CNOTES CFL BEST BETS-NEWS-NOTES-WRITEUPS !

[Udog]

Saskatchewan at Ottawa

 

[Cnotes53]

Friday, October 3​

Game	Time(ET)	Pick	Units
SSK at OTT	07:30 PM	OTT +4.5 U 53.5	+500 +500

 

[Cnotes53]

CFL BEST BETS !

10/03/2025.................1 - 0 - 0.................10.00%..................+ 5.00

 

[Cnotes53]

Saturday’s 6-pack:
Thru four weeks, teams with fewest pass plays of 20+ yards:
4— Saints
5— Cardinals
6— Commanders
7— Bengals, Dolphins
8— Browns, Jaguars, Eagles, Titans
9— Jets

Quote of the Day
“The Yankees, they’re not a good team. I don’t care what their record is.”
Blue Jays’ TV analyst Buck Martinez. Hopefully he was kidding.

Saturday’s quiz
Where did Jared Goff play his college football?

Friday’s quiz
In the history of the Houston Oilers/Tennessee Titans, Warren Moon 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.

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

Saturday’s Den: How NFL teams do on first drive of a half​

How NFL teams do on first drive of a half:
(All teams 4 games/8 halves, except SF/Rams (5/10))

NFC East

Dallas:
outscored 34-7 on first drive of a half
outgained 197-88 on first drive of games

Giants:
10-10 on first drive of each half
last three weeks, Giants gained 190 yards on first drive of game.

Eagles:
outscored opponents 27-14 on first drive of a half
scored TD on first drive in 3 of 4 games.

Commanders:
outscored 16-10 on first drive of a half
first drives of a game: 17 plays, 43 yards

NFC North

Bears:
outscored opponents 28-10 on first drive of a half
have four takeaways in first drive of a half (+4)
first drive of half: 4 TD’s, 4 three/outs.

Lions:
outscored 35-27 on first drive of a half
Allowed a TD on first drive in all four games
39 plays, 325 yards, four TD’s

Packers:
outscored opponents 24-3 on first drive of a half
opponents’ first drive of game: 17 plays, 38 yards, no points

Vikings:
outscored opponents 17-13 on first drive of a half
opponents on 1st drive, last 4 halves: 12 plays, 8 yards, 4 punts

NFC South

Falcons
outscored opponents 23-10 on first drive of a half
first drive of game: 28 plays, 197 yards, 13 points.

Panthers
outscored opponents 24-20 on first drive of a half
Last two games, had TD drives of 61-76 yards on their 1st drive.

Saints
outscored 27-14 on first drive of a half
Last 2 games, gave up 3 TD’s and FG on first drive of the half.

Buccaneers
outscored 24-13 on first drive of a half
opponents on 1st drive of half: 28 plays, 253 yards, 24 points

NFC West

Cardinals
outscored opponents 16-10 on first drive of a half
opponents on 1st drive of game: 15 plays, 42 yards, no points

Rams
outscored opponents 27-20 on first drive of a half
in their two losses, opponent scored a TD on their first drive.

49ers
outscored opponents 17-0 on first drive of a game
Last 2 games, 49ers averaged 64.3 yards/1st drive of a half

Seahawks
outscored opponents 27-10 on first drive of a half
last three games, have 3 TD’s, 2 FG’s on first drive of half.

Famous birthdays, October 4th:
Susan Sarandon, 79
Tony LaRussa, 81
John Wathan, 76
Truck Robinson, 74
AC Green, 62
Mark McLemore, 61
Liev Schreiber, 58
Kurt Thomas, 53
Tony Gwynn Jr, 43
Derrick Rose, 37
Dakota Johnson, 36
Oneil Cruz, 27

AFC East

Bills
outscored opponents 52-24 on first drive of a half
1st drives of a half: 70 plays, 560 yards, 7 TD’s, FG

Dolphins
outscored 34-20 on first drive of a half
opponents average 74.3 yards/opening drive of game.

Patriots
outscored 31-14 on first drive of a half
opponents on 1st drive of game: 24 plays, 201 yards, 21 points.

