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07/21/2010 - Toronto, Canada (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The Hamilton Tiger-Cats looked the best of any team in week three, something that will have head coach Marcel Bellefeuille smiling - at least until their next game. One game won't solve everything, but at least Hamilton, and in particular quarterback Kevin Glenn, knows the spark from the latter part of last season isn't entirely snuffed out. Meanwhile, the Toronto Argonauts continue to surprise with a second straight victory, and Montreal sits atop the eastern standings with a 2-1 record of their own.
HAMILTON TIGER-CATS
It took a little longer than expected but chants of "oskee wee wee" were finally heard last week in Hamilton. The Tiger-Cats pulled off their first win of the season, displaying a great all-around brand of football against the Winnipeg Blue Bombers in a 28-7 win.
It was a much-improved performance from week one, when the Bombers ran away offensively against Hamilton scoring 49 points. The Ti-Cats had a renewed focus on defense in week three's rematch, as they didn't allow a first down until midway through the second quarter.
The offensive line stepped up big time, giving up just one sack compared with a monstrous seven in week one.
The key for Hamilton, however, was Glenn. If he continues to limit his interceptions - he had none against Winnipeg in week three - and spreads the ball around amongst his receivers, Hamilton will make its way back to being the top team in the east as projected before the season began.
Offensive key for next game: Getting revenge against Winnipeg was good, but now comes a much more important test - a road game against the Montreal Alouettes. Glenn will need to play his absolute best against a defense that limited the Lions to just 12 points in Week 3. Canadian David Stala has emerged as the best option amongst receivers and he'll need another huge game if the Ti-Cats want to get back to .500.
Defensive key for next game: Anthony Calvillo is as good as any quarterback to have played in the CFL, and though the Als have not dominated the way many were expecting, Hamilton can't afford to sleep on the skill set of Montreal's veteran QB. Hindering Calvillo's play is the production of his o-line. The Als have given up a league-leading nine sacks, something the Ti-Cats should be able to exploit on defense.
Look ahead: As if Montreal wasn't a tough enough task, Hamilton has to play the league's best team, the Saskatchewan Roughriders, the following week. It's entirely possible to lose both games - in fact, it's more than likely given how they are both road games - but Hamilton should not get discouraged if that were to happen. They have the weapons necessary to compete, it's just a matter of getting Glenn and company to perform consistently.
TORONTO ARGONAUTS
In each of the past two seasons, the Argonauts probably would have lost the two games they managed to win in this young season. Both were come-from-behind, two-point victories in the fourth quarter, the latter via a one-yard TD run in the last two minutes of play.
Whether it's character, heart, or perhaps just a little luck, there's no denying that this year's team will not give up on any game.
Cleo Lemon has been getting better for the blue and white with each passing game. The 30-year-old is adapting to the CFL rather quickly, using the whole field and taking advantage of the bigger end zone, nowhere more evident than a towering toss to Chad Owens for a two-point convert late in week three's game against Calgary.
Perhaps an even bigger boost for the Argos has been the play of Cory Boyd. The rookie looked completely out of sorts in his first game, but has carried for over 100 yards in each of the last two games.
Offensive key to the game: The Toronto Argonauts play at home again, this time against the punchless BC Lions. As much as the Lions have been struggling offensively, they have been tough without the ball and the Argos will have to show their resiliency once again to get through it. Cory Boyd will need to be huge again for the Argonauts to have a chance.
Defensive key to next game: Running back Jamal Robertson makes his first visit to Toronto since signing with BC and will be motivated to not only perform against his former team but also erase his dismal 4-yard effort in week three. Stopping him will be key for the Argos to have a shot at winning three in a row for the first time since a run of seven back in 2007.
Look ahead: The schedule sure gets tough for the Argos after the Lions. Dates with the CFL's two best teams, Montreal and Saskatchewan, may derail what has been a good start for Toronto.
WINNIPEG BLUE BOMBERS
The gamble worked for a little while, but Winnipeg's luck ran out last week.
