Bombers 411

By: Ed Tait Posted: 10:38 PM CDT Friday, Jul. 24, 2015

EDMONTON — They’ve taken a punch — a violent shot right to the gut and to the psyche — and now Mike O’Shea is going to learn something about his 2015 Winnipeg Blue Bombers.

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EDMONTON — They’ve taken a punch — a violent shot right to the gut and to the psyche — and now Mike O’Shea is going to learn something about his 2015 Winnipeg Blue Bombers.

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This article was published 24/07/2015 (3758 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

EDMONTON — They’ve taken a punch — a violent shot right to the gut and to the psyche — and now Mike O’Shea is going to learn something about his 2015 Winnipeg Blue Bombers.

Namely, can they get back up off the mat and start swinging again following last week’s crushing 26-25 loss to the Calgary Stampeders?

“(Mental toughness) is something we talk about week in, week out. It’s something the players build on and the staff builds on…what we talk about and show the players in film sessions,” said O’Shea Friday afternoon as the Bombers landed in Edmonton for Saturday’s matchup with the Eskimos.

JASON FRANSON / THE CANADIAN PRESS FILES
Winnipeg Blue Bombers quarterback Drew Willy (5) is sacked by Edmonton Eskimos Odell Willis (41) during a game last season. — JASON FRANSON / THE CANADIAN PRESS FILES Winnipeg Blue Bombers quarterback Drew Willy (5) is sacked by Edmonton Eskimos Odell Willis (41) during a game last season.

“The hope is that mental toughness, that football IQ — all the things we talk about — increases during the season. We saw it in the way they came out to practice in the first day this week. They weren’t dragging their butts around. They were ready to work and happy to be out there.”

“That (loss) was definitely tough. Seeing that it was so close and came down to the end, it stings a little bit more,” said Bomber slotback Nick Moore. “But we’ve got another West (Division) game and we’ve got to flush (the Calgary loss) quick.”

ROSTER SHUFFLE

Winnipeg has made four changes to its roster, adding defensive linemen Thaddeus Gibson and Derrell Johnson, offensive lineman Patrick Neufeld and linebacker Tony Burnett. Neufeld won’t dress, though, with Matthias Goossen serving as the sixth man along the O-line. Devin Tyler, meanwhile, will start at right tackle for Jace Daniels.

Those changes on the defensive line, with Greg Peach now joining Bryant Turner, Jr. on the six-game injured list, will be critical in the matchup against diminutive Eskimos running back Shakir Bell — generously listed at 5-8, 185 — who was spectacular in his CFL debut last week.

“He’s a shifty little guy, that’s for sure,” said defensive tackle Zach Anderson “You sit back and watch the game and go, ‘Well, there’s another game plan for ya.’ I’m excited to play against him.”

FYI

Edmonton is riding a seven-game winning streak — and eight-game undefeated streak — against Winnipeg at home. Winnipeg scored just 12 points in the two meetings last year — 41-9 and 26-3 losses — and hasn’t scored a TD vs. the Esks since a Jovon Johnson 48-yard fumble return on Sept. 20, 2013.

NOTABLE

CFL QBs have eclipsed the 70 per cent completion mark only four times in league history — Ricky Ray, (77.2 with Toronto in 2013), Dave Dickenson (74.0 with B.C. in 2005 and 70.4 in 2006) and Anthony Calvillo (72.0 with Montreal in 2009). But so far through 2015 there are five CFL pivots completing passes at a 70 per cent clip or better, led by the Bombers’ Drew Willy at 77 and followed by Toronto’s Trevor Harris at 74.7, Kevin Glenn of Saskatchewan at 73.8, Montreal’s Rakeem Cato at 72.2 and Zach Collaros of Hamilton at 70.8.

FAMILIAR FACE

The Bombers will be facing Cory Watson for the first time since his trade to Saskatchewan (who later flipped him to the Eskimos). Watson explained some of the mystery that swirled around his trade over the winter, stating that he had approached the Bombers for a trade to be closer to his off-season home base in Montreal because his spouse was expecting their second child — with the due date now just three weeks away.

Interestingly, the two transactions involving Watson pushed him further West.

“I guess they couldn’t find any deal out east that made sense for them,” said Watson, “What made sense was with Saskatchewan, and I understand that part of the business. There’s no animosity toward Winnipeg.”

Bomber QB Drew Willy was 13 of 14 for 155 yards on first down vs. the Stamps last week… Eskimo kicker Grant Shaw is working on a field-goal streak of 14 straight. He finished 2014 hitting his last six kicks and is 8-for-8 to start this season… Edmonton’s defence has allowed only one TD drive in the last two games over 30 possessions… Bomber receiver Clarence Denmark leads the CFL so far this season with four catches of 30-plus yards… Nick Moore’s 27 catches through Week 4 has him ahead of the pace James Murphy had in 1986 when setting the club record for receptions with 116.

— Ed Tait