Week 9 kicks-off in Winnipeg on Thursday night, with what should be a battle between star quarterbacks. However, thanks to injuries, we’re not getting Nathan Rourke (shoulder) or Zach Collaros (neck). That’s a shame.
Rourke is far from the only player listed on BC’s seemingly never-ending injury report, yet the window for excuses is coming to a close. At 1-5 on the season, the Lions need to start winning, or they risk falling out of the playoff picture entirely.
Let’s preview this West Division clash and make a couple picks on the DraftKings Sportsbook.
Lions vs. Blue Bombers prediction, preview
Just so we’re all clear, it’s not as if the Lions were lighting up the scoreboard when Rourke was healthy. Well, at least not in 2026. Rourke was an absolute stud in 2025, throwing 31 touchdowns and racking up 5,290 passing yards — a new record for a Canadian QB — on his way to taking home Most Outstanding Player honors. Yet in his five starts this season, Rourke had thrown only five touchdowns to four interceptions. It’s a massive reason why BC is averaging a putrid 25.3 points per game, a mark that bests only the lowly Tiger-Cats in the league rankings.
That said, the team’s struggles this past Saturday against the Argonauts were on a whole new level. With Chase Brice starting under center, the Lions were held to a measly 12 points in a lopsided home loss. Things got so underwhelming that Brice was eventually replaced by rookie Kaidon Salter, who went on to complete nine of 15 passes for 121 yards. Salter was taking first-team snaps in practice all week, so it stands to reason that the former Liberty and Colorado pivot will get his first-career start this evening. It’s big shoes to fill, but remember, this is the guy that replaced Shedeur Sanders. He’s used to a little pressure.
However, there would probably be easier matchups for Salter to step into. Despite getting eviscerated by MOP front-runner Vernon Adams Jr. and the Stampeders last Friday, the Bombers still own one of the CFL’s top defensive units. Winnipeg is conceding the second-fewest opponent passing yards per contest (274.3) and they’ve racked up the most sacks (15), with Willie Jefferson and Jake Ceresna tied for the league lead with five apiece.
It’s also not like the Blue Bombers’ defense was getting all that much help from the offense or special teams in Calgary’s 52-point onslaught last week. Tyreik McAllister returned a missed field goal 118 yards for a touchdown in the second quarter, while Dru Brown created short field after short field with four interceptions. In theory, Winnipeg could turn to running back Brady Oliveira to shoulder more of the offensive load and limit Brown’s mistakes, but Oliveria is a huge question mark heading into tonight’s proceedings, as he was a DNP in both Monday and Tuesday’s practice sessions due to a knee issue. After registering 128 rushing yards and a pair of touchdowns in Week 8, Oliveira is listed as questionable.
Lions vs. Blue Bombers pick, best bet
Best Bet: Under 53.5 (-112)
At the end of the day, this is a battle of back-up quarterbacks. Heck, Salter will be making his first-career CFL start. The Lions have averaged 14.5 points per game when Nathan Rourke has been injured. Even if Salter improves on that mark, there would be a long way to go to get to this total.
Strong Lean: Kaidon Salter Over 234.5 Passing Yards (-140)
The Bombers defense is stout, but this is just such a low number, especially if you expect the Lions to be playing from behind for a majority of this game. Salter averaged 13.4 yards per completion last week. With volume, he’s more than capable of flirting with the 250-yard plateau.