After two weeks of strong play from newly acquired Buck Pierce, the quarterback found himself in familiar territory: on the sidelines, injured.
Reports indicate that the Blue Bomber will be out for two-four weeks, a big blow for a team looking to stay in the hunt in the east.
Steven Jyles will step in for the injured Pierce. He's been in the league for five years, but this will be just his second career start. Behind Jyles will be recently signed Joey Elliot, a former Purdue University player.
With such inexperience at the helm for the Bombers, it will be tough to bounce back from a devastating 28-7 loss to Hamilton last week.
Offensive key to next game: Fortunately for the Bombers, they start off the Pierce-less stretch against the league's worst team, the Edmonton Eskimos. Winnipeg's success will depend on how well Jyles can put it together, but running back Fred Reid must play out of his mind to take the pressure off his inexperienced quarterback.
Defensive key to next game: The Eskimos have been having trouble scoring touchdowns, thanks in part to dropped passes by the receiving corps. Winnipeg's defensive backs need to control the backfield and force Edmonton QB Ricky Ray to make a mistake.
Look Ahead: After hosting the Eskimos, Winnipeg travels to take on the other Albertan team. Calgary has been one of the year's best teams, though the sloppy play of Henry Burris is a concern for the Stampeders. If Winnipeg can win at least one of the battles against Alberta, it would be a huge boost of confidence for a team without their star quarterback.
MONTREAL ALOUETTES
After giving up 54 points in the season opener, the Alouettes dropped it down to 23 in their second game, and 12 against BC last week.
The defense is coming around, which is bad news for the rest of the league.
Montreal grinded out a win in BC for the first time in 10 years, a positive step for a team that has yet to have a complete game this season.
But perhaps that's asking too much from even the defending champs. Going 2-1 on a three-game western road trip is usually a good showing no matter what team you are.
Offensive key to next game: The Ti-Cats were impressive defensively against the Blue Bombers last week. If that same defense shows up, Montreal will have problems sustaining long drives, meaning kicker Damon Duval may be leaned on for several field goals. What will help Montreal is if quarterback Anthony Calvillo and long-time teammate Ben Cahoon can find the chemistry Als fans know all too well. The slotback made just three catches in last week's game, and given Cahoon's career as a receiver who can get the clutch first down, now is the time to step up.
Defensive key to the game: Kevin Glenn has been lights-out for Hamilton and will be tough to contain for an Alouettes team who've shown some signs of weakness on pass defense. Stop the passing game, in particular receiver David Stala, and the Ti-Cats are in trouble.
Look ahead: Just as they opened the season on a three-game road trip, the Als return to Montreal for a trio of home games. After hosting Hamilton, the surprising Argos come to town. Both are crucial games for the Als to win and maintain their place as the east's best team.
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The NFL preseason is approaching. Time for players, coaches and teams to turn over a new leaf. General managers have hired some new coaches, while coaches have added some offensive and defensive assistants to try and improve things. Here’s a look at some changes to look for in the preseason.
New York Jets: The Jets were one of the surprise teams in the NFL last season, making the playoffs under hard-driving first-year coach Eric Mangini. Mangini rebuilt the offensive line with rookies D'Brickashaw Ferguson (the No. 4 pick in the 2007 Draft) and Ohio State center (the 29th pick in the first round). This season he upgraded the defense with rookie linebacker David Harris (Michigan) while the secondary picked up a much needed top-notch corner in Pitt CB Darrelle Revis (No. 14 overall).
The Jets have added balance to the offense for QB Chad Pennington with RB Thomas Jones, essentially stolen from the Bears. He will upgrade a New York ground game that was 20th in rushing with a weak 3.5 yards per carry. They have their first true feature back since Curtis Martin. Offensive coordinator Brian Schottenheimer prefers ball control, like his father Marty. In preseason, behind Pennington you’ll see second-year QB Kellen Clemens and mobile newcomer QB Marques Tuiasosopo.
