Friday night preseason tilt last chance to impress Bombers’ brass

The Winnipeg Blue Bombers will go with a roster full of mostly fresh faces for their preseason finale after playing a majority of its veterans in last week’s opener.

The Bombers welcome the Saskatchewan Roughriders to town Friday night in what will be the team’s final tuneup before the regular season gets underway with a home date against the Hamilton Tiger-Cats on June 9.

The lineup against the Roughriders will feature some experienced Bombers, but is made up mostly of rookies and newcomers trying to carve out a spot — either on the active roster or practice team. Final cuts will be made Saturday.

“Be right and make plays,” Bombers head coach Mike O’Shea said when asked what players can do to make a final strong and lasting impression. “Show a high degree of physicality — all the stuff we like from football players.”

Star receiver Lawler suspended by Bombers

The Winnipeg Blue Bombers are dealing with a massive hit to their roster just a week before the CFL season begins.

The team has transferred star receiver Kenny Lawler to the suspended list, “… pending resolution of matters related to his 2021 off-field incident,” the Bombers said in a statement. An update on Lawler’s status will be provided once the situation resolves, with the expectation that it will take between three or four weeks to achieve that goal, the two-sentence statement read.

There was no further information provided by the Bombers.

However, league sources confirmed to the Free Press the off-field incident in question is related to Lawler’s charge for impaired driving after a single-vehicle accident in the early hours of Monday, Oct. 4, 2021.

Bombers training camp and exhibition games are for evaluating talent

It’s always important to take the CFL preseason with a grain of salt.

While players work all off-season to get into shape, and then use training camp as a way to further get ready for the season, there’s really no way to truly replicate the kind of action you see in a ‘real’ game. Because players need time to shake off the rust built up over a long winter, performances in the preseason — good or bad — aren’t necessarily strong indicators of what’s to come.

Add in the fact key players are often limited in their playing time or held out altogether, making room for younger and inexperienced players who in most cases are new to the CFL, drawing any kind of concrete conclusions is a fool’s game.

That’s not to suggest what we’ve seen over the last week is meaningless — not even close. A strong preseason effort can earn a rookie a job or, in the case of a seasoned veteran, provide the confidence to hit the ground running when the regular season starts.

Collaros to sit out preseason tilt vs. Riders

Mike O’Shea has seen all he needs to from quarterback Zach Collaros as the 2023 CFL season inches closer.

The Winnipeg Blue Bombers head coach confirmed Collaros will not be taking part in the club’s preseason finale against the visiting Saskatchewan Roughriders Friday night.

“It’s the same thing we talk about every year with Zach,” O’Shea said after training camp practice Tuesday. “We think we have a plan. Then we work the plan with him, ask him what he thinks he needs. Couple that with what (offensive co-ordinator) Buck (Pierce) thinks and what I think and come up with an answer. And that’s the answer.”

O’Shea made his decision after watching Collaros play the the first quarter and the first five minutes of the second quarter in a 25-23 road victory over the Edmonton Elks Saturday. Collaros and the first-team offence struggled at times, including starting the game off with back-to-back two-and-outs before Collaros connected with Kenny Lawler for a 67-yard touchdown.

Pigrome breaks out in CFL debut

Tyrrell Pigrome certainly knows how to make a strong first impression.

In the thick of a battle for the third quarterback spot on the Winnipeg Blue Bombers roster, Pigrome made the most of his first taste of CFL game action, helping his new team earn a 25-23 road win over the Edmonton Elks on Saturday. It was the Bombers first preseason game of the year and a breakout performance for Pigrome, who rushed for two touchdowns while also making some plays down field with his arm.

“That was a great experience. Of course, you probably have a little jitters. You make sure you’re trying to do everything right,” Pigrome said Tuesday, as the Bombers returned to training camp after a two-day break. “I had some good plays and at the same time I felt like I had some bad ones. But it was the best opportunity just to be out there, have some fun with the guys and just come out with a win.”

Pigrome was the third quarterback to enter the game, behind starter Zach Collaros and No. 2 pivot Dru Brown. The Elks had just evened the score, 17-17, with a field goal early in the fourth quarter when Pigrome was called into action.

Blue escape with narrow win

The Winnipeg Blue Bombers opened the preseason with a narrow 25-23 win over the Edmonton Elks at Commonwealth Stadium Saturday afternoon.

The Bombers survived a late scare by the Elks, blocking a 52-yard field-goal in the dying seconds to seal the win. Winnipeg wraps up the preseason by welcoming the Saskatchewan Roughriders to town on Friday, before kicking off the regular-season at home against the Hamilton Tiger-Cats a week later, on June 9.

Here are some observations, notes and analysis from the win.

1) There were definitely some eyebrows raised when the Bombers released a veteran-filled roster for the game, including dressing starting quarterback and two-time reigning CFL most outstanding player Zach Collaros. Collaros lasted longer than many would have expected, playing in five series over the first quarter and the first few minutes of the second. It was a slow start, beginning with two of three total two-and-outs with Collaros behind centre, before the Bombers No. 1 pivot eventually found his groove, orchestrating a pair of touchdown drives. Collaros finished the day 5-for-8 passing, for 93 yards and a touchdown – and, most importantly, left the game healthy.

Game time for Bombers hopefuls

The Winnipeg Blue Bombers have spent two gruelling weeks battling their own teammates and are ready to smack some pads against real opponents in what will be a critical affair for veterans and rookies looking to secure a job.

The Bombers are in Edmonton to play the Elks on Saturday afternoon, the first of two pre-season games for the Blue and Gold. The second exhibition tilt is back in Winnipeg against the Saskatchewan Roughriders on June 2, which will act as the final tuneup before the start of the 2023 CFL regular season just six days later.

“We look to guys to know what they’re doing out there, compete, make plays and set themselves apart,” said Bombers head coach Mike O’Shea following Thursday’s training camp workout, when asked what he’s looking for from an evaluation standpoint. The Bombers held no practice or media availability Friday.

“On film, it would look like they’re doing everything right, that all the assignments are correct. They’re efficient in their movement. It might not add up to tackles or catches or whatever, but they’re always right and always in the right spot.”

Steep learning curve for Bombers newcomers

When you’re able to bring back a majority of your team from one season to the next, much like the Winnipeg Blue Bombers have done for years, it creates several advantages.

Bennett in his element at first pro camp

Anthony Bennett is two weeks into his first professional football training camp and it’s exactly what he thought it would be. That doesn’t mean it’s been an easy ride – quite the opposite, actually – but the recent draft pick of the Winnipeg Blue Bombers has been soaking up every moment.

“It’s more surreal, that you work this hard to get there, but it’s nothing surprising,” Bennett told the Free Press following practice Thursday. “You knew it was going to be faster, it’s going to be harder. Guys are going to be taller. Guys are going to be bigger. Guys are going to be weirdly smaller but they’re faster. It’s all these different scenarios that you prep your mind for and you’re OK with.”

The Bombers selected Bennett, a bruising defensive end whose collegiate career included stints at Florida Atlantic University and the University of Regina, with the eighth overall pick in the CFL Draft earlier this month. The 26-year-old grew up in Florida but was eligible to be selected because his mother is from Regina.

The last couple of weeks have been a crash course in learning the Bombers defensive and special-teams systems and Bennett has been like a sponge. That he gets to work alongside some of the CFL’s top pass-rushers in Willie Jefferson and Jackson Jeffcoat has only helped his development.

Augustine always ready to be Johnny on the spot

Johnny Augustine isn’t one to sweat the small stuff. He does pride himself on doing all the little things to ensure he’s in peak shape.