Jets
outscored 33-13 on first drive of a half
Opponents on 1st drive of half: 3 TD’s, 4 field goals

AFC North

Ravens
outscored 38-37 on first drive of a half
last two games, started game with TD drives of 80-70 yards

Bengals
outscored 28-17 on first drive of a half
allowed TD on first drive in three of four games

Browns
outscored opponents 14-10 on first drive of a half
Last 3 games: 13 plays, 19 plays on first drive of 3rd quarter

Steelers
17-17 on first drive of each half
first drive of 2nd half: 15 plays, 30 yards, no points

AFC South

Texans
outscored 17-10 on first drive of a half
first drive of 2nd half: 23 plays, 58 yards, no points

Colts
outscored 24-22 on first drive of a half
1st drive of half: one TD, 5 FG’s, 2 turnovers

Jaguars
outscored 20-13 on first drive of a half
Opponents on 1st drive of 3rd quarter: 27 plays, 245 yards, 14 points

AFC West

Broncos
outscored opponents 14-10 on first drive of a half
opponents on 1st drive of half: 66 plays, 341 yards, 7 FG’s

Chiefs
outscored opponents 27-20 on first drive of a half
1st drive of 3rd quarter: 32 plays, 224 yards, 21 points

Raiders
17-17 on first drive of each half
last 3 games, threw three INT’s on first drive of a half.

Chargers
outscored 24-19 on first drive of a half
opponents on 1st drive of 3rd quarter: 41 plays, 228 yards, 17 points

 

[Cnotes53]

Saturday, October 4​

Game	Time(ET)	Pick	Units
HAM at TOR	03:00 PM	HAM -2.5 O 57.5	+500 +500
CGY at BC	07:00 PM	CGY +3.5 O 55.5	+500 +500

 

[Cnotes53]

CFL BEST BETS !

10/04/2025.................3 - 1 - 0.................75.00%..................+ 9.50
10/03/2025.................1 - 0 - 0.................10.00%..................+ 5.00

TOTALS.......................4 - 1 - 0.................80.00%..................+ 14.00

 

[Cnotes53]

LEARN MORE​

OCTOBER 6, 2025 LANDRY’S 5 TAKEAWAYS FROM WEEK 18​ OCTOBER 5, 2025 3 STATS THAT DEFINED BC’S WEEK 18 WIN OVER CALGARY​ OCTOBER 5, 2025 LIONS PUNCH PLAYOFF TICKET WITH WIN OVER STAMPS​ OCTOBER 4, 2025 3 STATS THAT DEFINED HAMILTON’S WEEK 18 WIN OVER TORONTO​ OCTOBER 4, 2025 TIGER-CATS TAKE DOWN ARGONAUTS IN TORONTO TO CLAIM SEASON SERIES​ OCTOBER 4, 2025 3 STATS THAT DEFINED SASKATCHEWAN’S WEEK 18 WIN OVER OTTAWA​ OCTOBER 4, 2025 RIDERS’ DEFENCE HELP SNAP TWO-GAME LOSING SKID WITH WIN OVER REDBLACKS​

 

[Cnotes53]

​

​

​ SCORE BIG. GIVE BACK. ENTER TODAY.​ OK Tire Touchdowns for Communities Sweepstakes lets CFL fans win flights, season tickets & exclusive gear — while supporting youth football programs across Canada. Enter by October 15 for your chance at Tier 2 Early Bird Prizes! All donations support grassroots football initiatives. LEARN MORE​

1 HOUR AGO | CFL.CA TEAM GAME NOTES: WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW AHEAD OF WESTJET THANKSGIVING WEEKEND​ CFL.ca brings you all the game notes you need to know ahead of WestJet Thanksgiving Weekend’s kickoff on Friday night.... Read More 2 HOURS AGO | CFL STAFF 9 QUALITY PLAYERS WHO MIGHT NOT MAKE THE ALL-CFL TEAM​ Does Tim White deserve to be an All-CFL receiver in 2025? CFL.ca’s Marshall Ferguson lists nine underrated players who could be left out of the... Read More 20 HOURS AGO | CFL.CA TEAM 4 TEAMS THAT COULD LAND IN THE CROSSOVER SPOT IN THE 112TH GREY CUP PLAYOFFS​ One of these four West Division teams could be traveling east to start the 112th Grey Cup playoffs on November 1.... Read More 21 HOURS AGO | KRISTINA COSTABILE 4 STORYLINES TO WATCH ON WESTJET THANKSGIVING WEEKEND​ WestJet Thanksgiving Weekend gets underway on Friday night and to get you ready, CFL.ca’s Kristina Costabile has a storyline to watch in every game.... Read More

