VANCOUVER -- Twenty-one years. And counting.

Five times the Winnipeg Blue Bombers have played in the Grey Cup since the people of Winnipeg last celebrated a Canadian Football League championship at Portage and Main.

And, as of this melancholy Monday morning, five times they have lost.

The latest heartbreak in the longest championship drought in the CFL came at BC Place Sunday as a Bombers team that has been one-dimensional all season long -- impeccable defence, no offence -- was exactly that one final time in 2011.

The final result was disappointing but perhaps predictable -- a 34-23 B.C. Lions victory which flattered the Bombers thanks to a couple of late touchdowns and which played out before a raucous, overwhelmingly partisan and deliriously happy Lions sellout crowd.

Two things were crystal clear by night's end.

First, Vancouver sports fans only riot when their team loses the final game.

And second -- while defence undeniably wins championships -- no, it is not possible to win a championship with defence alone.

"I'm just kind of numb right now and in disbelief that it's closed out this way," said Bombers 11-year veteran Doug Brown, who will now have to retire having won everything he could possibly win in the CFL with the lone exception of a Grey Cup.

"The worst part about it is our fan base deserves better than to have this streak continue. We had this opportunity to put a smile back on their faces and this is just more misery."

Bombers defensive back Jovon Johnson said the Bombers simply made too many mistakes to hoist a Grey Cup. "And every time we made a mistake," said Johnson, "they capitalized on it. Good teams don't make as many mistakes in a big game. That's what happened."

The Bombers were on their heels from the outset in this one as the Lions stormed out to an 11-0 first-quarter lead that could have been much worse, as B.C. started their first four offensive series from their own 46-yard line, followed by the Winnipeg 45, the Winnipeg 54 and the Winnipeg 46.

But the Bombers defence weathered the onslaught, settled in nicely and despite a litany of Bombers mistakes in the first half -- a Buck Pierce interception, a six-yard punt by Jamie Boreham, a clanged goal post on a 30-yard Justin Parlardy field goal that still went in -- Winnipeg headed into the locker-room at half-time only trailing by eight points at 14-6.

It was precisely the position Winnipeg had been in so many times this season -- the defence keeping the Bombers just close enough to give the offence a chance in the second half.

But Pierce and the Winnipeg offence never found any traction on this night. Running back Chris Garrett, who had 190 yards rushing in the East Final last week, carried just eight times for 26 yards this week. Pierce finished the game a respectable 19-of-37, 250 yards, 2 TDs and 1 INT, but most of that came in the fourth quarter with the game out of reach.

Pierce had just 15 yards passing in the first quarter, while Garrett carried twice for minus-1 yards in the opening frame.

"Not good enough to win," Pierce said when asked for a self assessment. "Disappointed with the loss. (I) feel like I didn't do my part. That's hard to handle right now."

In a game where Winnipeg could only muster three field goals through three quarters, the backbreaker -- the play that ensured that a Winnipeg championship drought that extends back to 1990 would extend at least one year longer -- came on the next to last play of the third quarter.

With the Bombers trailing 17-9, Lions slotback Kierrie Johnson -- the least known of a marquee B.C. aerial corps -- slipped in behind Bombers defensive back Jonathan Hefney for a 66-yard touchdown that put B.C. up 24-9.

"You can probably count one or two times it happened to me all year," said Hefney. "I got beat on a route, finally. It happens."

Bombers defensive end Odell Willis had a chance to possibly put Winnipeg back in the game on the next defensive series, but an interception on the B.C. 15-yard line fell through his hands. "Just didn't make a play," said Willis, who was a man of few words after a game in which he didn't distinguish himself.

To their credit -- and in keeping with their season -- Winnipeg never quit, but it was simply too little too late. With B.C. up 31-9, a pair of late Bombers touchdowns -- a 45-yard TD pass to Greg Carr and a 13-yard strike to Terrence Edwards -- got the Bombers within a touchdown and a two-point conversion with under two minutes to play.

But an onside kick attempt by Bombers punter Boreham -- who had a rough night -- did not travel the necessary 10 yards and B.C. took over and added a late field goal to put the game out of reach,

Sunday night's loss in the 99th Grey Cup follows Bombers losses in the 2007, 2001, 1993 and 1992 Grey Cups.

paul.wiecek@freepress.mb.ca

Republished from the Winnipeg Free Press print edition November 28, 2011 C1