Edmonton quarterback Mike Reilly is coming off back-to-back 5,000-yard passing seasons. His Eskimos open the season as favourites in Winnipeg.
Bombers fans have waited all winter long for this rematch, after the Eskimos embarrassed the home-side team in last year’s Western semi-final 39-32. This game may have been considered the best game of the week, but a major injury to a Blue Bombers star has changed that perspective.
The Eskimos are now set as 7-point favourites for this CFL matchup to lead off Week 1.
CFL Betting Odds
Line History
Sports Interaction customers are placing their bets on:
time | fav | line | total |
---|---|---|---|
Opening 13 Jun 3:37pm | EDM | -7.5 -105 | O +50 -110 |
Closing 14 Jun 10:36pm | EDM | -7 -105 | O +50 -110 |
The Blue Bombers won both regular season games against the Eskimos last season (33-26 at Winnipeg, 28-19 at Edmonton), but fell to the Eskimos in the West semi-final. Overall the Bombers are 10-4 ATS in their last 14 games against the West and 15-6 ATS in their last 21 games overall. The Eskimos are notorious slow starters to the season, going 3-8 ATS in their last 11 games in June. Although last season was a mystery, as the Eskimos won seven games in a row to start the year.
Edmonton Eskimos
Last season the Eskimos were 12-6 during the regular season, before bowing out to the Calgary Stampeders in the West final. This season they want to take it to the next step and be in the Grey Cup game – and if they do, it could be special, as the Eskimos will host the Canadian Championship game in late November.
They definitely have the players to do just that starting at the top with the league’s most outstanding quarterback Mike Reilly. Reilly is just the sixth quarterback to record back-to-back 5,000 passing-yard seasons. If he wants to do it this year, he’ll be missing two of his key receivers. Gone are Adarius Bowman (Winnipeg) and Brandon Zylstra (Minnesota Vikings), but Reilly feels he could still hit that mark this season. A major strength of this team is its offensive line. Last season it allowed a league-low 29 sacks against.
Winnipeg Blue Bombers
The Bombers received some terrible news back on June 6 when star quarterback Matt Nichols went down in practice. He’ll be out of the lineup for the next 4-6 weeks with a knee injury. The question now for the Blue Bombers – who starts at quarterback? The answer – rookie Chris Streveler. The 23 year-old, 6-foot-2, 220-pound product of the University of South Dakota will make his first career start Thursday night. Streveler saw action in both of the Bombers two pre-season games, going a combined 13-of-19 for 184 yards, two touchdowns and an interception. Streveler will become the first rookie quarterback to start a CFL season opener just a year after playing NCAA football since Anthony Calvillo (remember him?) did it for the Las Vegas Posse (1994). Alex Ross will back-up Streveler in this game.
Outside of the injury to Nichols, the Bombers do have a lot of optimism for the upcoming season. They have added some major free agents in receivers Adarius Bowman (former Eskimo), Nic Demski (former Rough Rider) and linebacker Adam Bighill. Bighill will be the most noticeable addition to the team. Last season he spent time in the NFL, but does have quite the history in the CFL. He is a four-time CFL all-star and in 2015 was named the CFL’s top Defensive Player.
Weather
No weather to report.