 

[Udog]

CFL
Dunkel

Week 19

DUNKEL INDEX PREDICTION FOR TORONTO AT SASKATCHEWAN
Date: October 10, 2025
Time: 9:00 pm ET
Dunkel Ratings: Toronto 107.226; Saskatchewan 110.177
Dunkel Line & Total: Saskatchewan by 3; 45
Vegas Line & Total: Saskatchewan by 10 1/2; 49 1/2
Dunkel Pick: Toronto (+10 1/2); Under

DUNKEL INDEX PREDICTION FOR CALGARY AT HAMILTON
Date: October 11, 2025
Time: 3:00 pm ET
Dunkel Ratings: Calgary 109.733; Hamilton 108.273
Dunkel Line & Total: Calgary by 1 1/2; 59
Vegas Line & Total: Hamilton by 2 1/2; 56 1/2
Dunkel Pick: Calgary (+2 1/2); Over

DUNKEL INDEX PREDICTION FOR WINNIPEG AT EDMONTON
Date: October 11, 2025
Time: 7:00 pm ET
Dunkel Ratings: Winnipeg 121.747; Edmonton 113.897
Dunkel Line & Total: Winnipeg by 8; 58
Vegas Line & Total: Winnipeg by 3 1/2; 53 1/2
Dunkel Pick: Winnipeg (-3 1/2); Over

DUNKEL INDEX PREDICTION FOR OTTAWA AT MONTREAL
Date: October 13, 2025
Time: 1:00 pm ET
Dunkel Ratings: Ottawa 100.800; Montreal 119.785
Dunkel Line & Total: Montreal by 19; 47
Vegas Line & Total: Montreal by 13 1/2; 51 1/2
Dunkel Pick: Montreal (-13 1/2); Under




CFL

Week 19

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Trend Report
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Friday, October 10
9:00 PM ET
Toronto VS Saskatchewan
Toronto is 4-2 ATS in its last 6 games.
The total has gone OVER in 6 of Toronto's last 9 games.
Toronto is 5-11 SU in its last 16 games.
Toronto is 1-4 ATS in its last 5 games against Saskatchewan.
Saskatchewan is 2-4 ATS in its last 6 games.
The total has gone UNDER in 7 of Saskatchewan's last 9 games.
Saskatchewan is 11-4 SU in its last 15 games.
The total has gone OVER in 7 of Saskatchewan's last 9 games against Toronto.

Saturday, October 11
3:00 PM ET
Calgary VS Hamilton
Calgary is 1-4 ATS in its last 5 games.
Calgary is 1-4 SU in its last 5 games.
Calgary is 3-6 ATS in its last 9 games against Hamilton.
Calgary is 15-5 SU in its last 20 games against Hamilton.
Hamilton is 3-6 ATS in its last 9 games.
The total has gone UNDER in 4 of Hamilton's last 5 games.
Hamilton is 4-1 SU in its last 5 games.
The total has gone OVER in 5 of Hamilton's last 6 games against Calgary.

7:00 PM ET
Winnipeg VS Edmonton
Winnipeg is 6-3 ATS in its last 9 games.
The total has gone UNDER in 5 of Winnipeg's last 6 games.
Winnipeg is 4-1 ATS in its last 5 games against Edmonton.
Winnipeg is 10-0 SU in its last 10 games against Edmonton.
Edmonton is 9-1 ATS in its last 10 games.
The total has gone UNDER in 10 of Edmonton's last 11 games.
The total has gone OVER in 4 of Edmonton's last 5 games against Winnipeg.
The total has gone UNDER in 5 of Edmonton's last 5 games at home.

Monday, October 13
1:00 PM ET
Ottawa VS Montreal
Ottawa is 1-4 ATS in its last 5 games.
Ottawa is 1-5 SU in its last 6 games.
Ottawa is 0-6 ATS in its last 6 games against Montreal.
Ottawa is 0-9 SU in its last 9 games against Montreal.
Montreal is 3-9 ATS in its last 12 games.
The total has gone UNDER in 6 of Montreal's last 9 games.
The total has gone UNDER in 4 of Montreal's last 6 games against Ottawa.
Montreal is 1-6 ATS in its last 7 games at home.


