CNOTES CFL BEST BETS-NEWS-NOTES-WRITEUPS !

[Cnotes53]

Saturday’s 6-pack:
Odds on college teams to score the most points Saturday:
(From SouthPoint Casino, Las Vegas)
5-1— Florida State
7-1— Oregon, Texas
9-1— Tennessee
12-1— Vanderbilt
15-1— Georgia Tech, Louisville, Notre Dame
18-1— Ole Miss, USC, UConn, Washington

Quote of the Day
“This is a wasted year if we don’t learn what we need to do and we don’t know why we didn’t go out there and do what we wanted to do. If those things happen, then it’s a wasted year, in my opinion.”
Paul Skenes

Saturday’s quiz
Of all the current major league ballplayers, who has hit the most career home runs?

Friday’s quiz
Tyrod Taylor was the QB for the Buffalo Bills, the year before they drafted Josh Allen.

Thursday’s quiz
Henry Aaron was the first player in major league history to hit 40+ home runs and steal 30+ bases in the same season.

******************************************

Saturday’s Den: Wrapping up the last Friday of summer……​

— Mariners 4, Astros 0
Seattle hit four solo home runs, take over 1st place in AL West
Brian Woo pitched 5 innings, before leaving with an injury.
Mariners have won 11 of their last 12 games.

— Guardians 6, Twins 2
Bo Naylor knocked in four runs for Cleveland.
Guardians have won eight games in a row.
Cleveland is 1.5 games behind Boston/Houston for 2nd/3rd Wild Cards.

— Braves 10, Tigers 1
Detroit has lost seven of its last eight games.
Tigers’ lead in AL Central is down to 2.5 games over Cleveland.
Detroit has been outscored 17-2 in its last three games.

— Despite the win, Braves were eliminated from playoff contention, will miss the postseason for the first time since 2017.

— Dodgers 6, Giants 3
Clayton Kershaw pitched 4.1 IP in his last regular season start in LA.
Shohei Ohtani hit his 52nd home run.
Dodgers’ catcher in this game, Dalton Rushing, was 7 years old when Kershaw made his MLB debut.

— White Sox 4, Padres 3
Chicago’s win ends their six-game losing skid.
Miguel Vargas hit a two-run homer.
Padres fall to four games behind the Dodgers in the NL West.

— Red Sox 11, Rays 7
Tampa Bay led this game 3-2 after six innings.
Jarren Duran hit a two-run homer in the 7th inning.
Red Sox broke the game open with seven runs in the 8th inning.

— Famous birthdays, September 20th:
Sophia Loren, 91
Dave Twardzik, 75
Mickey Klutts, 71
Gary Cole, 69
Dante Hall, 47
Ian Desmond, 40
Jeffrey Springs, 33
Kyle Anderson, 32

— Tulsa 19, Oklahoma State 12
Tulsa ran the ball 43 times for 205 yards.
Tulsa beat the Cowboys for the first time since 1998.
Oklahoma State has lost 11 of its last 12 games.

— Iowa 38, Rutgers 28
Iowa trailed 28-24, scored two TD’s in last 5:39 of the game.
Rutgers threw for 330 yards, but ran 30 times for only 70 yards.
Since 2019, Scarlet Knights are 5-16-1 ATS as a home underdog.

— Washington Commanders will start Marcus Mariota at QB Sunday against the Raiders; starter Jayden Daniels has a knee injury- the team is being cautious with him.
Mariota has a 35-41 record as an NFL starter, mostly with Tennessee; he hasn’t started a game since Week 13 of 2022, for the Falcons.

— Since 1992, QB’s who have played 10+ games for NFC North teams:
Vikings- 18
Bears- 17
Lions- 15
Packers- 3

— Atlanta Falcons cut K Younghoe Koo after seven years with the team, and signed K Parker Romo to a two-year contract. Koo missed the tying field goal in Atlanta’s Week 1 loss to the Buccaneers.

— Tennessee Titans are 3-16 ATS in their last 19 games, 0-9 ATS in last nine home games.
Last team to go 0-10 ATS in ten straight home games? 2012-13 Philadelphia Eagles.

— Sunday, when Carson Wentz starts for the Vikings, he’ll become the first QB in the history of the NFL to start for six different teams in consecutive seasons:
2020- 12 starts, Eagles
2021- 17 starts, Colts
2022- 7 starts, Commanders
2023- 1 start, Rams
2024- 1 start, Chiefs
2025- 1 start, Vikings

 

[Udog]

Winnepeg Blue Bombers @ Ottawa Redblacks

Edmonton Elks @ Hamilton Tiger-Cats

 

[Cnotes53]

Saturday, September 20​

Game	Time(ET)	Pick	Units
WPG at OTT	03:00 PM	WPG +3.0 U 52.0	+500 +500
EDM at HAM	07:00 PM	HAM -5.5 U 56.5	+500 +500

 

[Cnotes53]

SEPTEMBER'S CFL BEST BETS !!

09/20/2025.............3 - 1 - 0..................75.00%.............+ 9.50
09/19/2025..............4 - 0 - 0...............100.00%.............+ 20.00
09/13/2025..............2 - 2 - 0...............50.00%.............- 1.00
09/12/2025..............1 - 3 - 0...............25.00%.............- 11.50
09/06/2025..............2 - 2 - 0...............50.00%.............- 1.00
09/05/2025..............2 - 0 - 0............100.00%.............+ 10.00

TOTALS...................14 -8 - 0...............63.63%.............+ 26.00

***********************************

AUGUST TOTALS........15 - 9 - 0....................62.50%..............+ 25.50
JULY'S TOTALS..........17 - 15 - 0..................53.12%..............+ 2.50
JUNE'S TOTALS.........19 - 13 - 0..................59.37%..............+ 23.50

 

[Cnotes53]

Monday’s 6-pack:
— Reds 1, Cubs 0- If the playoffs started today, Cincinnati would be in.
— Mariners 7, Astros 3- Seattle sweeps the Astros, leads AL West by 3 games.
— Twins 6, Guardians 2- Loss ends Cleveland’s 10-game winning streak.
— Rays 7, Red Sox 3- Boston/Cleveland are tied for AL’s last Wild Card slot.
— Blue Jays 8, Royals 5- Toronto clinches a spot in the playoffs.
— Marlins 4, Rangers 2- Marlins have won six games in a row.

Quote of the Day
“I loved it, and also their D-coordinator was the one that cut me in Carolina.”
Baker Mayfield, talking about Jets’ DC Steve Wilks

Monday’s quiz
Who is the Carolina Panthers’ all-time leader in passing yardage?

Sunday’s quiz
Hall of Famer Dick Vermeil is the only head coach who coached both the Eagles, Rams in a Super Bowl.

Saturday’s quiz
Of all the current major league ballplayers, Giancarlo Stanton has hit the most career home runs.

***************************************

Monday’s Den: Wrapping up an NFL Sunday……..​

Browns 13, Packers 10
Browns kicked a 55-yard FG at the gun for the win.
Green Bay led 10-0 with 4:00 left in the game.
Cleveland’s first seven drives: 41 plays, 113 yards, no points
Cleveland’s last three drives: 18 plays, 83 yards, 13 points
Packers had 14 penalties for 75 yards, Browns 8 for 90.
Green Bay was 10-18 on third down, Cleveland 4-13.
Packers are 4-12-1 ATS last 17 games as a road favorite.
Total yardage: Green Bay 230, Cleveland 221.

