The Montreal Alouettes are the defending CFL Champs after going 15-3 including 9-0 at home, and bolstered by a great defense, they are 3/2 favorites to repeat their Grey Cup title.
The 2010 Canadian Football League kicked off on July 1st with eight teams beginning their quest of making it all the way it to the 98th Grey Cup in hopes of bringing home a CFL Title.
Last season Saskatchewan’s fatal 13 men on the field penalty gave Montreal kicker Damon Duval new life after he missed a game winning yard field from 43 yards out. His next attempt from five yards closer was good giving the Alouettes the 27-25 victory and the championship.
This year the Rough Riders look to avenge that defeat but they will have to get by some stiff competition in the West from the Calgary Stampeders, B.C. Lions, and Edmonton Eskimos while in the East, Montreal will have to fend off the Hamilton Tiger Cats to once again win the division. The Winnipeg Blue Bombers and Toronto Argonauts are lining up to play the role of spoiler in this whole mix.
The following is a brief look at all eight teams along with their current odds to hoist the Grey Cup in late November.
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The Montreal Alouettes are coming off a 15-3 regular season record in 2009 including going a perfect 9-0 at home. They met little resistance within their division as they compiled a 9-1 record against the rest of the teams in the East.
They come into the 2010 season as 3/2 favorites to win it all again. With QB Anthony Cavillo, the league’s most outstanding player in 2009 leading the offense and DE’s Anwar Stewart and John Bowman anchoring the defense it is hard to make a case for them not to repeat.
The main battle this season should come in the West between Saskatchewan and Calgary who are both currently listed at 3/1 odds to win it all this year. They both had identical 10-7-1 records in 2009 with the Rough Riders winning the division based on head to head play.
Behind QB Darian Durant expect Saskatchewan to once again put a ton of points on the board. The question mark for this team will be their defense after losing both John Chick and Stevie Bags this past offseason. Calgary will rely on the league’s leading rusher the past two seasons, RB Joffrey Reynolds to carry the load on the ground. This should help open up lanes for the passing game led by QB Henry Burris.
Two teams to watch this season are the B.C. Lions and the Edmonton Eskimos as they are both talented enough to make a legitimate run in the West. Both are listed at 6/1 odds to win it all. B.C. went 8-10 last season but with the addition of players like RB Jamal Robertson and DL Keron Williams they expect to improve upon that mark.
Edmonton went 9-9 in 2009 and like the Lions is counting on some offseason acquisitions especially in the defensive secondary to add a few more games to the win column.
The Hamilton Tiger Cats are listed at 7/1 odds to win it all and with QB Kevin Glenn firmly in place as their starting QB they are optimistic they can improve upon last season’s 9-9 campaign. Winnipeg is currently listed at 12/1 odds to win it all. They went 7-11 in 2009 and have to hope that either Buck Pierce or Steven Jyles can step in at quarterback and turn things around.
Toronto is the long shot of the bunch at 25/1 and for good reason. Last year they managed to win only three games against 15 defeats. They have a decent defense but their offense is still a mess as they have yet to find a steady quarterback capable of leading their team.