-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

 

[Udog]

Toronto Argonauts @ Saskatchewan Roughriders

 

[Cnotes53]

3 keys to victory for Toronto, Saskatchewan on WestJet Thanksgiving Weekend​

REGINA — WestJet Thanksgiving Weekend gets underway with Friday Night Football when the Toronto Argonauts visit the West Division-leading Saskatchewan Roughriders at Mosaic Stadium.

Toronto has dropped three straight games and was officially eliminated from playoff contention with a 47-29 loss to Hamilton last week.

Saskatchewan is looking to extend their lead atop the West Division with a win.

Here’s three keys to victory for both teams ahead of Friday’s 9:00 p.m. ET kickoff, which can be watched on TSN and RDS2 in Canada, and on CFL+ in the U.S. and internationally.

WESTJET THANKSGIVING WEEKEND
» Depth Charts: TOR | SSK
» Game Notes: Argonauts at Roughriders
» Tickets: Toronto at Saskatchewan
» Injury Reports: Stay up to date
» Who’s gonna win? Play CFL Pick ‘Em presented by Old Dutch now!
» Sign up and watch CFL games on CFL+ in the U.S. and Internationally

TORONTO ARGONAUTS​

1. STILL A CHALLENGE

Despite being out of the playoff hunt, Ryan Dinwiddie’s team can still provide a challenge for any opponent via an offence that has scored the third most points per game (29.1) in 2025. The Argos have an opportunity to take down the team that sits in first place in the West Division.

2. GIVE THE OFFENCE A CHANCE

Toronto has allowed a league-high 512 points and gave up four passing touchdowns to Ticats quarterback Bo Levi Mitchell a week ago. Putting pressure on the Riders’ offensive line is the job of defensive lineman J-Min Pelley and linebacker Branden Dozier, while Benjie Franklin, Tarvarus McFadden and Derek Slywka keep tabs on the Riders’ wideouts.

3. NEXT MAN UP

Quarterback Jarret Doege takes over the starting job as Nick Arbuckle is reportedly out for the season with an arm injury he sustained early in last week’s game. Doege finished 34-for-49 with 323 yards, two touchdowns and four interceptions in relief and will look to limit his turnovers to keep the offence on the field.

SASKATCHEWAN ROUGHRIDERS​

1. AJ OUELLETTE HAS EYES ON RUSHING LEAD

Former Argos running back AJ Ouellette has been handed the ball an average of 14.8 times per game this season and should be busy again facing a defence averaging 103.3 yards against on the ground. For those watching the leaderboard, Ouellette’s 1,110 yards have him 10 yards behind the leading rusher, James Butler.

2. TREVOR HARRIS MAKING MATTERS WORSE

Quarterback Trevor Harris has thrown for 351 and 341 yards over the past two games, which could be bad news for the Argos after the secondary had a tough time slowing the pass game against the Ticats. Saskatchewan needs its pivot to play his best down the stretch, and he’ll have every opportunity to build momentum.

3. WHICH SECONDARY SHOWS UP

On the whole, the Riders’ secondary ranks eighth league-wide in passing yards allowed per game but held the explosive Dru Brown to 141 and picked him off three times in a 20-13 Week 18 win. Defensive backs Tevaughn Campbell and Rolan Milligan Jr. are out with injuries, so it’s going to take strong efforts from DaMarcus Fields and Benny Sapp III in support to slow down the Argos’ pass game.

NEED TO KNOW:​

• Along with starting quarterback Nick Arbuckle, who has been ruled out for the rest of the season, the Argos will be without All-CFL linebacker Wynton McManis.
• The Riders get a boost on special teams with kicker Brett Lauther and returner Mario Alford returning from their respective injuries. However, key pieces in Rolan Milligan Jr. and 1,000-yard receiver Dohnte Meyers will both be out.
• Saskatchewan won the first meeting of the season, 39-32, in Week 3.
• The Riders are 6-1 against the East Division.
• Kickoff is scheduled for 9:00 p.m. ET, and can be watched on TSN and RDS2 in Canada, and on CFL+ in the U.S. and internationally.

 

[Cnotes53]

4 storylines to watch on WestJet Thanksgiving Weekend​

Welcome to WestJet Thanksgiving Weekend.