Bombers’ hard-nosed centre takes long road to starting job

Life can come at you fast. Just ask Winnipeg Blue Bombers centre Chris Kolankowski, who over the span of four years has jumped from the doghouse to the penthouse in his three-down football career.

It was around this time in 2019 that Kolankowski was released by the Toronto Argonauts during training camp. He had been drafted by the Argos in the sixth round, 49th overall, in 2016, and had played in more than 20 games with the CFL club, including winning the Grey Cup as a rookie in 2017.

“I had to start looking for other jobs,” Kolankowski told the Free Press following Bombers training camp practice on Wednesday. “After getting cut, I probably worked on football for a couple months, but eventually you got to find something to pay the bills.”

The 31-year-old missed the entire 2019 campaign. He worked in geotechnical drilling, which is a fancy way of saying he had a job in construction. His new life consisted of working anywhere from eight to 16 hours per day, going to the gym, then home to eat and sleep. Rinse and repeat.

Bombers Clements, Wade keen to take advantage of opportunity

Malik Clements knows just as well as anybody how quickly an opportunity can arise.

Clements signed with the Winnipeg Blue Bombers ahead of the 2022 CFL season to provide depth at the weak-side linebacker position. He would end up doing much more than that, dressing for 14 games — 11 of them starts, including the West Final and Grey Cup — after Kyrie Wilson suffered a season-ending Achilles injury in camp.

Fast-forward to today and Clements is back at camp. Wilson is also in the mix – though he’s still recovering from his injury and is expected to miss at least the first few weeks – as well as some rookies that have signed as free agents, much like Clements did two years ago when he got his start in the CFL with the Edmonton Elks.

“I always look at things as competition. But, really, it’s against myself,” Clements told the Free Press earlier this week. “I’m hard on myself to the point I’m trying to be better than yesterday. Just like last year, if the opportunity presents itself, I’ve got to make sure I’m ready to take full advantage it because we all have one common goal and that’s to win. With the game of football, it’s tough and injuries happen, so it’s always that next-man-up mentality and you’ve got to stay ready.”

Blue Bombers baby boom

While his teammates were battling through the first week of training camp, Jake Thomas was on a special assignment back home.

Thomas, a hard-nosed defensive tackle and the longest-tenured member of the Winnipeg Blue Bombers, now in his 11th season, has been on daddy daycare duty for the first parts of camp. He and his wife, Sarah, welcomed their second child and first daughter, Avery, to the world on May 9.

Indeed, it was a busy and exciting couple of weeks in the Thomas household, where the new father had been helping change diapers and keeping his young son Emmett busy while mom does the feedings and recovers from a C-section birth. Emmett just turned two years old a few days earlier, on May 5.

“There hasn’t been too much sleeping going on,” said a beaming Thomas, who returned to the city on Thursday and was limited in practice Friday as he works to get back into practice shape. “I probably still left a little too early, but my wife gets it. She understands football, and I was just lucky enough that the team allowed me to stay there.”

Alexander hits the ground running

It’s been a much different start to the CFL season for Brandon Alexander compared to last year.

Last spring, the Winnipeg Blue Bombers safety entered training camp with a limp, still rehabbing from a serious knee injury he suffered late in the 2021 Grey Cup. That year, Alexander wouldn’t be ready to play for months, with the team’s medical staff keeping him off the field until mid-September, limiting the hard-hitting defensive back to five regular-season games.

Fast-forward to today and Alexander is fully healthy and has hit the ground running. With the benefit of a full off-season, one dedicated to training rather than healing, the 29-year-old joined his teammates for training camp this year looking bigger and stronger than ever before.

In fact, Alexander put on an extra 15 pounds of muscle, bringing him up to nearly 200 pounds. That added weight appears to be in all the right places, too, and ask the player himself and he’ll tell you it hasn’t affected his speed or footwork.

The CFL’s quarterback carousel

How concerned should we be over the current crop of starting quarterbacks in the CFL?

It’s something I’ve been thinking about for some time now, ever since Nathan Rourke departed for the NFL. Rourke, a Canadian who signed a three-year contract with the Jacksonville Jaguars, spent just two years in the CFL, the second in which he set several records, and would have set even more had he not suffered a serious foot injury midway through the season.

Indeed, Rourke dominated headlines throughout the 2022 campaign, with all the attention on the budding star overshadowing an otherwise underwhelming group of passers, with one notable exception in Winnipeg Blue Bombers and the league’s reigning back-to-back most outstanding player, Zach Collaros. Beyond Collaros, you can make the argument no other franchise in the league has even close to the same level of stability at the most important position heading into this season.

If it’s not a talent issue, then it’s circumstance, most notably a QB having to start over with a new team and teammates. That’s no easy transition, even for a league known for plenty of turnover.

Staton embraces competing for job as Bombers kicker

After the Winnipeg Blue Bombers spent much of the early parts of winter putting the band back together for another run to the Grey Cup, the main storyline over the last couple of months had surrounded the kicking game.

How else could you explain the excitement surrounding every drafting and signing of a kicker over the last while?

Most notably was the inking of Chandler Staton, an unknown in these parts but an intriguing kicker out of Appalachian State that had fans quickly Googling his name, hoping he might be the answer over incumbent Marc Liegghio. Liegghio struggled at critical times over the 2022 season, including in the Grey Cup against the Toronto Argonauts, where he missed a one-point convert and had a 47-yard field goal blocked with less than a minute remaining in a 24-23 loss.

Then, just days before training camp opened, the Bombers made another significant splash, signing kicker Sergio Castillo to a one-year deal. Castillo, back for a third stint with the Blue and Gold, was a key factor in the Bombers’ Grey Cup victory in 2021, finishing the game five-for-five on field goals in a 33-25 overtime decision, before playing last year with the Edmonton Elks.

Bisons defensive stalwart Adamson shifts to O-line with Bombers

There are few things Cole Adamson loves more than football. He has spent most of his life playing the game, a passion that led to a stellar five-year career with the University of Manitoba Bisons and becoming a 2022 fourth-round draft selection for his hometown Winnipeg Blue Bombers.

You often hear players say they’ll do anything to continue their careers and Adamson is proof of that. While with Manitoba, the now 24-year-old impressed immediately, playing in all eight regular-season games at defensive tackle as a true freshman, and by his fifth year had become among the most recognizable faces on the Bisons and across U Sports.

As punishing as Adamson has been playing on the interior of the defensive line — he racked up 58 solo tackles and 33 assisted takedowns, plus 7.5 tackles for loss and 2.5 sacks in 36 games for the Bisons — the Bombers have convinced him to take an entirely new approach to his craft. Rather than lining up with the defence, Adamson has been asked to try out as an offensive lineman.

It’s not only a position he’s never played before, or at least not at any significant level, he now has to develop on the fly, beginning this week at Bombers rookie camp. It’s the definition of baptism by fire, with Adamson soon to face the likes of Willie Jefferson and Jackson Jeffcoat, who are among the CFL’s most prolific pass-rushers, come official training camp on Sunday.

Bombers quest for dynasty resumes

After a long four months and a cold and blustery winter, the CFL is officially back.

Rookie camps kicked off on Wednesday, with main training camps getting underway on Sunday. In fewer than two week’s time, preseason will begin, setting the stage for the 2023 CFL regular season, beginning with a Thursday night tilt between the B.C. Lions at the Calgary Stampeders on June 8.

For lovers of the three-down game, this is as close to Christmas in the summer as it gets. The joy level isn’t just high with fans, every team — from the front offices to the coaching staff, to the players, all the way down to the support staff — is embracing the clean slate that comes with every new year.

In honour of the upcoming season, we’re going to do things a little bit different in this edition of CFL Rundown. Rather that dissect the major news coming out of each market — it’s a slow week, to be sure — I’ll take a look at each team and briefly examine the biggest storylines heading into what should be another exciting year of Canadian football.