Jacksonville Jaguars: The heat is on Jack Del Rio in Jacksonville as the Jaguars flopped last season despite a ton of talent. Keep in mind that under Del Rio the Jaguars have been outstanding in preseason with a 12-4 SU, 11-5 ATS August mark. online football betting Their defense is loaded, it’s the offense that has been stuck in first gear the last few years.
Enter a new offensive coordinator in Dirk Koetter, the former Boise State and Arizona State pass-happy coach. He will try and upgrade a passing game that ranked 24th last season. Del Rio has criticized wide receivers and Matt Jones this summer, both of whom have battled injuries. It will be interesting to watch the “new” Jaguars passing game in preseason.
Arizona Cardinals: Word out of Arizona is that the players like new coach Ken Whisenhunt, who was the Steelers offensive coordinator last year. We think of Arizona as all-passing because their running game has been awful of late because of a poor offensive line. However, keep an eye on the running game in preseason as they’ve made a lot of changes.
The new coach brings in Russ Grimm to coach the offensive line (Grimm did a marvelous job building the Steelers line). They took Penn State OT Levi Jones in the first round and signed two offensive linemen, Mike Gandy and Al Johnson, to provide depth. Reggie Wells was moved from right tackle to left guard and they want more speed out of the offensive line for pulling and traps, a Pittsburgh staple under Bill Cowher.
Atlanta Falcons: While all the attention has been focused on QB Mike Vick’s off-field problems, new coach Bobby Petrino is revamping the Falcons from an all-running team to a more balanced one. Petrino likes the experience of backup QB Joey Harrington and he has veteran backup Chris Redman, who used to play for Petrino at Louisville and knows his offenses better than anyone. Petrino wants Vick to be more of a pocket passer.
The addition of FB Ovie Mughelli is a sign Petrino wants a power rushing attack behind a physical fullback and newcomer WR Joe Horn should upgrade what was a below average wideout corps. Petrino is changing their old zone-blocking scheme to a more traditional in-line blocking scheme and the offensive line is bigger. Rookie DE Jamaal Anderson was grabbed in the first round and the secondary got younger with former Auburn cornerback David Irons, who the Falcons think was a steal as a sixth-round pick.
Cleveland Browns: The 2007 Browns look like a double-edged sword. There was the excitement of the offseason, trading for RB Jamel Lewis, upgrading the offensive line with Wisconsin’s Joe Thomas (the No. 2 pick in the draft) and free agent LG Eric Steinbach, then trading for Notre Dame QB Brady Quinn when he fell to No. 22. GM Phil Savage and head coach Romeo Crennel feel they have a talented, balanced offense with these new pieces, plus TE >Kellen Winslow and WR Braylon Edwards.
However, were these moves made in desperation? And were they foolish ones? The Browns gave up their 2008 first-round pick for Quinn and we all know QBs take time to develop. And even first-round QBs can be busts (Joey Harrington, Akili Smith). We also don’t know if the offensive line is that much improved (31st in rushing in 2007) and they did nothing to improve a defense that was awful against the run (142 yds pg allowed).
The Browns have a new offensive coordinator in Rob Chudzinski. This is a young offense and Quinn looked tentative, indecisive and inaccurate early in camp. Crennel will play Charlie Frye, Quinn and Derek Anderson in preseason. And there is a mixed bag for rookie QBs receiving significant starts: Tim Couch (14), Kerry Collins (13), Ben Roethlisberger (13), Vince Young (13), Joey Harrington (12), Matt Leinart (11) and Kyle Boller (nine). While all the focus will be on the Browns new-look offense, I’m more concerned with the defense.
Carolina Panthers: Coach Jon Fox loves the ground game, but Carolina has made some interesting changes for 2007. Fox fired offensive coordinator Dan Henning and brings in Jeff Davidson to run the offense. Davidson has brought in zone-blocking schemes to the Panther offense, a dramatic change for a system that's been built around a power-running style.