Buccaneers 29, Jets 27
Jets took 27-26 lead, scoring TD on blocked FG with 1:49 left.
Tampa Bay kicked a 36-yard FG 0:03 left for the win.
Bucs are 3-0, with all three wins coming on last-minute scores.
Last time Tampa Bay was 3-0 was 2005.
Buccaneers led 23-6 after the third quarter.
Bucs outgained Jets 347-267; they were +2 in turnovers.
Tampa Bay survived 14 penalties for 124 yards.
Jets lost first three games, giving up 34-30-29 points.

Eagles 33, Rams 27
Rams led 26-7 early in the third quarter.
Rams had two FG’s blocked; the last one was run back for a TD.
Eagles in first half: 21 plays, 29 yards, 7 points
Eagles in second half: 40 plays, 260 yards, 20 points
Saquon Barkley was held to 55 yards on 22 touches.
AJ Brown caught six passes for 109 yards.
Eagles won ten of last eleven series games.
Rams were 4-6 on FG’s; need to be better in red zone.

Chargers 23, Broncos 20
Chargers kicked a 43-yard FG at the gun for the win.
Chargers had tied game on a 20-yard TD pass with 2:44 left.
Bolts have already beaten all three of their AFC West rivals.
Justin Herbert is the youngest QB ever with 2,000 career completions.
Chargers were 8-17 on third down, Denver 2-13.
Bolts ran 80 plays for 376 yards, Denver 48 plays for 265 yards.
Chargers are 7-2 SU/9-0 ATS last 9 games vs AFC West rivals.
Under Payton, Denver is 6-9 ATS as a road underdog.

Colts 41, Titans 20
Colts are off to a 3-0 start, scoring 32-29-41 points.
Colts have scored on 20 of 25 drives, have punted once.
Indianapolis led 20-6 at halftime.
Colts outgained first two opponents by 207-149-83 yards.
Rookie QB Ward threw a horrendous pick-6 on third play of game.
Titans have three TD’s, 10 FG’s on their 34 drives.
Tennessee is 3-11 ATS last 14 games as an underdog.
Indianapolis won/covered last five series games.

Jaguars 17, Texans 10
Jaguars drove 83 yards in 7 plays, scored winning TD with 1:48 left.
Just third win for Jaguars in last 15 games vs Houston.
Jaguars are 5-2 ATS in last seven AFC South home games.
Jaguars have had three takeaways in all three games this year.
Houston’s only TD was a 50-yard pass to Collins with 9:17 left.
Texans lost first three games, by 1-5-7 points.
Texans have only three TD’s on 30 drives this year.
Both teams converted 4-15 third down plays.

Steelers 21, Patriots 14
Steelers drove 67 yards in nine plays, scored GW TD with 2:16 left.
Steelers’ first two drives: 20 plays, 144 yards, 14 points
Steelers are 26-14-1 ATS last 41 games with spread of 3 or fewer points.
Pittsburgh ran ball 26 times for only 64 yards.
NE outgained Steelers 369-203, but had 5 turnovers, losing 4 fumbles.
Patriots are 4-13-1 ATS last 18 games as a home underdog.
NE is 9-18-3 ATS last 30 games with spread of 3 or fewer points.
Patriots had a drive that took 17 plays, 92 yards, but it ended in an INT.

Famous birthdays, September 22:
Harold Carmichael, 76
Jeffrey Leonard, 70
Wally Backman, 66
Scott Baio, 65
Vince Coleman, 64
Mark Guthrie, 60
Mike Matheny, 55
Alexei Ramírez, 44
Carlos Correa, 31
Jeremy Pena, 28

Vikings 48, Bengals 10
Vikings had defensive TD’s of 87-66 yards in the first half.
Minnesota outgained the Bengals, 352-171.
Will Reichard made a 62-yard FG, longest in Viking history.
QB Wentz has a 48-47-1 record; he’s won a game for 5 different teams. .
Cincinnati got outgained by 186-50-181 yards in their first 3 games.
Bengals have run ball 61 times for only 147 yards in those games.
Bengals’ first four drives: 17 plays, 20 yards, no points.
Cincinnati turned ball over five times on 13 drives.

Panthers 30, Falcons 0
Panthers scored on 11-yard pick-6 to go ahead 17-0 in 3rd quarter.
Ryan Fitzgerald made a 57-yard field goal for Carolina.
Panthers are 13-8-1 ATS last 22 games as a home underdog.
Carolina is 7-2-1 ATS in last ten NFC South home games.
Falcons missed FG’s (49-55 yards) on two of first three drives.
Under Morris, Atlanta is 3-6-1 ATS as a road favorite.
Under Morris, Atlanta is 5-11 ATS in games coming off a win.
Morris is 30-49 as a head coach.

Commanders 41, Raiders 24
Washington ran for 174 yards in 1st half, led 20-10 at half.
Under Quinn, Commanders are 8-2 ATS as a home favorite.
Last three years, Washington is 10-6 ATS vs AFC opponents.
Mariota was 15-21/207 yards passing in his first start since 2022.
Commanders ran a punt back 90 yards for a TD.
Raiders were 3-14 on third down, Las Vegas 5-10.
Raiders have run ball 71 times for only 217 yards.
Las Vegas is 19-25-1 ATS in last 45 games coming off a loss.

49ers 16, Cardinals 15
49ers kicked a 35-yard FG with 0:04 left for the win.
49ers drove 57 yards in 10 plays to set up the FG.
Cardinals took 15-13 lead on a safety with 3:26 left.
49ers led 6-3 at half; it was 6-6 after three quarters.
49ers outgained Arizona 355-260, but ran for only 73 yards.
Last 2+ years, 49ers are 7-12-1 ATS in games coming off a win.
Last two years, 49ers are 1-6 ATS in NFC West home games.
49ers are 3-0, took over first place in NFC West.

Seahawks 44, Saints 13
Seattle ran a punt back 95 yards for a TD in first quarter.
Seattle also blocked a punt later in the first quarter.
Seattle’s first seven drives: 39 plays, 283 yards, 37 points
Jason Myers kicked a 56-yard field goal for the Seahawks.
Saints have converted only 12-36 third down plays.
New Orleans has been outscored 71-23 in first half of games.
Spencer Rattler is 0-9 as an NFL starting QB.
Saints are 7-14 ATS in last 21 games coming off a loss.

Bears 31, Cowboys 14
Caleb Williams threw for 298 yards, four TD’s.
Williams hit Luther Burden with a 65-yard TD pass on a flea flicker.
Bears scored on four of first six drives, led 24-14 at halftime.
Chicago is 6-3-1 ATS last ten games as a home underdog.
Last two games, Cowboys allowed 422-298 passing yards.
Chicago was 8-14 on third down, Dallas 3-11.
Chicago averaged 10.6 yards/pass attempt.
Dallas is 4-7 ATS in last 11 games with spread of 3 or fewer points.

