A win for the B.C. Lions in Edmonton on Friday will secure a home playoff berth for the first time since 2016.  It’s the complete opposite story for the Elks.  Edmonton is playing their final game of the season as they look to break an astonishing CFL record 16-game home losing streak.

The Lions are 7-point favourites to win on the CFL odds, with a total of 49.0.

CFL Odds and Betting

B.C. has taken the last three meetings between the teams, including two this season.  The Lions blew out Edmonton at home 59-15 in Week 1 and 46-14 in Week 9.  Canadian quarterback Nathan Rourke combined to throw for 759 yards and eight touchdowns in the two games for B.C., but he’ll remain out with injury for Friday’s game.

The Lions have been a solid road team this season, winning five of seven games away from BC Place.  They’re also 5-2 against the spread on the road in 2022, but they’ve failed to cover in their last five trips to Edmonton.  This could be a high scoring game as the total has gone Over in eight of B.C.’s last 12 games overall against the Elks and five of their last seven in Edmonton.

This is Edmonton’s last chance to avoid going two full seasons without a home win.  They haven’t been much better as a cover option as they’re 1-7 ATS at home in 2022.  Poor defence has led to the total going Over in four of the Elks’ last five games.

BC Lions

B.C.’s 40-32 home win over the CFL-leading Winnipeg Blue Bombers last week gives the Lions a great chance to secure a home playoff berth.  Quarterback Vernon Adams Jr. had a bit of an up-and-down game.  Adams threw for 138 yards and a touchdown and added another 18 yards on the ground, but he was also sacked three times.  The big turning point for B.C. came from the defence, with T.J. Lee and Marcus Sayles each recording pick-sixes.

The biggest injury loss for the Lions is obviously Rourke, who was having a breakout year at quarterback before suffering a foot injury.  The Canadian has returned to practice, but B.C. is holding off on playing him until at least next week’s regular season finale in Winnipeg.  Another big loss will be the Lions’ second-leading receiver, Lucky Whitehead, who is out with an ankle injury.

Edmonton Elks

It’s been another brutal season for an Elks team that is on the verge of finishing dead last in the CFL standings.  Last week’s 28-23 loss against the Argos extended Edmonton’s CFL record home losing streak to 16 games.  All the more heart breaking for the Elks is the fact they held the lead all game until Toronto pulled ahead with 27 seconds left.  Quarterback Taylor Cornelius threw for 185 yards, one touchdown and one interception, but he suffered a spleen injury in the game and will miss Friday’s season finale.  Derel Walker led Edmonton with 114 receiving yards, while Kevin Brown led on the ground with 121 rushing yards and a touchdown.

Canadian quarterback Tre Ford will start in place of the injured Cornelius on Friday.  This will be Ford’s first start since Week 5.  He began the year as the since-traded Nick Arbuckle‘s backup, before taking over the starting roll in Week 4.  Ford has completed 54.5 per cent of his pass attempts this season for 219 yards, one touchdown and three interceptions.  He’s also added 77 rushing yards on 11 carries.

CFL Prediction: Who Will Win Lions vs. Elks?