Nathan Rourke is out again for BC, and Winnipeg is trying to shake off a 52-point beatdown as they open Week 9 on Thursday night.
This Week's CFL Schedule
BC Lions at Winnipeg Blue Bombers
| When | Thursday, July 30 at 8:30 PM ET |
| Where | Princess Auto Stadium, Winnipeg |
| TV | TSN |
| Stream | Watch live on CFL+ |
| Line | Winnipeg Blue Bombers -7 | O/U 54 |
This one looks lopsided on paper, and the numbers back it up. The BC Lions are 1-5, dead last in the West, and they're still without Nathan Rourke under center. The Winnipeg Blue Bombers just got run over 52-30 by Calgary last week, so this is as much about the Bombers cleaning up their own mess as it is about exploiting a banged-up BC roster.
Winnipeg's 4-3 and holding onto third in the West, but the defense has leaked 208 points against through seven games — that Calgary loss was the low point. BC comes in having dropped two straight, including a 12-26 setback against Toronto last week, and they're 2-4 ATS on the year. Betting markets have Winnipeg as heavy home favorites, and it's hard to argue against that with BC's quarterback situation the way it is.
Players to Watch:
- Brady Oliveira (Winnipeg, RB) — Third in the league with 554 rushing yards, but he's questionable with a knee injury heading into Thursday.
- Willie Jefferson (Winnipeg, DL) — The Bombers' pass rush needs to get after whoever BC trots out at quarterback and set the tone early.
- Mathieu Betts (BC, DL) — BC's best defender needs a big night if the Lions have any shot at hanging around in this one.
Injury Watch:
- Nathan Rourke (BC, QB) — Out, left shoulder. Still BC's biggest problem week to week.
- Stanley Berryhill III (BC, WR) — Out, thigh. Another weapon missing for whoever's throwing the ball.
- Brady Oliveira (Winnipeg, RB) — Questionable, knee. Worth watching pregame — Winnipeg's ground game takes a hit if he's limited.
- Jarell Broxton, Stanley Bryant, Micah Vanterpool (Winnipeg, OL) — All questionable with knee issues, which could matter up front against BC's pass rush.
Pick: Winnipeg Blue Bombers 27-13. BC's offense without Rourke and Berryhill just doesn't have enough juice to keep pace, and Winnipeg's average of 4 overs in 7 games says the total could sneak past 54 even in a lopsided game — but the O-line questions up front make me lean toward the under holding up while the Bombers cover comfortably.
CFL Standings
| Team | W | L | PF | PA |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Edmonton Elks | 6 | 1 | 203 | 172 |
| Montreal Alouettes | 6 | 1 | 239 | 204 |
| Saskatchewan Roughriders | 4 | 2 | 204 | 169 |
| Winnipeg Blue Bombers | 4 | 3 | 185 | 208 |
| Hamilton Tiger-Cats | 3 | 4 | 167 | 190 |
| Calgary Stampeders | 3 | 4 | 278 | 244 |
| Toronto Argonauts | 3 | 4 | 220 | 219 |
| BC Lions | 1 | 5 | 152 | 182 |
| Ottawa Redblacks | 0 | 6 | 153 | 213 |
Quick Hits
- Winnipeg activated OL Micah Vanterpool off the six-game injury list, a needed boost for a line already dealing with Broxton and Bryant question marks.
- BC had a wave of moves this week, adding OL Alex Berwick and RB Emani Bailey off the practice roster while extending Joshua Donovan and Garry Peters on the six-game injury list — a sign of just how thin this roster has gotten.
- Fantasy players should monitor Brady Oliveira's status closely before Thursday — if he's limited, expect a bigger workload for Winnipeg's backup ground game.
- BC's offense has scored the fewest points in the league at 152 through six games, and with Rourke and Berryhill both sidelined, that number isn't likely to jump against a Winnipeg defense desperate to bounce back.
Standings | Full Schedule | League Leaders
Who wins this week? Drop your picks in the comments.