Saskatchewan Roughriders at Edmonton Eskimos Week 8 CFL Picks & Predictions 8/2/2018

Thursday, August 2, 2018

Commonwealth Stadium

Commonwealth Stadium is the site of the game between the Edmonton Eskimos and the Saskatchewan Roughriders on Thursday, August 2, 2018. The opening line for this game has Edmonton as 9 point favorites. The over/under has been set at 53.

The Eskimos have an over/under record of 4-2 and they are 2-4 against the spread this year. The Roughriders have an ATS record of 3-3 while their over/under record is 3-3.

The Saskatchewan Roughriders Thursday night tilt against the Edmonton Eskimos is a game that will feature two of the top rushing teams in the CFL. This should end up being a tight matchup as both teams are currently ranked in the top half of the league in scoring and their defenses are within one point of each other in points allowed.

Valuable Saskatchewan Roughriders Betting Trends

The Saskatchewan Roughriders are 3-3 against the over/under

The Saskatchewan Roughriders are 3-3 against the spread

Important Edmonton Eskimos Betting Trends

The Edmonton Eskimos are 4-2 against the over/under

The Edmonton Eskimos are 2-4 against the spread

Key Saskatchewan Roughriders Injuries

06/26/18 QB Zach Collaros Concussion is out indefinitely

Key Edmonton Eskimos Injuries

No key injuries to report

Saskatchewan Roughriders Stats

Saskatchewan's passing offense has not been good so far this year as they are currently last in the league in passing yards. They have been able to score 22 points per game on the year, though, thanks in large part to their second-ranked rushing attack. Defensively, they are near the bottom of the league in points allowed, though they do rank near the top of the standings in both forced fumbles and interceptions.

Roughriders quarterback Brandon Bridge has only been able to throw for three touchdowns so far this year, but he's only thrown one interception and he has completed over 65 percent of his passes. Three Saskatchewan players have over 150 yards rushing on the season, including Marcus Thigpen, who has 167 yards on the ground and he leads the team with two rushing touchdowns. Their top receiver has been Naaman Roosevelt, who has caught 21 passes for 237 yards and three scores.

Veteran defensive lineman Charleston Hughes has been Saskatchewan's top defensive star so far this season, picking up a league-high eight sacks as well as 15 tackles, one forced fumble and two fumble recoveries. Linebacker Samuel Eguavoen has also had a good start to this season by leading the team with 34 total tackles and coming up with one sack of his own. Second-year lineman Tobi Antigha has just eight tackles but he leads the team in interceptions with two.

Edmonton Eskimos Stats

The Eskimos currently find themselves in a good spot in the standings thanks to their productive offense and their aggressive defense. They are third in the CFL in scoring with 172 total points and they have one of the better possession averages in the league. Their defense is in the top two in both interceptions and sacks, though they've only been able to force one fumble so far this year.

Week after week Eskimos quarterback Mike Reilly is putting up solid numbers and he continues to lead the CFL in passing yards with 2,063 and passing touchdowns with 13. Running back CJ Gable is shooting up the rushing rankings as he now has 400 yards on the ground and one score. Wide receiver D'haquille Williams leads the league in both receiving yards (672) and receiving touchdowns (5).

Young defensive end Kwaku Boateng has made huge strides in his second season with the Eskimos as he has already has more sacks (5) than he did in 18 games last year. After missing just about all of last season, veteran linebacker J.C. Sherritt is back to being a great leader for the defense as he currently sixth in the league in tackles with 34.

Who will win tonight's Roughriders/Eskimos CFL game against the spread?

Josh's Pick: Take the Roughriders +9

Get $60 worth of FREE premium member picks. No Obligation. No Salesman. No Credit Card. Fast Sign up with Instant Access Click Here

Read more articles by Josh Schonwald