CFL action coming up fast

Can you believe CFL training camps are fewer than two weeks away?

I’m not sure where exactly the time went, but, man, am I happy the three-down game is right around the corner. In fact, rookie camps get underway on May 10, with full training camp for all clubs opening on May 14.

Every new season brings a new sense of optimism across all nine CFL cities. With how wild free agency was this year, I suggest you take a moment to familiarize yourself with the league’s rosters, as there was plenty of movement over the winter.

This column, CFL Rundown, will also be ramping up as the season inches closer, coming to you weekly once the schedule kicks off in earnest, with the first weekend of games running June 8-11. It’s not as if the action just stopped over the last few months; anyone who keeps up with the CFL knows it can be a full-year circus of fun and wacky developments.

CFL deeply invested in SFU situation

By now you might have heard about the sudden shuttering of one of Canada’s university football programs and the efforts being made from all corners to salvage it.

Canadian Football Hall of Fame choosing in anonymity who to honour

It’s been nearly two weeks since the Canadian Football Hall of Fame’s Class of 2023 was announced and it didn’t take much long after for the debates to heat up.

CFL commissioner very enthusiastic about placing team in Atlantic Canada

Randy Ambrosie was in town earlier this week to confirm what had become the city’s worst-kept secret, that Winnipeg would be hosting the 2025 Grey Cup.

Winning free agency no guarantee of success

With free agency officially opening on Tuesday, the CFL has been busy the last couple of days.

Blue Bombers GM says, ‘We’re pretty much done spending’

A busy off-season spent retaining much of its talent from last season made for a quiet day for the Winnipeg Blue Bombers as CFL free agency officially opened on Tuesday.

Adding Lawler shows Bombers intent on building dynasty

By convincing Kenny Lawler to come to Winnipeg despite offers for more money elsewhere, the Blue Bombers added arguably the CFL’s best receiver to an already star-studded roster.

Lawler returning to Bombers

The Kenny Lawler sweepstakes began in earnest this week, with the Edmonton Elks receiver doing his rounds across the league, taking full advantage of the CFL’s “legal tampering” period ahead of free agency.

Let the bidding begin

With just two weeks before the start of free agency on Feb. 14, we’ve reached the calm before the inevitable storm for front offices across the CFL.

Dubois gives back to community

MONTREAL – Many know Pierre-Luc Dubois, the hockey player. Now meet Pierre-Luc Dubois, the philanthropist.

CFL schedule prompts usual complaints

When making the CFL schedule, one thing that’s consistent from year to year is that every market is going to have something to complain about.

Bombers fans need not panic

The CFL recently released the lists of each of its nine team’s pending free agents, marking the official start to the off-season.

O’Shea expects Bombers kicker to return next season better than ever

When Winnipeg Blue Bombers head coach Mike O’Shea looks back at the 24-23 loss to the Toronto Argonauts in Sunday’s Grey Cup, he sees an entire team that fell just short.

Bombers processing Grey Cup loss

Locker clean-up day hit the Winnipeg Blue Bombers hard on Tuesday.

What was supposed to be a storybook season ends in heartbreak

REGINA — It was supposed to be a storybook ending, a chance to make history and cement themselves as a rare dynasty in the modern sports era.

Bombers offensive co-ordinator destined to be head coach

REGINA – There’s going to be a moment, maybe even in the near future, when Buck Pierce is going to have to make a serious decision.

O’Shea repeats as coach of the year

REGINA – Jake Thomas has played for Mike O’Shea for eight seasons and has developed plenty of fond memories over their time together in the CFL. There are a couple instances that stand out above the rest.

‘I’m ready to play,’ says Collaros

REGINA – Concerns over whether Zach Collaros would be healthy enough to play this week have officially been put to rest.

Collaros misses workout

REGINA — It’s become the most important storyline of Grey Cup week and one that the Winnipeg Blue Bombers have done everything they can to suppress.

Bombers, Argos last teams standing

REGINA – What began with six teams has been trimmed down to the final two, pinning the top clubs from the CFL’s East and West Divisions in this Sunday’s 109th Grey Cup in Regina.

Bombers going back to Grey Cup

The Winnipeg Blue Bombers are headed back to the Grey Cup – and the dream of a CFL championship ‘three-peat’ remains very much alive.

Bombers look to continue magical run to third-straight Grey Cup

The Winnipeg Blue Bombers begin their pursuit of a third consecutive Grey Cup title with a date against the visiting B.C. Lions in the West Division final at IG Field Sunday afternoon.

Frigid conditions could be great equalizer in Sunday’s West Final

AS the temperature in Winnipeg continues to dip, just in time for CFL playoff football, members of the Winnipeg Blue Bombers have upped their game in an attempt to combat Mother Nature.

Bombers rarin’ to face Rourke

If the Winnipeg Blue Bombers are to defend the Grey Cup again this year, winning their third consecutive title, Deatrick Nichols wants to know they did it playing against the opponent’s best.

Roughriders finally hit rock bottom

With Week 20 now in the books, we can officially start talking about the CFL playoffs. While there’s one week remaining in the regular season, all six post-season spots have been locked up.

Argos a legitimate Grey Cup threat

With just three weeks remaining in the CFL regular season, the post-season picture is becoming clearer. Even if there are some hotly contested battles remaining.

Schoen shines again

In what’s been a wild, wild West Division in the CFL this year, one thing has remained consistent.

Bombers blow-out Elks, clinch West Division for second straight year

With the top spot in the West Division up for grabs, the Winnipeg Blue Bombers took full advantage of the opportunity, delivering shot after shot to the Edmonton Elks en route to a 48-11 knockout victory in front of 27,159 at IG Field Saturday night.

Foolish to take Elks for granted

It’s been more than two months since the Winnipeg Blue and Edmonton Elks last met, with the Blue and Gold earning a 24-10 victory at Commonwealth Stadium back on July 22.

CFL playoff picture anything but clear

Only in the CFL can you have nearly three times as many losses as you do wins with a month remaining in the regular season still have a chance to make the playoffs.

Prairie rivalry starting to sputter

To suggest the Winnipeg Blue Bombers have had the edge over the Saskatchewan Roughriders in recent years would be putting it lightly.

Bombers take down Roughriders with convincing 31-13 win

Following their worst defeat of the 2022 CFL season, the Winnipeg Blue Bombers got back to their winning ways Friday night with a convincing 31-13 win over the Saskatchewan Roughriders in front of a sold-out crowd at IG Field.

Bombers have something to prove

It’s Friday Night Lights on the Prairies, as the Winnipeg Blue Bombers and Saskatchewan Roughriders meet for the third and final regular-season game at IG Field.

Playoff races heating up

With just five weeks remaining on the CFL schedule, the playoff races are heating up.

Tiger-Cats deserve full credit for victory

Despite there being only three games on the CFL slate, Week 15 still packed a considerable punch — literally and figuratively.

Bombers ‘D’ comes up short

HAMILTON — It hasn’t been often this season the Winnipeg Blue Bombers have found themselves outside the winner’s circle, with Saturday’s defeat to the Hamilton Tiger-Cats just the second loss in 14 games this year.

High-flying Bombers swamped by lowly Tiger-Cats

HAMILTON – The Winnipeg Blue Bombers got a taste of their own medicine from the Hamilton Tiger-Cats, who served up the kind of dominating performance that the Blue and Gold have become accustomed to giving – not getting – over the past few years.

Plenty at stake as Blue Bombers face desperate Tiger-Cats

HAMILTON — The Winnipeg Blue Bombers continue their pursuit of clinching the West Division with a Week 15 matchup against the Hamilton Tiger-Cats at Tim Hortons Field Saturday afternoon.

