Tag: Winnipeg Blue Bombers

Chad Kelly, Toronto thwart Winnipeg’s bid for Grey Cup hat trick

The Toronto Argonauts are Grey Cup champions, dethroning the Blue Bombers

Grey Cup 109 had a bit of everything on Sunday.

And a name from a troubled time in college football and stint in the NFL winds up a hero.

Chad Kelly came off the bench for Toronto and led an Argonauts comeback that wound up in a 24-23 victory over Winnipeg.

McLeod Bethel-Thompson was injured and Kelly rallied the Argos, who denied the Bombers a third straight Grey Cup.

The Argonauts trailed 23-14 in the fourth quarter after a 102-yard punt return by Janorian Grant of Winnipeg.

However, Toronto scored the final 10 points.

Kelly was 4-of-6 passing for 43 yards and directed the team to the scores when it counted. He also had a 20-yard run.

The nephew of Buffalo Bills great Jim Kelly has a championship under the most unlikely of circumstances.

As time wound down in the tense contest, each team had a field goal blocked and Toronto managed to hold off Winnipeg.

 

Janarion Grant of Winnipeg with 102-yard punt return in Grey Cup

Janarion Grant with a 102-yard punt return for the Winnipeg Blue Bombers in the Grey Cup

Marcus Jones of the New England Patriots had a dramatic 84-yard punt return for a TD In the NFL on Sunday.

Janarion Grant of the Winnipeg Blue Bombers went him 16 yards better in the fourth quarter of the Grey Cup against the  Toronto Argonauts.

Toronto led 17-14 when it punted to Grant, who already had a total of 3 returns for TDs in 2022.

He picked up the ball and took off for the end zone, reaching it 102 yards later.

Grant had a short stint with the Baltimore Ravens in 2018. He played college ball at Rutgers

Winnipeg missed the PAT and led 23-14.

The Bombers were looking for a Grey Cup hat trick, having won in 2019 and 2021. The 2020 season was canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Winnipeg downs Hamilton in OT to repeat as Grey Cup champs

The Winnipeg Blue Bombers are once again Grey Cup champions

The Winnipeg Blue Bombers have won back-to-back Grey Cups.

They rallied and defeated the Hamilton Tiger-Cats for the second straight CFL championship, 33-25, in overtime Sunday. This was Grey Cup 108.

Zach Collaros found Darvin Adams in the end zone in overtime, which is called a “mini-game.” He then connected with Rasheed Bailey for the two-point conversion.

Winnipeg picked off Jeremiah Masoli of Hamilton to end the game. Kyrie Wilson made the interception on a second-down play.

This was the fourth time the Grey Cup went to overtime. Winnipeg became the first team to go back-to-back since Montreal in 2009-10.

The overtime “mini-game” saw each team start a drive from the opponent’s 35-yard line. If a team scored, it had to go for a two-point conversion.

The CFL season in 2020 was canceled due to COVID-19.

The Bombers beat the Ti-Cats in the 2019 Grey Cup, too.

Winnipeg trailed 22-10 in the fourth quarter but had a huge wind in its favor and went on a 15-0 run. to take the lead.

Sergio Castillo kicked a 45-yard field goal with 1:52 left and added another point when the wind-aided kickoff could not be returned.

Masoli, who came on for an injured Dane Evans, led the Ti-Cats on a desperate drive into the wind.

They moved 70 yards before being stopped at the Winnipeg 5 and settling for a field goal that tied the game and forced overtime.

Saints roster moves: Veteran DL Christian Ringo signed to the practice squad

The New Orleans Saints signed free agent Christian Ringo to their practice squad, a former member of the Packers and CFL’s Blue Bombers.

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It didn’t take long for the New Orleans Saints to fill the vacancy on their practice squad created by releasing rookie draft pick Tommy Stevens: NewOrleans.Football’s Nick Underhill reports that the Saints have signed free agent defensive tackle Christian Ringo to get the practice squad back to its 16-man capacity, which was confirmed by Katherine Terrell of The Athletic.

Ringo, listed at 6-foot-1 and 300 pounds, may be a familiar name to some Saints fans — he played at the University of Louisiana at Lafayette in college before being picked by the Green Bay Packers in the sixth round of the 2016 draft. He appeared in 8 games for Green Bay before bouncing around the league, spending 2017 with the Detroit Lions and splitting time in 2018 between the Cincinnati Bengals and Dallas Cowboys.

Earlier this year, Ringo signed a free agent contract with the CFL’s Winnipeg Blue Bombers, where he would have played with former Saints linebacker Adam Bighill. But the CFL canceled its 2020 season amid the COVID-19 pandemic, so he opted out of his contract to pursue NFL opportunities.

