Bombers embarrassed by Lions

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This article was published 23/06/2023 (831 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

There’s no point in sugar coating things, the Winnipeg Blue Bombers were embarrassed by the B.C. Lions in front of 25,662 at IG Field Thursday night.

The Lions put their foot on the gas early and then cruised to a 30-6 victory, delivering the Bombers some of their own medicine with a rare home defeat. Indeed, it’s usually Winnipeg playing the role of bully in its own backyard, having won 27 of the previous 29 games at IG Field.

Just how dominant have the Bombers been at home? The last time they lost to a West Division opponent was against the Saskatchewan Roughriders in the 2018 Banjo Bowl.

On this night, B.C. flipped the script, dominating in all three phases. They delivered blow after blow and at times looked like they were toying with the Blue and Gold.

It’s been some time since we’ve had to break down a losing effort by the Bombers. There’s no shortage of talking points to go over, so let’s get into it in the latest edition of 5 Takeaways.

1) So, what exactly does this game mean? There are a few different ways to answer that question.

The victory improved the Lions to 3-0, giving them sole possession of top spot in the West. The Bombers dropped to 2-1 with the loss, putting them in second place, but assuming the Saskatchewan Roughriders and Calgary Stampeders don’t end in a tie when they meet Saturday night, Winnipeg will soon have some company there.

From a league standpoint, the Bombers losing is actually a good thing for the CFL. Winnipeg has been so dominant for years that it can be somewhat boring watching them roll through the competition. And seeing the Lions not only win but dismantle the league’s top team from start to finish, it should give other clubs the confidence that they can strive to do the same.

As for the Bombers, is the loss a reason to panic or could this early taste of adversity actually turn out to be a good thing? Of course, only time will tell.

I’m predicting this will prove to be just a minor bump in the road. The game feels reminiscent of the 2021 season, when the Bombers were pushed around by the Nick Arbuckle-led Toronto Argonauts on the road in Week 3, only to quickly rebound and win their next nine games before clinching a second consecutive Grey Cup.

2) The main storyline heading into this one was the pinning of the CFL’s top offence in Winnipeg against the league’s No. 1 defence in B.C. The Bombers were averaging 43.5 points per game, while the Lions were surrendering an average of just 7.5 points through the first two weeks.

The Lions defence clearly won the battle, as Bombers QB Zach Collaros, the CFL’s reigning two-time most outstanding player, looked rather pedestrian in what was his 100th career start. The loss certainly doesn’t fall solely on Collaros, who finished 15-for-26 passing for 191 yards and an interception, but it was a rare game where he was missing his targets and struggling to move the chains.

It didn’t help that the offensive line seemed to be asleep at the wheel for much of the night, notably all-star tackles Stanley Bryant and Jermarcus Hardrick. Collaros was sacked an eye-popping seven times and was running for his life on several other occasions. Making matters worse, the Lions were often successful with a three-man rush.

Talking with Garry Peters before the game, the Lions veteran DB said the key to stopping Collaros was to keep him in the pocket and not let him escape to the outside. B.C. did a great job in that department; by my count, Collaros was able to break contain just seven times, completing all but one pass while on the run, though two were called back by penalties.

3) While no one will call a 24-point loss a close game, it was actually pretty tight through much of the first two quarters. A couple of series near the end of the second frame seemed to be the real tipping point. As is often the case in professional football, a game can be won or lost on a couple of plays and, in this case, drives.

The Bombers looked like they were in trouble when they took over the ball on their own one-yard line with 5:10 remaining in the second quarter. A 47-yard toss from Collaros to Carlton Agudosi gave them some much-needed breathing room and suddenly they were within striking distance, just a touchdown shy of tying the game.

Instead, the drive — which went for 11 plays, covered 95 yards and lasted 4:21 — got as far as B.C.’s nine-yard line before Collaros was sacked and Winnipeg settled for a 21-yard field goal. The Lions took over and, led by QB Vernon Adams, went 70 yards on five plays, spanning just 47 seconds, capped off with a two-yard TD to Alexander Hollins. That put the Lions up 17-6 at halftime.

The Lions had a similar response earlier in the game, following a nice drive by the Bombers on their first offensive series, which led to another field goal. On the ensuing drive, B.C. countered with a TD and that seemed to set the tone the rest of the game, as the Bombers never scored after that.

4) The Bombers defence wasn’t that bad, even though they were far from great. While Winnipeg racked up just 235 yards of net offence, B.C. was only a bit better, totalling 305 yards.

Adams completed 20 of his 29 pass attempts for a modest 237 yards, along with a pair of TDs (Dominique Davis also had a QB sneak), and was sacked three times. He played a clean game, didn’t have any turnovers and made plays to stay on the field.

The Lions were particularly good on second-and-long, converting 47 per cent on second downs of seven or more yards. B.C. was also effective in the red zone, scoring three TDs on four trips, while the Bombers made it inside the Lions’ 20-yard line just once, setting for just three points.

Winnipeg’s secondary seemed to play timid, giving B.C.’s receivers a ton of time and space to make catches. Communication also seemed off, which could have been the result of Demerio Houston being unavailable as he tends to a personal matter, allowing for rookie Abu Daramy-Swaray to earn his first CFL start. On a positive note, Evan Holm, the club’s second-year halfback, continues to make strides.

The Bombers D-line wasn’t able to control the line of scrimmage and Adams took full advantage. With B.C.’s two best receivers in Dominique Rhymes and Keon Hatcher both sidelined with injuries, the Lions got strong performances from Hollins, who had a game-high eight catches for 82 yards and a TD; Lucky Whitehead, who returned to the lineup to snag five balls for 72 yards; and Justin McInnis, who came alive late in the first half, catching four passes for 54 yards and a TD.

5) The most glaring part of the game beyond the final score was just how many penalties the Bombers took.

Winnipeg has been among the most disciplined teams in the CFL for years, averaging around four penalties a game. On Thursday, they were flagged 11 times, 10 of which were accepted by the Lions, combining for 104 yards.

Twice the Bombers were called for defensive pass interference on the Lions’ first offensive series. Daramy-Swaray was dinged for 36 yards and then Desmond Lawrence for another 17 — both on plays involving Hollins — that led to Davis punching in a one-yard score.

There was an obvious offside penalty on a third-down conversion that had Lions head coach Rick Campbell in the official’s ear before the ball was even snapped. Rookie defensive end Anthony Bennett was called for roughing the passer after a late hit on Adams.

It’s an area you know was addressed immediately after the game by head coach Mike O’Shea and was certainly revisited when going over the game film Friday. It’s tough enough to win when you’re not playing your best, it’s nearly impossible to do so when you’re constantly shooting yourself in the foot with needless and uncharacteristic penalties.

Jeff.Hamilton@freepress.mb.ca

Twitter: @jeffkhamilton