Oh no, Big Blue lose Moe

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This article was published 15/10/2017 (3255 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

The good news is the Winnipeg Blue Bombers defeated the B.C. Lions 26-20 Saturday at Investors Group Field, clinching a playoff berth for a second straight year. The bad news is, it was tough to celebrate a night filled with injuries and inconsistency.

With that in mind, here are five takeaways from Saturday’s game:

BAD NEWS PART I

Linebacker Maurice Leggett suffered a torn Achilles tendon and will miss the remainder of the season, the team announced Sunday.

Leggett suffered the injury late in the fourth quarter, after he recovered an onside kick with 2:19 left in the fourth quarter. He required help off the field and was later carted to the dressing room.

Bombers head coach Mike O’Shea was unable to provide an update following the game, though many believed, given how much pain Leggett appeared to be in, the injury could be serious. Those fears were confirmed Sunday by the Bombers, who will now be forced to move on without, arguably, their best player on defence.

Leggett was in the midst of a career-year. He was second among Bombers linebackers with 50 defensive tackles despite missing two games. In 13 games this season, he had three interceptions, one which he returned for a touchdown, three quarterback sacks, and three forced fumbles. He also returned a punt for a touchdown.

Leggett is the second Bomber in the last month to suffer a season-ending injury. Jamaal Westerman was ruled out for the year after sustaining an upper-body injury during a win over the Saskatchewan Roughriders in Week 12.

BAD NEWS PART II

Leggett was one of three players unable to finish the game. More bad news is likely still to come.

While it looks like defensive back Brian Walker, who left in the first half, is expected to be back on the field this week, the same can’t be said for receiver Darvin Adams.

Adams took a crushing hit on the third play of the game and left for the locker room immediately to be evaluated. He would return later in street clothes, with his left arm in a sling. Adams suffered a broken collarbone last season that forced him to miss 12 weeks. It’s unknown whether it’s the same injury this time around.

The Bombers were already without running back Timothy Flanders, who injured his hamstring during last week’s 30-13 loss to the Hamilton Tiger-Cats, veteran receiver Weston Dressler (upper-body) and linebacker Ian Wild (wrist). Dressler is expected to return to the lineup this week, and Wild isn’t far behind. He could also be back in time to play the Argonauts in Toronto Saturday.

Even if Dressler and Wild are able to play, with Leggett already out, and Adams’ return still very much in question, these players will be near impossible to replace. Adams leads the team with 76 receptions for 1,120 yards and seven touchdowns.

OFFENCE STUMBLES FOR SECOND STRAIGHT WEEK

The loss of Adams was felt almost immediately by an offence that for a second straight week was unable to find its footing. Against Hamilton, QB Matt Nichols injured his throwing hand in the first half and was sidelined for the final two quarters. Winnipeg went on to put up just 343 total yards against the Ticats and was dominated in time of possession, 38:19 to 21:41.

Saturday, Nichols, wearing a protective glove, completed 23 of his 30 passes for a 172 yards and the offence put up a season-low 232 yards. While Nichols said the glove didn’t affect his throwing, he wasn’t able to capture any of the magic that has made him a front-runner for the league’s most outstanding player.

The offence didn’t register a single touchdown and only once drove inside the Lions’ 20-yard line. That came only after Kevin Fogg intercepted Jonathon Jennings deep in Lions territory.

“On offence, obviously we had a couple of injuries and that changed the dynamic of everything. But we need to do a better job of being able to step right in and continue to run our offence,” said Nichols. “It’s really hard for me to feel great about this one, because on offence we didn’t hold up our end of the bargain.”

DEFENCE AND SPECIAL TEAMS STEP UP

Instead, it was the defence and special teams units that would shoulder the load in this one.

The defence limited the Lions to just three points in the first half — six through three quarters — and had it not been for a total breakdown in the final minutes it would have been their best game of the season. Jennings connected with Bryan Burham for two touchdowns in the final three minutes, with those two drives accounting for 164 yards — or nearly half — of the Lions’ 356 in the game.

T.J. Heath returned an interception 64 yards for a touchdown late in the fourth quarter that snapped his 11-game drought without a pick. The score put the game out of reach, as the Bombers won the turnover battle 2-0. Chris Randle had a team-high seven tackles.

Kevin Fogg, who also had an interception, opened the scoring with an 88-yard punt return touchdown — his first with the Blue and Gold. Fogg had four punt-return touchdowns called back last season, each one negated by a penalty.

THE PLAYOFF PICTURE

The Bombers improved to 11-4 with the win and remain in second place in the West Division. The Calgary Stampeders, who improved to 13-1-1 with a victory over Hamilton Friday, look primed to stay atop the group. In fact, the Stampeders need just one more win — or a Bombers loss — to clinch the West for a second straight year.

Though the Bombers were able to secure a spot in the post-season Saturday, where they end up in the standings is still to be determined. Winnipeg needs one win in their final three games to secure second place in the West and earn a home playoff game. They currently have a four-point cushion over the Edmonton Eskimos (9-6) and are six points up on the Saskatchewan Roughriders (8-7).

As for the Lions, who dropped to 6-9, they still have a mathematical chance of making the playoffs but the outlook is grim. One more loss by B.C. or a win by the Riders would officially end the Lions’ bid, while also ending a 21-year streak of consecutive trips to the playoffs.

 

jeff.hamilton@freepress.mb.ca

twitter: @jeffkhamilton