Big Blue primed for Alouettes

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This article was published 26/07/2017 (2994 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

A quick turnaround in the CFL is rarely considered a good thing. For the Winnipeg Blue Bombers, however, the next game couldn’t come sooner.

After falling 45-42 in a heartbreaking loss to the B.C. Lions last Friday, the Bombers (2-2) have regrouped this week, their focus shifting to getting back above .500 when they face the Montreal Alouettes (2-3) tonight at Investors Group Field.

The Bombers spilt the season-series against the Alouettes in 2016, with each team winning on the road. Winnipeg is coming off a win in their most recent game at IGF – a 33-25 victory over Toronto – and a victory tonight would keep them perfect against the East Division so far this year.

With that, here are five storylines heading into tonight’s game….

PUSHING BACK

Earlier this week, T.J. Heath spoke about a brief conversation he had with fellow veteran defensive back Chris Randle. Together, they talked about coming up with a plan that would allow them to see the ball more. Or, perhaps more importantly, could lighten the load for the rest of the Bombers’ secondary.

“You can’t tell them where to throw the ball,” lamented Heath, who leads the CFL with four interceptions. “They know now it’s time to really step it up and make some plays over there. Once you start making plays over there then they have no choice but to start spreading the ball around.”

Where exactly Heath was referring to was the field-side area of the Bombers’ secondary. While teams have stayed away from Heath and Randle on the boundary side, opposing quarterbacks have aimed – both literally and figuratively – to pick on the Bombers two rookie DBs.

There’s little doubt that Alouettes quarterback Darian Durant, who is coming off a season-high 452-yard performance against the Redblacks, will also likely focus in on Roc Carmichael and Brian Walker. Winnipeg has featured as many as six new starters on defence compared to last year, and will do so again tonight with linebacker Maurice Leggett missing a second straight game with a lower-body injury.

Experience, however, is key to learning any new job and the idea is the new guys will only get better with time. Perhaps Durant, who has just as many TDs as interceptions this season – with six – and leads an offence with the fewest points scored is exactly what the new guys need to have a breakout performance.

RETURN TO SENDER

Despite all the turnover that’s taken place in Montreal over the past few years, and particularly the last six months – including changes at general manager, head coach and quarterback – the constant has been the presence of Noel Thorpe.

Thorpe, who is in his fifth season as defensive co-ordinator with the Alouettes, has consistently put forth a quality defence despite years of mixed results in the standings. Thorpe is known for his physical and creative defensive schemes – a reputation that was supported by many in the Bombers locker room this week.

“They cause a lot of chaos, a lot of different blitzes, a lot of different coverages and they get after you,” Bombers quarterback Matt Nichols said. “It’s been the toughest defence to play the last few years.”

Though Nichols’ praise appeared genuine and with statistical merit – the Alouettes have averaged a CFL-best 21.8 points against per game – veteran Montreal linebacker Kyries Hebert wasn’t exactly feeling the love when told about the comments.

“Usually when guys tell you how good that you are, it’s really just to soften you up. In my mind he thinks we’re the worst and not good and that he believes I’m the sorriest player on earth,” Hebert said, before returning the favour, tongue firmly planted in cheek. “It’s the greatest offence I’ve ever seen – they’re amazing. I think Matt Nichols is going to win the MVP.”

Maybe it’s better to withhold judgment for now, and let what happens on the field speak for itself.

WALKING THE TALK

Though Hebert was dishing a fair amount of sarcasm, his timing was a bit off.

Nichols is coming off an effort where the Bombers went a perfect 5-for-5 in the red zone against the Lions. Darvin Adams scored his second and third touchdowns of the season, while Clarence Denmark’s lone catch of the game came in the end zone for his first score of the year. Nichols and backup quarterback Dan LeFevour each added one on the ground.

As good as the offence has been at times, it’s where they continue to sputter in games that’s cause for concern. Every week the Bombers have preached the importance of a strong start and even better finishes. But every week they are unable to deliver.

Twice this season, including last week in B.C., the Bombers have given up late leads of 14 points or more.

“I wouldn’t say we lack a killer instinct… we’re getting those leads, right?” O’Shea said. “The idea is to have a killer instinct on every single play and then that will get you the wins. It’s not just to flip the switch, now that it’s the fourth quarter we’ve got to finish.”

Winnipeg has been outscored 32-14 in the first quarter and has been even worse down the stretch, totalling just nine points – while allowing an eye-popping 42 – in the fourth frame. The inconsistency has put undue pressure on a defence that has been hit with a major case of the injury bug.

“Part of finishing is starting fast, getting momentum and into a rhythm,” running back Andrew Harris added. “But at the end of the day it’s not where you come from it’s how you finish, so that’s got to hold true for us now.”

THORPE FOR AN ENCORE

It was quite the debut last week for Bombers rookie receiver T.J. Thorpe. Thorpe, 24, had been hindered by injuries for most of the season, returning to practice just two weeks ago after sitting out for more than a month. He showed no ill effects from the time off, reeling in eight of nine targets for 65 yards against the Lions.

The performance was a surprising one, even to Thorpe, who admitted earlier this week that after reading over the game plan he didn’t expect to get a ton of looks. What played out, however, was a number of small passes to the outside, gains of just a couple yards that were extended by Thorpe’s physicality. Of his 65 yards, nearly half – 30 – were achieved after the catch.

“He’s a physical guy, a strong guy that runs really well and breaks tackles – that’s everything you want in a receiver and we’re happy to have him,” Nichols said of Thorpe, who is on the shorter side at 5-11, but weighs 217 pounds. “He does a lot of great things for us.”

Thorpe, similar to running back Andrew Harris, was used as a safety blanket for Nichols against B.C., giving him a quick option under pressure. He can contribute well as a blocker, which should open more holes for Harris. With opposing defences almost always scheming to prevent big gains from Harris, and fellow receivers Weston Dressler and Darvin Adams, keep at eye out for No. 14 as he could be in line for an even better encore.

A FULL RUNDOWN

In a league where passing plays make up more than 70 per cent of the calls made on offence, the Alouettes have shown a rare commitment to the run game.

Montreal leads the CFL in rushing with 502 yards and is the only team to average over a 100 per game. Running back Tyrell Sutton, who has accounted for most of those yards, was held out in last week’s loss to the Ottawa Redblacks due to injury and will be out again this week. Brandon Rutley, a Canadian who played his college football at San Jose State, earns his second straight start in relief.

Sutton and Rutley split the running duties last season, with both bringing a different skillset to the offence. Whereas Sutton is known to run through oncoming defenders, Rutley excels best on the edges, beating defenders wide rather than up the middle. The Bombers were exposed in that area against the Lions, with Jeremiah Johnson and Chris Rainey getting their best gains on the outside.

Statistically speaking, the Bombers have been the best against the run this season, averaging just 50 yards against per game. But as nice as that looks on paper, the Bombers have faced the run fewer times than any other team, with 59 attempts against. And two of those games – wins over the Saskatchewan Roughriders and Toronto Argonauts – combined for just 22 run attempts.

Montreal will be their biggest test yet. Maybe then will the picture become clearer on whether the Bombers are the kind of run-stoppers they’re suggested to be.

jeff.hamilton@freepress.mb.ca

twitter: @jeffkhamilton