It’s hard to say a week three game is a “must win” game for any team, but this might be the exception. Both the Stampeders and Lions had high hopes entering the 2019 season, and both are winless this season.

The good news, there is plenty of season left, but a win here would be a step in the right direction.

CFL Odds and Betting

These two teams met in the preseason earlier in June, with the Lions edging the Stamps 38-36. However in the last 10 games, the Leos are 3-7 (straight up) and 4-9-1 against the spread (ATS) in the last 14 games head-to-head against the Stampeders.

Traditionally, the Lions have not bounced back well after a ATS, as they are 1-4 ATS after an ATS loss.

Interesting note, although these two teams employ two of the league’s best pivots, they have combined for five consecutive unders dating back to the 2016 season.

BC Lions

Has panic set in to the BC Lions lockeroom? Probably not, but a 0-2 start is something nobody expected from a team that was one of the busiest this off-season.

Now, Head Coach DeVone Claybrooks leads his winless Lions into a place where he has had plenty of success in the past (Calgary), where he was the defensive co-ordinator of the Grey Cup champion Stampeders.

Quarterback Mike Reilly has put up decent numbers to date, but 473 passing yards through two games isn’t typical type Reilly numbers. But the blame for the 0-2 start isn’t all on placed on the veteran pivots feet. The offensive line hasn’t done any favours for Reilly, as he was sacked seven times against the Eskimos. Also, the teams running attack has combined for 57 yards total over the first two games.

Of note, the Lions have signed All-Star defensive back Branden Dozier to a contract. The 25-year-old spent the last two seasons with the Montreal Alouettes, recording 84 tackles and five interceptions over 17 games in 2018, good enough to be named to the Eastern All-Star team.

Calgary Stampeders

The Stampeders have had a lot of time to think about their week one loss to the Ottawa Redblacks. In that game, the Stamps gave up 11 unanswered points to fall to the visitors 32-28.

When the Stampeders coaching staff looks through the tape of the game one loss, they’ll realize (if they haven’t already) that their run game was dreadful. The running attack combined for 42 yards on 12 carries (3.6 yard average). Take into consideration that Markeith Ambles had one carry in the 1^st quarter for 17 yards and that yards per carry stat drops significantly.

There is good news on the horizon for the Stampeders, as the Lions allowed an average of 142.5 rushing yards per game in the first two games of the season. That’s the third worst average in the CFL.

LIONS

Away

21

STAMPEDERS

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