Chiefs 22, Giants 9
Chiefs were 3-4 on field goals, on five first half drives (led 9-6 at half)
Chiefs in second half: 29 plays, 184 yards, 13 points.
Chiefs were 8-15 on third down, Giants 1-10.
Chiefs are 8-4 ATS in last 12 games coming off a loss.
Last 14 years, Giants are 2-12 SU/1-13 ATS in home openers.
Malik Nabers caught only two passes for 13 yards.
Giants in second half: 33 plays, 152 yards, 3 points.
QB Wilson is 130-88-1 as an NFL starter, 23-35 last 4+ years.

 

[Cnotes53]

Landry’s 5 takeaways from Week 16​

Here are the Week 16 takeaways.

After he turned in another stellar performance, BC Lions’ quarterback Nathan Rourke is the front-running candidate for Most Outstanding Canadian in 2025.

When you break Russ Jackson’s record for passing yardage by a Canadian in a single season — a record that withstood the passage of time for 56 years — it is so.

But there is something else.

Winnipeg’s Brady Oliveira doubled up in 2024 by winning both MOC and Most Outstanding Player and Rourke has put himself in a position to perhaps pull off that double himself a year later.

The 27-year-old threw for 331 yards and two touchdowns against Calgary on Friday night, rushing for three more and totalling 43 yards on the ground.

Rourke’s 2025 passing numbers put him among the leaders this season, ranking him third, just behind Toronto’s Nick Arbuckle and a mere 250-ish yards behind the league leader, Hamilton’s Bo Levi Mitchell. He’s now piled up nine 300-plus yard games in 12 starts.

He’s the top-rushing pivot in the CFL, standing eighth, overall, behind seven running backs.

With four games left to play, if Rourke and the Lions keep surging, another double-up by a Canadian is a definite possibility.

MATH, THEY SAY, IS HARD. EVEN HARDER NOW​

After tough losses in Week 16, the Ottawa REDBLACKS, Toronto Argonauts and Edmonton Elks are looking at some hard math in their quests for playoff berths.

“We have to win every game as we go forward,” Ottawa coach Bob Dyce told TSN 1200 after his team’s loss to the Winnipeg Blue Bombers.

“Now, we got four games,” Toronto coach Ryan Dinwiddie told reporters after the Argos fell to Montreal. “Probably gotta win ‘em, all four.”

“I think we gotta win out, just to have a chance,” said Edmonton quarterback Cody Fajardo in a post-game scrum following a loss in Hamilton.

Did I say the math was hard? Okay, it’s not the actual math that’s hard for the Elks, REDBLACKS and Argonauts. They each face a zero-sum kind of reality in the weeks ahead.

It’s what is needed to make the numbers add up that’s hard.

PASSING? IT’S NOT MANDATORY, YOU KNOW​

Absolutely incredible to see the statline in the wake of Winnipeg’s victory over Ottawa on Saturday.

Even more incredible to know that quarterback Chris Streveler’s passing line (3-8 for 54 yards) was not even a Blue Bombers’ club record for lowest aerial output by a QB in a single game.

Over at BlueBombers.com, writer Ed Tait informs us that the great Kenny Ploen actually went oh-for-nine in a rain-soaked game back in 1960.

Guess what? Winnipeg won that one, too, over Edmonton, by an 18-14 score.

Whatever critical words you’d use to describe the Bombers’ 26-18 win over the REDBLACKS, they are going to use a different one to characterize it.

“Gritty,” was the word used by both Streveler and running back Brady Oliveira, post-game.

Asked to assess the Winnipeg offence afterward, head coach Mike O’Shea — appearing mildly annoyed by the question — replied: “We won. That’s it.”

Because passing, it turns out, is optional.*

BONUS TAKEAWAY: *At least when you get a 128-yard missed field goal return for a touchdown and rush for 172 yards, it is.

THEY DON’T WATCH HIM KICK. BUT IT’S NOT FOR THE SAME REASONS AS BEFORE​

Marc Liegghio ran into mighty struggles as a sophomore kicker in Winnipeg, back in 2022. That season the pressure mounted, both on Liegghio and on the team, as he struggled through an up and down — more often down — campaign.

Never mind all that.

These days, Liegghio has earned the right to be called one of the clutchiest clutch kickers in the CFL, responding to pressure while also battling the notorious, unpredictable winds at Hamilton Stadium, booting a walk-off, 41-yard field goal to give the ‘Cats a 29-27 win over Edmonton on Saturday night.

That’s just his latest conquest, by the way. After a stellar 2024 season (43-for-48 on field goals, 38-of-40 on converts), Liegghio has followed up in 2025 by leading all field goal kickers with a 95.1 per cent make rate, going 39-for-41 (37-39 on converts).

“Some of them don’t even watch me kick,” Liegghio told TSN of his Hamilton teammates, after the win over the Elks. “They have that much confidence in me. That’s just somethin’ I love knowing.”

Remember when Marc Liegghio was considered a liability?

Nah, me neither.

HANG OUT LONG ENOUGH IN THE RIGHT PLACE AND GOOD THINGS WILL HAPPEN​

Winnipeg defensive back Cam Allen grabbed the first two interceptions of his CFL career and both of them looked remarkably easy, with an errant ball sailing over the intended target and right to him on each of them.

He was stationary on each of them, feet planted, a few yards away from the fray, the ball coming to him, chest high. Cheese plate.

“All the credit to my teammates,” said Allen, “making sure they line me up in the right spot.”

“Rally to the football,” they always say.

Hang out in the right place, though, and the football will rally to you.

AND FINALLY: “Nah. Nope.” — Calgary coach Dave Dickenson on whether coming off a bye week could have accounted for his team’s sluggish first half against BC.

 

[Cnotes53]

Prediction Time: CFL.ca writers’ Week 17 picks​

TORONTO — There’s just five weeks left in the regular season and it’s still anyone’s game on the field and in the writer picks graphic.

Pat Steinberg has some competition at the top of the leaderboard, with Matt Cauz tying him with 39 wins.

Kristina Costabile is just two games behind them both at 37, and Vicki Hall and Jamie Nye are one game behind her at 36.

Will someone catch up to Pat and Matt this week?

CALGARY AT MONTREAL​

Friday, September 26
7:00 p.m. ET
TSN/RDS/CFL+

Calgary had two quarterback injuries in Week 16, with Vernon Adams Jr. and P.J. Walker both suffering an injury. Reports out of Calgary are that Walker is likely done for the season, but Adams Jr. was limited in practice on Tuesday, which provides some optimism for Stampeders fans. Four points separate the Stamps from the West-leading Riders, meaning every game from now on means that much more. Montreal has won two games in a row, and are in the same position in the East as Calgary: four points behind the leader of the division. Like the Stamps, a win will go a long way for the Als as they eye catching up to Hamilton. With questions at quarterback, and a game where their usually-stout defence gave up 52 points to BC, the pick makers are thinking the Als get the win.

WRITERS’ PICK: 60% Montreal

TORONTO AT BC​

Friday, September 26
10:00 p.m. ET
TSN/CFL+

Nathan Rourke had one of his best performances of 2025 in Week 16, completing 20 of 24 passes for 331 yards, and two touchdowns through the air. He also added three more majors on the ground, helping his team to a convincing 52-23 win over the Calgary Stampeders. The Lions now host the Argonauts, who are coming off a narrow loss to the Alouettes. Toronto will need another big performance from their defence, who picked off McLeod Bethel-Thompson three times and sacked him four, as they look to keep pace in the East.