Injuries
Pascal Lochard (FB)
Mike Reilly (QB)
Nicholas Taylor (DB)
Justin Sorensen (OL)
Samuel Giguere (WR)
Derel Walker (WR)
Jamill Smith (WR)
Alexandre Dupuis (FB)
Darius Allen (DE)
Mike Moore (DL)
Chris Humes (DB)
Charles Nelson (WR)
Cody Speller (OL)
Sukh Chungh (OL)
Abubakarr Conteh (DB)
Kyrie Wilson (LB)
Gerald Rivers (DL)
Shayne Gauthier (LB)
Corey Washington (WR)
Jackson Jeffcoat (DE)
Injuries
player (position) | status | ats*current | o/u* | notes | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Pascal Lochard (FB) | Ques Sat | Undisclosed - 18 / 10 / 18 | 1-1 | 1-1 | + - |
No detailed notes found. |
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Mike Reilly (QB) | Prob Sat | Illness - 13 / 10 / 18 | 1-2 | 1-2 | + - |
No detailed notes found. |
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Nicholas Taylor (DB) | Ques Sat | Undisclosed - 12 / 10 / 18 | 1-2 | 1-2 | + - |
No detailed notes found. |
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Justin Sorensen (OL) | Ques Nov 3 | Undisclosed - 03 / 10 / 18 | 1-3 | 1-3 | + - |
No detailed notes found. |
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Samuel Giguere (WR) | Prob Fri | Undisclosed - 03 / 10 / 18 | 1-3 | 1-3 | + - |
No detailed notes found. |
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Derel Walker (WR) | Ques Sat | Knee - 03 / 09 / 18 | 4-4 | 2-6 | + - |
No detailed notes found. |
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Jamill Smith (WR) | Ques Sat | Undisclosed - 02 / 09 / 18 | 4-4 | 2-6 | + - |
No detailed notes found. |
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Alexandre Dupuis (FB) | out for season | Bicep - 20 / 08 / 18 | 4-5 | 3-6 | + - |
No detailed notes found. |
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Darius Allen (DE) | Prob Fri | Arm - 15 / 06 / 18 | - | - | + - |
No detailed notes found. |
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Mike Moore (DL) | Ques Fri | Knee - 15 / 06 / 18 | - | - | + - |
No detailed notes found. |
player (position) | status | ats*current | o/u* | notes | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Chris Humes (DB) | Out Sun | Undisclosed - 10 / 11 / 18 | 1-1 | 1-1 | + - |
No detailed notes found. |
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Charles Nelson (WR) | Prob Sun | Undisclosed - 10 / 11 / 18 | 1-1 | 1-1 | + - |
No detailed notes found. |
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Cody Speller (OL) | Out Sun | Undisclosed - 10 / 11 / 18 | 1-1 | 1-1 | + - |
No detailed notes found. |
|||||
Sukh Chungh (OL) | Prob Sun | Undisclosed - 02 / 11 / 18 | 2-1 | 1-2 | + - |
No detailed notes found. |
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Abubakarr Conteh (DB) | Prob Sun | Undisclosed - 02 / 11 / 18 | 2-1 | 1-2 | + - |
No detailed notes found. |
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Kyrie Wilson (LB) | Prob Sun | Undisclosed - 02 / 11 / 18 | 2-1 | 1-2 | + - |
No detailed notes found. |
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Gerald Rivers (DL) | Out Sun | Undisclosed - 25 / 10 / 18 | 3-1 | 1-3 | + - |
No detailed notes found. |
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Shayne Gauthier (LB) | Prob Sun | Undisclosed - 29 / 09 / 18 | 6-1 | 2-5 | + - |
No detailed notes found. |
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Corey Washington (WR) | Ques Nov 3 | Undisclosed - 23 / 09 / 18 | 6-1 | 2-5 | + - |
No detailed notes found. |
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Jackson Jeffcoat (DE) | Prob Fri | Upper Body - 29 / 08 / 18 | 6-4 | 5-5 | + - |
No detailed notes found. |
Eskimos vs. Blue Bombers Prediction
-
EDMONTON ESKIMOS
24 -
WINNIPEG BLUE BOMBERS
17
Score
Prediction
-
Line History
Sports Interaction customers are placing their bets on:
time fav line total Opening 13 Jun 3:37pm EDM -7.5 -105 O +50 -110 Closing 14 Jun 10:36pm EDM -7 -105 O +50 -110 -
Weather
No weather to report.
