3 Keys to Victory Game Day

Hey there, time traveller!
This article was published 20/09/2009 (5855 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

1. AN ACT OF GOD, A KIDNAPPING AND SOME OFFENCE

Sorry for the cynicism, but with the Alouettes unbeaten at home and 141/2-point favourites — and the Bombers fresh from a 45-point defeat — it’s tempting to say the only thing that could help the visitors would be some divine intervention and for Anthony Calvillo to be captured and held hostage until the final gun sounds. But, seriously, if the Bombers are to make any noise today and salvage the ’09 season they are going to need to be productive offensively, particularly through the air. Manny Matsakis continues his attempt to jump-start an attack that completely flatlined a week ago — we saw more five-receiver sets and shotgun formations this week than in the rest of the season combined — but will it be enough? The Bombers had 19 possessions in the Banjo Bowl loss to Saskatchewan and were two-plays-and-out on 13 of them as the Riders held onto the ball for a whopping 38 minutes, or 16 more than Winnipeg. The Bombers just aren’t getting quality play from the QB position — like that’s a news flash — and may be tempted to let newcomer Casey Bramlet have a go at it if Michael Bishop (three TDs, nine interceptions and a league-worst efficiency rating) can’t find his game. Most importantly, they need to move the ball to prevent the signs which were abundantly obvious last week: As solid as the Bomber defence is, it’s getting pummelled into the ground because it is on the field more than any other unit in the entire CFL.

2. PROTECT THE PIGSKIN:

THE SEQUEL

It wasn’t too long ago that the Bombers had the best turnover ratio in the land, but those numbers are in a steep nosedive after the back-to-back losses to Saskatchewan. The Bombers spit up the ball eight times last week and six times on Labour Day and were a grotesque minus-12 in the ratio over the that span. That won’t cut it at any level of football, particularly the CFL. Look, it’s not complicated here: As the Bombers struggle to find some sort of offensive consistency they simply can’t gift-wrap games the way they did last week with four consecutive possessions ending in turnovers, from fumbles by Adarius Bowman and Yvenson Bernard to interceptions from Michael Bishop. There is a solid defence here and the special teams are vastly improved since the season opener. But until the offence stops handling the ball like a wet bar of soap this team simply won’t compete, let alone post more wins.

3. STOP ANTHONY AND AVON. AND BEN AND KERRY. AND JAMEL AND…

The Alouettes can attack a defence with so many weapons it’s positively frightening. Anthony Calvillo has 14 touchdowns against five interceptions and has the league’s best efficiency rating (105.3); Avon Cobourne is third in the country in rushing with 770 yards; Ben Cahoon is still a go-to guy with 50 receptions; Kerry Watkins entered Week 11 as the CFL’s top receiver while Jamel Richardson is a deadly deep threat. It sounds clichéd and overused, but the most effective method for keeping the Als in check offensively is to take Calvillo out of his rhythm by offering him a variety of looks and forcing their offence into second-and-long situations. Of course, it would also help if your own offence could stay on the field for a spell to keep AC & Co. watching from the sidelines.

Don’t forget to check out the video version of our three keys at winnipegfreepress.com.

Free Press

football writer Ed Tait

outlines how the Bombers

could win today