WRITERS’ PICK: 100% BC

HAMILTON AT WINNIPEG​

Saturday, September 27
3:00 p.m. ET
TSN/CTV/CFL+

Marc Lieggiho was the hero for the Tiger-Cats in Week 16, kicking the game-winning, walk-off field goal. Bo Levi Mitchell threw for over 300 yards for the ninth time this season, and the Ticats balanced out their offence with 17 carries by Greg Bell, who ran for 93 yards himself. Winnipeg was without Zach Collaros last week, and leaned heavily on Brady Oliveira, who had 20 carries for 100 yards on the ground. Chris Streveler threw for just 54 yards, completing three of eight passes in his team’s win. The writers are mostly rolling with the visitors to get the W, despite playing in the hostile environment of Princess Auto Stadium.

WRITERS’ PICK: 80% Hamilton

SASKATCHEWAN AT EDMONTON​

Saturday, September 27
7:00 p.m. ET
TSN/CFL+

Coming off a bye week, their final one of 2025, the Saskatchewan Roughriders will head to Edmonton refreshed and ready for their final stretch of the season. While Edmonton is sitting last in the West Division, they have still shown that they can play with the best of the teams in the CFL. The Riders can’t afford to let up against the Elks, who have lost two-straight games on walk-off field goals, as the Double E are still fighting to stay in the playoff conversation. The Riders will want to stay on top of the West Division with a win, as the Stampeders are only four points behind. All of the pick makers think a rested Trevor Harris will win at Commonwealth Stadium this weekend.

WRITERS’ PICK: 100% Saskatchewan

 

[Cnotes53]

Wednesday’s 6-pack:
NBA players with the all-time best plus-minus differentials:
+9,509— Tim Duncan
+9,208— Kareem Abdul-Jabbar
+8,263— Tony Parker
+7,298— Manu Ginobili
+6,714— Bill Russell
+6,679— Scottie Pippen

Quote of the Day
“It’s baseball. If they were asking us to do calculus, I’d be scared to death….…as long as this stays baseball, let’s go see if we are good enough.”
Reds’ manager Terry Francona

Wednesday’s quiz
Right now, which college football team has the longest active winning streak?

Tuesday’s quiz
In the history of the Milwaukee Brewers, Ryan Braun has hit the most home runs.

Monday’s quiz
Cam Newton is the Carolina Panthers’ all-time leader in passing yardage.

***************************************

Wednesday’s Den: Mid-week musings……..​

— Guardians 5, Tigers 2
Teams are now tied for first in AL Central.
On July 8, Detroit was 15.5 games ahead of Cleveland.
Detroit hitters struck out 19 times in this game.

— Mets 9, Cubs 7
Cubs led this game 6-1 after four innings.
Francisco Alvarez hit the game-winning HR in the 8th inning.
Mets regain the NL’s last Wild Card slot, by a game over Reds/Arizona.

— Pirates 4, Reds 2
Oneil Cruz hit a two-run homer for Pittsburgh.
Pirates scored all four of their runs in the 2nd inning.
Reds have won five straight games four times this year, but are now 0-4 in that sixth game.

— Diamondbacks 5, Dodgers 4
Dodgers led 4-0 in the 7th inning.
Geraldo Perdomo’s 2-run single was a walk-off in the 9th.
Shohei Ohtani allowed 5 baserunners in his six scoreless IP.

— Red Sox 4, Blue Jays 1
Toronto has lost five of six games; their AL East lead is one game.
Tied 1-1 after five innings, Boston scored 3 runs in the sixth.
Red Sox lead Detroit by a game for the AL’s #2 Wild Card slot.

— Mariners 4, Rockies 3
Josh Naylor hit a 3-run double in the bottom of the 8th.
Mariners clinched a playoff spot; they’re 15-1 in their last 16 games.
Right now, Seattle would be the #2-seed in the AL.

— A’s 5, Astros 1
A’s first run scored when an easy pop-up fell safely in front of the mound.
Jeffrey Springs allowed three hits in his five IP.
Houston is a game behind Detroit for the AL’s last Wild Card slot.

— Major League Baseball will have a replay challenge system for balls/strikes, starting next season; this will be very interesting to follow.
The rules, according to MLB:
Each team will get two challenges and can keep them if they’re successful
Challenges can only be initiated by a pitcher, catcher, or batter, and the request must come right after the pitch
To signal a challenge, the pitcher, catcher, or batter will tap his hat or helmet to let the umpire know
No help from the dugout or other players on the field is allowed

— Famous birthdays, September 24th:
Joe Greene, 79
Gordon Clapp, 77
Hubie Brooks, 69
Rafael Palmeiro, 61
Kevin Millar, 54
Eddie George, 52
Drew Gooden, 44
Keith Null, 40
Luis Morales, 23

— Lions 38, Ravens 30
Detroit ran ball for 224 yards, outgained Ravens 426-318.
Montgomery had 12 carries for 151 yards.
Lions in second half: 28 plays, 221 yards, 24 points.
Detroit converted 7-14 on third down, 3-3 on fourth down
Score was tied 14-14 at halftime.
Ravens have scored 40-41-30 points, but are 1-2.
Baltimore allowed 41-38 points in its two losses.
In Week 3, favorites were 9-7 ATS; over was 8-8.

— New Jersey Giants are starting rookie QB Jaxson Dart against the Chargers this week, which will be his first NFL start.
Likely reason: Russell Wilson’s stats in the red zone so far:
4-for-18 passing, 16 yards, no TD’s, one first down. Not good.

— 0-3 Tennessee Titans are changing playcallers; QB coach Bo Hardegree is taking over for head coach Brian Callahan. Hardegree was the interim offensive coordinator for the Raiders for the second half of the 2023 season.

— Tampa Bay Bucs’ star WR Mike Evans is expected to miss 3-4 weeks (hamstring strain).

— Since 1939, only one NFL team has had a three-game span with:
No turnovers
Zero or one punt.
The 2025 Indianapolis Colts, off to a 3-0 start.

— Syracuse QB Steve Angeli tore his Achilles tendon, is out for the year; he was 98-156/1,352 passing in Syracuse’s 3-1 start.

— Oklahoma QB John Mateer hurt his thumb last week, is going to have surgery on Wednesday and is expected to miss 3+ weeks. So far this season, Mateer is 95-141/1,215 passing in the Sooners’ 4-0 start.

