Lions vs. Blue Bombers Prediction: CFL Week 9 Point Spread, Odds
The Bombers return home after dropping a 16-14 decision in Toronto last Saturday to fall to 2-6-0 on the season and fourth place in the CFL West standings. The Lions travel to Winnipeg in the wake of a heartbreaking 25-24 loss in Calgary that put the brakes on a five-game win streak, but remain deadlocked with Saskatchewan atop the CFL West standings with a 5-2-0 record.
The Lions arrive in Winnipeg listed as 3.5-point road favourites on the CFL Week 9 odds. The Blue Bombers trail as +150 underdogs on the CFL moneyline and the total is pegged at 49.5.
CFL Odds and Betting
Thursday evening’s matchup is the second meeting between these CFL West rivals this season and the first of two scheduled clashes over the next three weeks. The Lions eked out a narrow 26-24 victory when they visited the Bombers in Week 3. The win ended a three-game slide in head-to-head action. However, BC has mustered just three wins in their past 13 overall dates with the Bombers since 2018, and have also gone just 3-10 against the spread over that stretch.
Indeed, the Lions offence has historically struggled against the Blue Bombers, scoring fewer than 20 points in five of their past 12 meetings. That has contributed to a steady 5-2 run for the UNDER in totals betting when these squads meet. However, it is the Bombers who have struggled to generate points during their dismal start to this season. Winnipeg has averaged just 11.5 points over their past two games and rank dead last in the CFL while scoring an average of just 20.4 points per game this season.
Conversely, the Lions offence has generated a league-leading 29.4 points per game, but have gone just 2-2 ATS on the road this season.
BC Lions
After enjoying a sensational start to the season that has lifted to the top ranks of several passing statistical categories, Vernon Adams Jr. had his hands full in last week’s date with the Stampeders. After averaging over 367 passing yards per game through his first six outings, Adams was limited to just 192 yards while completed just 17 of 31 pass attempts versus Calgary. The veteran pivot also tossed a pair of picks for a second straight game, raising concerns that opponents are catching on to the BC passing game that produced impressive results early on.
That criticism could be cause for concern against a Bombers pass defence that did not surrender a scoring pass in each of their past two games. Greater contributions from the ground game would bring more balance to the Lions attack, whose lone scoring run over the past three games came in garbage time in a 44-28 rout of Hamilton in Week 5.
Winnipeg Blue Bombers
The Blue Bombers’ inability to close the deal on offence has emerged as a real concern. Indeed, it has been a disastrous campaign so far for quarterback Zach Collaros, who has connected on just three total TD passes this season and just one score over the past two games while compiling a league-worst eight picks that have consistently robbed this team of much needed momentum.
Adding to the pain is the Winnipeg receiving corps struggles to hang onto the ball. Blue Bombers receivers turned over the ball on fumbles three times last week and six times over the past three games. One bright spot on the Blue Bombers attack has been running back Brady Oliveira, who has racked up a league-leading 511 rushing yards including a 96-yard performance last weekend. However, Oliveira has yet to find the end zone this season.