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11/23/2008 - Montreal, QC (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - It's only fitting that the best team in the East Division takes on the first-place team in the West Division to decide the '08 Grey Cup champion.
Montreal finished first in the East, then defeated the Edmonton Eskimos 36-26 in the conference final to advance to its sixth Grey Cup championship since 2000. However, the Alouettes head into this contest having won just one CFL title, that coming in 2002.
Special-teams player Larry Taylor led Montreal past Edmonton, returning two punts for a record touchdowns in the game. Taylor scored on returns of 64 and 97 yards and finished with a CFL-record 203 yards on six returns.
Anthony Calvillo, named the CFL's outstanding player this week, was 20-of-32 passing for 295 yards and a touchdown. Calvillo finished the season with 43 TD passes and was second in passing with 5,633 yards.
Montreal will definitely have the home-field advantage for the Grey Cup, with the game being played at Olympic Stadium. And with upwards of 65,000 spectators expected to be on hand, the Alouettes will also have the benefit of having a raucous crowd firmly behind them.
Calgary qualified for its first Grey Cup game since 2001 - when it beat Winnipeg at Olympic Stadium _ by downing the B.C. Lions 22-18 in the West Division final.
Quarterback Henry Burris, the West Division candidate for the outstanding player award, had 236 yards passing and a touchdown and also scored one himself.
Burris has had a brilliant season to date. The 10-year veteran established career highs with 5,094 yards passing and 39 touchdowns for Calgary. He was also the CFL's leading rusher among quarterbacks with 595 yards.
However, it was defensive end Mike Labinjo who was Calgary's top performer against the Lions. The former Philadelphia Eagles linebacker had three sacks and eight tackles - two huge ones for losses coming on a crucial goal-line stand - as the Stampeders managed to keep B.C. from scoring a touchdown in the West final.
The numbers: Montreal was 7-2 at home during the regular season but 3-5 against West Division teams and 0-2 versus Calgary. The Stampeders were 6-3 on the road and 7-1 against Eastern clubs.
Keys to the game: There was no more potent offense in the CFL this year than Montreal, which led the league in scoring (32.4 points per game), total yards (429 per game), pass attempts (712) and completions (495). The Alouettes' offensive line contributed to that success, allowing just 22 sacks, which was lowest in the league.
Montreal guard Scott Flory was also honoured this week, being named the league's outstanding lineman.
Calvillo will also have three pretty good receivers to throw to. Jamel Richardson (98 catches, 1,287 yards, league-high 16 TDs), Ben Cahoon (league- best 107 catches, 1,231 yards, seven TDs) and Kerry Watkins (84 catches, 1,178 yards, 10 TDs).
Calgary's strength will also be its offense, which also includes the CFL's leading receiver (Ken-Yon Rambo, 100 catches, 1,473 yards, eight TDs) and top running back (Joffrey Reynolds, 1,310 yards).
Both teams have good defenses. Calgary gave up an average of just 21.5 points per game to lead the CFL but Montreal surrendered just 23.5 points per game as well.
Special-teams are also solid on both sides. Calgary kicker Sandro DeAngelis was the CFL scoring leader with 217 points while Montreal's Damon Duval was second with 206 points.
So while the Alouettes will have the home crowd behind it, the Stampeders will have a team that established itself during the regular season as the league's best. The fact this game is being played in Montreal is the only reason why it should be close.
Sportsbook Betting Lines Predicted Outcome: Calgary 35, Montreal 30.
Last week's record: 1-1; Season record: 43-33.
<< Hard check forces Colorado D Foote to depart early
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game against the Los Angeles Kings after a scary check left the defenseman
momentarily motionless on the ice.
