The Bombers have decided to run it back, keeping a veteran laden roster for another go at the Grey Cup. They have the least amount of changes in a league that has huge turnover year to year. This should be effective at least for the first few games of the season as they will all be on the same page. Only center Couture is gone from the O-line (although he was injured much of last year and replaced by this year’s starter Kolankowski). All the skill positions on offence have returned and on defense Bighill (MLB) and DEs Jeffcoat and Jefferson are back. This should bode well to start the season but lets check back on this in the Fall.

Hamilton is a different story. They brought in declining QB Levi-Mitchell and star MLB Thurman from Calgary, star RB Butler from BC and DL Sayles from the Bombers to name a few newcomers. They will take awhile to gel. There is a good argument that Levi-Mitchell may not thrive. Behind one of the best CFL O-lines in history (by the metric of sacks allowed) and with the leading CFL rusher Careyin Calgary, he has declined precipitously over the last few seasons. In 2021 he threw for 8 yds/completion and a sad 10 TD/13 Int ratio. In 2022 it was a 9 TD/6 Int ratio where due to injuries and performance he ceded the starters’ role to Maier. His Hamilton O-line is not going to afford him the same luxury. This may not be pretty.

Part of the T-Cats’ personnel turnover was not positive as they lost three all-star starters in the secondary. Winnipeg’s vaunted passing attack should excel.

The Bombers’ home record was 8-1 in 2022 while the TiCats’ road record was 2-7.

In their last 5 in June, against the spread the Bombers are 4-1. The TiCats are 1-4 against the spread vs. Winnipeg and 1-3-1 against the spread in Winnipeg. Clearly you should lay the points and go with the Bombers to beat the spread.