Short revenge. Home field. The expected return of starting quarterback Zach Collaros and a superior defense. These factors put me on the Blue Bombers. I'm not misled by Winnipeg being 1-4 compared to Calgary's 2-2 mark. Neither is the oddsmaker, who has installed the Blue Bombers as a solid favorite.

The Blue Bombers are the better team and they'll prove it at home after suffering a 22-19 overtime road loss to the Stampeders on June 29. Collaros suffered a thorax injury in the first half and missed the rest of the game along with Winnipeg's, 25-16, victory against Ottawa last Friday. But Collaros practiced on Monday, taking the starting reps.

Winnipeg also signed former CFL All-Star wide receiver Lucky Whitehead, who caught 58 passes for 728 yards and three TD's for BC last year.

Collaros is past his prime, but I like him better than Calgary QB Jake Maier. The Stampeders rank second-to-last in yards gained while giving up the most yards per game in the CFL.

Winnipeg, by contrast defensively, surrenders the second-fewest points per game in the league and also ranks No. 2 in pass defense.