B.C. Lions: QB Nathan Rourke (shoulder) out ‘weeks, rather than months’

It’s not all doom and gloom for the B.C. Lions.

Quarterback Nathan Rourke was knocked out of last week’s 19-17 loss against the Edmonton Elks early in the first quarter with a shoulder injury, but he is expected to return in weeks, not months.

Here’s what you need to know.

Make sure to check out Sports Interaction’s complete list of CFL game odds, CFL futures and CFL specials and props.

Nathan Rourke

Rourke was seen on the B.C. sidelines with his arm in a sling, but the good news is the injury is to his non-throwing injury.

The team also announced positive results on Rourke’s status following an MRI.

“It’s going to be weeks rather than months, and knowing Nate, it’ll be sooner rather than later,” general manager Ryan Rigmaiden told media Tuesday.  “I can’t give you anything else in terms of weeks, but it’s definitely going to be more weeks than months, and so we’re excited about that.”

Rourke, last year’s Most Outstanding Player, has thrown for 1,403 yards and with five touchdowns and four interceptions through five games. He’s added another 71 yards and one score on the ground.

B.C. Lions

Part of the Lions’ tough 1-4 start to the year can be blamed on the FIFA World Cup, which forced them out of their BC Place home field for the first part of the season.

B.C. plays their first home game in Vancouver on Saturday against the 2-4 Toronto Argonauts. The Lions have played two previous home games in Kelowna, going 1-1.

However, with Rourke slated to return in weeks, not months, B.C. has a realistic shot at making the playoffs if they can crawl out of their early-season hole and get back to playing .500 football.

The Lions are slim 3.5-point underdogs against Toronto.