Alouettes rout Eskimos

Football Betting Lines

07/09/2009 - Montreal, QC (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Anthony Calvillo completed 24-of-32 passes for 343 yards and two touchdowns and added a rushing TD, as the Montreal Alouettes routed the Edmonton Eskimos, 50-16, in the second game of the season for both teams.

Kerry Watkins caught nine passes for 119 yards and one score for the Alouettes (2-0), who kicked off the season by claiming a convincing 40-27 triumph over the reigning champion Calgary Stampeders. S.J. Green brought in five balls for 113 yards and a TD.

Avon Cobourne led the way on the ground, rushing for 65 yards and a score on 10 carries for Montreal, which was the only team in the East Division to post double-digit victories in 2008.

Edmonton (1-1), which won 19-17 against the Winnipeg Blue Bombers in the season opener, sorely missed running back Jesse Lumsden on Thursday. Lumsden will miss at least nine games after dislocating his left shoulder in the opener.

Eskimos quarterback Ricky Ray ended up leading the way on the ground, rushing for 33 yards on five carries. Arkee Whitlock finished with 29 yards and a score on 12 rushing attempts.

Ray completed 19-of-33 passes for 280 yards. Maurice Mann caught seven balls for 139 yards.

Calvillo's 28-yard strike to Watkins early in the first quarter gave the Als a 7-0 lead. The Eskimos used a 22-yard field goal from Noel Prefontaine late in the frame to cut the deficit to 8-3.

Montreal used the arm of Calvillo and the foot of Damon Duval to take a comfortable 19-6 margin heading into the locker room. Prefontaine cut the gap to three with a 15-yard field goal early in the second period. The Alouettes, though, finished out the quarter with an 11-yard field goal from Duval and a Calvillo 3-yard TD run to take control.

Prefontaine's 14-yard field goal proved to be the only scoring in the third period.

The Als turned the game into a rout in the fourth, scoring four touchdowns and a field goal. Calvillo got things started when he connected with Green on a 21-yard TD pass early in the frame. Also included in the quarter was a 67- yard punt return from Larry Taylor and a 38-yard interception return by Cory Huclack.

Whitlock capped the scoring in the contest with a 1-yard TD run.

Game Notes

It was the 87th consecutive sellout for Montreal...Als' Keron Williams had five tackles and two sacks, while Mark Estelle recorded eight tackles. Jonte Buhl led the Eskimos defense with six sacks.

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How did changes to college football betting rules affect bettors?

The 2007 college football rules changes that were implemented to shorten games are now history. The NCAA rules committee did what they set out to do; games were cut by an average of 14 minutes per game last season. There were also, on average, 14 fewer plays per game. We’ll get into how that did (or didn’t) affect games in regards to the pointspread a bit later.

While the NCAA rules committee may have had the betterment of the game in mind, they'll now “turn back the clock” for next season. Two key rules have now been overturned by the NCAA committee for the 2007 season, something definitely for the better.

For those of you who may not remember what those rules actually were, let us refresh your memory.

1) The first one was actually starting the clock on a kickoff as soon as the kicker touched the ball rather than waiting until the returner touched it. The problem here was near the end of the half (or game), if the team leading was kicking off, they could milk the clock by intentionally running offsides and then re-kicking. They could run 10-15 seconds off the clock each play while taking just five-yard penalties each time. They could run the clock down and simply cause the half (or game) to end on a kickoff, keeping the opposing offense off the field. In 2007, the clock will now start when the returner touches the ball as it had before last season.

2) The second rule dealt with starting the clock after a change of online football betting possession rather than waiting until the ball was snapped. This took a lot of time off the clock throughout the game as teams changed possession, however it caused the most problems late in games (or halves). Rather than huddling up and calling a play, the offensive team would have to rush onto the field as the clock started. This was a definite disadvantage to a team that was trying to come from behind late in the game. This year the clock will start on a change of possession, after the ball is snapped.

How did those rules affect the college game last year and will it make a difference this year when it comes to the pointspread? We commonly heard two theories when it came to these changes. First, it would affect scoring negatively. Second, it would hurt favorites as they would have less time and fewer plays to cover the number.

Did the rules hurt scoring? Yes. It seemed obvious that shortening the game by what amounted to 14 plays would push scoring downward. That was the case last year. Of the 119 Division 1A teams, 69 squads scored fewer points in 2007 than they did in 2005. Just 48 teams had a higher PPG scoring average and two stayed the same. Almost 59 percent of the teams in college football last year had a lower PPG average than they did in 2005. Expect more scoring in 2007 as we revert back to the old rules.

Did the rules hinder favorites from covering the number in 2007? Not really. Last year the favorites posted an overall spread record of 336-350-16 (48.9 percent). The year before, favorites were 316-326-13 (49.2 percent). In 2004, the favorites were 316-339-2 (48.2 percent). In fact, college football favorites have been above 50 percent for the season just once in the last seven years (in 2003). Last year’s numbers fell right in line with where they have been historically.

How about big favorites? The rules must have hurt them? Maybe a little bit. Double-digit favorites last year came in at a 47.8 percent clip compare with an average of just over 50 percent over the last seven years. Since 1980, favorites of -10 or more have covered at exactly a 50 percent clip (measured over 6,716 games).

Even bigger favorites must have struggled? Not really. In fact, it was just the opposite. Favorites of three TD’s or more were 59-54-2 last year (52.2 percent). Since 2000, those same favorites (-21 or higher) hit at 51.3 percent and since 1990 came in a clip of 50.3 percent. Stepping it up a notch to four TD favorites or higher, we actually see they've covered at a much better rate last season than before. Last year, favorites of -28 or more were 31-21-1, or almost 60 percent. Historically, four-TD-or-higher favorites have come in at a 50.7 percent spot since 2000 and only 48.9 percent since 1990. The “perceived” problem with the favorites covering at a reduced rate really never came to fruition.

Bottom line is, there might be some more scoring in 2007, but no real revelations when it comes to finding any pointspread golden nuggets.

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El Duque expected to throw Tuesday

PORT ST. LUCIE, Fla. -- New York Mets pitcher Orlando Hernandez, sidelined at spring training because of arthritis in his neck, is expected to resume throwing on Tuesday.

Hernandez received a cortisone shot Thursday after leaving camp and returning to New York to have his neck examined. The 41-year-old right-hander is penciled in as the team's No. 2 starter behind Tom Glavine.

El Duque's health is a major issue for the Mets, who won the NL East in 2007 and came within one victory of the World Series. Their aging and unsettled rotation is a big question mark this year.

MySportsbook.com has the Mets as -110 favorites to repeat as NL East champions odds. 

Hernandez went 11-11 with a 4.66 ERA last season, including 9-7 with a 4.09 ERA in 20 starts after the Mets acquired him from Arizona in late May. But he missed the playoffs because of a torn calf muscle.

New York already is without Pedro Martinez, out until at least midseason following rotator cuff surgery. Among those competing for starting jobs are prospects Mike Pelfrey, Philip Humber and Jason Vargas, plus veterans Chan Ho Park, Jorge Sosa and Aaron Sele.

Notes: Mets manager Willie Randolph is excited about two new utility players he could have on his bench: Damion Easley and David Newhan. ''Their value is really all over the place,'' Randolph said. Easley can play anywhere in the infield and could be used as an emergency outfielder, though Randolph said he would prefer to keep the veteran in the infield. Newhan, meanwhile, can play second base, third or any outfield position for the Mets. ''I love versatility,'' Randolph said. ''I love guys that can give me options when I need them to step in.''

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