-
Injuries
Pascal Lochard (FB)
Ques Sat Undisclosed - 18 / 10 / 18Mike Reilly (QB)
Prob Sat Illness - 13 / 10 / 18Nicholas Taylor (DB)
Ques Sat Undisclosed - 12 / 10 / 18Justin Sorensen (OL)
Ques Nov 3 Undisclosed - 03 / 10 / 18Samuel Giguere (WR)
Prob Fri Undisclosed - 03 / 10 / 18Derel Walker (WR)
Ques Sat Knee - 03 / 09 / 18Jamill Smith (WR)
Ques Sat Undisclosed - 02 / 09 / 18Alexandre Dupuis (FB)
out for season Bicep - 20 / 08 / 18Darius Allen (DE)
Prob Fri Arm - 15 / 06 / 18Mike Moore (DL)
Ques Fri Knee - 15 / 06 / 18Chris Humes (DB)
Out Sun Undisclosed - 10 / 11 / 18Charles Nelson (WR)
Prob Sun Undisclosed - 10 / 11 / 18Cody Speller (OL)
Out Sun Undisclosed - 10 / 11 / 18Sukh Chungh (OL)
Prob Sun Undisclosed - 02 / 11 / 18Abubakarr Conteh (DB)
Prob Sun Undisclosed - 02 / 11 / 18Kyrie Wilson (LB)
Prob Sun Undisclosed - 02 / 11 / 18Gerald Rivers (DL)
Out Sun Undisclosed - 25 / 10 / 18Shayne Gauthier (LB)
Prob Sun Undisclosed - 29 / 09 / 18Corey Washington (WR)
Ques Nov 3 Undisclosed - 23 / 09 / 18Jackson Jeffcoat (DE)
Prob Fri Upper Body - 29 / 08 / 18Injuries
player (position) status ats*current o/u* notes Pascal Lochard (FB) Ques Sat Undisclosed - 18 / 10 / 18 1-1 1-1 + - No detailed notes found.
Mike Reilly (QB) Prob Sat Illness - 13 / 10 / 18 1-2 1-2 + - No detailed notes found.
Nicholas Taylor (DB) Ques Sat Undisclosed - 12 / 10 / 18 1-2 1-2 + - No detailed notes found.
Justin Sorensen (OL) Ques Nov 3 Undisclosed - 03 / 10 / 18 1-3 1-3 + - No detailed notes found.
Samuel Giguere (WR) Prob Fri Undisclosed - 03 / 10 / 18 1-3 1-3 + - No detailed notes found.
Derel Walker (WR) Ques Sat Knee - 03 / 09 / 18 4-4 2-6 + - No detailed notes found.
Jamill Smith (WR) Ques Sat Undisclosed - 02 / 09 / 18 4-4 2-6 + - No detailed notes found.
Alexandre Dupuis (FB) out for season Bicep - 20 / 08 / 18 4-5 3-6 + - No detailed notes found.
Darius Allen (DE) Prob Fri Arm - 15 / 06 / 18 - - + - No detailed notes found.
Mike Moore (DL) Ques Fri Knee - 15 / 06 / 18 - - + - No detailed notes found.
player (position) status ats*current o/u* notes Chris Humes (DB) Out Sun Undisclosed - 10 / 11 / 18 1-1 1-1 + - No detailed notes found.
Charles Nelson (WR) Prob Sun Undisclosed - 10 / 11 / 18 1-1 1-1 + - No detailed notes found.
Cody Speller (OL) Out Sun Undisclosed - 10 / 11 / 18 1-1 1-1 + - No detailed notes found.
Sukh Chungh (OL) Prob Sun Undisclosed - 02 / 11 / 18 2-1 1-2 + - No detailed notes found.
Abubakarr Conteh (DB) Prob Sun Undisclosed - 02 / 11 / 18 2-1 1-2 + - No detailed notes found.
Kyrie Wilson (LB) Prob Sun Undisclosed - 02 / 11 / 18 2-1 1-2 + - No detailed notes found.
Gerald Rivers (DL) Out Sun Undisclosed - 25 / 10 / 18 3-1 1-3 + - No detailed notes found.
Shayne Gauthier (LB) Prob Sun Undisclosed - 29 / 09 / 18 6-1 2-5 + - No detailed notes found.
Corey Washington (WR) Ques Nov 3 Undisclosed - 23 / 09 / 18 6-1 2-5 + - No detailed notes found.
Jackson Jeffcoat (DE) Prob Fri Upper Body - 29 / 08 / 18 6-4 5-5 + - No detailed notes found.