09/07/2008 - Montreal, QC (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The Montreal Alouettes are playing it safe with running back Avon Cobourne.
The CFL rushing leader, who is also attempting to become the first player in league history to register 1,000 yards rushing and receiving in the same season, won't suit up Sunday when the Alouettes host Toronto. Cobourne suffered a right ankle injury in last week's 30-25 victory over B.C.
Cobourne attempted briefly running on the ankle Friday but spent the bulk of the practice session on the sidelines. Afterwards, head coach Marc Trestman said there was a 99 percent chance that Cobourne wouldn't dress against Toronto and that Mike Imoh would instead line up in Montreal's backfield.
Cobourne was hurt when he and teammate Jamel Richardson collided on a pass play. The good news is tests showed he had neither broken nor torn anything, so Trestman decided to err on the side of caution.
ARGOS CHANGES: The Toronto Argonauts defense will feature some new faces Sunday when the club travels to Montreal to meet the Alouettes.
Linebackers Willie Pile and Michael Fletcher will both be sidelined with injuries. Pile has a high ankle sprain while Fletcher is hobbled by a foot problem.
Those injuries could be problematic for Toronto, which last week used multiple defensive fronts in its 34-31 Labor Day victory over Hamilton. With both Pile and Fletcher out, it will likely mean more adjustments for the Argos defense.
However, it could also result in more playing time for veteran Mike O'Shea. The longtime Argos linebacker was relegated to spot duty as well as special teams as a result of Toronto moving from its traditional 3-4 alignment to the multiple defensive fronts.
The good news, though, is the Argos won't have to deal with CFL rushing leader Avon Cobourne, who is expected to miss the game due to injury. Toronto comes into the game allowing almost 168 yards rushing per game.
HONOR FOR STEGALL: The city of Winnipeg has named a street across from Canad Inns Stadium to Milt Stegall Drive after the Winnipeg Blue Bombers star receiver.
The move was done in recognition of Stegall becoming the CFL's career leader in touchdowns scored.
Stegall was on hand for the ceremony and, in typical fashion, the colorful receiver laid down the ground rules for the street. For example:
- People walking down the street must first ensure their shoes are clean.
- Property taxes paid by businesses on the street go to Stegall, not the city of Winnipeg.
- Only Stegall can speed on the street, although Stegall added he'd never do so because when he's out driving, he likes to be seen.
DYNAMIC DUO: The expectation is that both Fred Reid and newcomer Joe Smith will see action Sunday when the Winnipeg Blue Bombers face the Saskatchewan Roughriders.
The Bombers acquired Smith from the B.C. Lions earlier this week in a blockbuster trade that saw Winnipeg career leader Charles Roberts head to Vancouver.
Smith, who led the CFL in rushing last season with 1,510 yards, spent the week trying to get Winnipeg's offensive playbook down and says he's familiar with about 70 percent of what the Bombers do on offense. But the 6-foot-1, 224- pound Smith says he's ready to go.
The Bombers are expected to use the physical Smith in most running situations and then rely on the shiftier Reid in passing situations.
RIDER MOVES: Michael Bishop will make his second straight start for Saskatchewan on Sunday when the Roughriders meet the Winnipeg Blue Bombers to complete their Labor Day series.
Bishop was a dismal 10-of-24 passing for 107 yards in last week's 19-6 win over the Bombers after joining the Riders in a trade with the Toronto Argonauts on August 23.
The Riders will have defensive lineman John Chick in the lineup. It will mark Chick's first game since suffering a knee injury against Montreal in the fourth week of the season. Chick had two sacks and nine tackles in four games before his injury.
CROSSOVER RULE: The B.C. Lions beat the Hamilton Tiger-Cats 35-12 on Saturday to improve their record to 5-5. More importantly, though, they also solidified their chances of reaching the CFL postseason.
B.C. remains fourth in the West Division standings, which on the surface wouldn't look good considering the top three teams in the division qualify for the postseason. However, if the Lions were to finish fourth but post a better record than the third-place team in the East, then the club would cross over into the Eastern division and become the third seed there.
Right now, that looks like a real possibility because prior to Sunday's action Hamilton (2-8) and Winnipeg (2-7) were tied for third in the East.
<< Slumping Karstens hopes for a win in San Francisco
(Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Jeff Karstens will try to work out of his slump this
afternoon, as the Pittsburgh Pirates and San Francisco Giants wrap a three-
game series at AT&T Park.
