Cup parade put on hold

Hey there, time traveller!
This article was published 10/07/2010 (5891 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Cue the reality check, cancel the parade route and postpone the love fest for a spell — the Winnipeg Blue Bombers are making a bee-line to the drawing board for some serious remedial work.

The ugly warts glossed over in victory a week ago — hello, special teams — were completely exposed by the Toronto Argonauts Friday night in a 36-34 decision over the home side that stunned 28,009 faithful at Canad Inns Stadium, let alone the Las-Vegas bookies who had made the Bombers a whopping 111/2-point favourite.

Argo kick returner Chad Owens — who has been in Toronto for all of 17 days after being acquired from the Alouettes in a trade — grabbed an Alexis Serna 45-yard field-goal miss and returned it 117 yards for a TD early in the fourth quarter that gave the visitors a lead they would never relinquish.

"Obviously it’s a big momentum swing," said head coach Paul LaPolice. "We can’t do that and be able to beat teams in this league. We have to make a 45-yard field goal, and we need to cover better. You can’t be afraid to kick a 45-yard field goal in the Canadian Football League."

The result means the Bombers’ sole possession of first place in the East Division lasted all of a week, as they fall to 1-1 — tied with the Argos — with the winless Hamilton Tiger-Cats and Montreal Alouettes both having chances to even their records and also grab a share of first over the next two days.

As well, the Bombers should chew on this fact as they mull over a glorious missed opportunity to open a season 2-0 for the first time since 2003: the Argo victory was their first in nine games and their first on the road since knocking off Winnipeg here last July.

One man’s take on the critical developments in Friday’s tilt:

— The Bomber long-field-goal attempt crew needs a serious overhaul, as do the kick-cover units in general. Winnipeg has now been stung for three kick-return scores in two weeks — the opening kickoff to start the season last week against Hamilton and now two misses on long-field goal tries. Ouch.

— The Bombers took over a quarter and a half to awake from their pre-game nap, falling behind 16-0 after a Buck Pierce fumble and interception early set the Argos up for two quick field goals. As well, with Toronto leading 9-zip, Argo QB Cleo Lemon orchestrated a 12-play 102-yard TD drive — capped by a Cody Boyd one-yard run — that had the vaunted Bomber defensive front on its heels.

— Pierce, so brilliant a week ago, shook off the early miscues to put up more juicy numbers, passing for 366 yards and three touchdowns while rushing seven times for 103 yards and another TD. That said, he’d gladly trade some of those stats for another ‘W.’

"We didn’t play four quarters of football; I feel like I didn’t play four quarters of football," Pierce said. "I don’t think I performed where I needed to be, consistency-wise… still got a ways to go."

— Rookie receiver Terence Jeffers-Harris flashed his rookie-of-the-year potential by pulling in seven receptions for 152 yards and two scores, including a 38-yard TD with 58 seconds left that set up one last onside-kick attempt that failed when Argo Willie Pile dove on the loose ball. The play was reviewed as Brady Browne wrestled it loose, but replays revealed Pile was down when the ball sprung free.

"That’s the Canadian Football League. You’ve got to make your opportunities and put yourself in position to be successful," said LaPolice. "I am very happy that our players played to the last play… with 15 seconds left we put ourselves in position to tie the game up. I told them I’m proud of them for competing, but we can’t make mistakes like this."

— The Bombers looked sloppy in their run defence as Boyd lit them up for 109 yards on 19 carries — close to six yards a pop — much of that yardage helping convert first downs.

— Toronto’s defensive front was outstanding, despite Pierce’s outstanding numbers. Bomber running back Fred Reid was limited to just 27 yards on seven carries while the Argos registered two sacks.

"We’ll bounce back from this. We’ll be fine," said Pierce. "We have character guys on this (club) who bounce back from adversity every day."

BLUE NOTES: The Bombers lost starting defensive tackle Dorian Smith and starting safety Ian Logan in the first half to injury. Don Oramansionwu replaced Smith at D-tackle with Brady Browne stepping in for Logan at safety.

ed.tait@freepress.mb.ca

THEY’RE NOT SPECIAL AT ALL D3

KEY PLAY

The Bombers led 27-24 in the fourth quarter when Alexis Serna’s 45-yard field goal attempt sailed wide, was gobbled up by Chad Owens and promptly returned 117 yards for the decisive TD. KEY PLAYER

Argos QB Cleo Lemon. His numbers weren’t as sexy as Buck Pierce’s, but the former NFL starter operated an efficient offence and ran for a TD.

KEY STAT

Three. As in the number of kick-return TDs the Bombers have surrendered in the first two weeks. The opening kickoff to start the season and now two missed FG blunders.