Edmonton @ WINNIPEG
WINNIPEG +7 +100 over Edmonton

BEST LINES:  Pinnacle +7 +100 BET365 +7½ -115 SportsInteraction +7½ -110 5DIMES +7 -105

Posted at 11:15 AM EST.

8:30 PM EST. Preseason expectations were high in Winnipeg after the city got a taste of success with the Jets making a run to the Western Conference Finals, but the best-laid plans of mice and men often go awry and that is where the Blue Bombers find themselves ahead of Week 1 minus their top quarterback in Matt Nichols. Nichols went down in practice before the end of the preseason with a knee injury and with that, the Bombers hopes have gone up in smoke. However, we need to look no further than the sportsbooks to see how bad the damage really is. Before the Nichols injury, the Bombers were projected to win 11½ games. That number has not changed and instead, you are now paying a big premium (-170) to back them to come in under that number. The oddsmakers could have dropped that number to nine or 10 and likely not swayed a bet, but instead, they stood pat and welcomed every dollar pouring in against Winnipeg.

On the field for the Bombers, fresh-faced rookie  Chris Streveler will become the first pivot since Anthony Calvillo to start a CFL opener right out of college. Streveler was a  star at South Dakota after throwing for 6081 yards and 54 touchdowns in two seasons as a starter while adding over 1500 yards on the ground with another 20 majors coming by way of his giddyup sticks. It's believed that his dual-threat nature could serve Streveler well in the Canadian game. In two preseason appearances, he went 13-for-19 for 188 yards and added a touchdown. On the defensive end the Bombers made a splash when they brought in linebacker Adam Bighill right before training camp. Bighill makes the defense instantly better while also adding a level of leadership that may have been missing from a unit that gave up way too many big plays last season.

The Eskimos sit atop the TSN power rankings and while those lists are meaningless, they have an influence on the market. Reilly was the league's most outstanding player in 2017 and was named the top player in the CFL in TSN's Top-50. We could gush all day about Reilly's accolades, but at the end of the day, you are going to pay a premium to back him as a known and trusted commodity. However, the Eskies have problems of their own, especially on defense where they will be missing three starting DBs in Johnny Adams, Arjen Colquhoun and Aaron Grymes. Those losses cannot be discounted and could potentially offset any disadvantage Streveler and the offense is perceived to have. Oh, and don't forget Bombers running back Andrew Harris, who ran roughshod over the Eskies last season with 236 yards on the ground and 245 more receiving in two regular season games.

This line opened with the Bombers taking back six points to the Eskies but that number is now +7 at some joints and +7½ with juice at others. There has no doubt been an overreaction to the Blue Bombers quarterback woes. Identifying and playing into market inefficiencies such as this is a big part of our criteria. This is absolutely a game the Blue Bombers can win regardless of who is behind center, but we will not hesitate to scoop up these inflated points.

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Our Pick

WINNIPEG +7 +100 (Risking 2 units - To Win: 2.00)