 

[Udog]

CFL
Dunkel

Week 17

DUNKEL INDEX PREDICTION FOR CALGARY AT MONTREAL
Date: September 26, 2025
Time: 7:00 pm ET
Dunkel Ratings: Calgary 106.289; Montreal 113.884
Dunkel Line & Total: Montreal by 7 1/2; 43
Vegas Line & Total: Montreal by 4; 50 1/2
Dunkel Pick: Montreal (-4); Under

DUNKEL INDEX PREDICTION FOR TORONTO AT BC
Date: September 26, 2025
Time: 10:00 pm ET
Dunkel Ratings: Toronto 109.855; BC 124.226
Dunkel Line & Total: BC by 14 1/2; 64
Vegas Line & Total: BC by 10 1/2; 56 1/2
Dunkel Pick: BC (-10 1/2); Over

DUNKEL INDEX PREDICTION FOR HAMILTON AT WINNIPEG
Date: September 27, 2025
Time: 3:00 pm ET
Dunkel Ratings: Hamilton 116.328; Winnipeg 112.324
Dunkel Line & Total: Hamilton by 4; 48
Vegas Line & Total: Winnipeg by 1; 51 1/2
Dunkel Pick: Hamilton (+1); Under

DUNKEL INDEX PREDICTION FOR SASKATCHEWAN AT EDMONTON
Date: September 27, 2025
Time: 7:00 pm ET
Dunkel Ratings: Saskatchewan 112.722; Edmonton 111.603
Dunkel Line & Total: Saskatchewan by 1; 57
Vegas Line & Total: Saskatchewan by 3 1/2; 54 1/2
Dunkel Pick: Edmonton (+3 1/2); Over




CFL

Week 17

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Trend Report
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Friday, September 26
7:00 PM ET
Calgary VS Montreal
Calgary is 2-5 ATS in its last 7 games.
The total has gone UNDER in 5 of Calgary's last 7 games.
Calgary is 4-14 ATS in its last 18 games against Montreal.
Calgary is 0-4-1 SU in its last 5 games against Montreal.
Montreal is 1-6 ATS in its last 7 games.
The total has gone UNDER in 6 of Montreal's last 8 games.
Montreal is 2-5 SU in its last 7 games.
The total has gone UNDER in 4 of Montreal's last 5 games against Calgary.

10:00 PM ET
Toronto VS British Columbia
The total has gone OVER in 5 of Toronto's last 7 games.
Toronto is 5-0 ATS in its last 5 games against British Columbia.
Toronto is 5-0 SU in its last 5 games against British Columbia.
Toronto is 2-4 SU in its last 6 games on the road.
British Columbia is 4-2 ATS in its last 6 games.
The total has gone OVER in 8 of British Columbia's last 8 games.
British Columbia is 4-2 SU in its last 6 games.
The total has gone OVER in 4 of British Columbia's last 5 games at home.

Saturday, September 27
3:00 PM ET
Hamilton VS Winnipeg
Hamilton is 2-5 ATS in its last 7 games.
The total has gone UNDER in 4 of Hamilton's last 5 games.
Hamilton is 9-3 SU in its last 12 games.
Hamilton is 4-2 ATS in its last 6 games against Winnipeg.
The total has gone UNDER in 4 of Winnipeg's last 5 games.
The total has gone UNDER in 15 of Winnipeg's last 19 games against Hamilton.
The total has gone OVER in 7 of Winnipeg's last 8 games at home.
Winnipeg is 5-0 SU in its last 5 games when playing at home against Hamilton.

7:00 PM ET
Saskatchewan VS Edmonton
Saskatchewan is 13-7 ATS in its last 20 games.
The total has gone UNDER in 5 of Saskatchewan's last 7 games.
Saskatchewan is 10-3 SU in its last 13 games.
Saskatchewan is 2-4 ATS in its last 6 games against Edmonton.
Edmonton is 8-1 ATS in its last 9 games.
The total has gone UNDER in 9 of Edmonton's last 10 games.
The total has gone OVER in 4 of Edmonton's last 5 games against Saskatchewan.
The total has gone UNDER in 4 of Edmonton's last 5 games at home.


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[Cnotes53]

4 storylines to watch in Week 17​

Welcome to Week 17, my friends.

To get you set for the week, I’m looking at a returning starting quarterback, a receiver that needs a bit more attention, a Most Outstanding Rookie candidate, and a must-win game for a West Division team.

It’s also worth noting that this weekend, the CFL is commemorating next week’s National Day for Truth and Reconciliation. Keep an eye out across the league for players wearing orange and white pre-game jerseys, customized footballs featuring orange laces, orange Wilson branding and each club’s Indigenous logo, special content highlighting Indigenous culture and community members, and much more.

Here’s one storyline to watch in each matchup this weekend.

HE’S BAAACCCK!​

Calgary at Montreal | Friday, September 26 | 7:00 p.m. ET | TSN/RDS/CFL+

We haven’t seen Davis Alexander under centre since Week 7, and we’re going see him back in action this weekend in Montreal.

Alexander has been dealing with a hamstring injury this year, but was listed as the starting quarterback on the Alouettes’ depth chart that was released on Thursday.

The Als pivot has not lost a game this season, going 4-0 in the contests he’s started. Without him, the Als are 3-7. He’s thrown for 1,106 yards, six touchdowns, and three interceptions this season, completing 72.7 per cent of his passes. Alexander has also called his own number nine times for 87 yards and a major score.

Despite giving up 52 points to the BC Lions last week, the Stampeders defence is still allowing a league-low 22.8 points per game. As Alexander gets set to return, he’ll have a challenge ahead of him as he looks to extend his team’s winning streak to three.

SOME LOVE FOR KEON HATCHER SR.​

Toronto at BC | Friday, September 26 | 10:00 p.m. ET | TSN/CFL+

Keon Hatcher Sr. hasn’t been getting nearly enough love this season, so I’m going to spend some time handing him some.

The Lions’ pass-catcher has hauled in a league-leading 1,317 yards to go along with five touchdowns on 79 receptions. His receiving yard total so far this year is a career-high for the six-foot-one, 212-pounder, with his previous best coming in 2023 (1,226).

And with four games left on the schedule for the Leos, there’s plenty of time for him to add to that total.

Hatcher Sr. is on pace to hit 1,693 yards this season, which would be the most receiving yards since Brandon Zylstra hauled in 1,687 in 2017. BC’s franchise record was set by Geroy Simon in 2006 (1,856). Will Hatcher Sr. break that record in 2025?

Hatcher Sr. has caught 36 of the 39 passes thrown his way for 595 yards and three touchdowns in his last five games, including a monster 147-yard game against Calgary last week. Against the Argos, a team that gives up 358.6 yards per game through the air, expect Nathan Rourke to continue to feed Hatcher Sr. as the Lions look to move up in the standings.

MOST OUTSTANDING ROOKIE CANDIDATE?​

Hamilton at Winnipeg | Saturday, September 27 | 3:00 p.m. ET | TSN/CTV/CFL+

Devin Veresuk has my vote (if I had one) for this year’s Most Outstanding Rookie award.

The Tiger-Cats liked what they had seen from the second overall 2025 CFL Draft pick so much that by Week 4, he was their starting middle linebacker as the team moved on from Kyle Wilson.

Since then, Veresuk has been a playmaker in the middle of Hamilton’s defence. His first start saw him tally eight tackles and a pick-six, to go along with another tackle on special teams. That was a snapshot of what was to come from the 23-year-old this year. He’s been all over the stat sheet, collecting 53 defensive tackles, three special teams tackles, a tackle for loss, two sacks, an interception, two touchdowns, a forced fumble, and a fumble recovery.

Veresuk has been limited in practice this week, so keep an eye out closer to game time to see if he’s going to play this weekend against Winnipeg to add to his case for the end-of-season award. If he is in the mix, he’ll need to be ready to slow down Brady Oliveira, who has gone over 100 yards on the ground in both of his last two games.

