After a pair of wins over the last-place Redblacks the 3-2 BC Lions travel East to take on Khari Jones’ Alouettes, except Jones won’t be at the game after testing positive for COVID-19 earlier this week. Assistant head coach André Bolduc will lead 2-2 Montreal instead this week, who like the Lions are also coming off a win against Ottawa.

Kickoff Saturday at Percival Molson Memorial Stadium goes at 7:00 p.m. EST.

CFL Odds and Betting

Saturday’s contest is a battle between the league’s top rushing and passing offences. Montreal’s ground game is getting 141 yards a night, while BC’s passing attack is averaging 297 yards. Both defences rank quite well playing against what their opponent is top-ranked at, Montreal’s even first in offensive points but BC’s second in points allowed.

Oddsmakers have the over-under at 48.5, one of the highest numbers of the season. Head-to-head history favours the under, as it’s on a 7-3 run in the last 10 BC–Montreal matchups. Twelve of the Lions last 15 games have gone under too including six of seven on the road.

This game is also listed as a pick’em on the spread.

BC Lions

A four-touchdown night in Week 6 has Michael Reilly feeling himself. Reilly tossed for 300 yards in each of BC’s back-to-back games against Ottawa and continues to have two of the league’s top pass-catchers in Lucky Whitehead and Bryan Burnham. Lucky’s third with 421 yards, and Burnham right behind in fifth with 401.

Reilly’s offence is leading the CFL in yards per play with seven and his defence is holding strong too as they’ve yet to allow a point off a turnover. When all said and done, look for the turnover battle to come into play too. Both clubs have feasted off turnovers in 2021 and don’t commit many themselves — Montreal the fewest with four and BC third-fewest with six.

Montreal Alouettes

The last time Montreal took the field, they dropped 51 points and Vernon Adams Jr. passed for four scores and nearly 300 yards. This all sounds very nice, except for it was against Ottawa — the team BC just beat up twice.

The coaching/play-calling situation is the central focus point for the Als. With no head coach, Montreal’s league-best ground game should come into play more given it’s easier to scheme up runs. William Stanback is second in the CFL with 346 rushing yards too and has a 5.8 yard average to lead all starting running backs. Receiver Jake Wieneke leads all pass-catchers with four touchdowns too.

CFL Prediction: Who Will Win Lions vs. Alouettes?