In this week’s CFL action, the Saskatchewan Roughriders visit the Montreal Alouettes in the lone match on the schedule. It’s a battle between the best of the West Division against the East Division’s bottom team, but the records may not indicate the whole picture. The Alouettes are off to a 0-2 start despite leading the East Division in points scored with 46. Meanwhile, the Roughriders are 2-0 thanks to two tremendous offensive efforts from their kickers, paired with solid defense. The rain may be coming down in La Belle Province, but these two teams will dig into the mud to earn two points.
Moneyline: Roughriders @ -110
The Roughriders are enjoying early success in their 2022 season off the backs of a hard-working defensive core and clutch performances from its kicking squad. They’ve had the luxury of facing weaker offensive teams, but their offense has been tested by finding different ways to run the ball. Cody Fajardo has completed 42 of 58 attempts, good for 558 yards and two touchdowns. He’ll look for Shaq Evans, who leads the Roughriders in total yards (173), averaging 19.2 yards per game.
Trevor Harris is still looking for his first touchdown with the Alouettes, and his accuracy will need to improve before he can achieve this. In 30 attempts this season, he’s completed 18 for 270 yards but has thrown one interception. Montreal’s offense has been lacklustre thus far, but a bright spot is wide receiver Eugene Lewis, who leads the team in total yards received (239) and averaged yards (21.7). He’s made 11 of 18 attempted catches and will serve as Harris’ best option against a tough Saskatchewan defense.
SSK First Score Method: Field Goal (+300)
Saskatchewan enters tonight’s contest with better offensive numbers and a tighter defensive structure, making them the odds-on favourite to score first. In their previous two games, the Roughriders leaned heavily on their kickers to produce some offense when they failed to capitalize on scoring chances. Against the Hamilton Tiger-Cats, they didn’t register a touchdown until the fourth quarter, and they scored their first against the Edmonton Elks closer to the end of the first half. While tonight’s match should be heavily contested and a lower-scoring result, we can expect their kickers to be on top of their game.
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Brett Lauther has gone nine for ten in his field-goal attempts and single-handedly carried the team in scoring through three quarters against Hamilton. The 31-year-old kicker is off to his best start since 2018 when he completed 54 of 60 attempts for a 90% succession rate. While the Roughriders shouldn’t be too pressed to lean on him tonight, he’ll be a solid bet to score first against an Alouettes team still searching for its first win.
Touchdown Scorer: Eugene Lewis @ +155
After two games, Lewis is off to one of his best career starts since his rookie season in 2017. Currently listed as questionable for tonight’s game due to hamstring troubles, the Alouettes expect Lewis to be game-time ready. Montreal can’t afford to lose any more players, as Vernon Adams Jr. is already out due to a positive COVID-19 test, while wide receiver Jake Wieneke (hamstring) and linebacker Chris Ackie (ankle) will not play either. Lewis is, by far, the best option for Harris tonight, and the duo will aim to gain as many yards and push the Roughriders back.
Odds via Bet365
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