On the Winnipeg side, it looks like Zach Collaros is set to return this week after taking first team reps with the Bombers’ offence at practice and was listed as a full participant on the team’s injury report. The Blue and Gold are coming off a win over the Ottawa REDBLACKS as they host the Tabbies at Princess Auto Stadium looking to stay ahead of the Lions, who are also 7-7 on the season.

IT’S A MUST WIN FOR EDMONTON​

Saskatchewan at Edmonton | Saturday, September 27 | 7:00 p.m. ET | TSN/CFL+

The Edmonton Elks won’t be eliminated from post-season contention with a loss this weekend, but you can pretty much call this a must-win for the team as they hope to chase down BC and Winnipeg, who are both four points ahead of them in the standings.

Cody Fajardo‘s Elks will want to put the back-to-back heartbreaking losses on walk-off field goals behind them for good this weekend at Commonwealth Stadium.

It won’t be easy this week against the team that boasts the best record in the CFL, but as we’ve seen this year many times, any team can beat any team in the CFL.

The Riders are coming off a bye week and Trevor Harris and co. last saw the field in a loss against the Alouettes. You can bet that they will be itching to improve on their 10-3 record on Saturday night.

 

[Cnotes53]

Friday’s 7-pack:
Batters who hot 30+ home runs each of the last three years:
Pete Alonso
Aaron Judge
Shohei Ohtani
Cal Raleigh
Brent Rooker
Kyle Schwarber
Juan Soto

Quote of the Day
“Everyone needs to see a little bit of positivity in the game. We are human. We feed off a ton of things, including the good things. Of course everyone takes a collective breath.”
Tigers manager AJ Hinch

Friday’s quiz
Last time the Detroit Tigers played in a World Series, who was their manager?

Thursday’s quiz
First time the Seattle Seahawks played in a Super Bowl, Matt Hasselbeck was their QB.

Wednesday’s quiz
Right now, Memphis Tigers have the longest active winning streak in college football- they’ve won their last eight games.

********************************************

Friday’s Den: Random stuff with the weekend here…….​

— Seahawks 23, Cardinals 20
Seahawks kicked a 52-yard FG at the gun for a walk-off win.
Seattle led 14-3 at halftime.
Seattle ran for 155 yards, outgained Cardinals, 384-253
Seahawks are 8-1 SU/5-3-1 ATS in last eight visits to Arizona.
Cardinals lost on a last-second field goal last week, too.
Arizona’s first nine drives: 46 plays, 147 yards, 6 points.
Arizona’s last two drives: 20 plays, 130 yards, 14 points.
Since 2019, Arizona is 6-13 ATS in NFC West home games.

— East Carolina 28, Army 6
Pirates led 21-0 in the first quarter.
ECU was 7-12 on third down, Army 2-15.
Pirates outgained Army, 431-290

— Reds 2, Pirates 1
RF Noelvi Marte made a HR-saving catch in 9th inning to preserve the win.
Nick Lodolo struck out 12 batters in 6.1 scoreless IP.
Reds are a game behind the Mets for the NL’s last Wild Card slot.

— Mets 8, Cubs 5
Francisco Lindor homered, is a 30-30 guy for the second time.
Mets led this game 6-0 in the 4th inning.
Brett Baty went 2-for-4, with 3 RBI

— Dodgers 8, Diamondbacks 0
Shohei Ohtani hit his 54th home run.
Dodgers clinch NL West for 12th time in 13 years.
Arizona falls two games behind the Mets for the NL’s last Wild Card slot.

— Tigers 4, Guardians 2
Detroit used six pitchers in this win, tying Cleveland for AL Central lead.
Tigers hit three solo home runs.
This weekend, Cleveland hosts Texas, Tigers visit Boston.

— Obscure Fact of the Day: Actor Russell Johnson played the Professor on the old TV show Gilligan’s Island, but before he was an actor, Russell Johnson flew 44 combat missions as a WWII bombardier. His plane was shot down in 1945; he broke both his ankles.
He earned a Purple Heart, a Bronze Star and the admiration of Ginger and Mary Ann.

— Famous birthdays, September 26th:
Kent McCord, 83
Dave Duncan, 80
Mike Bragg, 79
Lucius Allen, 78
John Roche, 76
Melissa Sue Anderson, 63
Sean Doolittle, 39
Michael Kidd-Gilchrist, 32
Shake Milton, 29

— Washington Nationals are hiring Paul Toboni as their new head of baseball operations. The 35-year old Toboni rose quickly in the Red Sox organization to become assistant GM and is widely regarded as one of the best young executives in MLB.

— Astros 11, A’s 5
Houston remains a game behind Detroit for the AL’s last playoff slot.
Christian Walker homered, had three RBI
Win ends Astros’ 7-game losing streak against the A’s.

— Blue Jays 6, Red Sox 1
Daulton Varsho hit his 5th career grand slam.
Toronto/New York remain tied atop the AL East; Blue Jays own tiebreaker.
Boston’s magic number to clinch a playoff spot is one.

— Phillies 1, Marlins 0
Only run of the game scored on a first inning ground out.
Walker Buehler pitched five shutout innings.
Surprising fact: This loss eliminated the Marlins, who have had a good year.

— Royals 9, Angels 4
Bobby Witt Jr went 4-for-5, scored two runs.
Mike Trout hit his 401st career home run.

— Random opinion: If a run scores because of an error on the pitcher, that should be an earned run. Why should the pitcher’s stats benefit because he made an error?

— Playoff picture with 3 days left in the regular season:
NL: Phillies, Brewers, Dodgers. Wild Cards: Cubs, Padres, Mets
AL: Blue Jays, Guardians, Mariners. Wild Cards: New York, Red Sox, Tigers

 

[Udog]

Calgary Stampeders @ Montreal Alouettes

 

[Cnotes53]

Friday, September 26​

Game	Time(ET)	Pick	Units
CGY at MTL	07:00 PM	MTL -4.0 U 50.5	+500 +500
TOR at BC	10:00 PM	TOR +7.5 O 56.5	+500 +500

 

[Cnotes53]

SEPTEMBER'S CFL BEST BETS !!

09/26/2025..............2 -2 - 0..................50.00%.............- 1.00
09/19/2025..............4 - 0 - 0...............100.00%.............+ 20.00
09/13/2025..............2 - 2 - 0...............50.00%.............- 1.00
09/12/2025..............1 - 3 - 0...............25.00%.............- 11.50
09/06/2025..............2 - 2 - 0...............50.00%.............- 1.00
09/05/2025..............2 - 0 - 0............100.00%.............+ 10.00

TOTALS...................13 -9 - 0...............59.09%.............+ 15.50

***********************************
AUGUST TOTALS........15 - 9 - 0....................62.50%..............+ 25.50
JULY'S TOTALS..........17 - 15 - 0..................53.12%..............+ 2.50
JUNE'S TOTALS.........19 - 13 - 0..................59.37%..............+ 23.50

 

[Cnotes53]

Saturday’s 6-pack:
Josh Naylor’s stolen bases, the last six years:
2020— 1
2021— 1
2022— 6
2023— 10
2024— 6
2025— 30

Quote of the Day
“This is as exciting as it gets. To not admit that you’re nervous, I think that would be wrong. I’m nervous as hell.”
Reds manager Terry Francona

Saturday’s quiz
In the history of the Rams, what QB has thrown for the most yards?

