Winnipeg @ BC preview
BC Place
Last Meeting ( Jul 14, 2018 ) Winnipeg 17, BC 20
The Winnipeg Blue Bombers look to build on their first playoff win in seven years when they open the season on the road against the BC Lions on Saturday. The Blue Bombers slugged out a 23-18 victory over the Saskatchewan Roughriders before dropping a 22-14 decision to the Calgary Stampeders in the Western Final and believe they have added the necessary pieces to end the longest active Grey Cup drought in the league, which dates to 1990.
"The sky's the limit and we have high expectations for ourselves," Winnipeg quarterback Matt Nichols told reporters. "I think we have the talent to be better than we were last year but we need to go out and play good week in and week out." BC looks to make an early statement in the West Division after their free-agent frenzy in the offseason. The Lions responded from the disappointing 48-8 loss to Hamilton in the East Semifinal by making wholesale changes, highlighted by the signing of Mike Reilly, who has led the CFL in passing yards for three years running, with the hope that the veteran quarterback provides a steady hand in DeVone Claybrooks' first season in charge. "You look at us on paper and we're a talented team but everyone is undefeated right now," Claybrooks told reporters. "No one is going to outwork us and I'm not asking my players to commit to a standard that I'm not asking of myself."
TV: 10 p.m. ET, TSN
ABOUT THE BLUE BOMBERS (2018: 11-9): Most of the top talent from the highest scoring offence in the CFL is back, including Andrew Harris, who has won back-to-back rushing titles after racking up a career-high 1,390 yards and 11 total touchdowns last season. Harris hopes a revamped offensive line, which lost starters Matthias Goossen to retirement and Sukh Chungh to the BC Lions, is able to open up running lanes in his quest to become the first Blue Bombers running back to win three consecutive rushing titles. Winnipeg's big-play secondary lost Chris Randle, Kevin Fogg and Taylor Loffler to free agency and hopes offseason acquisition Winston Rose can play a leading role while providing guidance to Jeff Hecht and Chandler Fenner, who are expected to step into the starting lineup.
ABOUT THE LIONS (2018: 9-10): Reilly inked a four-year deal worth $3 million and returns to Vancouver where he started his CFL career and will have a plethora of weapons at his disposal including wide receiver Bryan Burnham (67 receptions, 1,029 yards, nine touchdowns), who is one of the few holdovers following last year's abrupt playoff exit. BC also brought in talented but troubled wide receiver Duron Carter, who was a league all-star in 2016, defensive back Aaron Grymes and running back John White to give itself playmakers on both sides of the ball. General manager Ed Hervey severed ties with a number of veterans such as wide receiver Manny Arceneaux, who surpassed 1,000 receiving yards four times during his eight-year stint with BC, and Rolly Lumbala, who had been with the Lions since 2008.
EXTRA POINTS
1. Four of the last seven meetings between the teams have been decided by three points or fewer.
2. Reilly has thrown for over 5,000 yards in three straight seasons.
3. Nichols was held under 300 passing yards in 14 of his 15 starts in 2018.
PREDICTION: Blue Bombers 33, Lions 31