A tale of two quarterbacks in Steeltown clash

The Winnipeg Blue Bombers need their A-game this weekend if they’re going to leave Steeltown with a win.

You could argue the club didn’t even have their B-game last month when the Hamilton Tiger-Cats invaded Princess Auto Stadium and spoiled the home opener by drubbing the Blue and Gold 37-27.

Now with a chance at revenge, the Bombers (1-2) head into enemy territory on a two-game losing streak after suffering a sloppy 23-18 loss to the visiting Edmonton Elks a week ago. Hamilton (2-1), meanwhile, is coming off a bye after winning back-to-back games.

The Ticats are 14-5 after bye weeks dating back to 2018.

“This one’s extremely important,” said receiver Nic Demski after Friday’s closed practice at Princess Auto Stadium. “We’ve got to get back into a groove and get back into the win column.”

To prepare for game day, here’s the latest edition of 5 Storylines before the Bombers and Ticats kick off Sunday at 6 p.m. CT inside Hamilton Stadium.

BO KNOWS

No one’s perfect but Bo Levi Mitchell is challenging that narrative so far this season.

He’s posted a perfect quarterback rating (158.3) in each of his last two outings, and if he does it again Sunday, he’ll join Warren Moon as the only quarterbacks in CFL history to accomplish the feat in three consecutive games.

“It’s uncanny where he can throw blind passes and get completions to guys that you just don’t think he can even see,” said head coach Mike O’Shea. “His vision is pretty exceptional.”

Mitchell has a completion rate of 84 per cent while averaging 10.9 yards per attempt. The 36-year-old has thrown for 879 yards and eight touchdowns with just one interception.

The Bombers had no answer for him last month, with Mitchell passing for 287 yards and three first-half touchdowns.

“When I look back at the game we played against him and the way he’s playing right now, my first thought is we have to do everything better on defence,” said Bombers safety Redha Kramdi.

“His completion rate is amazing, so, you’ve got to be perfect to beat him. We’ve got to aim for that and do our best.”

LAWLER’S DUE

Kenny Lawler may be the best receiver in the CFL, but the Bombers have largely kept their former teammate in check since he signed with Hamilton last year.

In three games against Winnipeg, Lawler has yet to find the end zone and is averaging 3.6 catches for 49.3 yards.

After hauling in 86 receptions for 1,443 yards and 14 touchdowns last season, the 32-year-old has gotten off to a modest start in 2026 with 10 catches for 156 yards and one touchdown.

Lawler was limited to just 17 receiving yards in Week 2, although he did draw a 28-yard pass interference penalty. Fellow former Bombers Keric Wheatfall and Myron Mitchell combined for 10 catches and 152 yards in their return to Winnipeg.

After the game, Wheatfall was interviewed by TSN and put his own spin on Willie Jefferson’s famous catchphrase, saying, “Come on down to Hamilton!” with a laugh.

“I definitely saw it. I laughed at it,” said Demski. “Wheat’s a funny dude. So, it’s all good — it’s all part of it. We just got to go out there and steal a win over there.”

Sunday will also mark the first trip back to Hamilton for a pair of Bombers who signed with Winnipeg in the off-season: receiver Tim White and corner Jonathan Moxey.

“When I score, I’ll be pretty turnt up,” said White, who has two receiving touchdowns this season.

“It’ll definitely be an exciting time. I’m just ready to step out there with the team.”

RUNNIN’ WILD

Opposing running backs have gashed the Bombers this season.

Winnipeg has surrendered a league-high 154.3 rushing yards per game through three contests — a significant drop from last year, when it allowed just 94.1.

Against Montreal in Week 1 and B.C. in Week 3, Hamilton running back Larry Rountree II managed just 85 rushing yards on 26 carries, averaging an underwhelming 3.2 yards per attempt.

Against the Bombers in Week 2, however, the CFL newcomer tormented the Blue and Gold for 124 yards on 23 carries.

Fortunately for Bomberland, Winnipeg took a step in the right direction last week by limiting Edmonton to just 23 rushing yards in the second half. Elks star Justin Rankin rushed for 95 yards before halftime but finished the night with 106.

The Bombers have also run the ball effectively, averaging 96.3 rushing yards per game to rank third in the CFL. Brady Oliveira sits fourth in the league with 222 rushing yards.

“We have to beat our block instead of worrying about the running back so much. You gotta do one thing at a time,” said corner Major Williams.

“I think a couple times we’re out of place and trying to do something that we’re not supposed to be doing at that time.”

COLLAROS SET TO MAKE HISTORY

Zach Collaros (20,169) needs just six passing yards to move past Khari Jones (20,175) for second place on the Bombers’ all-time passing list.

Dieter Brock remains the franchise leader with 29,623 yards.

Collaros owns a 56-24 record in 80 starts over seven seasons in Winnipeg.

Reaching the milestone, however, would mean a lot more in a winning effort.

For that to happen, Collaros and company will need to take better care of the football.

He threw interceptions in each of the Bombers’ first two games and was one of three players to lose a fumble against Edmonton, although he was blindsided on the play and had little chance to avoid it.

Winnipeg enters the week with a minus-two turnover differential, tied with Saskatchewan for sixth in the CFL.

Winning the turnover battle has been the name of the game in the CFL this season. Through 14 games, only once has the team that committed more turnovers still won — Saskatchewan’s 40-37 overtime victory over Calgary in Week 3.

MORE POINTS NEEDED

The Ticats are red-hot on offence, turning 39 per cent of their possessions into touchdowns — a rate never before seen in league history.

They don’t waste any time getting the job done as they’re third in scoring at 35.0 points per game despite averaging a league-low 50.3 offensive plays.

Then there’s the Bombers, who are last in scoring at 25.0 points per game and fifth in net offence at 395.7 yards. Improving those numbers won’t be easy against a Hamilton defence that ranks second in the league by allowing just 28.0 points per contest.

The Bombers might not want this one to turn into a shootout.

“We’ve got to score more touchdowns,” said Demski. “We’ve put good drives together, we’ve stayed on the field, but at the end of the day, how you win is about putting points on the scoreboard and we’ve got to do a better job at ending drives with touchdowns and we all know that as a group collectively.”

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