The Pirates acquired Karstens from the New York Yankees in a de
<< Ramirez, first-place Dodgers set for finale with Diamondbacks
(Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Manny Ramirez's experience in tight playoff races is sure
coming in handy for the Dodgers. Ramirez will try to help extend Los Angeles'
new-found lead in the National League West this afternoon in the finale of a
three-game s
<< Astros wrap set with Rockies
(Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Still in the hunt for the National League wild card, the
Astros wasted little time getting back in the win column. Houston will shoot
for a victory today in the rubber match of a three-game series with the
Colorado Rockies at
<< Fishing for a playoff spot, Cards go for series win against Marlins
(Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The St. Louis Cardinals will try to keep their playoff
hopes alive this afternoon in the finale of a three-game series with the
Florida Marlins at Busch Stadium.
The Cardinals had lost six of seven, including a setback in
NFL Inactives (Sunday, September 7, 2008) >>
Philadelphia, PA (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The following is a list of inactive players
for today's NFL games.
CINCINNATI BENGALS AT BALTIMORE RAVENS, 1:00 P.M. (ET)
Bengals - 3rd QB Jordan Palmer, RB Reagan Maui'a, DT Pat Sims, S Chinedum
Ndukwe
Saints CB McKenzie inactive >>
New Orleans, LA (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - New Orleans Saints cornerback Mike
McKenzie will not play in the team's opener versus Tampa Bay Sunday.
McKenzie, who was listed as questionable on Friday's injury report, is still
recovering fro
No go for Ocho Cinco >>
Baltimore, MD (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Cincinnati Bengals wide receiver Chad Johnson
may have legally changed his surname to Ocho Cinco, but in the eyes of the
NFL, it will have to wait at least one week.
The NFL released a statement Sunday b
Pats QB Brady leaves game >>
Foxboro, MA (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - New England Patriots quarterback Tom Brady
left Sunday's game with 7:27 remaining in the first quarter after suffering an
apparent left knee injury.
Brady was hit by Bernard Pollard of Kansas City whil
“You play to win the game!”
Those are the words of notoriously intense head coach Herman Edwards. Unfortunately, from a bettors’ perspective, most coaches don’t feel that way about the NFL preseason. August is a time to evaluate young players, finalize the depth chart and pray your star players stay healthy.
The trick to making money during the exhibition schedule is identifying coaches – like Edwards – who can’t stand losing even when there's nothing on the line.
The New York Jets betting won 15 of 21 preseason games and went 14-7 against the spread (ATS) during Edwards’s five-year tenure with the club. In his first season as the Kansas City Chiefs field boss, the team improved from 0-4 to 2-2.
Identifying win-a-holics like Edwards is a good start if you plan betting the preseason – even though most say you shouldn’t ... but what the hell do they know anyway?
Here’s a brief rundown of two teams that have a habit of winning during the second-stringers’ season, and another club that has a good chance of exceeding this year.
Playing in the media hub of North America can be stressful but the press can’t write anything negative about the way Tom Coughlin’s boys play in the preseason. The Giants won and covered all four games last summer, improving their record to 7-1 both straight up (SU) and against the spread over the last two years.
Coughlin has shown he’s not afraid to give his starters more time in the second preseason game than most of his colleagues, no doubt one of the reasons his team has been so dominant.
Bettors can count on America’s team early on. The Cowboys are 14-6 both SU and ATS since 2002 in warm-up contests. Former coach Bill Parcells, the coach of the team the last four years, has an intimidating, in-your-face presence – surely a reason Dallas has had so much early success.
The Big Tuna won’t be strolling the sidelines with looks of disgust, but new coach Wade Phillips will be anxious to make a good first impression for owner Jerry Jones.
Dallas plays the Indianapolis Colts and the Denver Broncos before things get serious. They then face the Houston Texans in their third contest (the game starters see most game time) and finish off with the Minnesota Vikings.
Expect a Dallas team able to walk away with another 3-1 preseason record.
This team scored a league-worst 12 offensive touchdowns last season, so the rookies and veterans each have something to prove. There’s a bounty of first-unit jobs up for grabs and plenty of bodies competing for those slots.
First-time head coach Lane Kiffin will be eager to impress an owner who employs the philosophy, “Just win, baby!”
The 32-year-old Kiffin has to command respect from a locker room full of players older than him. All of these factors should lead to purpose in preseason.
Don’t forget: before playing like a team that belonged in NFL Europe, Oakland went 4-1 (both SU and ATS) in exhibition games.
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