The Edmonton Elks return from a bye week with a tough matchup as they hit the road to face the B.C. Lions on Saturday night in Week 9 CFL action.  The Elks sit at the bottom of the West Division standings with a 2-5 record and have been off since falling 24-10 to Winnipeg in Week 7.  B.C., on the other hand, is second in the West with a 5-1 record and cruised to a 32-17 win in Saskatchewan in Week 8.

The Lions are heavy 10.5-point favourites to win on the CFL odds, with a total of 51.5.

CFL Odds and Betting

Edmonton’s last trip to B.C. was a nightmare as they were crushed 59-15 in this year’s season opener.  Canadian quarterback Nathan Rourke torched the Elks for 282 passing yards and three touchdowns.  Nick Arbuckle threw three interceptions for Edmonton, but has since been traded to Ottawa.

It’s been a tough couple of seasons for the Elks as they sit 3-14 straight up across their last 17 games.  They’re 3-4 against the spread this year and they have covered in four of their last six games against the Lions.  Edmonton has hit the Over five times in 2022, including in all four of their road games.

B.C.’s lone loss this season came at home against the undefeated Blue Bombers.  They’re 4-2 ATS on the year, but just 3-6 ATS in their last nine home games dating back to last season.  The total has gone Over in nine of the Lions’ last 12 games, including three of six this season.

Edmonton Elks

It’s doesn’t look good in Edmonton right now as their Week 7 loss extended an embarrassing streak that has seen the Elks fail to win a game at Commonwealth Stadium since Oct. 12, 2019.  Quarterback Taylor Cornelius completed 25 of 42 pass attempts for 270 yards, no touchdowns and an interception.  Cornelius also added a team-high 59 rushing yards, while Kenny Lawler led all receivers with 98 yards.  Edmonton lost the game despite registering 357 offensive yards compared to 274 for Winnipeg.

One reason the Elks have struggled so much is their growing injury list.  Defensive lineman Jake Ceresna (shoulder), receiver Derel Walker (hip/groin) and quarterbacks Kai Locksley (hamstring) and Tre Ford (shoulder) are all dealing with injuries.  Ceresna, Walker and Locksley were all full participants at Wednesday’s practice, while Ford did not participate.

BC Lions

The Lions keep rolling and with last week’s win, they matched their best start to a season since 2007.  Rourke, in his first season as a starter, led the way again, completing 27 of 33 pass attempts for 336 yards and two touchdowns, while also running in a score on his own.  The Canadian quarterback was sacked twice in the early going, but the offensive line tightened up.  Prior to the game, B.C. only allowed four sacks in the first five games of the season.  Despite playing the fewest games of any starting quarterback, Rourke ranks second in total passing yards (1.941) and first in touchdown passes (16).

Keon Hatcher led all receivers with 110 yards last week, while Dominique Rhymes and Jevon Cottoy each hauled in touchdown passes.  That receiving core is expected to get a boost with the anticipated return of Bryan Burnham on Saturday.  Burnham has been sidelined since June 25 with fractured ribs and a punctured lung.

CFL Prediction: Who Will Win Elks vs. Lions?