Eskimos and Lions duke it out in Vancouver

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09/28/2011 - Vancouver, BC (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - BC Place is scheduled to be open for business this week as the British Columbia Lions entertain the Edmonton Eskimos in CFL action on Friday night.

The Lions, who have been playing their home games at Empire Field while BC Place has been getting a facelift, have a record of just 2-3 in their home dates thus far in 2011, so perhaps the change of scenery will perk up the club. Although, after an 0-5 start to the campaign there's been no team hotter than the Lions who have won five straight and six of their last seven outings in order to become a major player in the Western Division where they are just a game off the pace set by the Eskimos and Calgary Stampeders.

For the third time in the last five games the BC defense came ready to play as it held Saskatchewan to a meaningless five points in a 37-point romp. It was the third time in four games that the Lions had held the opposition to single digits in scoring and during this current win streak British Columbia has allowed an average of less than 10 points per outing. And really, the defense for the Lions has been even better than that, considering the Roughriders scored their final two points of the meeting after BC kicker Paul McCallum conceded in the end zone.

Lions quarterback Travis Lulay found plenty of gaps in the Saskatchewan defense as he converted 19-of-26 passes for 303 yards and two touchdowns, with one of his passes to Arland Bruce in the second quarter measuring out to 100 yards. Bruce finished with just two catches, but with an average of 58 yards per grab. Geroy Simon accounted for a game-high nine catches for 96 yards and the other touchdown through the air for the visitors.

McCallum was a hefty contributor to the bottom line as well as he knocked through all four of his field goal tries and finished with 16 points, compared to just three points for his counterpart on the Riders.

Against the Montreal Alouettes last week, Edmonton again got off to a slow start with just a single point through the first quarter, eventually posting just 10 points in the second half en route to a 34-21 setback at home. Defensively the Esks managed to knock out Montreal quarterback Anthony Calvillo in the third quarter, but still the Edmonton offense struggled to produce when it had the opportunity.

Ricky Ray connected on just 14 passes the entire night, on 26 attempts, leading to 213 yards and a major, but he was picked off once and sacked three times, the latter bringing the team's overall rushing efforts down to only 100 yards. Fred Stamps caught a one-yard TD pass late in the fourth quarter from Ray, but it was Adarius Bowman who did the majority of the damage for the Eskimos further down the field with his five catches for 132 yards.

For the first three games of this season there was no one better than Ray with the ball in his hands, throwing for more than 1,000 yards and six touchdowns, without a single interception. In August the gunslinger hit a few bumps in the road with a couple of games in which he tossed three picks and had just a single passing major to show for his efforts, but in the last four outings he's back to being more conservative, and that might be just what the Eskimos need right now to keep them level.

Over on the other side, Lulay has thrown for a career-high 3,168 yards, although that should be taken with a grain of salt seeing as how this is just his third year in the league and really his first as a full-time starter for the Lions. But still, Lulay's progress has been very promising, even if he is the only regular starter who is converting passes at less than 62 percent, hitting just 58.3 percent of his attempts thus far.

Unfortunately for Lulay, the Lions have one of the weaker rushing attacks in the CFL this season, averaging just 96.8 ypg, which is why the team needs him to perform at a higher level than most.

The good news for Lulay and the BC offense is that the defense has been dominant this season, allowing a league-low 20.8 ppg, thanks in part to a pass defense that has collected a league-high 16 interceptions in order to make the Lions one of only two teams in the league to have a turnover margin that is in double digits in their favor.

Edmonton owns a huge lead in the all-time, regular-season series between these two programs at 102-69-4, although the Lions crushed the Eskimos in an unsightly 36-1 final on the road in the most recent meeting back on August 19.

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Problem with Bears?

Chicago, IL - New Chicago Bears quarterback Jay Cutler and star linebacker Brian Urlacher shot down reports of a rift, saying they're simply not true.

"There's nothing between us," Cutler said Thursday, when he reported to training camp. "I just want to put that to rest. There never has been anything between us."

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Urlacher added: "I never said what I was quoted as saying and that's it. I have a lot of respect for Jay. I think Jay knows that."
Former Bears receiver Bobby Wade caused a stir when he told Minneapolis radio station KFAN-AM that Urlacher used a profanity while questioning Cutler's manhood during a conversation in Las Vegas last weekend. Wade, who now plays for the Vikings, said Urlacher used a profane version of the word "wimp" during the interview that had to be edited out.
go radio station WSCR-AM also reported that Urlacher had to be restrained from confronting Cutler during organized team activities.
"I wouldn't go face-to-face with Brian, anyway," Cutler said. "No, that's never happened. I've hung out with Brian away from the facility numerous times and we've always gotten along."
Urlacher, noting he was limited by a groin injury, denied the reports in an interview with the Chicago Tribune and did it again when he reported to camp.
"I didn't practice this summer, so I don't know how I would fight the guy if I didn't practice," Urlacher said. "We have no problems. I'm excited about football starting. I'm excited to have him as our quarterback."
Why would Wade say that?
"I don't know," Urlacher said. "Maybe he's jealous because we have a good quarterback now."
Cutler said the first he heard of any friction was when he got a call from Urlacher to clear the air. Urlacher, however, said he had already taken several calls from teammates wondering if the reports were true when Cutler phoned.
"He called me and I said, What's up (expletive), what are you doing?'" a grinning Urlacher said, uttering the same word he allegedly used with Wade. "It's so dumb to me that this even got to this point, but it did and then here we are."
better place after going 9-7 and missing the playoffs for the second straight year. They have a franchise quarterback for the first time in decades after acquiring Cutler in an offseason trade with Denver. But there are questions about his attitude following a fallout with Broncos management and new coach Josh McDaniels.
His critics include former Bears coach Mike Ditka and former Indianapolis and Tampa Bay coach Tony Dungy, one of Smith's mentors. Smith, however, said Cutler has been a model teammate so far while denying any animosity with Urlacher.
"There's no issue with Jay and Brian, except Brian and Jay are both excited about being teammates for our club this year," coach Lovie Smith said. "No more than that. We can't spend a whole lot of time on something that isn't true. I have talked to the players. Whenever something comes out, you have to address it, but it's a non-issue."
In some ways, Cutler is getting a second chance in Chicago, an opportunity to repair his reputation.
Smith said another quarterback - Michael Vick - deserves one, although he doesn't see it happening with the Bears, who lack an experienced backup. The former Atlanta Falcons star, who served a 23-month sentence for running a dogfighting ring, said Thursday he is getting close to signing with a pro football team.
"A second chance, like everyone in society who has paid their debt to society," Smith said. "He deserves a second chance. As far as we're concerned, we like this team that we have right now."
Particularly the new quarterback.
"Me and Brian have been on a good relationship since I've been here, and I expect it to continue that way," Cutler said.

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