Late in the second period, Foote skated into the right co
<< Blair leads Pitt to blowout of IUP
Pittsburgh, PA (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - DeJuan Blair dropped a game-high 27 points
on 13-of-14 shooting and grabbed a game-high 18 rebounds in just 21 minutes of
floor time as the sixth-ranked Pittsburgh Panthers cruised to an 86-60 win
over In
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Norman, OK (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Sam Bradford threw four touchdown passes, and
fifth-ranked Oklahoma rose to the occasion to keep their national championship
hopes alive, while dashing Texas Tech's title aspirations with a 65-21 blowout
of the
<< O'Neal, Suns too much for Portland
Phoenix, AZ (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Shaquille O'Neal registered 19 points with a
game-high 17 rebounds as Phoenix topped Portland, 102-92, at US Airways
Center.
Amare Stoudemire had 17 points and nine boards for the Suns, who snappe
Avs top Kings in shootout >>
Los Angeles, CA (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Marek Svatos scored the game-winner in the
shootout of Colorado's 4-3 victory over the Los Angeles Kings.
Peter Budaj picked up the win after recording 27 saves for the Avalanche,
who had won three
Sharks dominate Caps >>
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four assists and Brian Boucher was once again solid in net with 19 saves as
the San Jose Sharks dominated Washington, 7-2.
Patrick Marleau, Devin Setoguchi,
Bad break for Dodgers' Billingsley >>
Los Angeles, CA (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Young Dodgers ace Chad Billingsley
suffered a broken left fibula Friday after slipping on a patch of ice outside
of his home in Reading, Pennsylvania.
The 24-year-old sustained a spiral fractu
FSU pounds No. 22 Maryland in College Park >>
College Park, MD (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Florida State's Chris Ponder ran 14 times
for 81 yards and a score, and passed for 143 yards and a touchdown to lead the
Seminoles to a 37-3 road win over No. 22 Maryland at CCB Field at Byrd
Stadium
BILLS (+10) at Steelers SPORTSBOOK LINES
It's impossible to gauge how a team will react after something like the Steve Everett situation, and it probably doesn't matter. That being said, the Bills are going to lose several games this year where they keep things close but fall short in the end to superior teams. Ben Roethlisberger and company could have a field day against Buffalo's decimated defense, but I like the Bills to cover.
BENGALS (-7) at Browns SPORTSBOOK LINES
All you can ask out of your NFL team is that it has a plan. You may not always agree with it as a fan, but as long as it appears the organization is going in some sort of direction, you have to go with it. Which brings us to the Cleveland Browns. You flip a coin to determine whether Chuck Frye or Derek Anderson should start the preseason opener. You start Frye in Week 1, but pull him in the first half. And then you deal him to the Seahawks for a sixth-round pick? Hmm... the Bengals could get six turnovers again this week.
COLTS (-7) at Titans SPORTSBOOK LINES
Tennessee signed ex-Colts cornerback Nick Harper in the offseason so that should help slow down Peyton Manning. Just ask Jason David and the Saints. Oh wait... One of these weeks, I'm going to learn to not pick against Tennessee, which has won seven of its last eight games. But it's not happening against Indy.
TEXANS (+6.5) at Panthers SPORTSBOOK LINES
Houston's Mario Williams, the first pick in the '06 draft, has more touchdowns than Reggie Bush after one week. Somehow I don't see that lasting. Meanwhile, Carolina bottled up what was expected to be a pretty high-octane offense in St. Louis in Week 1. Could this be the Panthers' defense everyone expected last year? Maybe. This feels like a 20-16 Carolina win.
RAMS (-3) vs. 49ers SPORTSBOOKS LINES
Absolutely love this game. Everyone's favorite pick for this year's surprise team -- the 49ers -- laid an egg on Monday night (not that anyone was watching with the game ending in the middle of the night for those of us on the East Coast). St. Louis wasn't much better, delivering a lackluster effort against the Panthers that included two Steven Jackson fumbles and panic from his fantasy owners. Jackson rebounds this week, and the Rams get their first win.
PACKERS (+1.5) at Giants SPORTSBOOKS LINES
Do you really trust this guy to win an NFL game if Eli Manning can't go? I say no. I'd feel alot better about this Packers team if it had any semblance of a running game, but I still think Green Bay's defense is good enough to give it a 2-0 start.
