Around the CFL: Improvements up front a big reason for Als success
Football Betting Lines
11/15/2008 - Toronto, ON (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - There's a big reason for the Montreal Alouettes' turnaround this season.
The Alouettes posted an 11-7 record this year to finish atop the East Division standings and earn the right to host the conference final. Last season, Montreal finished third with an 8-10 record and appeared to many to be headed in a downward spiral.
But the club, under the veteran leadership of quarterback Anthony Calvillo, returned among the league's contenders. Calvillo certainly played a part in that, finishing second in the CFL in passing with 5,633 yards and a league- leading 43 touchdowns.
However, the other consideration is this. After giving up a CFL-high 68 sacks last year, the Alouettes' offensive line surrendered a league-low 22 this season.
As a result, four Alouettes offensive linemen were named to the East Division All-Star team, with center Bryan Chiu and guard Scott Flory also being voted to the CFL All-Star squad this week. They were two of five Alouettes selected, joining Calvillo and receivers Ben Cahoon and Jamel Richardson.
Flory is also a finalist for the CFL's outstanding lineman award, the fourth time he has been nominated. Flory, though, is looking for his first victory.
INTERESTING PICKUP: The Montreal Alouettes made an interesting pick up heading into their East Division final showdown with the Edmonton Eskimos on Saturday at Olympic Stadium.
Montreal added Keith Williams, a defensive back from Florida A&M to its roster. What makes this noteworthy is that Williams was released by Edmonton earlier this season.
Williams was with Montreal in 2007, attending the club's training camp. He began the '08 campaign with the Eskimos before returning to the Alouettes once again.
ODDS AGAINST ALS: The odds aren't on the Montreal Alouettes side in their quest to reach the Grey Cup.
Montreal will host this year's CFL final, with the hometown Alouettes needing a win Saturday over Edmonton to be the East Division representative in the contest. But only eight times in the last 55 years has the host team qualified to play in the Grey Cup.
And the last team to win the Grey Cup as the host city was the B.C. Lions in '94 when they edged the Baltimore Stallions, 26-23, on Lui Passaglia's late field goal at B.C. Place.
WINDS OF CHANGE: The Winnipeg Blue Bombers fired heard coach Doug Berry this week after posting an 8-10 record and losing in the East Division semifinal to Edmonton.
But more changes are in store.
Not only will Winnipeg be looking for a new head coach, but to secure the right candidate the CFL club is prepared to dangle the dual post of coach and GM to that person. That's bad news for Brendan Taman, who is currently the Bombers GM and vice-president of football operations.
After Berry was fired, Taman admitted to reporters that he's well aware his job title will likely change heading into the 2009 season. Instead of being in charge of all football matters, he's going to be more of a director of player personnel for the Bombers.
The leading candidate for the Bombers' coach/GM post is Edmonton receivers coach Mike Kelly.
Kelly is a former Bombers offensive coordinator who held the same position with the XFL's Orlando Rage and has previous head coaching experience at Valdosta State. He also has spent time in the personnel departments of the NFL's Washington Redskins and Philadelphia Eagles.
Bombers president Lyle Bauer, a good friend of Kelly's, will spearhead the coaching search, with input from Taman.
PLAYOFF WOES: He led the Calgary Stampeders to first place in the West Division and the CFL's best regular season record at 13-5. He also set career highs for passing yards (5,094) and touchdowns (39) and is the Western nominee for the CFL's outstanding player award.
And yet it's easy to understand how there's a little apprehension surrounding Henry Burris heading into Calgary's West Division final game Saturday against B.C.
That's because given all of Burris' regular-season success, he hasn't won a playoff game for the Stampeders in three years.
Three years ago, Burris had two interceptions as Calgary lost a home playoff game to Edmonton. In 2006, he had four interceptions as the Stampeders dropped another home playoff contest to Saskatchewan.
Then last year in Regina, Burris fumbled twice and had an interception in a loss to the eventual Grey Cup-champion Roughriders.
But Burris arguably has his strongest supporting cast heading into Saturday's game. Calgary has the CFL's leading receiver in Ken-Yon Rambo, the league's top rusher in Joffrey Reynolds and its leading scorer in kicker Sandro DeAngelis.
Cleveland, OH (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Cleveland Cavaliers forward/center Ben Wallace underwent an MRI exam on Friday and the results came back negative, but he is still listed as questionable for Saturday's game against Utah because
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(Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The Ottawa Senators will try to break out of their scoring
slump tonight, as they visit the New York Islanders and Nassau Coliseum to
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Ottawa has lost its last three games includi
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(Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The suddenly hot Los Angeles Kings will shoot for their
fifth straight victory tonight, when they welcome the Nashville Predators to
Staples Center.
The Kings have notched four wins in a row for the first time since Octobe
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(Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The Colorado Avalanche will take aim at their third
straight victory when they visit the Edmonton Oilers for a Northwest Division
clash at Rexall Place.