In total, he’s played in 20 NFL games while racking up 15 tackles, 1.5 sacks, and 5 quarterback hits. Remember, the NFL changed its practice squad rules this year so that several players with four or more years’ experience can sign with teams in case of COVID-19-related absences, so Ringo makes six (joining wide receivers Austin Carr and Tommylee Lewis, center Cameron Tom, and defensive ends Anthony Zettel and Will Clarke). Expect Ringo to pad out the practice rotation at defensive tackle while Sheldon Rankins is on injured reserve.

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Former Cowboys WR Lucky Whitehead pulls semi in insane workout video

A former fan favorite in Dallas and current CFL champ, the receiver posted video online last week showing him hauling a massive trailer.

Pro football players are staying active, and they’re making sure everyone knows it. Dez Bryant’s private workouts have become a social media staple as he continues his NFL comeback bid. Just last week, Cowboys fans got a sneak peek inside rookie CeeDee Lamb’s agility training and even tackle Tyron Smith’s unorthodox get-up drills in his living room.

But former Cowboys receiver and return specialist Lucky Whitehead just raised the bar significantly. The fan favorite, who played for Dallas for the 2015 and 2016 seasons and is now a member of the CFL’s Winnipeg Blue Bombers, has posted a video that shows him pulling a semi truck.

In 30 games as a Cowboy, Whitehead hauled in nine receptions for 64 yards. Due to his famed speed (check out his Twitter handle), he saw more action on reverses and jet sweeps; he racked up 189 rushing yards on 20 attempts over his tenure in Dallas. Whitehead returned 44 punts at a 4.5-yard average. He was most effective returning kickoffs, averaging 17.2 yards per return.

An undrafted free agent out of Florida Atlantic in 2015, Whitehead struggled to catch on with the Cowboys coaching staff due to frequent fumbling, losing two of four loose balls.

In July 2017, it was revealed that Whitehead was facing misdemeanor petty larceny charges stemming from a June arrest. The 25-year-old receiver was accused of having stolen $25 of goods from a convenience store in Virginia and skipped court summons. The charges were dropped the next day, and Whitehead was cleared by the police when it was determined that the charges were based on mistaken identity. But the damage had been done. He had already been released by the Cowboys after the team’s first training camp practice.

After a stint with the New York Jets where he did not see the field, Whitehead signed with Winnipeg in 2019. The Blue Bombers won the Grey Cup in his first season with the club.

The semi footage from last week is not Whitehead’s first viral workout video. Several days prior, Lucky posted a scene where he pulled a four-door pickup.

Shortly after that video made the rounds, another CFLer, safety Stavros Katsantonis of the Hamilton Tiger-Cats posted his own footage of pulling a large delivery truck. In his reply, Whitehead vowed to up the ante.

Whitehead’s latest feat may have turned out to be a few wheels short of a full 18, but it doesn’t make the workout any less impressive.

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CFL Futures Betting: Odds, picks and best bets to win the 2020 Grey Cup

Analyzing the CFL futures betting odds, with picks, tips and best bets to win the 2020 Grey Cup.

The 2020 Grey Cup futures odds are one of the last refuges for sports bettors with the coronavirus pandemic sweeping across the globe and forcing the cancellation or postponement of nearly all major sporting events. Below, we turn our attention north of the border to the Canadian Football League, and look at the CFL odds and best bets to win the 2020 Grey Cup Nov. 22, in Regina, Saskatchewan.

2020 Grey Cup Betting Odds

Odds provided by BetMGM; access USA TODAY Sports for a full list.
Odds last updated Friday at 1 p.m. ET.

TEAM 2020 GREY CUP ODDS LAST GREY CUP WIN
Hamilton Tiger-Cats +340 1999
Saskatchewan Roughriders +500 2013
Winnipeg Blue Bombers +550 2019
Calgary Stampeders +550 2018
Edmonton Eskimos +600 2015
BC Lions +650 2011
Montreal Alouettes +800 2010
Toronto Argonauts +800 2017
Ottawa Redblacks +1300 2016

The Tiger-Cats will enter the 2020 season — scheduled to kick off in early June — as the odds-on favorites to win the 2020 Grey Cup after finishing as the runner-ups to the Winnipeg Blue Bombers last November in Calgary. The 2020 host Roughriders come in second at +500 odds. They finished the 2019 season atop the West Division, but they lost 20-13 on home field to the Blue Bombers in the West Final.