I don’t know about you, but I’m feeling extra thankful that we’ve been treated to an excellent year of Canadian football.

With just three weeks left in regular season action, there’s still plenty to be determined in terms of playoff seeding. Though for the purposes of this article, I won’t be touching on playoff scenarios. You can catch those on CFL.ca soon.

Instead, here’s a non-playoff-related storyline to watch in every game as we get ready to eat (way too much) turkey and watch football this long weekend.

WESTJET THANKSGIVING WEEKEND
» Play CFL Pick ‘Em presented by Old Dutch now!
» Prediction Time: CFL.ca writers’ WestJet Thanksgiving Weekend picks
» Weekly Predictor: Who wins on WestJet Thanksgiving Weekend?
» KPMG Playoff Probability: Who is the 112th Grey Cup favourite?
» Subscribe to the CFL’s newsletter for exclusive offers and league updates

THE UNDERRATED CANADIAN LINEBACKER​

Toronto at Saskatchewan | Friday, October 10 | 9:00 p.m. ET | TSN/RDS2/CFL+

A.J. Allen has quietly asserted himself as one of the best linebackers in the CFL this year.

Not only does he pass the eye test, roaming around the entire Saskatchewan Roughriders defence, making play after play, he’s also padded his stat line to back it up.

The Canadian WILL linebacker has totalled 87 defensive plays, tied for seventh-most in the league. For comparison, two of the best at his position, Montreal’s Tyrice Beverette and Toronto’s Cameron Judge, have 94 and 93, respectively.

Allen has collected 68 tackles on defence and another four on special teams, three sacks, three forced fumbles, a pair of interceptions, four knockdowns, and three tackles for loss. Yes, he can do it all.

In a game where Saskatchewan wants a win to keep their four-point cushion at the top of the West Division, look for Allen to make plays against the Argos, who have been eliminated from post-season contention and are reportedly starting quarterback Jarret Doege this week.

DISRUPTING THE QUARTERBACK​

Calgary at Hamilton | Saturday, October 11 | 3:00 p.m. ET | TSN/RDS2/CTV/CFL+

The Hamilton Tiger-Cats have made a habit of getting after opposing quarterbacks.

Sacks don’t tell the entire story of how disruptive a player or a team is, but the Ticats have still gotten their fair share of them. The team sits fifth in the CFL with 34 quarterback takedowns on the season.

But it’s the advanced stats that really solidify how good Hamilton has been in the backfield. According to PFF, the Tiger-Cats have 279 pressures (a combination of hits, hurries, and sacks), the most in the league. That’s 24 more than the second-best team, the BC Lions. It’s safe to say they’ve been living behind the line of scrimmage, making quarterbacks uncomfortable all year long.

Julian Howsare has been one of the standouts on the Ticats defensive line this year (I see you too, rookie Philip Ossai). Last week, Howsare had an astounding 11 pressures, including four sacks, against the Toronto Argonauts. He’s currently second in the league in sacks (11) and first in PFF pressures (68).

The ability to disrupt the quarterback has allowed the rest of the Tabbies’ defence to make plays as well. With pressure up front, Hamilton leads the league in pass knockdowns (63) and is tied with Saskatchewan for the league-lead in interceptions (21).

Looking to keep a four-point cushion between them and Montreal for first in the East, can the Tiger-Cats get pressure on Vernon Adams Jr.? Or will the Stampeders offensive line, that has given up a middle-of-the-pack 27 sacks this season, stand tall to let their quarterback make plays? Find out on Saturday afternoon.

GROUND GAME READY TO FEAST​

Winnipeg at Edmonton | Saturday, October 11 | 7:00 p.m. ET | TSN/CFL+

Saturday’s doubleheader opens with a battle between two of the top running backs to take the field in Canada this year: Brady Oliveira and Justin Rankin.

We’ve known for years what Oliveira can do. He was named last year’s Most Outstanding Canadian and Most Outstanding Player, after all. His bully ball mentality, ability to break tackles or carry defenders with him while he fights for extra yardage has been on full display in 2025. He’s just 29 yards away from his fourth straight 1,000-yard season, which would join Normie Kwong (1955-1958) as the only Canadians to achieve that feat and just the second Blue Bomber to do it. Oliveira has also shown off his pass-catching ability, adding another 416 yards through the air.