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<< Slumping Stars visit Coyotes
(Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The Dallas Stars will try to snap a three-game losing
streak and win for just the second time in seven games when they visit the
Phoenix Coyotes for tonight's Pacific Division matchup at Jobing.com Arena.
The Stars made it
Columbia, SC (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - South Carolina guard Brandis Raley-Ross will miss 3-to-4 weeks with a left knee sprain suffered in Friday night's victory against Jacksonville State. Head coach Darrin Horn, in his first season on the jo
Nirat's eagle enough for Singapore Open lead >>
Singapore (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Chapchai Nirat eagled the 11th hole Saturday and
moved atop the leaderboard during the suspended third round of the Singapore
Open.
Nirat is five-under on his round through 12 holes. He sits at nine-under pa
Dundee United's unbeaten run ends at hands of Killie >>
Kilmarnock, Scotland (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Dundee United's 10-game unbeaten
streak came to an end on Saturday at Rugby Park as Kilmarnock handed the
visitors a 2-0 defeat.
Jamie Hamill converted from the penalty spot in first-half
Logano grabs pole for Nationwide race at Homestead >>
Homestead, FL (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Joey Logano won the pole for Saturday's
Nationwide Series season-ending Ford 300 at the Homestead-Miami Speedway. The
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Arsenal suffers another setback >>
London, England (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Arsenal fell nine points off the league
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Football Betting: Defensive Rookie of the Year Awards
Oddsmakers have released the odds for the 2009 AP NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year Award and Seattle Seahawks linebacker Aaron Curry has been made the opening favorite.
Seattle took Curry with the fourth overall pick in April's NFL draft and plan on inserting him into its starting lineup right away. The Hawks traded linebacker Julian Peterson in the offseason, so Curry is expected to have a significant role in Seattle's defense next year and that's one of the primary reasons he is the favorite to win the NFL ROY Award.
Oddsmakers from online sportsbook MySportsbook.com have made Curry a 5/1 favorite to win this year's NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year Award. Given that he was the best defensive prospect in this year's draft and how he'll have plenty of opportunities to make plays in '09, Curry offers a ton of value at 5/1.
Another thing working for Curry is the position he plays. A linebacker has won the defensive ROY award six straight times and eight of the last nine years. Jerod Mayo, Patrick Willis, DeMeco Ryans, Shawne Merriman, Jonathan Vilma, Terrell Suggs, Kendrell Bell and Brian Urlacher were the most recent linebackers to take home the award.
Following Curry at 5/1 are Tyson Jackson (Chiefs) at 7/1, James Laurinaitas (Rams) at 8/1, Brian Orakpo (Redskins) at 10/1, Rey Maualuga (Bengals) at 10/1 and Jerry Peria (Falcons) at 10/1.
All the players mentioned above are expected to start for their respective teams, but Jackson and Peria are going to have a tough time being recognized on a national level given they're both defensive linemen. D-linemen rarely put up the numbers that it takes to win an individual award like the ROY.
A couple of players with some value are Clay Matthews (Packers) at 12/1 and Larry English (Chargers) at 15/1. Matthews is expected to start at outside linebacker in Green Bay's new 3-4 defense and could rack up a ton of tackles. English, who was an impressive player at Northern Illinois, is expected to be a situational pass rusher for the Chargers and could rack up a ton of sacks.
For complete odds on the 2009 AP NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year Award, see below. And for complete odds for the 2009 AP NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year Award, click the link provided.
2009 AP NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year Award
Robert Ayers (DEN) 12/1
Ron Brace (NE) 25/1
Everette Brown (CAR) 16/1
Darius Butler (NE) 40/1
Patrick Chung (NE) 30/1
Aaron Curry (SEA) 5/1
Brian Cushing (HOU) 12/1
Vontae Davis (MIA) 30/1
Louis Delmas (DET) 30/1
Larry English (SD) 15/1
Evander Hood (PIT) 25/1
Tyson Jackson (KC) 7/1
Malcolm Jenkins (NO) 25/1
Paul Kruger (BAL) 50/1
James Laurinaitas (STL) 8/1
Sen'Derrick Marks (TEN) 20/1
Clay Matthews (GB) 12/1
Aaron Maybin (BUF) 15/1
Rey Maualuga (CIN) 10/1
Roy Miller (TB) 20/1
Michael Mitchell (OAK) 45/1
Fili Moala (IND) 30/1
Brian Orakpo (WAS) 10/1
Jerry Peria (ATL) 10/1
B J Raji (GB) 7/1
Clint Sintim (NYG) 35/1
Alphonso Smith (DEN) 40/1
David Verkune (CLE) 20/1
Jason Williams (DAL) 30/1
Field (Any Other Player) 6/1
To visit this internet sportsbook go to MySportsbook.com for all your football betting needs.