Friday’s quiz
Last time the Detroit Tigers played in a World Series, Hall of Famer Jim Leyland was their manager.

Thursday’s quiz
First time the Seattle Seahawks played in a Super Bowl, Matt Hasselbeck was their QB.

********************************************

Saturday’s Den: Wrapping up a busy Friday night…….​

— Reds 3, Brewers 1
Cincinnati bullpen got 14 outs, didn’t allow a hit.
Gavin Lux went 2-for-4, scored two runs.
Reds take over the NL’s last Wild Card slot.

— Marlins 6, Mets 2
Sandy Alcantara threw 100 pitches, got a win in his last ’25 start.
Down 2-0, Marlins scored six runs in the fifth inning.
Connor Norby hit Miami’s 9th pinch-hit homer this season.

— Padres 7, Diamondbacks 4
Fernando Tatis hit a 4th inning grand slam that broke the game open.
Luis Arraez had four hits for San Diego.
Loss puts Arizona on the verge of missing the playoffs.

— Red Sox 4, Tigers 3
Ceddanne Rafaela hit a walk-off triple off the centerfield fence.
Red Sox clinch their first playoff spot since 2021.
Detroit/Cleveland remain tied atop AL Central.

— Rangers 7, Guardians 3
Alejandro Osuna hit a 3-run homer in the first inning.
Jack Leiter struck out 10 hitters for Texas.
Guardians have lost consecutive games for first time since September 2nd.

— White Sox 10, Nationals 9
Colson Montgomery hit a 2-run homer in ninth inning.
White Sox led 8-2 after the fifth inning.
Luis Garcia Jr hit three home runs in a losing cause.

— Angels 4, Astros 3
Mike Trout homered twice, now has 403 career home runs.
Houston led 3-0 in the 4th inning.
Loss puts the Astros on the verge of missing the playoffs.

— Baseball has changed a lot thru the years; here are the numbers of pitchers these guys hit against in the season where they hit 60+ home runs:
1927 Babe Ruth 60 homers, faced 64 pitchers/7 teams
1961 Roger Maris 61 homers, faced 101 pitchers/9 teams
2022 Aaron Judge 62 homers, faced 256 pitchers/20 teams
2025 Cal Raleigh 60 homers, faced 290 pitchers/28 teams

— Famous birthdays, September 27th:
Dickie Post, 80
Ken Geddes, 79
Mike Schmidt, 76
Steve Kerr, 60
Rob Moore, 57
Gwyneth Paltrow, 53
Chris Herren, 50
Christian Wood, 30
Mitchell Parker, 26
The great actor Wilford Brimley was born 91 years ago today.

— Virginia 46, Florida State 38 OT
Virginia led 14-0 early in the second quarter.
FSU forced OT, scoring a TD with 0:36 left in regulation.
Seminoles ran for 256 yards, outgained Virginia 514-440.
Both teams turned the ball over three times.

— Arizona State 27, TCU 24
Sun Devils scored 10 points in the last 1:50 to pull off a comeback win.
TCU led 17-0 midway thru the second quarter.
ASU outscored the Horned Frogs, 497-269

— Washington Commanders are going with backup QB Marcus Mariota again the week, in Atlanta. Commanders beat Las Vegas 41-24 LW with Mariota under center. Star WR Terry McLaurin is also expected to miss Sunday’s game.

— In the last 25 years, the 2018 Houston Texans are the only team to start a season 0-3 and still make the playoffs.

— Over is 17-5 in Lamar Jackson’s last 22 starts.

— Playoff picture with 2 days left in the regular season:
NL: Phillies, Brewers, Dodgers. Wild Cards: Cubs, Padres, Reds
AL: Blue Jays, Guardians, Mariners. Wild Cards: New York, Red Sox, Tigers

 

[Udog]

Hamilton Tiger-Cats @ Winnipeg Blue Bombers

Saskatchewan Roughriders @ Edmonton Elks

 

[Cnotes53]

Saturday, September 27​

Game	Time(ET)	Pick	Units
HAM at WPG	03:00 PM	HAM +1.0 U 51.5	+500 +500
SSK at EDM	07:00 PM	EDM +3.5 O 54.5	+500 +500

 

[Cnotes53]

Friday’s 6-pack:
Thru four weeks, most pass plays of 20+ yards:
17— Rams
16— 49ers
15— Raiders
14— Bills, Bears, Seahawks
13— Cowboys, Chargers, Buccaneers
12— Packers, Texans, Colts, Giants, Patriots

Quote of the Day
“I’d love to manage again. Obviously, Atlanta would be amazing, but there’s nothing to really elaborate on.”
Former major league catcher/manager David Ross

Friday’s quiz
In the history of the Houston Oilers/Tennessee Titans, who has thrown for the most yards?

Thursday’s quiz
1995 was the last time the Cincinnati Reds won a playoff series, the longest current drought in the major leagues.

Wednesday’s quiz
2019 was last time the World Series went to seven games, when Washington beat Houston.

*************************************************

Friday’s Den: Wrapping up a busy Thursday……​

— Tigers 6, Guardians 3
Dillon Dingler hit the go-ahead homer in the 6th inning.
Tigers broke game open, scoring four runs in 7th inning.
Detroit-Seattle will meet in the ALDS.

— Cubs 3, Padres 1
Taillon allowed two baserunners in four scoreless IP (60 PT)
San Diego was 0-8 with runners in scoring position.
Cubs play Milwaukee in the NLDS.

— Bronx 4, Red Sox 0
Rookie Schlittler struck out 12 in eight scoreless IP.
Bronx scored all four of its runs in the fourth inning.
New York-Toronto will meet in the ALDS.

— 49ers 26, Rams 23 OT
SF stopped the Rams on 4th-and-1 to end the game.
Rams forced OT, kicking a 48-yard FG with 0:02 left
Rams also fumbled on the 49ers’ 1-yard line with 1:02 left.
49ers’ five games have all been decided by 5 or fewer points.
SF WR Bourne caught 10 passes for 142 yards.
49ers’ first two drives: 25 plays, 163 yards, 14 points.
49ers won six of last eight visits to Los Angeles.
Underdogs are 5-0-1 ATS in last six series games.

— New Mexico State 37, Sam Houston State 10
New Mexico State led 13-10 after the third quarter.
Aggies threw ball for 255 yards (9.4 yards/attempt)
Aggies were 9-13 on third down, Sam Houston 3-11

— Knicks 99, 76ers 84
Exhibition game was played in Abu Dhabi.
Knicks outscored Philly 28-18 in second quarter.
Knicks played 19 different players, 76ers played 13 guys.

— Movie of the Day: All the President’s Men (1976)- Washington Post reporters Bob Woodward and Carl Bernstein uncover details of the Watergate scandal that leads to President Richard Nixon’s resignation.
Tremendous cast: Robert Redford, Dustin Hoffman, Jack Warden, Hal Holbrook, Jason Robards, Martin Balsam, Ned Beatty, Meredith Baxter.

