG team that stunk out its own yard last week vs Toronto....enough said.
Montreal -1 over 45 1/2
Saskatchewan at B.C - 5 1/2 51 1/2 Fri 10pm est
If B.C is as good as everyone thought they were coming into the season then now is the time to show it...Sask looked good at home...let's see how they fare in arguably the toughest road venue in the league..
In addition, all games should be available on broadband at the same site.
Week 1 Picks:
Montreal at Hamilton -2 45 1/2 Tonight - 7pm est
Have to go with experience here with Montreal over an improved but very young Hamilton team...T-storms in the forecast will temper the offences somewhat...
The Pick: Montreal +2, Under 45 1/2
B.C at Calgary +3 54 1/2 Tonight - 10pm est
B.C. should once again be the class of the league this year...but get a nasty opener at Cal####, but should have enough to get it done....too many points for my taste for Week 1....
The Pick: B.C -3 Under 54 1/2
Toronto at Winnipeg -2 43 1/2 Friday - 8pm est
Toronto has a much improved offence this year and that plus their always stellar D will be enough here....T Storms in the forcast will slow down the Offences somewhat, but 43 1/2 is low for a CFL game...
The Pick: Toronto +2 Over 43 1/2
Edmonton at Saskatchewan - 4 1/2 53 1/2 Saturday 7:30 pm est
The defending champs have a new Coach and a new QB...so I am in show me mode for now... way too many points for me...
My name is Ian Gower...I am a 40-year old amateur handicapper and sports enthusiest who resides in Guelph, Ontario, Canada....(ab out 45 min NW of Toronto)
