Roughriders vs. Lions Prediction: CFL Week 12 Point Spread, Odds
The Lions pulled to within two points of the idle Winnipeg Blue Bombers in the battle for top spot in the West Division standings with last week’s 28-10 rout of the Roughriders in Saskatchewan. For the Riders, last week’s defeat marked their fourth outright loss in five outings, and their third loss by a double-digit margin in their past four contests.
Despite their recent dominance of the support of 69 per cent of sports bettors, the Lions have steadily faded since opening as 5-point favourites on the CFL odds, dipping to their current position at -3.5. Conversely, the Roughriders have improved to respectable +155 underdogs to claim a fifth straight road win over BC. Since opening at 47.5, the total has dipped to 46.5, with 64 per cent of the betting action backing the OVER.
CFL Odds and Betting
Friday night’s matchup at BC Place Stadium marks the third and final regular season meeting between these West Division rivals. The Lions dominated in their two previous dates with Saskatchewan this season. BC romped to a 32-17 road win over the Riders back in Week 8, and followed that up with a 28-10 win in last week’s return trip to Mosaic Stadium. With those victories, the Lions snapped a lengthy eight-game straight up losing streak versus the Roughriders, during which they covered on just one occasion.
Despite emerging as the CFL’s highest-scoring team this season, sports bettors taking the OVER failed to cash in for either of the two previous clashes between these clubs. This year’s meetings also represent the first time in five years that the total has failed to reach 50 in consecutive games involving these teams.
Saskatchewan Roughriders
Once again, the Roughriders struggled on both sides of the ball in last week’s home date with the Lions. Cody Fajardo turned in yet another bleak performance, compiling just 41 passing yards, and no scores against two picks before getting the hook late in the first half. Hobbled by injuries that kept him out of a pair of games earlier in the schedule, the Riders pivot has averaged just 113 passing yards over his past three appearances. And in addition to finding the end zone just twice over his past three outings, Fajardo has tossed a worrisome seven picks over his past four game appearances.
Fajardo’s bid to regain both his confidence and lost touch is not helped by the loss of key personnel to injury. Two of the Riders’ top three receivers, Duke Williams and Mitchell Picton, will miss Friday’s contest, and are joined in the clinic by leading rusher Jamal Morrow.
BC Lions
Nathan Rourke further solidified his position among the CFL’s elite passers with a sensational 375-yard, two-score performance last week in Regina. Rourke also contributed a team-high 63 rushing yards as they improved their record to 8-1-0. However, the Lions gunslinger also tossed a pair of interceptions for the fifth time this season. Unfortunately, Rourke will miss this game and could be done for the season after suffering a foot injury that will require surgery, early in the fourth quarter last week.
On the other side of the ball, the Lions defence has been dominant, limiting opponents to 17 or fewer points in four of five outings, and on six occasions overall this season. And considering how banged up the Riders attack is currently, the Lions could be in for another big day.
SSK
BC