Saskatchewan @ Hamilton preview
Tim Hortons Field
Last Meeting ( Jul 19, 2018 ) Saskatchewan 31, Hamilton 20
The Hamilton Tiger-Cats host the Saskatchewan Roughriders to kick off the 2019 CFL season Thursday. The Tiger-Cats fell to the Ottawa Redblacks in the Eastern Final last year, but are the presumed favourites in the division after returning most of their offensive core, including star quarterback Jeremiah Masoli and wide receiver Brandon Banks, as they seek their first East Division title since 2014.
"We might look good on paper but we've still got to go out and put it all together," Banks told reporters. "I wrote some goals down for this season and the first was the Grey Cup." Saskatchewan has improved its win total in three straight seasons but has to overcome the loss of the architect of the turnaround, Chris Jones, who abruptly left Regina in January to take a coaching position with the Cleveland Browns. New head man Craig Dickenson inherits a talented roster, with five West Division all-stars returning, but question marks surround the offence, which finished last in passing touchdowns (11) and offensive scores (25) last season. "I envision a physical offence because that's what we want to be," Dickenson told reporters. "We want to be able to run the ball and to be able to throw play-action off of that."
TV: 7:30 p.m. ET, TSN, RDS
ABOUT THE ROUGHRIDERS (2018: 12-7): Saskatchewan's championship hopes ride on the health of quarterback Zach Collaros, who missed five games last season with concussion-like symptoms, including the disappointing 23-18 loss to the Winnipeg Blue Bombers in the Western semifinal. The Roughriders made a big splash in the free agent market with the acquisition of William Powell, who is coming off back-to-back 1,000 rushing yard seasons with the Ottawa Redblacks and will be the undisputed starter on opening night. Saskatchewan also picked up potential impact free agents Manny Arceneaux, who has gone over 1,000 receiving yards in three of the last four years, and linebacker Solomon Elimimian from the BC Lions, but the duo are expected to miss the first two weeks of the season with lower-body injuries.
ABOUT THE TIGER-CATS (2018: 9-11): Masoli set career highs in passing yards (5,209) and touchdowns (28) last season but will have to learn a new offence after June Jones became coach of the Houston franchise in the XFL. Banks was having the best season of his six-year career with 94 catches for 1,423 yards and 11 touchdowns before suffering a broken clavicle Oct. 19, which required eight surgically implanted screws in his left shoulder. New coach Orlondo Steinauer, who was Hamilton's defensive coordinator from 2013-16, wasted no time bolstering his defence as he added coveted defensive end Ja'Gared Davis, who had 59 tackles, seven sacks and two interceptions for the Calgary Stampeders last season.
EXTRA POINTS
1. Saskatchewan has won five straight meetings with Hamilton.
2. Masoli threw for more than 300 yards in 13 games last season.
3. The Roughriders matched a CFL record with 11 defensive touchdowns in 2018.
PREDICTION: Tiger-Cats 27, Roughriders 23