Prukop a perfect fit for Blue and Gold

There was a moment earlier in the season when Winnipeg Blue Bombers offensive lineman Patrick Neufeld knew Dakota Prukop was a perfect fit for the Blue and Gold.

Banjo Bowl highlights blowout bonanza

The weather is getting cooler as we inch closer to the fall, but that didn’t stop a few teams in the CFL from heating up last weekend. In a season that’s had a lot of close games, Week 14 saw a few clubs flex their offensive muscles, with three of the four games having a winning margin of at least three touchdowns.

Banjo Bowl beatdown comes with asterisk

It was a Banjo Bowl beatdown courtesy of the Winnipeg Blue Bombers, who hit their groove early en route to a 54-20 victory over the Saskatchewan Roughriders in the annual prairie rival clash at IG Field.

Blue hit all the right chords

The Winnipeg Blue Bombers struck all the right chords, finding their rhythm early before rolling to a 54-20 beatdown over the Saskatchewan Roughriders in front of a sold-out Banjo Bowl crowd of 33,321 at IG Field Saturday.

Bombers, Riders put on another humdinger of a Labour Day game

REGINA — The annual Labour Day Classic between the Winnipeg Blue Bombers and Saskatchewan Roughriders lived up to its hype, delivering a physical and entertaining battle between the prairie rivals.

Bombers win Labour Day Classic

REGINA – Up against a packed house in a hostile environment, with more than 33,000 fans cheering for him to miss, and from a distance he’s never before been asked to kick from, Marc Liegghio proved all the doubters wrong.

Riders fans will give Blue Bombers an earful in Labour Day Classic

REGINA — For a team that prides itself in having the CFL’s loudest fans, the Winnipeg Blue Bombers are about to get a taste of their own medicine.

Nothing guaranteed when Bombers face archrival Roughriders in Labour Day Classic

REGINA — It’s a rivalry unlike any other in the Canadian Football League.

Keeping Collaros clean all the motivation Bombers need

Scrolling through the CFL’s statistics package through 12 weeks this season and there’s not a lot that pops out when it comes to the Saskatchewan Roughriders.

Bombers checking out of sick bay

After a game in which a handful of players couldn’t finish owing to injury, it looked as though practice this week for the Winnipeg Blue Bombers might start a little thinner than normal.

Big Blue save best for last

In a game that had a little bit of everything, including lots of scoring, several highlight-reel plays and plenty of lead changes, the Winnipeg Blue Bombers saved their best for last.

Redblacks a raging dumpster fire

With the reigning back-to-back Grey Cup champion Winnipeg Blue Bombers on the shelf this past week, it was up to the other eight teams across the CFL to give the country an entertaining weekend of three-down football.

Intrigue plentiful in Bombers-Stamps tilt

The Winnipeg Blue Bombers are fresh off the bye week and will welcome the Calgary Stampeders for a CFL matchup at IG Field on Thursday night.

Bombers D not the least concerned about who starts at QB for Stamps

If the Calgary Stampeders are pondering who should start at quarterback this week, the Winnipeg Blue Bombers defence isn’t all that concerned with the answer.

Hall will never be satisfied with Bombers D

Turns out, Richie Hall isn’t an easy marker.

Fun is over, Bombers back to business

DESPITE temperatures approaching 30 C Sunday afternoon, the Winnipeg Blue Bombers looked as refreshed as they have all season.

Bombers’ Liegghio on a short leash

After lamenting a lack of action in Week 9 of the CFL schedule — a rather odd break from an exciting 2022 season to date — the league returned to must-watch TV over the weekend.

Bombers’ perfect run ends with OT loss to Als

The Winnipeg Blue Bombers bid for a perfect season is officially over. And it couldn’t have been halted in more dramatic fashion.

Lions’ freshman Canadian QB set pair of league marks in blowout win over Elks

In what’s been a thrilling 2022 CFL season, filled with exciting games and tight finishes, Week 9 didn’t exactly live up to the hype.

Wolitarsky’s contributions go beyond catches and touchdowns

On a team that prides itself on selflessness, there’s likely no better example on the Winnipeg Blue Bombers than receiver Drew Wolitarsky.

Blue Bombers running back has worked hard to rebound from early-season struggles

Brady Oliveira will be the first to admit the run game struggled early on in the season. Being the one who touches the ball the most, he owns a sizeable piece of it.

Bombers win a total team effort

MONTREAL – Another week, another win for the Winnipeg Blue Bombers, who rallied late in Thursday’s game to down the Montreal Alouettes 35-20 at Molson Stadium.

Bombers rally late to beat Alouettes 35-20

MONTREAL – It won’t go down as a classic, but make no mistake, what the Winnipeg Blue Bombers achieved Thursday night in Montreal is nothing short of impressive.

Bombers pose greatest test for Als

MONTREAL — The Montreal Alouettes have lost more than twice as many games as they’ve won as they near the midway mark of their 2022 regular-season schedule.

Bombers the class of the CFL

MONTREAL — It’s been almost two weeks since the last CFL Rundown column ran in these pages, the result of a long overdue vacation that I spent mostly in Ottawa for a Hamilton family reunion. While I was struggling to get a word in edge wise, the CFL was business as usual, including a Week 8 schedule that saw a bit of everything over the four-game slate.

Defence to thank for keeping Bombers unbeaten

I’ve witnessed plenty of weird over my years covering the CFL and Friday’s game between the Winnipeg Blue Bombers and Edmonton Elks is certainly up there in the list of bizarre moments.

Bombers stay perfect with 24-10 win over Elks

EDMONTON — The Winnipeg Blue Bombers put forth an imperfect effort against the Edmonton Elks, getting dominated in nearly every aspect of the game except for where it counts.

Indeed, the Bombers were outmatched in several areas — number of plays (69-39), first downs (23-12), and time of possession (37:14 to 22:46), to name a few — but found a way to win on the scoreboard, earning a 24-10 victory over the Elks Friday night at Commonwealth Stadium. The Bombers remain perfect on the season, improving to 7-0 on the year, maintaining their place in top spot in the West Division.

“We did enough to win,” Bombers head coach Mike O’Shea said after the game.

“I thought the defence was pretty darn good again. They played a lot of snaps but holding them to 10 points is pretty good. We scored on offence, had a really nice long drive when we needed it in the fourth. It gave the defence a bit of a rest, ended with a touchdown. Overall, very, very pleased. Very pleased.”

Lawler says leaving Blue Bombers a business decision

EDMONTON — Kenny Lawler thoroughly enjoyed being a member of the Winnipeg Blue Bombers. It’s where he matured as a pro football player and, while in Winnipeg for parts of three seasons, he won two Grey Cups and led the CFL in receiving yards his final year.

Over the winter, as the Bombers were putting together the roster for a chance at a rare three-peat, Lawler didn’t get the love he felt he deserved. When Winnipeg refused to pay top dollar for his services, it only made sense to start looking elsewhere for a new football home.

“I felt like the time that I am in my career, with my age and my youth, that I have to maximize as much as I can,” Lawler said following the Elks’ walk-through practice Thursday at Commonwealth Stadium, where Edmonton will welcome Winnipeg for its Week 7 matchup Friday night.

“There was a small offer on the table. They had to do what they had to do for their business to grow and keep doing what they do. I had to do what I had to do.”

Expect bounce back from Big Blue

EDMONTON — The Winnipeg Blue Bombers continue their run through the West Division with a matchup against the Edmonton Elks at Commonwealth Stadium Friday night.

