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Edgar Chaput
Roughriders vs. RedBlacks Prediction: CFL Week 16 Point Spread, Odds
Both the Saskatchewan Roughriders and Ottawa RedBlacks are on a slide. The Regina-based franchise is coming off a disappointing 36-27 home defeat against the Edmonton Elks. As for Ottawa, they did their slim playoff hopes no favours by crumbling in the final minutes in Vancouver against the BC Lions, 41-37.
The CFL odds deem this a toss-up, with the Roughriders awarded the slightest of margins at -1.5.
CFL Odds and Betting
Given some schedule reshuffling when the pandemic struck hardest, Friday marks the first time since June 2019 that these rivals will play in Ottawa. All four games since were in Regina. Furthermore, the Roughriders conquered the quartet of meetings. Most were double-digit blowouts, save last year’s narrow 26-24 final.
Saskatchewan hasn’t impressed much against the spread this season, sporting a 5-7-1 record. They’ve failed to cover in the last two matches, one of which they were pinned as a favourite and the other for which they were an 8.5 underdog (the less said about the 51-6 annihilation by Winnipeg, the better). What betters may want to heed is the over, as it’s connected six times in a row.
Ottawa is slightly worse than their opposite number ATS, tallying a 5-8 record. They did cover last week against the BC Lions, but it marked only their second successful attempt in seven contests. Given how the defence has been a liability for the RedBlacks all season, the over has won five games in a row.
Saskatchewan Roughriders
Should the Roughriders fail their quest for second place in the West Division, many explanations could be provided. It would be naïve, however, to omit the Week 15 defeat at home to Edmonton.
Things started brightly for Saskatchewan when they charged to a quick 10-0 lead. While it’s true that the Elks had been playing better football lately, opportunity beckoned to keep the pressure on Winnipeg and BC. Edmonton rusher Kevin Brown had other ideas, bulldozing for a ferocious 175 yards and a score, boosting the Elks’ team total to 265 yards on the ground. Saskatchewan had no answer for him. Even a 200-plus yard, three-TD effort from QB Jake Dolegala wasn’t enough. Whenever the Roughriders hit, the Elks hit back and harder.
Receivers Samuel Emilius, Shawn Bane Jr., and Tevin Jones all did their part for the cause, catching at least four passes each. That said, the defence let the team down. Look no further than its current rank in the CFL for points conceded: dead last.
Ottawa RedBlacks
To explain to the layperson what happened between the Ottawa RedBlacks and BC Lions with less than four minutes to go in Week 15 would be challenging. A few days have gone by to digest the events and it’s still rather bewitching.
323 total yards? Decent. 114 yards on the ground? Very good. A 233 day for QB Dustin Crum with 3 scores on the ground? Not half bad. 37 points scored? How can this go wrong? Well, it did anyway. Ottawa played efficient offence and genuinely good defence for 56 minutes, thus awarding them a 37-21 advantage with barely four minutes left on the clock. In fact, it was 37-18 at the end of the third quarter!
The Lions stormed back in furious fashion both on offence and defence as time wound down, making huge stops when Ottawa had the ball and marching down the field in response. Vernon Adams Jr. tossed a 16-yard dime to Douglas Coleman III in the corner of the end zone with 22 seconds left to complete a miraculous comeback. WR Justin Hardy’s 114-yard day went to waste and RB Devonte Williams was a non-factor when it mattered most.
SSK
OTT