Justin Rankin burst onto the scene in 2025, and has been a major part of the Edmonton Elks’ offensive success. He has tallied 838 yards on the ground and, like Oliveira, gets in on the receiving game, adding another 633 yards through the air. When he gets the ball in his hands, he can extend plays, leading the league in 30+ yard rushes with 11.

With the weather cooling off and every game a must-win for all teams in the CFL as they eye playoff spots, it’s likely that Rankin and Oliveira will be relied upon to help their respective teams get a win this weekend.

THE PERFECT 10?​

Ottawa at Montreal | Monday, October 13 | 1:00 p.m. ET | TSN/RDS/CBSSN/CFL+

We’re witnessing something special in Montreal.

Davis Alexander has taken the CFL by storm, already solidifying himself in the record books in his young career. Last week, he won his ninth-straight game, a CFL record for most wins to start a career. This week, he’s on the verge of improving to 10-0 as he and his Alouettes host the Ottawa REDBLACKS on Thanksgiving Monday.

In the final game of WestJet Thanksgiving Weekend, both teams are playing for different things.

The REDBLACKS were officially eliminated from post-season contention last week and will be playing for pride and for potential jobs next season. As mentioned, Montreal is four points behind Hamilton for first in the East and will want to try to close the gap with a win at Percival Molson Memorial Stadium.

Will Alexander continue to add to his impressive resume or will Dru Brown and co. spoil the feast? Grab your pumpkin pie and tune in on Monday to find out.

 

[Cnotes53]

Weekly Predictor: Who wins on WestJet Thanksgiving Weekend?​

he playoff picture is starting to clear up with three weeks left in the regular season.

There are still some great races to watch, including the battle for the top of the East Division and the battle for home field in the West Division. Plus, the Elks aren’t quite out of it yet, as they’re in the race for the crossover into the East.

And there is plenty to be thankful for in the CFL on WestJet Thanksgiving Weekend after a year full of big plays and new stars. We also now know that a new Grey Cup Champion will be crowned in Winnipeg in November.

So grab a turkey leg, settle in, and take a look at what I predict to happen in Week 19, after I had a rare perfect week of picks in Week 18.

Yes, even I’ll admit I haven’t been too thankful for the unpredictability of the 2025 season.

Are more upsets ahead?

WESTJET THANKSGIVING WEEKEND
» Play CFL Pick ‘Em presented by Old Dutch now!
» Subscribe to the CFL’s official YouTube channel
» Subscribe to the CFL’s newsletter for exclusive offers and league updates

TORONTO AT SASKATCHEWAN​

Friday, October 10
9:00 p.m. ET
TSN/RDS2/CFL+

The Riders will be rocking their alternate obsidian green jerseys on Friday Night Football under the lights at Mosaic Stadium, and there should be a buzz in the building as the Riders could clinch the West with a win. (Editor’s note: As of this writing, the CFL is still looking at each scenario carefully, and will release the full, official Playoff Scenarios later in the week to confirm each team’s path to the post-season.)

The Riders finally saw an early spark from the offence in the win in Ottawa, but they weren’t able to sustain the momentum on offence after that opening drive. There is still work to be done, but if the Roughriders all come to work with the same energy and effort that AJ Ouellette brought on that chase down of Bryce Carter, the green and white will be just fine!

The defence is also starting to look a lot more polished after a few weeks of being exposed by opposing quarterbacks.

Toronto heads into Saskatchewan with pride on the line, after yet another tough loss and getting eliminated from playoff contention. It could be Jarret Doege at quarterback, unless the Argos plan to see what they have down the depth chart, but either way, the Riders will be looking to get after the quarterback.

We’ll be watching early this week to see the severity of the injury to Rolan Milligan Jr. Last year’s Most Outstanding Defensive Player went down in Ottawa, further testing the Riders’ secondary. I think they can survive with the depth they have, especially if Tevaughn Campbell is able to return.

PICK: SASKATCHEWAN

CALGARY AT HAMILTON​

Saturday, October 11
3:00 p.m. ET
TSN/RDS2/CTV/CFL+

The Tiger-Cats are looking to stay on top of the East Division with a home win on Saturday. Bo Levi Mitchell, like the Riders’ Trevor Harris, could use a rest ahead of the playoffs, but the Tiger-Cats will want to take care of business first this weekend.

