Around the CFL: Montreal trying to win big one at home

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11/21/2008 - Montreal, QC (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The Montreal Alouettes will definitely have home-field advantage for the Grey Cup.

The Alouettes will have the support of 60,000-plus rabid supporters on Sunday when they take on the Calgary Stampeders at Olympic Stadium.

Grey Cup organizers are hopeful that this year's game will attract more spectators than the 68,000-plus that turned out to watch Montreal defeat Edmonton 41-6 in the '77 CFL championship game. That year, the Grey Cup was played outdoors on a frozen turf that, appropriately enough, better resembled an ice hockey rink than football field.

Defensive back Tony Proudfoot's idea to put staples through the bottom of his shoes for better traction proved to a novel one as the Alouettes were much better able to get their footing on the slippery playing surface than the Eskimos.

Weather won't be a factor this time around, though, as Olympic Stadium is now a domed facility. But that will create a definite advantage for Montreal.

The partisan Alouettes gathering will definitely be a noisy one, living on the home team's every move. However, Montreal fans are definitely educated fans, having learned the value of being quiet when the home team has the ball, then perking up once the defense takes the field.

Home field was very important this season to Montreal, who finished in a four- way tie for the CFL's top home record at 7-2. However, the Alouettes were just 3-5 against West Division teams and 0-2 versus the Stampeders.

Montreal also has history working against it. The last CFL team to win the Grey Cup at home was the 1994 B.C. Lions. But a year after Montreal posted a dismal 8-10 record and bowed out of the first round of the CFL playoffs, it finds itself playing in is sixth Grey Cup game in nine years, thanks to an innovative rookie head coach.

The Alouettes decision this off-season to hire Marc Trestman was certainly met with some skepticism. After all, Trestman had spent time coaching with eight NFL teams over 17 years, including four terms as an offensive coordinator, and came to Montreal with no previous coaching experience in Canada.

But Trestman installed a quick-passing offense that has very much suited Anthony Calvillo. The 15-year CFL veteran threw a CFL-high 43 touchdown passes and was second overall in passing with 5,633 yards to capture the league's outstanding player for a second time.

And Trestman's offense certainly has the ability to give its home fans plenty to cheer about. The Alouettes were tops in the CFL in scoring, (32.4 points per game), yards per game (429) and passing percentage (69.5 percent).

Montreal also featured three 1,000-yard receivers in Jamel Richardson (98 catches, 1,287 yards, league-high 16 TDs), Ben Cahoon (league-best 107 catches, 1,231 yards, seven TDs) and Kerry Watkins (84 catches, 1,178 yards, 10 TDs).

Running back Avon Cobourne gives Montreal a double threat. Midway through the season he was threatening to become the first player in CFL history to accumulate 1,000 yards rushing and receiving in the same season.

Injuries ended Cobourne's historic run, but he's back and healthy now, having rushed for 950 yards and caught 66 passes for 616 yards.

Montreal also fields a tough defense that was second in sacks (43) and third in fewest points allowed (23.5 points per game). Linebacker T.J Hill finished fifth overall in tackles with a team-high 84 while cornerback Davis Sanchez, a former San Diego Charger, led the squad in interceptions with three.

Special teams are in good hands. Damon Duval was second in the CFL in scoring (206 points, good on 44 of 53 field goals) and third in punting with a 46.2- yard average.

Larry Taylor was a one-man show in Montreal's 36-26 East Division win over Edmonton, returning two punts for touchdowns.

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Football Betting Lines

The 2009 AP NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year odds have been released and Denver Broncos' running back Knowshon Moreno has been made the opening favorite.

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Moreno was selected in the first round of April's NFL draft and is expected to carry the rushing load for the Broncos this season. And with Jay Cutler now in Chicago, Moreno might be expected to be Denver's entire offense.

Betting Lines from sports betting lines have made Moreno a 5/2 favorite to win this year's Offensive Rookie of the Year Award. Fellow running back Chris “Beanie” Wells (Arizona Cardinals) is right behind Moreno at 7/2, while Donald Brown (Indianapolis Colts) and receiver Michael Crabtree (San Francisco 49ers) are 5/1 to win. Quarterbacks Mark Sanchez (New York Jets) and Matthew Stafford (Detroit Lions) are 7/1 and 8/1, respectively.

A couple of players who present some value are Josh Freeman, Shonn Green and Darrius Heyward-Bey.

Freeman needs to beat out Byron Leftwich to become the starting quarterback of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers but if he does, he has a lot or raw talent and could use the weapons around him (i.e. Kellen Winslow Jr. and Antonio Bryant) to be very successful in his first season.

Green enters a crowded backfield in New York, but considering both Thomas Jones and Leon Washington are unhappy about their contract situations and might holdout, the former Iowa product could become the Jets' primary back.

Everyone was shocked when Al Davis took Heyward-Bey with the eighth overall pick in April's draft, but the kid has a tremendous amount of talent and if quarterback JaMarcus Russell takes the next step this year, the former Maryland product could blossom. Plus, Heyward-Bey will be looking to prove the people wrong who said Oakland should have taken Michael Crabtree with the No. 8 pick.

And if you're looking for a deep sleeper, check out Pat White at 30/1. He enters the Miami Dolphins vaunted “Wild Cat” offense and could be a big time playmaker.

For complete odds on the 2009 AP NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year odds, see below.

2009 AP NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year Odds to Win

Ramses Barden (NYG) 40/1

Andre Brown (NYG) 20/1

Donald Brown (IND) 5/1

Kenny Britt (TEN) 20/1

Glenn Coffee (SFO) 30/1

Chase Coffman (CIN) 50/1

Michael Crabtree (SFO) 5/1

Josh Freeman (TB) 14/1

Shonn Green (NYJ) 14/1

Percy Harvin (MIN) 10/1

Darrius Heyward-Bay (OAK) 18/1

Juaquan Iglesias (CHI) 30/1

Cornelius Ingram (PHI) 50/1

Rashad Jennings (JAC) 30/1

Johnny Knox (CHI) 40/1

Jeremy Maclin (PHI) 18/1

Mohamed Massaquoi (CLE) 30/1

LeSean McCoy (PHI) 12/1

Knowshon Moreno (DEN) 5/2

Hakeem Nicks (NYG) 18/1

Brandon Pettigrew (DET) 30/1

Brian Robiskie (CLE) 20/1

Mark Sanchez (NYJ) 7/1

Matthew Stafford (DET) 8/1

Jason Smith (STL) 40/1

Mike Thomas (JAC) 25/1

Patrick Turner (MIA) 50/1

Mike Wallace (PIT) 50/1

Chris Wells (ARI) 7/2

Pat White (MIA) 30/1

Field (Any Other Player) 9/1

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