If the old saying "familiarity breeds contempt" is true, then there should be a lot of contempt Saturday night when Winnipeg and Hamilton battle for a third time this season.
On July 2, the Winnipeg Blue Bombers took care of the Hamilton Tiger-Cats to open up the 2010 CFL betting season with a 49-29 win at Canad Inns Stadium. Just two weeks later, the Tabbies got their revenge at Ivor Wynne Stadium, pushing aside Winnipeg 28-7. Even though this is only the sixth week of the season, the two squads are already renewing ties for a third time on Saturday night in Steeltown. Just six days later, they will meet again at Canad Inns.
Things look relatively grim for both teams at this point in the season, especially considering that each has one win against the other. Hamilton is winless against the rest of the CFL and is tied for the worst record in the league. However, if the playoffs were to start today, the Ti-Cats would be in a position where they were tied for the crossover playoff spot.
Sign up to win prizes in SBR Contests!
Winnipeg is 2-3 and is a game clear of the Tabbies for the last safety postseason spot in the East Division.
The winner of this grudge match will take third place in the East Division into Week 7, while the loser will be sitting in the gutter.
One would figure that the problems for the Blue Bombers would be stemming from their offense. However, with 157 points scored, only Montreal and Saskatchewan have better tallies in the league through five games, and that also accounts for the woeful seven-point showing against Hamilton back in Week 3.
Fifteen offensive scores this year ranks second in the CFL behind just Saskatchewan. The Riders are also the only team in the CFL to average more yards per game than the Bombers, who currently sit at a lofty 8.5 yards per play.
Though QB Buck Pierce hasn't played in two weeks, reserve Stephen Jyles has stepped in admirably, completing 61.5 percent of his passes for 580 yards and two TDs to go with four rushing scores. Pierce, who has been injury prone in his career, has been sitting out due to a knee problem. He is listed as questionable to return for the third installment against the Tiger-Cats.
The play of WR Terrence Edwards has been phenomenal this year. He leads the CFL in receiving at 545 yards and is the only man in the league with at least three receptions to average over 20 YPC (21.5). Edwards has four receiving TDs on the season as well, putting him in a three-way tie for the league lead.
Wide receiver Arland Bruce tried his best last week to break all of Edwards' marks in just one game. The CFL veteran had the best game of his career, hauling in 16 receptions for 272 yards and two TDs. Unfortunately for him, his Ti-Cats needed all those passing yards because they were constantly trailing the Saskatchewan Roughriders. Hamilton was defeated, 37-24.
Quarterback Kevin Glenn has had an up and down season, but lately, he has been more high than low. He has thrown for at least 330 yards in three of his last four starts and has three TD passes in two of his last three. The two INTs Glenn threw last week against the Riders were the first blunders he has made since the opening week of the season.
As a result, only Pierce and Montreal's Anthony Calvillo have higher QB ratings this season than Glenn, who currently sits at a lofty 100.8.
Still, thanks to a poor running game which ranks dead last in the league at just 70.6 YPG, the Tabbies are sixth in the CFL in total offense at 347.4 YPG.
Running back DeAndra Cobb has to be losing confidence in a hurry. He rushed for 1,217 yards last season, but is only on a pace for 727 this year. Cobb is averaging the worst YPC amongst starting running backs in the league at 4.0, and his 202 yards on the ground is easily the lowest amongst starting backs.
Dating back to last season, Hamilton is only 1-5 ATS in its last six overall. The team has only had two games in that stretch in which it held its opponents under 34 points.
The Blue Bombers enter this game having covered the CFL spreads in back-to-back games as underdogs.
They're pups once again on Saturday night, as the Bombers are 2.5-point underdogs. The 'total' has been set at 53.5.