—Famous birthdays, October 3rd:
Dave Winfield, 74
Greg Foster, 57
Janel Moloney, 56
Anquan Boldin, 45
Courtney Lee, 40
Mike Gesicki, 30
CJ Abrams, 25
CJ Stroud, 24
Abdul Carter, 22

Seven baseball players who could be free agents this winter:

— Pete Alonso 1B- Has $24M option with the Mets for next year, but can probably make way more than that, even though he is 31. Last five years, he’s hit 195 homers, played in 158 games a year. Durable and productive; Mets will probably re-sign him.

— Luis Arraez 1B/2B- Won three of last four batting titles, slumped to .292 this year. Does not have a lot of power, not real fast, average fielder, but he gets a lot of hits.

— Bo Bichette SS- Hit .311 this year with an .840 OPS. Led the league in hits in 2021/2022; he had an injury-plagued season last year. Had 94 RBI this season.

— Alex Bregman 3B- Can opt out of the last two years of his contract, which would pay $80M; had an .821 OPS this year, his best since 2019. It is assumed that he will opt out.

— Kyle Schwarber OF/DH- Is 33 years old, but he hit 56 homers, had 132 RBI this year, has 187 homers the last four seasons. Philly is an excellent hitters’ park; should he stay there?

— Kyle Tucker OF- Hit 134 homers the last five years, has career OPS of .865. Hurt his hand in July and struggled in second half of season.

— Framber Valdez, P- Is 32 years old; over last four years, is 57-35 in 121 starts. He’s pitched in the playoffs five of the last six years.

 

[Cnotes53]

Prediction Time: CFL.ca writers’ Week 18 picks​

TORONTO — With October on the horizon, every game means a bit more to every team in the CFL, including the team of writers.

It’s still anyone’s game to take the title of top pick maker, with Pat Steinberg sitting at the top at 41 wins, followed closely by Matt Cauz (40) and Kristina Costabile (39).

Vicki Hall and Jamie Nye sit at the bottom of the standings, but they’re just three games behind the leader.

Will this week’s picks close the gap?

SASKATCHEWAN AT OTTAWA​

Friday, October 3
7:30 p.m. ET
TSN/RDS/CFL+

The Saskatchewan Roughriders lost their second game in a row in Week 17, falling to the Edmonton Elks. With a playoff spot secured, the Riders’ current position at the top of the West Division is still not locked in. Trevor Harris and co. will head to TD Place looking to keep their four-point cushion over the Stampeders with a win on Friday night. After a loss in Week 16, the REDBLACKS headed out on a bye and will hope that their week of rest will help them in what is now a must-win situation to keep pace in the East for a playoff spot. Most of the pick makers are rolling with the visitors.
WRITERS’ PICK: 80% Saskatchewan

HAMILTON AT TORONTO​

Saturday, October 4
3:00 p.m. ET
TSN/CTV/CFL+

What more could you ask for than a rivalry game that means so much for both teams involved? The Ticats scored just three points last week against the Bombers and Bo Levi Mitchell and co. will be itching to put on a better performance this week. Hamilton has already secured a playoff spot and a home playoff date, and their next goal will be securing the top of the Division and the Eastern Final. Toronto lost to the BC Lions last week and currently sit on the outside of the playoff picture looking in. Can the Argos get back on track in front of their home fans at BMO Field or is it too little too late for Ryan Dinwiddie’s group? The writers think the latter.
WRITERS’ PICK: 80% Hamilton

CALGARY AT BC​

Saturday, October 4
7:00 p.m. ET
TSN/CFL+

If you thought Saturday’s early game has some high stakes, wait until you hear about the late game. BC and Calgary (and Winnipeg, for what it’s worth) sit at 16 points in the standings. A home playoff date is still possible for both clubs, meaning this game could end up being the difference at season’s end. The Lions and Stamps met in Week 16, with the Leos winning 52-23, thanks to a sensational performance by Nathan Rourke, who was good on 20 of 24 passes, throwing for 331 yards, two touchdowns and no interceptions through the air to go along with three rushing majors. With the Stampeders not looking like the powerhouse we’d grown accustomed to seeing through most of 2025, can the Lions win the season series against Calgary? All of the writers think yes.
WRITERS’ PICK: 100% BC

 

[Udog]

CFL
Dunkel

Week 18

DUNKEL INDEX PREDICTION FOR SASKATCHEWAN AT OTTAWA
Date: October 3, 2025
Time: 7:30pm ET
Dunkel Ratings: Saskatchewan 108.428; Ottawa 107.336
Dunkel Line & Total: Saskatchewan by 1; 57
Vegas Line & Total: Saskatchewan by 3 1/2; 53 1/2
Dunkel Pick: Ottawa (+3 1/2); Over

DUNKEL INDEX PREDICTION FOR HAMILTON AT TORONTO
Date: October 4, 2025
Time: 3:00 pm ET
Dunkel Ratings: Hamilton 106.305; Toronto 113.395
Dunkel Line & Total: Toronto by 7; 51
Vegas Line & Total: Hamilton by 1 1/2; 57 1/2
Dunkel Pick: Toronto (+1 1/2); Under

DUNKEL INDEX PREDICTION FOR CALGARY AT BC
Date: October 4, 2025
Time: 7:00 pm ET
Dunkel Ratings: Calgary 104.389; BC 120.294
Dunkel Line & Total: BC by 16; 60
Vegas Line & Total: BC by 3 1/2; 55 1/2
Dunkel Pick: BC (-3 1/2); Over





CFL

Week 18

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Trend Report
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Friday, October 3
7:30 PM ET
Saskatchewan VS Ottawa
Saskatchewan is 1-4 ATS in its last 5 games.
The total has gone UNDER in 6 of Saskatchewan's last 8 games.
Saskatchewan is 10-4 SU in its last 14 games.
Saskatchewan is 8-1 ATS in its last 9 games against Ottawa.
Ottawa is 7-13 ATS in its last 20 games.
The total has gone OVER in 4 of Ottawa's last 6 games.
Ottawa is 1-4 SU in its last 5 games.
The total has gone OVER in 13 of Ottawa's last 20 games against Saskatchewan.

Saturday, October 4
3:00 PM ET
Hamilton VS Toronto
Hamilton is 2-6 ATS in its last 8 games.
The total has gone UNDER in 5 of Hamilton's last 6 games.
Hamilton is 9-4 SU in its last 13 games.
Hamilton is 4-1 ATS in its last 5 games against Toronto.
Toronto is 4-1 ATS in its last 5 games.
Toronto is 5-10 SU in its last 15 games.
The total has gone OVER in 4 of Toronto's last 5 games against Hamilton.
The total has gone OVER in 9 of Toronto's last 12 games at home.

7:00 PM ET
Calgary VS British Columbia
Calgary is 2-6 ATS in its last 8 games.
Calgary is 1-4 ATS in its last 5 games against British Columbia.
Calgary is 1-4 SU in its last 5 games against British Columbia.
Calgary is 5-15 SU in its last 20 games on the road.
The total has gone OVER in 8 of British Columbia's last 9 games.
British Columbia is 5-2 SU in its last 7 games.
The total has gone OVER in 4 of British Columbia's last 5 games at home.
British Columbia is 5-1 ATS in its last 6 games when playing at home against Calgary.


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