Every game a ‘must-win’ from now: Mike O’Shea

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This article was published 15/10/2015 (3732 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

OTTAWA – There’s a reason why you haven’t heard Winnipeg Blue Bombers head coach Mike O’Shea speak this week about his club’s game here Friday night against the Ottawa Redblacks as a “must-win.”

That’s because every game from now on is a “must-win,” O’Shea explained Thursday afternoon at TD Place.

“It goes without saying – the urgency is there and this is a playoff game. We’re treating them all like that going forward,” O’Shea told reporters shortly after his team’s arrival in the nation’s capital.

The Bombers would claim the final playoff spot in the West Division if the season were to end today, but O’Shea says his 5-10 team doesn’t want to just limp into the playoffs.

“In order to do well in the playoffs, you want to go in on a roll. That’s the whole point, right? We need to also prove to our team we can win two games in a row. Because if you want to win the Grey Cup, you have to be able to win more than two games in a row.”

The Bombers haven’t won two games in a row since July 2014 and come into this week’s game off a dramatic last second victory over the B.C. Lions last weekend in Vancouver.

O’Shea had spent much of last week telling anyone who would listen – including his players – that their game against the Lions was a “must-win” and that seemed to translate into a sense of urgency in a second half that saw the Bombers storm back from a 23-9 halftime deficit.

But having played that card successfully last week, O’Shea has dropped the wordplay this week and is simply focussing his players on putting together a successful three-phase effort to beat a second-year Redblacks team that is 8-6 coming into this week and a bonafide Grey Cup contender.

The Redblacks lead the CFL in net yards, passing yards, first downs and time of possession and Bombers defensive back Johnny Adams – who leads the league in interceptions – says the key to containing Ottawa is to figure out how to contain their 40-year-old wonder, QB Henry Burris.

“He brings a leadership to their team. We need to be prepared as a defence and a team to go out there and play Winnipeg football,” said Adams.

Ottawa head coach Rick Campbell was asked Thursday if he changed his normal game preparations after watching the film of Winnipeg’s win in B.C. in which the Bombers used all kinds of gadget plays on special teams – including a pair of fake punts – in their win over the Lions.

“No, you’ve just got to make sure you’re sound and you play smart,” said Campbell. “Mike O’Shea is one of my favourites in the CFL because he’s a special teams guy and he appreciates it. And I grew up doing special teams too.

“So we know we’ve got our hands full.”

paul.wiecek@freepress.mb.ca

Twitter: @PaulWiecek