The Stampeders defence has all of a sudden gone from one of the best in the league to one of the worst in the matter of a month. That’s what led to the trade for Lorenzo Mauldin IV, as the Stampeders try to bulk up that pass rush that has been AWOL for the last few weeks.

It looked a little better against the Lions last week, but the Stamps still gave up nearly 40 points.

Hamilton’s bounce back after the loss in Winnipeg was a reminder to all around the CFL that the Tiger-Cats are still a complete team. Hamilton’s Greg Bell is a potential X-factor down the stretch for Hamilton out of the backfield.

If Calgary wants to win this, they have to play as near a perfect game as they’ve played all season. Any self-inflicted wounds and this will be their fifth straight loss.

PICK: HAMILTON

WINNIPEG AT EDMONTON​

Saturday, October 11
7:00 p.m. ET
TSN/CFL+

The Bombers can potentially punch their ticket to the playoffs with a win this weekend.

Edmonton is in desperation mode and if Calgary wins earlier in the day, it’ll turn into a must-win game for the Elks.

The player the Bombers and the rest of the league have to key in on is Justin Rankin. If he gets rolling, it’s going to be a long game for the opposition. The Bombers know this, and after a bye week, they will come prepared, as they usually do.

I’m expecting the Bombers to turn this into the Brady Oliveira show. Oliveira’s touches are fewer than the last few years, though the production has been just fine.

So, be sure to try to roster both Rankin and Oliveira on your CFL Fantasy team this week because both teams need their running backs to get the job done throughout and into the playoffs.

This is truly a toss-up in my head, but after the Bombers dismantled the Tiger-Cats, I have to imagine they’ll get it done here as well.

PICK: WINNIPEG

OTTAWA AT MONTREAL​

Monday, October 13
1:00 p.m. ET
TSN/RDS/CBSSN/CFL+

Montreal and Ottawa get to showcase their game on Thanksgiving Monday. Of course, the game may not mean anything in the standings if Hamilton wins on Saturday, solidifying Montreal as the two seed and hosting the Eastern Semi-Final.

But it’ll be very meaningful for players who are playing for pay cheques next year in Ottawa. It will be for Montreal, too, to get Davis Alexander re-acclimated to his receivers.

Alexander is going for 10-0 as a starter this weekend, after he set the CFL record for most consecutive wins (nine) to start a career in Week 17.

I expect Ottawa to evaluate a few quarterbacks if they can afford to bring them on the roster.

Now, this all changes dramatically if Hamilton loses. Then we’ll have to wait to see how the Alouettes roll things out.

I’m not sure we see Alexander for a full slate of games down the stretch, but I do think he’ll be a factor before Montreal gives him a rest too.

PICK: MONTREAL

 

[Cnotes53]

Friday, October 10​

Game	Time(ET)	Pick	Units
TOR at SSK	09:00 PM	TOR +11.0 O 50.0	+500 +500

 

[Cnotes53]

CFL BEST BETS !

10/10/2025.................1 - 1 - 0.................50.00%..................- 0.50
10/04/2025.................3 - 1 - 0.................75.00%..................+ 9.50
10/03/2025.................1 - 0 - 0.................10.00%..................+ 5.00

TOTALS.......................5 - 2 - 0.................71.42%..................+ 13.50

 

[Cnotes53]

Saturday’s 6-pack:
NFL leaders in receiving yards:
588— Puka Nacua, Rams
534— Jaxon Smith-Njigba, Seahawks
449— Justin Jefferson, Vikings
445— Emeka Egbuka, Bucs
407— Amon-Ra St Brown, Lions
387— Christian McCaffrey, 49ers

Quote of the Day
“We never give up. We just keep fighting. It doesn’t matter how many innings we play. We just stay ready and wait for the moment. It’s going to come. It was my time.”
Mariners’ 2B Jorge Polanco

Saturday’s quiz
Who was the last defending World Series champ that got back to the World Series the next year?

Friday’s quiz
Joe Flacco played his college football at Pittsburgh, then Delaware.

Thursday’s quiz
In the movie The Bodyguard, when Whitney Houston’s character wins an Academy Award, Robert Wuhl was the MC of the ceremony.

