Sean Murphy
Aug 05 '21, 8:30 PM in 1h
CFL | Hamilton vs Winnipeg
Play on: Hamilton -3½ -101 at pinnacle
Thursday CFL Free play. My selection is on Hamilton minus the points over Winnipeg at 8:30 pm et on Thursday.
I'll be honest, at first glance, I liked the Blue Bombers grabbing north of a field goal in their home opener as they begin defense of the 2019 Grey Cup title (finally). But after further consideration, I believe the Tiger-Cats are favored for a reason here and now that the line has dropped to a field goal, I'll lay the points with the Tabbies.
Hamilton was for all intents and purposes the CFL's best team in 2019. That was until the Grey Cup title game, when it buckled under Winnipeg's defensive pressure and went out with a whimper. Here, I look for the Ti-Cats to gain an ounce of revenge.
Both teams are dealing with some key injuries. However, I like the continuity on Hamilton's side with Jeremiah Masoli back under center running the same offense he's become comfortable with in recent years. On the flip side, Winnipeg QB Zach Collaros, who has missed plenty of time due to injuries in recent years, is dealing with a new offensive coordinator in Buck Pierce after Paul LaPolice bolted to take the Ottawa head coaching job.
While Hamilton lost a number of key cogs on the defensive side of the football, this is still an extremely talented, well-coached group led by elite LB Simoni Lawrence. This is certainly a matchup it can handle with Winnipeg missing its engine, RB Andrew Harris. I'll also point out that the Blue Bombers boast a below-average receiving corps as far as I'm concerned.
It's important to factor in special teams as well as the Ti-Cats have arguably the best ST unit in the entire league orchestrated by coach Jeff Reinebold. Hamilton's return game can flip the script on a dime and I certainly expect it to factor into the outcome on Thursday night. Take Hamilton.
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