Both clubs are looking to build off narrow victories last week, with the Elks (2-4) rebounding from a 13-point, fourth-quarter deficit on the road to stun the Montreal Alouettes 32-31. The Bombers outlasted the Calgary Stampeders at home, scoring late and then shutting down a dangerous looking final drive by the Stamps to secure a 26-19 victory and remain a perfect 6-0.

It’s the first of two regular-season clashes between the Bombers and Elks this year, with the second match set for Week 18 in Winnipeg. Here are five storylines to keep an eye on in Friday’s game.

1) The Bombers have once again been bit by the injury bug and will be without two more key players this week. After being limited in practice, receiver Greg Ellingson and defensive end Jackson Jeffcoat have been ruled out of action, each dealing with a hip issue.

CFL reaches new level of excitement

WINNIPEG — If the CFL has taught us anything over its long history, it’s that a lot can be packed into a single weekend. It’s been an eventful first six weeks of the 2022 season, a campaign already filled with high-scoring affairs and tight games.

Last week took things to a new level. Perhaps there’s some recency bias at play here, but I can’t remember a more exciting weekend of three-down football. Just consider in the four games played, all were decided by a single score and went down to the final minutes, with two of those games won by two points or fewer.

The Montreal Alouettes (1-4) hit a new low, falling to the Edmonton Elks (2-4), 32-31, despite holding a 31-18 fourth-quarter lead. The Winnipeg Blue Bombers kept their record unblemished, improving to a perfect 6-0 with a 26-19 victory over the Calgary Stampeders (4-1), who suffered their first loss.

Wynton McManis returned a Cody Fajardo interception 50 yards for a touchdown in the final minutes to seal a 30-24 victory for the Toronto Argonauts (2-2) over the Saskatchewan Roughriders (4-2) in the annual Touchdown Atlantic game in Wolfville, N.S. Finally, the Hamilton Tiger-Cats (1-4) earned their first triumph of the season, edging the struggling Ottawa Redblacks, 25-23, to keep their East Division rival winless through five weeks, at 0-5.

On- and off-field success means Big Blue back in black

A year after getting sacked for millions in losses, the Winnipeg Football Club is back in the black following a successful 2021 season both on and off the field.

The club released its annual financial report Wednesday, announcing a $2.1-million operating profit for the fiscal year, a significant increase from the $9.7 million in losses from 2020 when the CFL was forced to shut down its entire season due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

“The numbers are very positive, and our team and our organization, everyone involved, worked extremely hard to get to the success we did on and off the field,” football club president and CEO Wade Miller told the Free Press in a phone interview.

“A lot of credit belongs to a lot of people for making it the year that it was.”

Hello, this is Carlton, your scoreman

It truly is special when a game lives up to its hype, and Friday’s affair between the Winnipeg Blue Bombers and Calgary Stampeders didn’t disappoint.

It was the Battle of the Unbeaten, with the Bombers and Stampeders entering the game with unblemished records. At a combined 9-0, it was the second-most dominant collective record ever to collide in the CFL, with only a 1961 matchup between Hamilton (4-0) and Edmonton (7-0) besting this night.

It would be the Bombers who proved victorious, earning a 26-19 win that included some major fireworks in the final moments. Winnipeg improved to 6-0, the first season they have started 6-0 since 1960, keeping them in sole possession of first place in the West Division.

The Stampeders dropped to 4-1. Calgary has lost five straight games at IG Field, a stadium where Winnipeg has won 12 straight.

Battle of the Unbeaten lives up to its billing — and then some

The Battle of the Unbeaten certainly lived up to its name. And then some.

The Winnipeg Blue Bombers and Calgary Stampeders met for their Week 6 matchup at IG Field Friday night with a combined record of 9-0, with the Blue and Gold a perfect 5-0 and the Stampeders at a sparkling 4-0. And what unfolded was a classic, as they often are between these two West Division rivals.

Once the dust settled, it would be the reigning back-to-back Grey Cup champion Bombers that ended up in the winner's circle, surviving a frantic final minute that required a lengthy review from the CFL's command centre to earn a 26-19 victory. The Bombers improved to 6-0 for the first time since 1960, and now have a four-point lead on the Stampeders, who dropped to 4-1, for top spot in the West Division.

In the last eight meetings between these two teams, all have been decided in the final three minutes, with six of those decided by a touchdown or less. The Stampeders have lost five straight at IG Field.

Marino gets no mercy

Despite a lighter slate, with three games instead of the usual four, Week 5 in the CFL packed a heavy punch.

The Blue Bombers reminded the rest of the league that the Grey Cup goes through Winnipeg, improving to a perfect 5-0 with a convincing 43-22 win over the B.C. Lions.

The Calgary Stampeders (4-0) also remain undefeated, delivering a beatdown, 49-6, to the Edmonton Elks (1-4) in the rematch of the Battle of Alberta. Finally, an impressive victory for the Saskatchewan Roughriders (4-1) over the Ottawa Redblacks (0-4), 28-13, was marred by a disgusting play and ensuing antics by Roughriders defensive lineman Garrett Marino.

Buckle up. We’re going to spend a lot of time talking about Marino and the Roughriders in the latest edition of CFL Rundown.

McCrae steps up in air, ground attack with Demski injured

The Winnipeg Blue Bombers have had their eye on running back Greg McCrae ever since he arrived for training camp in May.

Considered to be among the most promising newcomers, it wasn’t until an injury to receiver Nic Demski in Week 3 that the 24-year-old Miami native would get his opportunity to crack the lineup.

“When the guys identified him and brought him in, they do a great job of letting us know as coaches. So, (assistant GMs) Ted (Goveia) and Danny (McManus) will let us know where they think he fits, positionally, and then the coaches take that and they move pieces around and they validate what they see and what they believe,” Bombers head coach Mike O’Shea said after a workout Tuesday. “When he came in, they saw him as a guy that could play a dual role, running from the slot and also, possibly, from the backfield and returning. All sorts of things. He is very versatile and that’s proved out, for sure.”

When Demski suffered an injured ankle and was assigned to the six-game injured list, it seemed a difficult task trying to replace arguably the most versatile piece of the Bombers offence. Demski, a Canadian, is predominantly a receiver but is often utilized as a running back on designed plays.

Lions continue strong start to season

I’ve long thought that it makes little sense for a head coach in the CFL to have an additional title, whether that be an offensive, defensive, or special-teams co-ordinator, or even a role in management.

The basis of my argument is a team is asking too much of its head coach to oversee all departments while also running his own, whether that be in-game or out. We’re seeing the difference it can make through four weeks of the 2022 season.

There are five CFL head coaches that wear more than one hat: Toronto’s Ryan Dinwiddie (HC, OC); Ottawa’s Paul LaPolice (HC/OC); Hamilton’s Orlondo Steinauer, who is also president of football operations; and Edmonton’s Chris Jones, a triple-threat with the Elks, with Jones also the general manager and DC. These teams are a combined 3-15 through four weeks.

There’s a sixth, kind of, in B.C.’s Rick Campbell, who is also a co-GM as well as head coach. Campbell shares that job, meaning he doesn’t take on the full load of responsibilities. This year, Campbell dropped his role as a DC, a job he’s had the past two seasons, promoting Ryan Phillips. The Lions are 3-0 in 2022, following two miserable years.

Dominant defence and sporadic offence nothing new for Bombers

TORONTO — The Winnipeg Blue Bombers are exactly where they want to be four games into the 2022 CFL season, sitting atop the West Division with a perfect 4-0 record after edging the Toronto Argonauts 23-22 at BMO Field Monday night.

The back-to-back Grey Cup champions haven’t always played up to their high standards. That includes their tilt against Toronto, in which a seemingly inevitable comeback by the Argonauts was spoiled when kicker Boris Bede botched a convert kick in the dying seconds to seal the win for Winnipeg.

