One of the biggest rivalries in the CFL takes place in Week 2 with the Saskatchewan Roughriders hosting the Winnipeg Blue Bombers on Friday.
The Bombers entered this season as the Grey Cup favourites and steamrolled the Ti-Cats in Week 1. Meanwhile, the Riders are coming off a very disappointing 2022 campaign but managed to upset the Elks on the weekend.
CFL betting lines opened with the Bombers as 5-point road favourites for this contest before the line quickly shifted to -6.5. Here are my best free CFL picks and predictions for Blue Bombers vs. Roughriders.
Blue Bombers vs Roughriders best odds
Blue Bombers vs Roughriders picks and predictions
The Saskatchewan Roughriders defense was stout last week but the strength of that stop unit lies in its defensive line and the Bombers have the blockers to neutralize that threat. The Winnipeg Blue Bombers offensive line is bookended by All-Star tackles Stanley Bryant and Jermarcus Hardrick while another All-Star Patrick Neufeld anchors the interior. They should be able to stymy a strong Saskatchewan front four featuring Pete Robertson, Anthony Lanier, and Micah Johnson.
The Riders are much weaker in the secondary which is bad news against reigning two-time MOP Zach Collaros who threw for 189 yards in just the first quarter last week. If Collaros has time to throw he will be able to pick apart a vulnerable secondary just like he did last year when he threw for 569 yards and eight touchdowns in the final two meetings between these teams.
On the other side of the ball, the Bombers have a distinct advantage as well. Winnipeg has three-time Most Outstanding Defensive Player Adam Bighill at middle linebacker, the top defensive end duo in the league, and a deep secondary which thrives on making big plays.
The Riders added Trevor Harris at quarterback in the offseason and while he's a better passer than the departed Cody Fajardo, the 37-year-old is a statue in the pocket and is protected by a mediocre line. He also has a subpar group of wide receivers to work with and still needs to get in synch with them and new offensive coordinator Kelly Jeffrey. Fajardo is also considered questionable for Friday after missing practice on Wednesday due to a hip issue.
Mosaic Stadium is a tough stadium for visitors but the Bombers have the advantage in almost every area and also catch the Riders on a short week since they played on Sunday night.
I hope you followed my tweet and backed the Bombers at -3.5 at FanDuel on Monday before they pulled their odds but even the opening number of -5 at other books was a steal. With this line still available at less than a touchdown I'll grab the faves.
My best bet: Blue Bombers -6.5 (-107 at BetRegal)
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Blue Bombers vs Roughriders spread and Over/Under analysis
The Bombers opened at -5 for this matchup but money has steadily come in on them and they sit at -6.5 as of 2 p.m. ET on Wednesday afternoon.
With Winnipeg considered far and away the best team in the league and the Riders coming off a season where they lost their last seven games (and failed to cover the spread in their final six contests), don't be surprised if this line hits -7 by kickoff. The team totals at BetRegal for this showdown have the Bombers with an O/U of 27.5 and the Riders at 19.5, a difference of eight points.
The Bombers entered this season as +185 favourites to win the Grey Cup for the third time in the last four years. They did nothing to dissuade that notion after clobbering the Ti-Cats 42-31 at home last Friday. They jumped out to a 32-4 lead in that contest before taking their foot off the gas in the second half and allowing Hamilton to make the final score look much closer than it really was.
The Roughriders entered this season with far fewer expectations and had a projected win total of 7.5 (juiced -125 to the Under). However, they did knock off the Elks in Week 1 in a back-and-forth battle that saw them win as 2.5-point road pups.
While the Bombers were powered by their explosive offense, Saskatchewan was carried by its defense which had five sacks and two interceptions while stone-walling the Elks at the goal line in the fourth quarter.
These rivals clashed three times last September with the Bombers edging the Riders 20-18 at Mosaic Stadium before destroying them at IG Field in Weeks 14 and 17.
The total opened at 47.5 and has stayed steady. While the Bombers have a high-powered offense they do have a tendency to play conservatively after building a lead. Saskatchewan's offense also looked pedestrian in Week 1, with Harris throwing for just 179 yards in 33 pass attempts against the Elks.
Blue Bombers vs Roughriders trend to know
The Under is 11-1 in the last 12 meetings between these West Division rivals while going 6-0 in the last six meetings in Regina. Find more CFL betting trends for Blue Bombers vs. Roughriders.
Blue Bombers vs Roughriders game info
| Location: | Mosaic Stadium, Regina, Saskatchewan |
| Date: | Friday, June 16, 2023 |
| Kickoff: | 9:00 p.m. ET |
| TV: | TSN |
Blue Bombers vs Roughriders key injuries
Blue Bombers: Dalton Schoen WR (Questionable), Brady Oliveira RB (Questionable), Jackson Jeffcoat DE (Doubtful), Mike Miller FB (Doubtful), Jamal Parker DB (Out), Winston Rose DB (Out), Kyrie Wilson LB (Out).
Roughriders: Trevor Harris QB (Questionable), Nick Marshall CB (Questionable), Derel Walker WR (Out), Philip Blake OT (Out), Derrick Moncrief LB (Out), Kian Schaffer-Baker WR (Out), Braydon Lenius WR (Out), Godfrey Onyeka DB (Out).
Find our latest CFL injury reports.
