With the 2010 CFL season a month into the books, betting trends and angles are starting to emerge in the CFL, where the Montreal Alouettes are still the team to beat.
Sometimes, it takes a little bit of perspective to gain some valuable knowledge, especially when it comes to betting on football.
A month from now, Lindsay Lohan may look back at her recent actions and learn some lessons. CFL betters have that perspective now after one month of play and can look back at their actions – or action – and do the same.
Here’s a retrospective of what we’ve see in the CFL season so far and the lessons we’ve learned.
1. The more things change, the more they stay the same
Take a quick glance at the standings after four week and you’ll see some familiar faces: the Alouettes, who represented the East in the 2009 Grey Cup, are sitting pretty at 3-1-0 and Saskatchewan Roughriders have also won three of four and are tied for first in the West with the Calgary Stampeders
The Alouettes have been steady-eddy once again. Should we even bother to expect any different? Their only loss this season was an overtime shortcoming in Saskatchewan, against the aforementioned Riders, and aside from that, they’ve been very impressive. Keep in mind that they have played the fewest home games in the league (just one) and played their first three contests on the road.
2. Welcome back, Calgary
The Alouettes are once again off to a successful start.
The Stampeders, who won the 2008 Grey Cup and suffered a bit of a hangover in 2009, have regained their swagger this season.
They are tied with Saskatchewan atop the West at 3-1, but they just finished off an impressive 40-20 win over those very same Riders this week.
Joffrey Reynolds is third in the league in rushing and Henry Burris has led the offence efficiently, but it’s been the defence that has impressed. Through four weeks, they’ve allowed the fewest points (85), fewest touchdowns (5) and the fewest plays from scrimmage.
The Stampeders are back with a vengeance.
3. Argonauts recipe for success: Just add ‘Lemon’
The Toronto Argonauts were a dismal team in 2009, and while some people felt they might be turning it around after a good off-season, nobody thought they’d win three out of their first four games.
From winning outright in Winnipeg as an 11-point underdog or at home against Calgary as a seven-point underdog, the Argonauts have been a big surprise to fans, pundits and CFL odds makers. Quarterback Cleo Lemon has adjusted well to the CFL and has managed the games for them and the defence has stood tall when necessary.
4. Lions strikeout with Casey at bat
While the 0-4-0 Edmonton Eskimos are worth mention as the league’s biggest disappointment, seeing the British Columbia Lions at 1-3-0 is not what anyone expected. There was a lot of optimism surrounding the Lions on the heels of an 8-10 season. Casey Printers had also returned to the fold near the end of last season. But, the magic is gone as Printers hasn’t been able to stay healthy, which has led to three straight losses for the Lions
With their offence sputtering, their defence has been stretched to its limits. The defence has held well in all three losses, but have broken in the second half for three straight weeks. They have been outscored 48-14 in the second-halves of their last three contests.