Some familiar themes emerged, with the Bombers defence once again stealing the show and the offence struggling to put together meaningful drives on a consistent basis. Winnipeg has survived its deficiencies so far, but they’ve yet to face the league’s stiffest competition, with every game this season against a team from the lowly East Division (case in point: the Argonauts, who fell to 1-2, are tied for first with Montreal).

The road ahead for the Blue and Gold gets much more difficult, including a quick turnaround this week against the red-hot B.C. Lions (3-0) Saturday night. That’s the first of four straight games against West opponents, which is followed by a pair of tilts with the Calgary Stampeders (3-0), with a match against the Edmonton Elks (1-3) sandwiched in between.

Bombers win nail-biter over Argos 23-22

TORONTO – They call the CFL the "Crazy Football League" for a reason, and Monday night's affair between the Winnipeg Blue Bombers and Toronto Argonauts was no exception.

In a game that had more than its share of wild plays, it was a missed convert by kicker Boris Bede in the dying seconds that secured a 23-22 victory for the Bombers at BMO Field.

"What the CFL is known for is the game is never over," said Bombers linebacker Adam Bighill. "We're fortunate for the miss at the end, but it was a dogfight out there."

Trailing 23-16 with 1:32 remaining in the game, the Argonauts put together a nine-play, 53-yard drive capped off with a 2-yard touchdown pass from McLeod Bethel-Thompson to Markeith Ambles to pull Toronto to within a point to tie. But Bede's kick would sail wide by a few yards and an unsuccessful onside-kick attempt would seal the game.

Blue have date with Argos and old pal Harris

TORONTO — The Winnipeg Blue Bombers continue their run through the East Division with a Week 4 matchup against the Toronto Argonauts at BMO Field Monday night.

It’s a rare Monday affair — the CFL is trying to gain American viewers, so airing a game on ESPN+ during a U.S. holiday is certainly a good place to start — and it comes after a pair of victories against the Ottawa Redblacks and, most recently, the Hamilton Tiger-Cats. It’s also the only time the Bombers and Argonauts will meet this season, after splitting the season series 1-1 in 2021.

After a Week 1 bye, the Argonauts currently sit atop the East despite a modest 1-1 record. With Hamilton (0-3) and Ottawa (0-3) still winless, and with the Montreal Alouettes (1-3) falling to the Saskatchewan Roughriders on Saturday, Toronto has a chance to take over sole possession of first place in the East Division.

With that, here are five storylines to keep an eye on in today’s game.

Harris: No hard feelings

TORONTO — Andrew Harris is not one to hide his emotions. There are few, if any, in the CFL more passionate about the game than the 35-year-old future Hall of Fame running back, and he’s often at his best when that passion is overflowing.

As he gets ready to play the Winnipeg Blue Bombers, his hometown team and the one he played a large role in delivering back-to-back Grey Cups, his words have unusual restraint. Now a member of the Toronto Argonauts, who snatched Harris up on Day 1 of free agency and made him the highest-paid running back in the league, he’s opting to keep his emotions in check.

“I’m not really talking about it. Yeah, it’s my old team and, yeah, it’s my hometown and there’s lots of history there. That’s in the past, in the rear-view mirror,” Harris said following the Argonauts walk-through at BMO Field Sunday. “When you get too caught up in the emotions and other things, you’re not focusing on football. I’m just trying to focus on football and as far as our locker room is concerned, there really hasn’t been much talk about it at all. A couple of guys have asked me ‘How’s it gonna be.’ And I say, ‘Ah, just another game.’ There will be a couple more high-fives and stuff before the game, but once that whistle blows, I’m going out there to get a win.”

Monday's matchup will be the first and only reunion this season since Harris and the Bombers parted ways over the winter. Harris, who played five years in Winnipeg and won the league rushing title three times, hoped to stick around for at least another season, to be part of the club’s bid at a three-peat.

Strong outing earns Houston promotion

The Winnipeg Blue Bombers were so impressed with what they saw from second-year player Demerio Houston in a Week 3 win over the Hamilton Tiger-Cats they’ve decided to shuffle the secondary to ensure him more playing time.

Houston, who played admirably at field corner in a 26-12 victory over the Ticats last Friday, has been promoted to boundary-side corner at practice this week, replacing Winston Rose. Rose has been shifted to the field-side corner, a spot that was occupied the first three games by another veteran in Tyquwan Glass, who was released early Friday.

The 25-year-old Houston finished with six defensive tackles against Hamilton, but it was a hit he laid on receiver Steven Dunbar Jr. that stood out the most.

Dunbar had just reeled in a catch when Houston delivered him a shot to the back, which popped the ball loose and into the hands of Bombers defensive end Willie Jefferson. Jefferson promptly returned the interception 30 yards for a touchdown – the fourth pick-6 of his career and fifth defensive score – that helped secure the win.

Mixed emotions as Big Blue prepare to face Harris, Argos

When Andrew Harris signed with the Toronto Argonauts in February, marking the end of his time with the Blue Bombers, the decision to move on from the future Hall of Fame running back was met with mixed feelings.

While fans were quick to condemn or justify Harris’ departure after five seasons in Winnipeg, a tenure that ended with back-to-back Grey Cup titles, it was a tough pill to swallow for several Bombers players. For many of Harris’ now-former teammates, it remains difficult to digest the fact that No. 33 is no longer with the Bombers and part of their run at a three-peat.

Though it’s been months since Winnipeg opted to move on from Harris, leaving ample time for the initial shock to wear off, it’s still going to be weird to cross paths when the Bombers travel to Toronto for a Monday matchup against the Argonauts at BMO Field. Winnipeg and Toronto play just once this season, with the Argonauts not scheduled to return to IG Field for a rematch.

“It’s always hard. Especially a guy like him, a guy who we’ve formed a relationship with over a long period of time,” Bombers offensive lineman Patrick Neufeld said following Friday’s practice at IG Field. “But that’s always the sh—-y part about this business. Everyone says, and everyone, at some point, more likely than not, is gonna go through it. So, it’s it sucks not having him around, but we have a phenomenal locker room and I’m sure he’s forging those new bonds out in Toronto, too.”

West still leads the way in CFL

A familiar pattern is emerging through two weeks of the CFL schedule.

While many pundits predicted a greater level of parity across the league — based on a seemingly much-improved East Division — it’s been all about the West so far.

The West is 5-0 against the East. Only the Toronto Argonauts have a victory, and that came against a divisional opponent. Montreal Alouettes (0-2) kicker David Côté missed a 21-yard field goal in the dying seconds to seal a 20-19 win for the Argonauts (1-0) at BMO Field last Thursday night.

Meanwhile, the Winnipeg Blue Bombers (2-0) met the Ottawa Redblacks (0-2) for a second straight week, earning a 19-12 victory at TD Place Friday night.

Big Blue should only get better

OTTAWA – The Winnipeg Blue Bombers remain perfect on the season, now 2-0 after a 19-12 victory over the Ottawa Redblacks on a rainy, windy Friday night at TD Place.

But the CFL squad has certainly shown some warts in back-to-back wins over the Redblacks (0-2).

Winnipeg got off to another slow start, a sub-par first half barely salvaged by a touchdown drive in the dying seconds before the break. The visitors offered a much better effort in the final two quarters, although the score was tight the rest of the way before the Redblacks sealed their fate with a roughing-the-kicker penalty.

Clearly, the Bombers understand they need to improve on the last two weeks. But they’re encouraged by the fact that despite playing below their standards, victories are still being generated.