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

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

— Mariners 3, Tigers 2 (15)
Longest winner-take-all playoff game in baseball history.
472 pitches thrown; Mariners used three of their starting pitchers.
Jorge Polanco had a walk-off single to end the game.
Kerry Carpenter was 4-for-5 with two walks for Detroit.
There were 37 strikeouts in this game.
Mariners-Blue Jays play in the ALCS; they came into existence the same year, 1976.

— Modern baseball: Seattle took George Kirby out after he got 15 outs on only 66 pitches. He was pitching on five days rest. Why take him out? He gave up three hits in 5+ IP.

— With Jaxson Dart doing well as a rookie QB, would any NFL team take a look at Ole Miss coach Lane Kiffin as a head coach? Coaches who can develop quarterbacks are popular.

— North Carolina’s recent football records:
2024: 6-7
2023: 8-5
2022: 9-5
2021: 6-7
2020: 8-4
2019: 7-6…….so far this year, they’re 2-3
From what you read on the Interweb, hiring Bill Belichick hasn’t gone well, and may not last much longer. Strange situation.

— South Florida 63, North Texas 36
Game was tied 21-21 at halftime.
USF scored four TD’s in a span of 5:45 early in third quarter.
Bulls ran the ball 57 times for 306 yards.

— Colorado State 49, Fresno State 21
Underdog Rams led 35-14 at halftime.
Bulldogs outgained Colorado State 469-334, but had four turnovers.
CSU QB Brousseau threw for 144 yards and three TDs.

— Washington 38, Rutgers 19
Rutgers led 13-10 at halftime.
Huskies’ QB Williams threw for 402 yards, 2 TD’s (14.9 yards/attempt)
Williams also ran the ball 13 times for 136 yards and 2 more TD’s.

Famous birthdays, October 11th:
David Morse, 72
Norm Nixon, 70
John Fourcade, 65
Joan Cusack, 63
Chris Spielman, 60
Matt Bomer, 48
Mike Conley, 38
Gio Urshela, 34
TJ Watt, 31
Brian Allen, 30

— Since 2010, the average payroll for the Bronx Bombers has been $216,082,060 and that includes 2020 (the pandemic year) when they only played 60 games and their payroll that year was $110,852,878.
Over the last 16 years, their average payroll has been $216,082,060, which means that since 2010, they’ve shelled out a total of $3,457,312,965, during which time they’ve made one World Series, and they lost that one.
3 billion dollars, no world titles. Not good.

— Buffalo Bills have played five games; on their first drive of each half, they’ve scored eight TD’s, kicked a field goal, lost a fumble. Tough team to stop.

— In their last four games, Philadelphia Eagles have run the ball for only 73.5 yards/game; they have been outgained in all six games this season.

— Big 18 hasn’t won a national championship in college basketball since Michigan State back in 2000.

— TV show suggestion on Netflix: Running Point- Kate Hudson stars as the owner of a pro basketball team, it is a bizarre version of Lakers’ owner Jeannie Buss’ career/life. Pretty good show.

— Before last week, there were 12,404 people alive in the Circa Casino Survivor Pool in Las Vegas. More than 7,700 of those people got knocked out last week; tough week for favorites.

 

[Udog]

Calgary Stampeders @ Hamilton Tiger-Cats

Winnipeg Blue Bombers @ Edmonton Elks

 

[Cnotes53]

Saturday, October 11​

Game	Time(ET)	Pick	Units
CGY at HAM	03:00 PM	CGY +3.5 O 56.5	+500 +500
WPG at EDM	07:00 PM	WPG -3.5 U 53.5	+500 +500

Monday, October 13​

Game	Time(ET)	Pick	Units
OTT at MTL	01:00 PM	OTT +13.5 O 51.5	+500 +500

 

[Cnotes53]

CFL BEST BETS !

10/11/2025.................3 - 1 - 0.................75.00%..................+ 9.50
10/10/2025.................1 - 1 - 0.................50.00%..................- 0.50
10/04/2025.................3 - 1 - 0.................75.00%..................+ 9.50
10/03/2025.................1 - 0 - 0.................10.00%..................+ 5.00

TOTALS......................8 - 3 - 0.................72.72%..................+ 23.00

 

[Udog]

Ottawa Redblacks @ Montreal Alouettes