First place in West on the line

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This article was published 30/08/2024 (400 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

REGINA — The Winnipeg Blue Bombers have a chance to do something that a month ago seemed nearly impossible.

As the Bombers get ready to face the Saskatchewan Roughriders in the annual Labour Day Classic in Regina on Sunday, they have the opportunity to leapfrog their prairie rival into top spot in the West Division.

The Riders are in a free-fall, winless in their last five games to drop to 5-5-1, while the 5-6 Bombers have turned the corner after starting the season with four losses, entering the weekend with victories in their last three games.

Records mean little in a rivalry as strong as this one. Saskatchewan has sold out Mosaic Stadium for the first time all season, and while there will be a spattering of blue and gold in the crowd, Winnipeg will have to wade through the choppy waters that come with playing in front of a sea of green.

The Bombers have fared pretty well in the LDC in recent years, winning two of the last three meetings, the lone defeat coming in overtime, 32-30, last season. That’s only a small sample size, with the Riders dominating the all-time series on home turf, 38-21, with the Bombers winning just once between the 2005 and 2019 seasons.

To get you ready for the 6 p.m. kickoff, let’s dive into the latest edition of 5 Storylines.

TOP SPOT UP FOR GRABS

It’s incredible to think where the Bombers were after their slow start and where they are now. The narrative that Winnipeg had taken a step back and is no longer the powerhouse it has been the last few years was growing with each loss.

Whereas hosting a playoff game seemed like a pipedream even three weeks ago, the Bombers now find themselves in the driver’s seat, one point out of first place.

A win over the Riders Sunday would not only move them into top spot, it would also even the seasonsseries one game apiece, setting up a critical rubber match in next week’s Banjo Bowl.

The Bombers have already clinched the season series — which is the first tiebreaker in the standings — with the B.C. Lions and Calgary Stampeders. Having that edge against the Riders will only help in what feels like a photo finish in the West.

To be clear, a 5-6 record is nothing to be proud of, and while the Bombers have dug themselves out of their early hole, a loss on Sunday would put them right back into the mushy middle.

You know the Riders are going to be a motivated bunch trying to snap their losing skid, having lost their last two games by a combined four points, with their most recent victory a 19-9 decision over Winnipeg in Week 7 — a win had them feeling good, and their record at 5-1, before the wheels began to fall off.

BIGGIE IS BACK

Adam Bighill started his week as a longshot to play, seemingly stranded on the six-game injury list with a strained hamstring suffered in a Week 11 win over the Lions which kept him out last week against Hamilton.

Then Bighill was a surprising participant at practice, with his workload increasing throughout the week until he was finally cleared to play. The Bombers defence has been stellar this season, but Bighill’s presence was clearly missed in a narrow two-point win over the Tiger-Cats a week ago.

The Bombers D is ranked among the league’s best, allowing 19.5 offensive points per game, behind only the Montreal Alouettes. The Riders offence, which has been without No. 1 QB Trevor Harris for much of the season before he returned for the last two games, is in the bottom half of the CFL in most categories, including averaging the second-fewest yards per game, at 344.

Where Winnipeg’s defence can be much better this season is in generating more turnovers and QB sacks. The Bombers have forced 17 turnovers, with only Calgary and Hamilton having fewer, while their 17 sacks are tied with the Stampeders for the fewest in the CFL.

These rivalry games are always decided on a key turnover, and with the Bombers relying heavily on their defence this season, it’s likely to happen on this side of the ball.

COLLAROS VS. RIDERS

If not for a game-winning drive in the final seconds of the fourth quarter against the Ticats last week, the pitchforks would have likely come out for Zach Collaros. The veteran pivot otherwise had his worst game in a Bombers jersey, throwing three interceptions to increase his total to 12 on the year, tied with Bo Levi Mitchell for the most in the CFL.

As up-and-down as the offence has been this season, the stars just might be aligned for Collaros this week. That’s because Collaros has feasted on the Riders in recent memory.

In the last seven games against Saskatchewan, Collaros is averaging 277 passing yards. It has been his ability to protect the ball that’s most impressive, throwing for 19 touchdowns compared to two interceptions.

Stats can be funny, though, and what happened before doesn’t guarantee what will happen next. While the Riders allow a ton of passing yards, averaging 305 per game, they also lead the CFL with 15 interceptions and are a league-best plus-16 in turnover ratio.

Collaros, who is 6-1 in seven career games over Labour Day weekend, should benefit from a healthier O-line compared to the depleted one he played behind last week, which is good news considering the Riders are the league’s leader in sacks with 28.

The Bombers received some bad news late in the week when left tackle Stanley Bryant was officially ruled out. There was some hope Bryant would play despite a scary incident last week that led to him being stretchered to the hospital with an infection and heat stroke. Instead, the 38-year-old was added to the six-game injured list for precautionary reasons.

It won’t be all on Collaros. The Bombers will also give a heavy workload to running back Brady Oliveira, who is fresh off his fourth 100-yard rushing game this year. Oddly enough, while Oliveira leads the CFL in rushing yards (809), scrimmage yards (1,105), and rushes of 20-plus yards (eight), he still has yet to register a rushing touchdown this season.

What better timing than lucky Week 13?

PLAYING FOR KICKS

We don’t usually highlight the kickers in this space, but the storylines were too juicy to ignore.

If it feels like these games have often gone down to the wire, that’s because they have.

In 59 games, 33 of them have been decided in the final three minutes. So, it wouldn’t be surprising if Winnipeg’s Sergio Castillo or Saskatchewan’s Brett Lauther were called on to seal a victory in the late stages.

Speaking of Lauther, the veteran kicker has saved some of his most clutch performances for the LDC.

In his first, in 2018, he was a perfect five-for-five in a 31-23 win, while the next year he connected on a 26-yard walk-off field goal to secure a 19-17 victory. He was once again five-for-five in last year’s triumph.

It’s also Lauther’s first game at Mosaic Stadium since what was arguably the worst performance of his career. He missed four of his seven attempts, including one with no time remaining, in a 27-24 loss to the Alouettes.

Lauther was able to rebound on the road last week, making good on all four of his field goal attempts in a loss to the Toronto Argonauts. Will 30,000-plus fans in attendance calm the kicker’s nerves or will there still be some lingering thoughts from the last time he played at home?

O’SHEA ON BRINK OF HISTORY

Bombers head coach Mike O’Shea told reporters earlier this week he never thought about coaching during his Canadian Football Hall of Fame career as a player. Now in his 10th season in Winnipeg, the popular bench boss is on the brink of making history.

A win over the Riders would give O’Shea 102 regular-season wins, putting him in a tie with Bud Grant for the most in franchise history. Beating Saskatchewan in enemy territory would be a tasty way to tie the record, but it would also give the Bombers the chance to push O’Shea into sole possession of first place while at home, in a rematch against their most heated rival.

Predictably, several of the players were unaware of the upcoming milestone, exactly the way O’Shea would like it. With the proverbial cat now out of the bag, it should provide some added motivation in what’s become a high-stakes affair.

Jeff.Hamilton@freepress.mb.ca

X: @jeffkhamilton