Only one team will enter the 2020 season with odds greater than 10-1, with that being the Redblacks following their last-place 2019 campaign. The 2016 Grey Cup champs played in three of the previous four championship games before going just 3-15 last season.

Place a legal sports bet on the 2020 Grey Cup winner at BetMGM.

2020 Grey Cup Betting Picks

Blue Bombers (+550)

The reigning champs will enter the 2020 season with just the third-best odds to win the 108th Grey Cup following their miracle 2019 season. QB Zach Collaros will remain as the starter under center, with Matt Nichols joining the Argonauts and Chris Streveler moving on to the NFL.

RB Andrew Harris, the CFL’s rushing leader in 2019, returns to lead the backfield once again.

New to sports betting? A $10 futures bet on the Blue Bombers to win the 2020 Grey Cup will return a profit of $55.

Eskimos (+600)

The Eskimos snuck into the playoffs in 2019 and made it to the East Final as the crossover team before losing to the Tiger-Cats. QB Trevor Harris ranked second in the CFL with 4,027 passing yards while throwing 16 touchdowns against six interceptions. He has plenty of Grey Cup experience with the Redblacks.

RB CJ Gable remains a free agent, but Shaquille Cooper and Alex Taylor will be able to fill the void. Harris ran for a team-high six touchdowns in 2019. The defense shared the league lead with 56 sacks last season, and they allowed a league-low 222.9 yards per game.

Redblacks (+1300)

Ottawa was the laughing stock of the CFL last season, going just 1-8 on home field, 2-7 on the road and 1-7 against the East Division. They scored a league-low 312 points and allowed a league-high 564 points in 18 games. The QB position was addressed this offseason with the addition of Nick Arbuckle. Dominique Davis will revert to a backup role.

The Ti-Cats remain the juggernauts in the East Division, but the door is fairly open behind them. The Argos added former Bombers QB Matt Nichols, but they remain thin at both running back and receiver. The Alouettes lost RB William Stanback to the NFL and will struggle to replace his contributions.

The value here can’t be ignored in a nine-team league where anything can happen.

Want some action the 2020 Grey Cup? Place a bet at BetMGM now. For more sports betting tips, visit SportsbookWire.com.

Follow @EstenMcLaren and @SportsbookWire on Twitter.

Gannett may earn revenue from audience referrals to betting services.  Newsrooms are independent of this relationship and there is no influence on news coverage.

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107th Grey Cup: Tiger-Cats vs. Blue Bombers odds, picks and best bets

Previewing the CFL 107th Grey Cup matchup with Hamilton Tiger-Cats vs. Winnipeg Blue Bombers CFL Grey Cup betting odds and lines, picks, tips, and best bets.

The Hamilton Tiger-Cats and Winnipeg Blue Bombers meet in the 107th Grey Cup Sunday at McMahon Stadium in Calgary, AB. The big game will kick off at 6 p.m. ET. We analyze the Tiger-Cats vs. Blue Bombers odds and lines, while providing CFL betting picks and tips for the matchup.

Tiger-Cats vs. Blue Bombers: 107th Grey Cup preview, betting trends and notes

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  • This is the first Grey Cup matchup in which both participants are missing their Week 1 starter at quarterback. Bombers QB Matt Nichols and Ti-Cats QB Jeremiah Masoli suffered season-ending injuries.
  • Blue Bombers QB Zach Collaros has completed 28 of 46 attempts for 460 yards, two touchdowns and no interceptions through two playoff games. He suffered an injury in Week 1 with the Saskatchewan Roughriders and was replaced by Cody Fajardo.
  • Collaros started for the Tiger-Cats the last time they made the Grey Cup in 2014. They lost 20-16 to the Calgary Stampeders.
  • The Blue Bombers haven’t played in a Grey Cup since 2011, when they lost 34-23 to the BC Lions.
  • Hamilton hasn’t won a Grey Cup since 1999 and Winnipeg hasn’t won since 1990.
  • The Tabbies beat the Bombers 23-15 in Hamilton in Week 7, and 33-13 in Winnipeg in Week 16.

Tiger-Cats vs. Blue Bombers: 107th Grey Cup odds, picks and betting tips

Odds via BetMGM; access USA TODAY Sports’ betting odds for a full list. Lines last updated Thursday at 3 p.m. ET.

Prediction

Tiger-Cats 32, Blue Bombers 26

Moneyline (ML)

The Tiger-Cats (-176) are relatively large favorites over the Blue Bombers (+145) in the championship game. Hamilton went 6-3 on the road over the regular season and Winnipeg was 3-6 before winning back-to-back road playoff games. The two sides will now meet at a neutral site.

