Lions vs. Elks Prediction: CFL Week 16 Point Spread, Odds
The Elks extended their late-season surge with last week’s 36-27 win over Saskatchewan, and have now won four of five contests after opening the season with nine consecutive straight up losses. The Lions travel to Edmonton riding a two-game win streak after eking out a 41-37 victory over the free-falling Ottawa RedBlacks last weekend to pull within two points of the CFL East-leading Winnipeg Blue Bombers.
The Lions have faded to 6.5-point road favourites after opening as 7.5-point chalk on the CFL Week 16 odds. The Elks are listed as a +257 bet to record a third straight home victory, and the total has held steady since opening at 50.5.
CFL Odds and Betting
Friday night’s matchup at Commonwealth Stadium marks the third and final regular season meeting of the year between these CFL West rivals. The Lions utterly dominated Edmonton in their first two dates of the season, claiming a pair of shutout victories while outscoring the Elks by a combined 49-0 margin. With those victories, the Lions extended their head-to-head straight up and against spread win streaks when facing the Elks to six games, and have surrendered just 8.8 points per game over that stretch. That has helped extend a 3-0 run for the UNDER when these teams meet. The UNDER has also paid out in their past three clashes in Edmonton. However, the Elks have claimed outright victories in four of their past six matchups with BC while pegged as underdogs of fewer than seven points.
BC Lions
The Lions needed a massive fourth-quarter rally to eke out the win in last week’s date with Ottawa. Trailing 37-18 entering the final frame, the Lions roared to life, scoring 23 unanswered points including the game-winning touchdown with just 22 seconds remaining. That marked the second time in as many games this team has been forced to come from behind to seal a win after trailing twice after recess in a 34-25 win in Week 13. Vernon Adams Jr. provided the spark last week with a second straight three-touchdown performance, but also tossed three picks, and has now tossed a league-worst 14 interceptions in just 11 appearances this season. While the Lions enjoy a 2-0 run, they have also surrendered 30.8 points per game in six outings since rolling to a 27-0 win in Edmonton on July 29.
Edmonton Elks
The Elks stumbled out of the gate in last weekend’s clash with the Roughriders, spotting Saskatchewan a 10-0 first-quarter lead. That slow start eventually forced them to overcome a pair of deficits in the second half, before taking control of the contest while scoring 16 unanswered points in the fourth to seal the 36-27 wins. Last week’s performance extends an impressive offensive resurgence for the Elks, during which they have averaged just under 30 points in six outings since that blowout loss to BC in late July. The Elks resurgence has coincided with Tre Ford’s promotion to starting quarterback. Ford has been steady, if not spectacular, tossing for at least one score in each of his six outings, while also running for three touchdowns. This team has also benefited from the recent breakthrough by rusher Kevin Brown Jr., who has piled up 318 total yards and two scores in the past two weeks. But can this Elks offence finally find a way to solve the Lions?
BC
EDM