Bombers not a dominant force in 19-12 victory over Redblacks

OTTAWA — Through the first two weeks of the Canadian Football League season, what’s becoming clear is the Winnipeg Blue Bombers aren’t the same version of themselves from 2021 when they dominated the league en route to claiming a second consecutive Grey Cup title.

But what they have also proven to be is a resilient and scrappy club, and that was once again on full display Friday, resulting in a 19-12 win over the Ottawa Redblacks in front of a rain-drenched crowd of 22,185 at TD Place. It was the second straight victory over the Redblacks to start the 2022 season, leaving the defending back-to-back champions a perfect 2-0 heading into a Week 3 matchup at home against the Hamilton Tiger-Cats.

“We can’t rest on our laurels and think last year is who we are,” Bombers linebacker Adam Bighill said after the game. “We’re a new team, with new guys here and it’s a new year. The teams across the league are different; nobody cares what you did last year, and we don’t either. We got to find our identity and who we are this year. We have standards and a bar that we’ve set, and we haven’t even come close to meeting them yet.”

The Redblacks fall to 0-2 on the season, which is a disappointing fate for a club that pushed the Bombers right to the edge in both games. Much like the Bombers aren’t the same club from a year ago, neither are the Redblacks, who look nothing like the 3-11 club from 2021.

Big Blue expect Redblacks to mix it up

OTTAWA — Having run their offence for four years, including playing an integral role in their first Grey Cup victory in nearly 30 years, members of the Winnipeg Blue Bombers know Ottawa Redblacks head coach Paul LaPolice will have something up his sleeve when the two teams meet for a rematch at TD Place Friday night.

“I’m pretty sure he’ll throw something in, a wrinkle or two,” said Bombers defensive end Willie Jefferson. “That’s a part of being a good offence, good defence, you don’t want to do the same thing over and over again. You want to try to keep teams guessing. So, we expect some, at least two or three new plays, some variations of the plays that they ran and some different formations and things like that. But other than that, as long as we can do what we need to do on defence, and stop them from getting in the end zone, it’s a good job for us.”

Led by a strong offensive effort, the Redblacks stunned the Bombers defence in the early going of last week’s season-opener at IG Field, racking up 243 yards of offence through the first two quarters. While Ottawa would outduel Winnipeg, racking up 431 offensive yards compared to 289 for the Bombers, they would ultimately lose the game, 19-17, on a last-minute field goal.

LaPolice, who was the Bombers offensive co-ordinator between 2016 and 2019, said he was encouraged by his club’s effort, even if the end result was disappointing. Quarterback Jeremiah Masoli racked up 380 yards through the air in his Redblacks debut, with key free-agent signing, receiver Jaelon Acklin, finishing with a career-best 143 yards on six receptions.

Plenty of intrigue in Bombers-Redblacks rematch

OTTAWA — After going more than two years without playing each other, the Winnipeg Blue Bombers and Ottawa Redblacks will meet for the second time in as many weeks.

The Bombers managed to squeak out a 19-17 win last week at IG Field, the final dagger coming in the dying seconds in the form a 25-yard field goal. They’re now in enemy territory for the rematch, which goes down at TD Place Friday night, with the chance to improve to 2-0 on the season.

If that’s to happen, the Bombers are going to have to put forth a much better effort than they did last week. Indeed, Winnipeg looked nothing like a club coming off back-to-back Grey Cups, even if they still left with two points.

“More consistent play. I mean, better play, of course,” Bombers head coach Mike O’Shea said when asked what he hoped to see improved this week. “You’d like to see just a higher level, more to our standard, throughout the full game instead of just fits and spurts and then just pull it out at the end.”

Return of three-down football full of excitement

What an opening weekend for the Canadian Football League. After a long off-season, fans of three-down football were treated to an exciting slate of games that had a bit of everything.

The Calgary Stampeders rallied back from a 10-point deficit in the first half to down the visiting Montreal Alouettes, 30-27, in the season-opener Thursday night. Meanwhile, the back-to-back Grey Cup champion Winnipeg Blue Bombers narrowly escaped defeat at the hands of the new-look Ottawa Redblacks, nailing a last-minute field goal to seal a 19-17 victory at IG Field.

It would take the Saskatchewan Roughriders a bit to hit their groove against the Hamilton Tiger-Cats, but an offensive outburst in the second half resulted in a 30-13 win over the Tabbies. The B.C. Lions wasted little time making their presence felt against the Edmonton Elks, registering six touchdowns through the first two quarters en route to a dominating 59-15 win at a spirited BC Place.

Indeed, it was as good a showing as the CFL could have asked for to open a new campaign. And as is always the case, there are plenty of juicy notes and storylines that have emerged heading into Week 2.

Blue can win with average performance

It’s often said the trademark of a good team is the ability to win when you’re not at your best. The Winnipeg Blue Bombers proved just that in their narrow win over the Ottawa Redblacks Friday night.

Marc Liegghio booted a 25-yard field goal with six seconds remaining to seal a 19-17 victory in front of 26,002 fans at IG Field. But as good as the back-to-back Grey Cup champions have been and are expected to be this season — Winnipeg is favoured by many to win a third consecutive title — the Bombers left the field this weekend with far more questions than answers.

Of course, it’s not all doom and gloom for the Blue and Gold. A victory is a victory, and it means no less than had they blown out the Redblacks, a team that underwent a massive overhaul in the offseason after finishing 3-11 in 2021.

But the Bombers will have to be much better this week when they meet for a rematch at TD Place on Friday. Winnipeg can’t expect to get dominated again in almost every aspect of the game and leave with another win — no matter how good they might be.

Last-second field goal lets Bombers sneak past Redblacks 19-17

WINNIPEG – For the better part of 60 minutes, the Winnipeg Blue Bombers looked destined to lose. But as fate would have it, with just seconds remaining on the clock and the odds stacked heavily against them, the back-to-back Grey Cup champions found a way to win.

Trailing 17-16, Marc Liegghio connected on a 25-yard field goal to seal a 19-17 victory for the Bombers over the Ottawa Redblacks in front of 26,002 at IG Field. The late-game heroics salvaged a happy ending on a night that began with the unveiling of Winnipeg’s 2021 championship banner.

“I’m just glad I got that shot to give my team the win. That’s a big whole-team win, not just me,” Liegghio said after the game. “It always feels good to kick the game-winner and just see your teammates run on the field to high-five you and everyone giving you a hug. It’s a great feeling.”

To call it a comeback wouldn’t be doing justice for what unfolded late Friday.

Bombers heavy favourites to win third straight Grey Cup

To be the best, you’ve got to beat the best. It’s an old adage in sports and it applies to the Winnipeg Blue Bombers as we enter the first weekend of the 2022 Canadian Football League season.

As back-to-back winners of the Grey Cup, the Bombers enter the fresh campaign as top dogs among the litter. Any power rankings that don’t have them at the top are hardly worth the paper they’re written on, especially considering the Bombers have returned several players from last season, even if a few key contributors have moved on.

Let’s not waste time here; the rest of my early rankings are as follows: 2. Saskatchewan; 3. Toronto; 4. Calgary; 5. Hamilton; 6. Montreal; 7.Ottawa; 8. Edmonton; and 9. B.C.

Despite my best efforts, I can’t seem to predict the future. So, if you feel your team hasn’t received the respect it deserves, well, feel free to send me your list at the email below and we’ll compare notes by season’s end.

Improved Redblacks first test for two time Grey Cup Champs

The Winnipeg Blue Bombers’ pursuit of a third consecutive Grey Cup championship begins in earnest Friday night when the Ottawa Redblacks visit IG Field.

The Bombers enter the 2022 CFL season with a bullseye on their backs, the byproduct of winning consecutive league titles. Winnipeg has the rare chance to ‘threepeat’ — which would make it the first team to achieve the feat since Edmonton won five Cups from 1978-82.