In zone-blocking, offensive linemen are responsible for blocking any defender who appears in their zone, instead of focusing on one defender. The Broncos and Falcons have had success with the system, which features smaller, more athletic offensive linemen and can create running lanes on the inside and outside. Keep an eye in preseason on how Carolina adjusts as it will take time to learn the system. Fox has been one of the top coaches in preseason, with a 15-5 SU, 12-7-1 ATS August record.
Dallas Cowboys: WR Terrell Owens is still here, but QB Drew Bledsoe and Bill Parcells are gone. New head coach Wade Phillips takes over, replacing Parcells. He ran the Chargers defense last season. Phillips was chosen by teary-eyed owner Jerry Jones partly because he is one of the best 3-4 coaches in football and the Cowboys have loaded up on players for that scheme.
Remember that Phillips was blitz-happy with the Chargers last season and early reports out of the Dallas camp have mentioned how the Cowboys have been blitzing a lot, a departure from Parcells. The theme of the 2007 Dallas defense appears to be one of attack.
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Michael Vick is back, Brett Favre isn't and the NFC East remains the best division in the NFC, maybe in all of football.
As players start to gather for the start of another season, some things change and some stay the same in the world of the NFL.
The NFC East has been the dominant division in the National Conference for a while, despite limited playoff success, save for the New York Giants surprise Super Bowl win two seasons ago.
Hell, there's a generation of kids in Texas who have never seen the Cowboys win a playoff game (last win was in 1996).
But collectively, the Giants, Eagles, Cowboys and Redskins (well, maybe not so much the Redskins) are as good as a division gets in an NFC conference that has struggled to stay competitive with the AFC side.
Sports bettors have both acknowledged the NFC East's dominance, as one glance at the NFL future odds menu will show.
Looking over the NFL betting odds at online sports book MySportsbook.com we see the top three teams listed to win the NFC Championship are all from the NFC East:
Dallas Cowboys - 7 - 1
Philadelphia Eagles - 13 - 2
New York Giants - 9 - 2
Slotting in behind these three are two teams from the NFC North: the Minnesota Vikings (15-2) and the Chicago Bears (10-1).
Again, despite the lack of recent playoff success, the Dallas Cowboys are popular with the sports betting community, as they hold 14% of all the money wagered on who will win the NFC Championship.
So far, the New York Giants are the bettors' favorite to represent their conference in the Super Bowl, as they have 24% of the overall NFC Championship betting volume.
And what about the Philadelphia Eagles? For the most part, the Eagles had a very productive offseason, the kind that could bring them back to the top.
They had a good draft adding the likes of WR Jeremy Maclin and RB LeSean McCoy.
Unfortunately, the team received a blow when long-time defensive coordinator Jim Johnson passed away on Tuesday.
But this team will make a real run at the division title this year. Going into the regular season, Philly is listed at +240 to win the division.
Last season the Eagles were 9-6-1 SU and 10-6 ATS.
Teams from the NFC East will play teams from the AFC West in the regular season and the Eagles haven't really been a good bet in the last 20 games against the likes of San Diego, Oakland, K.C. and Denver, only going 8-12 ATS.
Two seasons removed from that Super Bowl title, the New York Giants see themselves listed as the odds-on favorite in NFC East championship futures at +162.
Plaxico Burress is gone and with him all the bad publicity surrounding the gun in the sweatpants incident, but can they replace him in the offense?
Last season the Giants were a very reliable bet going 12-4 ATS.
In the Giants' last 20 games against fellow teams from the NFC East; they are 13-7 ATS.
Dallas is listed at +240 to win the division.
Dallas went 9-7 SU and 7-9 ATS last season and with the amount of talent the Cowboys have, a similar performance won't do.
The Cowboys have been atrocious against divisional rivals, going 6-14 ATS in their last 20.
The Washington Redskins are longshots to win the division at +550.
Visit MySportsbook.com for free sportsbook odds RSS feeds go to MySportsbook.com for all your betting football needs.
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