Back HAMILTON to end its Grey Cup drought and extend Winnipeg’s by another year.

New to sports betting? A $10 wager on Hamilton to win would return a profit of $5.68.

Against the Spread (ATS)

Both teams have been excellent ATS through the postseason. The Ti-Cats are 13-4 overall ATS and 6-2 on the road. The Bombers were 14-6 overall and 5-4 on the road, and covered as underdogs in each of their two road playoff games.

Stick with the TIGER-CATS, who’re laying -3.5 points at -110.

Over/Under (O/U)

Take the OVER 51.5 (-110). The Bombers had played to four straight Overs before falling short of the projected total last week against the Roughriders. The Tiger-Cats went 2-2-1 against the O/U over five games since the beginning of October.

Four of the last five Grey Cups have fallen short of this year’s projected total, but Sunday is calling for clear skies and temperatures above freezing in Calgary. The runways will be clear.

Get some action in this one by placing a bet at BetMGM. If you’re looking for more sports betting picks and tips, access all of our content at SportsbookWire.com.

Follow @EstenMcLaren and @SportsbookWire on Twitter.

Gannett may earn revenue from audience referrals to betting services.  Newsrooms are independent of this relationship and there is no influence on news coverage.

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Blue Bombers-Roughriders odds: Saskatchewan given home advantage in Western Final

Previewing Sunday’s Winnipeg Blue Bombers at Saskatchewan Roughriders sports betting odds and lines, with CFL matchup analysis and picks.

The Winnipeg Blue Bombers (11-7) visit the Saskatchewan Roughriders (13-5) in Sunday’s Western Final at Mosaic Stadium. Kickoff is scheduled for 4:30 p.m. ET as the second game of the playoff doubleheader.

We analyze the Blue Bombers-Roughriders odds and lines, while providing CFL betting picks and tips for the matchup.

The Blue Bombers steamrolled the defending Grey Cup champion Calgary Stampeders 35-14 in last week’s Western Semi-Final.

Blue Bombers at Roughriders: Western Final preview, betting trends and notes

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  • The Roughriders won the regular-season series two games to one. They won both at home by scores of 19-17 (Week 12) and 21-6 (Week 17). The Bombers won at home by a 35-10 count in Week 13.
  • The two sides met in last year’s Western Semi-Final with Winnipeg prevailing 23-18.
  • Blue Bombers QB Zach Collaros will face one of his former teams this week after completing 11 of 21 passes for 193 yards and one touchdown against the Stamps last week.
  • Backup QB Chris Streveler completed his lone attempt for 22 yards while battling a foot injury.
  • Roughriders QB Cody Fajardo, who replaced an injured Collaros in Week 1, went on to lead the CFL with 4,302 passing yards over 17 games. He had 18 touchdowns to eight interceptions.
  • Blue Bombers RB Andrew Harris led the league with 1,380 rushing yards over 16 games. Riders RB William Powell ranked second with 1,093 yards in 18 games. His 12 rushing touchdowns led all running backs.

Blue Bombers at Roughriders: Western Final odds, picks and betting tips

Odds via BetMGM; access USA TODAY Sports’ betting odds for a full list. Lines last updated Friday at 12:15 p.m. ET.

Prediction

Roughriders 28, Blue Bombers 24

Moneyline (ML)

The Blue Bombers (+135) were able to pull off the upset last week with Collaros making his debut under center and a brief appearance from Streveler. The ROUGHRIDERS (-162) pose a much tougher test both offensively and defensively, however, and will prevail on home field.

New to sports betting? A $10 bet on the Riders to win outright returns a profit of $6.17.

Against the Spread (ATS)

The better play for the home side is with the spread of -3.5 at +100. The same $10 bet would return a $10 profit should Saskatchewan win by at least four points.

The Riders were 12-5-1 against the spread this year and 5-3-1 at home.

Over/Under (O/U)

Take the OVER 44.5 (-106) on a low projection. The Bombers held the Stamps to just 14 points last week but Fajardo, Powell and the Riders have a more balanced offensive attack. The two dominant running attacks will get the bulk of the work in the first half before the passing games open up in the second.

Esten’s CFL betting record: 69-72-1

Get some action in this one by placing a bet at BetMGM. If you’re looking for more sports betting picks and tips, access all of our content at SportsbookWire.com.

Follow @EstenMcLaren and @SportsbookWire on Twitter.

Gannett may earn revenue from audience referrals to betting services.  Newsrooms are independent of this relationship and there is no influence on news coverage.

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