It’s also the first meeting between the Bombers and Redblacks since the 2019 season.

The 2020 campaign was wiped out owing to COVID-19, and the CFL schedule maker oddly set no battles between the two sides in 2021. (Probably a good thing for Ottawa, as the Bombers were 11-3 last season and the Redblacks just 3-11.)

Kicker looking for comeback season

It wasn’t the season Marc Liegghio envisioned for himself when he pictured breaking into the Canadian Football League as a rookie.

But the Winnipeg Blue Bombers kicker is hoping the lessons he took from a rocky 2021 campaign will help make for better results as he enters his sophomore season. As part of his offseason process, Liegghio went back and watched his game film, making whatever adjustments he felt were necessary.

“First year as a pro, it was a pretty wavy season,” Liegghio said following practice Monday. “I know a lot of things happened last season, but you just have to learn from them. I know I can do this; I was good coming out of university, I had my accolades and all that stuff. But I just want to do what’s best for the team and that’s what I’m going to do this year, for sure.”

Liegghio, 25, was drafted by Winnipeg in the fifth round, 39th overall, in the 2020 CFL Draft. He joined the Bombers last season after a standout career at Western, where, in 2019, he became the first player to be named a U Sports first-team all-Canadian as both a place kicker and a punter. That year, his senior season, he set a U Sport record with a punting average of 47.5 yards, while also connecting on 22 of 24 field-goal attempts.

Many wins for players in CFL’s new CBA

REGINA — If the football gods are real, and let’s assume for a moment they are, then this will hopefully be the last time, at least for some time, that we’ll have to talk about the CFL and a new collective bargaining agreement.

That’s right, despite the first work stoppage since 1974 and the real threat of a second player strike, the CFL and CFL Players’ Association managed to hash out a new CBA. The new agreement is a seven-year pact, which will run through the 2028 season and is effective immediately.

The new CBA was ratified by the players late last week and then by the league’s board of governors this week, making it officially official. With no more hurdles to clear, we can begin to move forward as the pre-season wraps up this weekend and the regular season kicks off June 9 with a game between the Montreal Alouettes and Calgary Stampeders.

With that, let’s dive into the latest edition of CFL Rundown, a weekly column that looks back at the week that was in the three-down loop, with news, notes and analysis of all things CFL.

Big Blue’s Bailey impressive in second pre-season outing

REGINA — What began as a sleeper, ended in a nail-biter.

The Winnipeg Bombers were able to withstand a late push from their prairie rivals, edging the Saskatchewan Roughriders 25-16 at Mosaic Stadium Tuesday night.

The game marked the end of the pre-season for the Bombers, who can now shift their focus to the games that really count. The Bombers finish the exhibition season 1-1, after losing to the Edmonton Elks, 30-20, at IG Field Friday night.

Here are my observations from Tuesday’s win over the Roughriders.

It’s great to be back watching football

The Winnipeg Blue Bombers opened their preseason schedule with a 30-20 loss to the Edmonton Elks at IG Field Friday night.

The Bombers will wrap up their exhibition series Tuesday night in Regina against the Saskatchewan Roughriders.

Here are my observations from Friday’s loss to the Elks.

● It’s important to note that while jobs are certainly won and lost during the pre-season, it’s far from pretty football and hardly an indicator of a team’s future success. That said, while the game had plenty of sloppy play, it was great to have football back after a long and cold winter.

Receiver Schoen could shine

He’s been a standout on offence through the first week of training camp, but the time is now for Dalton Schoen to show the Winnipeg Blue Bombers he’s here to stay.

The 25-year-old Kansas native will get his first taste of a CFL game when the Bombers welcome the Edmonton Elks to IG Field Friday night for the first of two preseason tilts. The other preseason game will be played Tuesday in Regina against the Saskatchewan Roughriders at Mosaic Stadium.

Schoen, who is a 6-1, 218-pound receiver out of Kansas State, has been an impressive addition to this year’s roster. He’s made plays in camp and shown a quick ability to adjust to the Canadian game.

But whether he’s capable of cracking the lineup will likely depend on how he’s able to take what he’s learned so far into a game environment. And with only a couple opportunities to make his mark, Schoen understands how important these games are in making a good impression.

Bombers ready to rumble

After a week of gruelling practices, which had been overshadowed by a brief work stoppage and the potential of a second player strike, the Winnipeg Blue Bombers are finally ready to get back in front of the hometown crowd.

With a new collective bargaining agreement ratified late Thursday, the final obstacle has been cleared, making way for Friday?s preseason game against the visiting Edmonton Elks at IG Field. And after getting through a four-day strike to begin training camp, resulting in the postponement of Monday?s exhibition game in Regina against the Saskatchewan Roughriders, to be able to finally play a game is a welcomed change of pace.

“That’s always exciting, especially at IG Field,” Bombers head coach Mike O’Shea said about the return to game action. “Our fans are fantastic, so having them in the stadium, it’s nice for our young players, too, to be able to sense their passion very early on.”

It’s been three years, dating back to the 2019 campaign, that the CFL has had a preseason schedule. The 2020 season was cancelled owing to COVID-19, and with a delayed and shortened 2021 schedule, again owing to the coronavirus, the CFL had to wipe out exhibition games in order to fit in a 14-game regular season.

Weighing chance for CFL labour deal with pre-season kickoff looming

It was supposed to be a quiet week in the Canadian Football League, with business returning to usual following a rare player strike that lasted an uncomfortable four days.

News of a new tentative collective bargaining agreement finally put a halt to the labour stoppage, meaning players were back on the field. And in all the excitement of a potential return to talking about training camps and upcoming games rather than riffs between the two sides, we were led to believe that the CFL and CFL Players’ Association would simply vote it through.

Well, not so fast. As it turns out, not everyone was feeling the love of the new deal.

In the end, it was the players who would have the final say, ultimately voting against the new CBA and forcing the two sides back to the bargaining table. Now, they’re in another game of chicken — and the clock is ticking.

CFL players nix contract ratification

Right when it looked as though it was smooth sailing for the Canadian Football League, they entered uncharted waters on Monday, leaving the 2022 season in danger of starting on time – or at all.

Just days after returning to the field for training camp following a four-day player strike – the first CFL labour strike since 1974 – the league has once again been left in limbo. A new tentative collective bargaining agreement – one endorsed by the CFL and the executive of the CFL Players’ Association but required ratification by both sides – was shot down by the players in a vote on Sunday.

As it currently stands, there is no working CBA in place.

“A settlement offer that you have considered has been rejected,” the CFLPA told its membership in a letter obtained by the Free Press. “We are actively discussing with your player reps this evening, and you will receive a communication shortly.”

A need to lead

Rasheed Bailey has always considered himself a leader. To suggest he exudes passion for life would be putting it mildly, especially for someone who has spent years as a motivational speaker, addressing young athletes in particular.

Now entering his third season in the Canadian Football League, the Winnipeg Blue Bombers receiver feels he can fill a leadership hole on the team. With the departure of receiver Darvin Adams, who signed with the Ottawa Redblacks during the off-season after six years in Winnipeg, Bailey hopes he can pick up where his mentor left off.

“He was the foundation of what this organization was and what it represented, and what this receiver corps was. I learned a lot from (Adams),” Bailey said this week from Bombers training camp. “Darv, he set the tempo, and now the reins and the torch has kind of been handed to me, in that sense of being the energy, being the one that’s gonna set the tempo in practice, on the field, blocking, doing the small little detail things, and also making plays.”

Bailey likened Adams to a big brother, someone he could lean on when times were good and bad.