JAGUARS (-10) vs. Falcons SPORTSBOOKS LINES
Does it scare me to pick Jacksonville to cover a double-digit spread after it scored just 10 points last week against the Titans? Absolutely. But can I bring myself to pick Atlanta under any circumstances? No. Check out this poll on ajc.com. It asks what Atlanta's most urgent deficiency is: offense, defense, specials teams or all of the above. "All of the above" has 57 percent of the votes. Ouch.
SAINTS (-3) at Buccaneers SPORTSBOOKS LINES
I'm picking way too many road teams this week. Oh well. New Orleans has had some time to reflect on its lackluster showing in the opener, and the Buccanneers just aren't a very good football team. Anyone else surprised Tampa Bay hasn't made a move to sign Byron Leftwich? I thought that's what they do.
VIKINGS (+3) at Lions SPORTS BETTING LINES
Run the ball and stop the run. Minnesota can do both, and that will keep them in a lot of games this season. Even though it was only one week, Adrian Peterson looks like he was a steal at No. 7 in last year's draft. Not only will he produce, but Peterson delivers excitement to what otherwise would be one of the league's most boring teams.
DOLPHINS (+3.5) vs. Cowboys SPORTS BETTING LINES
Lost in the Tony Romo lovefest is just how bad the Cowboys' defense was last week. I know they're banged up, but Dallas' 'D' allowed 438 yards to the Giants' offense, and backup running back Derrick Ward averaged 6.8 yards per carry. Meanwhile, Cam Cameron's decision to split carries between Ronnie Brown and Jesse Chatman sounds about as can't-miss as Larry David's plan to show up to Marty Funkhouser's party a night late. Still, gotta go with Miami to cover at home.
SEAHAWKS (-2.5) at Cardinals SPORTS BETTING LINES
I'm probably missing something, but this game seems too easy. Arizona blew Monday night's game against the 49ers in typical Cardinals fashion, and the Seahawks beat Tampa Bay by two touchdowns. Love Seattle in this one.
BRONCOS (-9.5) vs. Raiders SPORTS BETTING LINES
Special teams was a major story line in Week 1. Take a look at the Broncos. They had to rush on to the field to get a Jason Elam field goal as time expired against the Bills. Denver drove into Buffalo territory on eight of 10 drives but came away with just a pair of field goals and a touchdown. Look for more scoring from the Broncos this week against an Oakland defense that gave up 36 points to Detroit in Week 1.
BEARS (-12) vs. Chiefs SPORTS BETTING LINES
Everyone talks about Rex Grossman when dissecting the Bears' offense, but Chicago's quarterback got no help in last week's loss to the Chargers. Meanwhile, Kansas City confirmed what we all thought while watching Hard Knocks: The Chiefs are going to stink this year. It could be a rough first month for Larry Johnson fantasy owners. Kansas City's RB was limited to 43 yards on 10 carries in Week 1, and the Chiefs face the Bears, Vikings and Chargers the next three weeks, all formidable run defenses.
RAVENS (-10) vs. Jets SPORTS BETTING LINES
A big dose of Willis McGahee and a usual sound defensive effort will give the Ravens their first win. According to Football Outsiders, no team in the NFL rushed only three defenders on pass plays last year more than the Jets. And according to my special Jets correspondent Ben Stauber, New York did the same in Week 1. Whoever starts at quarterback for the Ravens should have all day to throw.
PATRIOTS (-3) vs. Chargers
Friends and I were discussing how Bill Belichick goes about paying his $500,000 fine for cheating. Does he just write one check to the NFL? Do you need some sort of clearance to make such a monstrous financial transaction? I guess I shouldn't complain about the security deposit I have to put down on my new apartment. Anyway, two of the league's best teams square off in what should be a good one Sunday night. The Patriots always respond well just when you think they're in trouble. And their offensive attack was the story in Week 1.
Note: Monday night game will be picked Monday. Lines used are from football betting.
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