Bombers find a way to win

The Winnipeg Blue Bombers earned nothing in the way of style points but can say they got the job done.

The Bombers were presented with a rare gift by their prairie rival Saskatchewan Roughriders — who rested multiple starters on both sides of the ball and played their backup and third-string quarterbacks with the No. 1 seed in the West Division locked up. Despite the threat of a major upset for most of the contest, the Bombers found a way to capitalize on a golden opportunity in a 17-16 victory, in front of a 13th consecutive sellout crowd at Princess Auto Stadium on Friday.

The victory alone doesn’t secure Winnipeg’s seat in the CFL playoffs, but it does put the club in a prime position to reach the post-season for the ninth consecutive year. A loss by the Edmonton Elks — who, at the time of writing, were playing the B.C. Lions — or a win by the Calgary Stampeders (hosting the Toronto Argonauts on Saturday) would do the trick.

The Bombers (9-8) were plagued by a stagnant offence and several miscues for much of the game, but a 22-yard field goal by Sergio Castillo as time expired erased what was an otherwise unimpressive performance from the club.

There was no feeling of satisfaction from players in the locker room following the game.

“We have an extremely high standard in here. I mean, extremely high standard,” said Brady Oliveira, who rushed for 75 yards on 16 attempts. “We know the level that we can play at. And yeah, a win is a win, we got the two points, which is great — we’re going to hopefully extend our football into the post-season — but not good enough. Not good enough, man.

“We’ve got to be a lot better if we want to win games down the stretch.”

The Riders dropped to 12-5 on the year.

Zach Collaros completed 15 of 24 passes for 182 yards, one touchdown and one interception, while Ontaria Wilson hauled in Winnipeg’s lone touchdown in the first quarter.

On defence, linebacker Tony Jones led all Bombers players with six tackles and has eclipsed 100 tackles on the season for the first time in his career.

Winnipeg will conclude its regular season at home against the surging Montreal Alouettes, a contest that could be a preview of the East Division semi-final should the Bombers end up as the crossover team.

Let’s look at what unfolded in this one first.

EARLY AND LATE MISCUES

Things couldn’t have started worse for the home team, as returner Trey Vaval, who has otherwise enjoyed a sensational rookie campaign, fumbled the opening kickoff, setting the Riders up in Bombers territory.

With a silenced crowd, the Riders followed that up with an aggressive play call — a flea-flicker — on their first offensive play, which resulted in a defensive pass interference call on Demerio Houston to set up the visitors on the Bombers’ one-yard line. Backup quarterback Jack Coan capped the quick striking drive with the short plunge for a touchdown.

Winnipeg managed to recover from that miscue by tying the game at 10-10 in the first quarter and holding a one-point advantage briefly in the second quarter. The turnover loomed large for the remainder of the contest as it allowed the Riders to hang around in a low-scoring game.

The other blunder came with a little over four minutes left in the fourth quarter and the Riders owning a 16-14 lead, as Collaros forced up a pass, intended for Jerreth Sterns, into double coverage and was intercepted by DaMarcus Fields, halting a possession that saw Winnipeg drive into field goal territory.

“Just a bad decision,” said Collaros.

The turnover didn’t cost the hosts, who forced a two-and-out on Saskatchewan’s ensuing possession, but there was a thought as to whether they would get that deep into Riders territory again.

POINTS AT A PREMIUM

Fireworks? Not so much.

After the Riders’ fast start, the offence fizzled for the rest of the first half, netting just 48 yards and averaging 2.7 yards per play going into the locker room. The offence found a little rhythm under quarterback Jake Maier in the second half, but never managed to fully crack the Bombers’ stifling defence, which conceded 169 yards of net offence.

Maier finished 15-of-20 for 123 yards, with no touchdowns or interceptions, while Coan — who entered the game in the fourth quarter — went two-for-eight for 38 yards, with no touchdowns or interceptions.

Meanwhile, the Bombers’ offence got off to a strong start, stringing together a seven-play, 71-yard touchdown drive and following that with a nine-play 71-yard drive that ended in a field goal. What followed was a dismal 104 net yards of offence on their next 11 possessions.

Winnipeg’s second-half drive-chart was perhaps one of the worst of the season: field goal (following a turnover by Saskatchewan), punt, punt, punt, punt, punt, interception, game-winning field goal.

“I didn’t like anything,” said Collaros. “We didn’t do anything well.”

Winnipeg’s game-winning drive, which started at midfield, included a lot of Oliveira, who had a 16-yard rush and a 12-yard reception in the game’s biggest moment.

Offence remains the Bombers’ biggest question — and obstacle — as the playoffs near.

“So offence doesn’t like the entirety of the game, that’s why we’ve got defence and special teams,” head coach Mike O’Shea said in response to his unhappy quarterback.

“Special teams started to roll. We get some big returns, end up stopping them pretty well on our coverage units, and the defence was pretty damn good all night. And you end up with a win. Just trust the professionals and the guys that we’ll be better. But let’s not underestimate the fact that that’s why the other phases, your teammates, have each other’s backs.”

RECEIVING BY COMMITTEE

It was never going to be easy for the Bombers’ offence without their No. 1 receiver, Nic Demski, who missed the contest with a hamstring injury.

Collaros, working with a group that did not have a pass-catcher with more than three years of experience, connected with five different targets on the night. Wilson led the Bombers with 46 yards on three receptions.

Gavin Cobb (four receptions for 44 yards), Jerreth Sterns (four grabs for 40 yards), Oliveira (three catches for 29 yards), and Keric Wheatfall (one reception for 23 yards) also got in on the action.

WHAT’S NEXT

A date with the Alouettes in Week 21 is the only thing that Winnipeg is guaranteed, at the time of writing.

While a win by the B.C. Lions and head coach Buck Pierce would clinch a playoff berth for the Bombers, it would also further shrink the Blue and Gold’s chances at hosting a post-season game. Should the Calgary Stampeders also defeat the Toronto Argonauts on Saturday, it would further muddy the picture — the Stampeders own the regular-season tie-breaker over the Bombers; the Bombers own the regular-season tiebreaker over the Lions; and the Lions own the regular-season tie-breaker over the Stampeders.

No scenario will impact whether the Bombers dress their starters and play to win their next contest, however. O’Shea has harped on his club finding its stride in time for an elimination game.

“I always cheer for Buck. Sure. Tonight? Yeah,” O’Shea said about his former longtime offensive co-ordinator. “Listen, we’ve got to control our own destiny. We’re not asking anybody for handouts. You go to battle, and you ask for provisions? Hell no. Let’s go. Whatever happens, happens.”

joshua.frey-sam@freepress.mb.ca

X: @jfreysam