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Ian Logan

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IF it is was a movie, it'd be Groundhog Day.

And safety Ian Logan is sick of watching it over and over and over again. "It's extremely frustrating, it really is," Logan said in a stony-silent Winnipeg Blue Bombers locker-room Saturday afternoon following a 32-21 defeat to the Calgary Stampeders at Canad Inns Stadium.

"Just walking off the field with that same feeling. It just hits you right in the gut -- 'What's wrong? What are we doing wrong?' I don't know what it is... We make mistakes at inopportune times. All season, at crucial times, we make mistakes. That's the swing of the game."

With their playoff lives clinging by a thread heading into Saturday's game, the hope was the Bombers would not fall into the same trap that has dogged them all season -- a slow start followed by a fruitless attempt to catch up.

Instead, that's exactly what they did once again, falling behind 16-0 thanks to a pair of Calgary touchdowns off first-quarter Winnipeg turnovers.

"The nature of the season has been we don't come through in the clutch. And it showed today," said Logan. "They're a good football team, but there's no excuse in our house to lose that game."

IF you were looking for answers in the Bombers locker-room following Saturday's loss, there were none available at the locker of guard Steve Morley, who sounded as mystified as everyone else as to why his team cannot put together two consistent performances in a row.

"I was surprised. We beat Montreal at home and then today, we go out there and lay an egg. It blows my mind. It's a rollercoaster out there, up and down, up and down. Wow -- it takes a toll on you, that's for sure.

"It's horrible being on this rollercoaster all year."

The offensive line actually played pretty well against Calgary, yielding just one sack and working effectively when they got the opportunity to plow holes for tailback Chad Simpson, who ran for two touchdowns and rushed for 84 yards.

But with the Bombers falling behind 16-0, Simpson finished the day with just 14 carries and -- as so often has been the case this season -- didn't factor in the offence as much as Winnipeg planned.

"It was one of those games," said Morley. "We got down and we needed to pass the ball to win. They tee off on us and we've got to suck it up and keep trying to block."

ON the 145th play of the 15th game of his second professional season, Winnipeg wide receiver Jade Etienne registered his first CFL statistic -- an 11-yard fourth-quarter reception from backup QB Alex Brink on second-and-10.

The crowd at Canad Inns Stadium gave Etienne a nice ovation, although the receiver wasn't sure afterward whether it was for his first professional catch or more because the catch gave Winnipeg a badly needed first down as they tried to put together a late comeback.

"It's bittersweet, I guess. It's great I got it out of the way, but it sucks we lost," said Etienne. "I'm glad it's out of the way -- people can get off my back."

Republished from the Winnipeg Free Press print edition October 15, 2012 D3