Morning Coffee: Mitchell emerges as MOP favourite after sparking Tiger-Cats turnaround

There are no guarantees in the sports betting multiverse.

The closest you’ll ever get to a lock is taking the over on the number of coffees I need to get through my first 24 hours back at work post-summer vacation.

The FanDuel traders are the best in the business but all of us in the TSN Betting department knew over/under 6.5 was way too low for a 38-year-old Italian Canadian coming off a seven-day staycation doing the most NFL prep possible ahead of this week’s Pro Football Hall of Fame Game.

By failing to prepare, you’re preparing to fail.

Give me six hours to throw a football, I’ll spend the first five inflating it.

I’m pretty sure that’s a Brady quote.

Anyways, espresso, research, parlay is basically my lather, rinse, repeat at this point in life.

The Pro Football Hall of Fame Game goes Thursday night on TSN, and I can promise you I’ll be borrowing a little something from the coaches of both the Los Angeles Chargers and Detroit Lions ahead of the NFL’s return.

Give me Jim Harbaugh’s khaki’s and Dan Campbell’s coffee order and I’ll be happier than Bill Belichick enjoying life on campus at Chapel Hill this summer.

I’ve never seen Belichick smile this much and I like it.

Speaking of coaches with a skip in their step, is any CFL head coach happier than Scott Milanovich right now?

He’s got a legitimate MOP candidate in quarterback Bo Levi Mitchell, the game’s best receiver in Kenny Lawler, and enough talent on offence to outscore any opponent when the Hamilton Tiger-Cats are firing on all cylinders.

After an 0-2 start, the Tiger-Cats have hit their stride with five straight wins to match the Montreal Alouettes for the best record in the East Division standings.

As if that wasn’t reason enough to smile, Hamilton has a golden opportunity to take over sole possession of first place in the East with a favourable match-up on deck in Week 9 of the CFL season. 

The Tiger-Cats are far from a lock to win the Grey Cup.

Still, their odds to win it all at FanDuel have shifted significantly since the start of a five-game win streak.

I’m counting on that number to move again following another Hamilton win this Saturday in Edmonton.

This is Morning Coffee for Tuesday July 29th, 2025.

Mitchell Emerges As MOP Favourite After Sparking Tiger-Cats Turnaround

Remember when Davis Sanchez told us the Tiger-Cats could surprise as a sleeper Grey Cup pick at +1000?

Well, they’ve won five in a row, they’re tied with Montreal for the best record in the East, and they’re down to +400 as the fourth choice to win the Grey Cup.

Not bad for a team some wrote off after an 0-2 start.

Hamilton could be found as high as +2000 to win the Grey Cup at FanDuel after back-to-back losses to open the season.

Since then, the Tiger-Cats have gone a perfect 5-0, including an impressive 37-33 comeback win over the BC Lions on the road in Week 8.

How special is the Hamilton offence at full strength?

Mitchell leads the CFL in passing yards (2,201) and touchdown passes (15).

The veteran QB is FanDuel’s MOP favourite at +210.

Meanwhile, Lawler leads the league in TD receptions (8) and receiving yards per game (96.1).

Then there’s wide receiver Kiondre Smith, who just went off with 14 receptions for 138 yards and two touchdowns in the win over the Lions.

Smith caught 14 of 15 targets with nearly 80 per cent of his receptions going for either a TD or a first down.

In case you missed it, Sanchez and Milt Stegall discussed the attention Lawler commands from opposing defences and how important it is for Smith and Tim White to take advantage of the favorable matchups that it creates.

Lawler has 35 receptions for 673 yards and eight scores.

White ranks third in the CFL with 38 receptions for 434 yards and two touchdowns.

After a monster performance in Week 8, Smith has climbed into the top 16 in the league with 365 receiving yards and three touchdowns on 32 receptions.

Mitchell, Lawler, White, and Smith is an elite core.

That group is talented enough to help the Tiger-Cats overcome a double-digit deficit to win in BC in Week 8.

Now they’ll be in the spotlight again when Hamilton visits Edmonton in Week 9.

While the Elks offence showed some positive signs with Cody Fajardo at quarterback, they were outmatched in a 21-18 loss to the Saskatchewan Roughriders in Week 8.

Still, Edmonton covered the spread as a 9.5-point dog at FanDuel.

Now the Elks are getting 4.5 points at home against an opponent that will have to travel west for the second week in a row after Sunday’s win in BC.

Will Mitchell and the Tiger-Cats offence stay hot?

Will Fajardo and company be able to keep up?

Fajardo was sacked eight times in the loss to the Riders, signalling Edmonton’s issues so far this season are much bigger than just the QB position.

The Elks were also hit hard by penalties, with 11 flags for 133 yards in a game that was ultimately decided by three points in a hostile environment.

With Fajardo at quarterback, Edmonton has a chance.

Still, the Hamilton offence is too talented for me to expect them to take a major step back in Week 9.

I don’t want to lay the 4.5 points with the Tiger-Cats, but I am willing to pair Hamilton to win outright with a Lawler touchdown on a FanDuel Same Game Parlay at +128.

Lawler should be motivated to find the end zone after being held without a touchdown against BC on Sunday.

After registering eight scores in his first six games, the veteran wide receiver had everybody talking about whether he could challenge Milt’s all-time single-season TD record.

While White and Smith have both proved they can take advantage of opposing defences, Lawler is the CFL’s best wide receiver, and he will be focused on getting back in the end zone this Saturday afternoon in Edmonton.

The Alouettes are without Davis Alexander this week, which is why they’ll be an underdog at home against the visiting Roughriders.

If Hamilton can take care of business in Edmonton, and get a little help from Saskatchewan, they’ll take over sole possession of first place in the East Division standings.

The Tiger-Cats have emerged as the CFL’s hottest team.

Hopefully, Mitchell and Lawler deliver again in Week 9.