Nichols’ status for semifinal uncertain

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This article was published 06/11/2017 (2923 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

A player crucial to Winnipeg’s chances for success in Sunday’s West Division semifinal at Investors Group Field was conspicuous by his absence from the CFL club’s Monday afternoon news conference.

Blue Bombers quarterback Matt Nichols, who is believed to be dealing with a serious calf injury to his left leg in addition to the lingering effects of a battered right throwing hand, could be forced to miss a second consecutive game — this time a playoff showdown with the Edmonton Eskimos.

Nichols wasn’t talking, so some of his teammates were asked if they believed the club’s most outstanding player nominee would play against the Eskimos.

“We don’t know. I mean, there’s still what, six days until the game?” said veteran slotback Weston Dressler. “If you keep going with the rehab and everything, he’s going to do everything he can to get on the field for us. I know that. And if he’s ready, great. If he’s not, we’ve got two guys capable of helping us win football games as well.”

Backups Dan LeFevour and Dominique Davis could start against the Eskimos. Both played in Winnipeg’s regular-season finale in Calgary last Friday with LeFevour starting in a 23-5 win over the first-place Stampeders.

“He’s a competitor and a fighter and no matter what his condition is, I know he’s going to make the right decision for the club and to put ourselves into the best situation to win,” tailback Andrew Harris said. “That’s really up to Matt and the training staff.”

Added Dressler: “We know he wants to play this week. We know the type of competitor he is and that kinda spreads through the locker room. When you see a guy like him — how much he puts forth every week in preparation and games — we know he wants to be on the field with us.”

HOME-FIELD ADVANTAGE? The Blue Bombers are hosting their first home playoff game since the 2011 season and only their seventh since 1996, but so far, there hasn’t been a stampede to buy tickets, with thousands of seats still available Monday afternoon.

The Blue Bombers hope a large, noisy playoff crowd can give them a boost.

“I expect this place to be absolutely nuts on Sunday,” Harris said. “I wouldn’t want it any other way.

“The biggest thing is, you talk about the history, there hasn’t been a home playoff game here in a while, so the energy and hype that’s going to be in this building is going to be outrageous… That alone is going to be exciting, to be in that environment.”

Winnipeg has won four of its previous six home playoff games dating back to 1996. In addition, host teams have won 11 of last 12 CFL playoff games. But do those numbers really give the Blue Bombers any added security?

“The past is the past and every game is different,” Dressler said. “Those numbers are interesting to look at sometimes, but if we don’t come out and play a good game, just because 11 of the past 12 won doesn’t mean we’re going to win. We still have to execute, we’ve still got to be on point with everything and make plays throughout the game.”

Game time Sunday is 3:30 p.m.

DREAM SEASON: Harris established a CFL record for the most receptions by a running back (105) and earned his first league rushing title. He finished the season with 1,035 rushing yards, nine more than William Powell of the Ottawa Redblacks and 19 more than Calgary’s Jerome Messam.

His 857 receiving yards, meanwhile, left him 143 shy of becoming the first running back in CFL history to reach the 1,000-yard mark in both rushing and receiving — a milestone he acknowledged was important to him.

“Coming into the season I set out goals. Again, I don’t really talk about my goals a lot. This year, for some reason, I felt like I wanted to go public with it. To me it was a week-to-week thing. I came to work every day. I can’t really point out one stat or one game or one moment (being a highlight), but just as a whole, coming to work every day just working on my craft,” Harris said.

The rushing title was a nice bonus, achieved by outgaining Messam 60-30 in the final regular-season game.

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“I knew I needed 33 yards for the 1,000…” Harris said. “I was watching what Messam was doing. Obviously, our defence did a great job stopping him. After I got pulled out, I said, ‘Make sure he doesn’t get another yard.’”

GETTING THEIR MOJO BACK: Winnipeg’s once high-powered offence was held without a touchdown in its last two games, a development Harris plans to rectify Sunday.

The team’s only majors in the last two games have come from cornerback Brandon Alexander (a pick-six), defensive end Tristan Okpalaugo (a fumble recovery and touchdown) and a TD by special teams ace Mike Miller (after a blocked punt by Derek Jones).

“Our defence has been accumulating points, our special teams have been accumulating points, so we haven’t had to, but you’re right, we need to get more points on the board, and again, that’s what we do and why we’ve been so great. So we’ve gotta get back to that for sure,” Harris said.

mike.sawatzky@freepress.mb.ca Twitter: @sawa14