Big game hunting for Bombers

EDMONTON — If the Winnipeg Blue Bombers look anything like they did two weeks ago, the Edmonton Elks are in big trouble.

The Blue and Gold return to action Saturday night at Commonwealth Stadium (6 p.m. CT kickoff) for the first time since laying a 40-3 smackdown on the Hamilton Tiger-Cats in Week 17.

The Bombers (8-7) will look for a repeat performance against a desperate Edmonton Elks (6-9) side that’s hanging on by a thread in the West Division playoff race.

There’s been lots of time to prepare as both clubs are coming off a bye.

“Edmonton is always a tough game, especially in Edmonton,” said defensive tackle Jake Thomas. “The last few years at the end of the year, they’ve probably been one of the best teams in the league. They’ve been unfortunate the last couple years getting off to a slow start, but they’re not a last place team by any means.”

To get you ready, here’s the latest edition of 5 Storylines.

Elks on the ropes

The Bombers can expect the Elks to throw everything but the kitchen sink at them.

Edmonton’s season is officially over with a loss. But if the home team wins and the Calgary Stampeders (8-7) fall short againt the Ticats this weekend, the Elks would then control their own destiny and could potentially steal a post-season berth from their provincial rival when the two meet in the final week of the season.

They can also take the season series over the Bombers if they win by 14 or more.

“It’s been playoff football for us since two weeks ago,” said Elks quarterback Cody Fajardo on Friday.

“Our backs are against our wall, but we don’t want it any different way. The way we’ve scratched, clawed, and fought to give ourselves an opportunity to play meaningful football into this Thanksgiving weekend has really shown the character of this team.”

Under first-year head coach Mark Kilam, Edmonton started the year 1-6 — with one of those defeats being a 36-23 loss in Winnipeg — but have bounced back by going 5-3 in their last eight outings, including a 27-25 victory over the first-place Saskatchewan Roughriders on Sept. 27 to stay alive.

It’s likely too little too late, but there’s still a chance they make the playoffs for the first time since 2019.

 

Wild West

It’s not a must-win for the Bombers, but it’s pretty darn close.

The Blue and Gold can clinch a playoff spot with a win and stay in the running for the No. 2 seed, which would have them host the West semifinal.

If their arm gets raised in Edmonton and Calgary loses in Hamilton, the Bombers will jump up to second place with two games remaining.

If Winnipeg and Calgary both win, it would create a three-way tie with the B.C. Lions at 9-7, which would have the Bombers in fourth place and cross over to the East since they’re 2-3 in common games.

You got all that?

“Honestly, I don’t have too many thoughts on it,” said Bombers quarterback Zach Collaros on all the scenarios at play. “I’m just worried about (the Edmonton game).”

 

Stout defence

The Bombers’ defence has allowed 21 points in their last two games and two touchdown drives in the last 23 attempts.

It’s safe to say this unit is peaking at the right time.

“We’re going against a really good Winnipeg team that I think is firing on all cylinders on defence,” said Fajardo.

“They’ve really figured out what they want to do and what they want to be on defence. We got our work cut out for us.”

They are making one change this week with cornerback Demerio Houston being replaced by Jamal Parker. Houston was late returning to Winnipeg after the bye week and missed the first two practices of the week as the veteran defender said he had a family matter to attend to.

As well as the secondary has played, it won’t be easy for them to cause a turnover as Fajardo hasn’t thrown an interception in his last 148 pass attempts. The Elks are 5-5 since Fajardo took over the starting role from Tre Ford, but they remain dead last in net offence, points per game and passing yards.

If the Bombers can hold Bo Levi Mitchell and Kenny Lawler to a field goal, imagine what they can do to Fajardo and Co.

 

Milestone watch

Brady Oliveira is on the cusp of entering elite company.

With 29 more rushing yards, the star running back will join Bombers legend Charles Roberts (2002-07) as the only players in franchise history to rush for 1,000 yards in four consecutive seasons.

Andrew Harris and Jim Washington reached the 1K mark three years in a row but failed to make it four.

In fact, no CFL tailback has accomplished the feat since Calgary’s Joffrey Reynolds had six in a row from 2005-2010.

In the beatdown over Hamilton, Oliveira was two yards shy from cracking 100 for the third straight game. He’s heating up, and so is the offence with Collaros coming off his finest showing (367 passing yards, one touchdown and zero interceptions), and the O-line not surrendering a single sack.

Edmonton ranks third in the league against the run, but they’ve been getting decimated through the air as they’re coughing up a league-worst 300.7 passing yards per game.

 

The streak

So much for being the City of Champions.

The Bombers are undefeated in their last 13 meetings with Edmonton and 16-2 since 2017. It should go without saying, but it’s the longest win streak they have over anyone in the three-down loop.

The last time the green and gold prevailed was at home in the 2018 regular season finale in a game where the Bombers left several key starters in Winnipeg, as the contest meant nothing to them in the standings.

Collaros is 15-6 all-time against Edmonton, while Fajardo is 3-9 in his career versus Winnipeg.

“I’ve got a lot of love and respect for (Bombers head coach) Mike O’Shea. I’ve just admired what he’s done with that program from afar over the years,” said Kilam.

“It’s going to take a complete performance in all three phases, because Winnipeg is a three-phase football team. It’s going to take everything that we got.”

taylor.allen@freepress.mb.ca