Tough battles lie ahead

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This article was published 12/11/2018 (2491 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

REGINA — Following Sunday’s West Division semifinal in which the Winnipeg Blue Bombers defeated the Saskatchewan Roughriders 23-18, Bombers running back Andrew Harris stood behind a microphone and downplayed the significance of the moment.

Asked if he felt the victory was a breakthrough for a team that had just earned its first post-season win in seven years and first in three straight trips to the West semifinal, Harris, though encouraged by the end result, viewed it merely as the first of three steps in their pursuit of winning the Grey Cup.

“There are a lot of guys in this locker room that have been in big games. If it was a bunch of young guys, I think it would be a milestone, but there’s enough veteran presence and leadership to understand that this isn’t our Grey Cup,” Harris said. “We still have a lot of business to handle and Calgary is a great team.”

For the first time since 2011, the Bombers have advanced to the West final and will play a Stampeders club that finished with the league’s best regular-season record, at 13-5. But before we look too far ahead, here are five takeaways from Sunday’s win over the Roughriders:

ACCORDING TO PLAN

With the temperature hovering around -11 C, and blowing snow throughout the game, both teams stressed the importance of running the ball and winning the turnover battle. The team that could do that better than the other, each side reasoned, would be the team that would end up moving on.

Winnipeg would win in both categories, outrunning the Roughriders with 201 rushing yards compared to 132 for the home side and had zero turnovers to Saskatchewan’s two giveaways.

It was an interception by Kevin Fogg that set up the Bombers first touchdown — a 20-yard strike from quarterback Matt Nichols to Drew Wolitarsky — and another pick by Anthony Gaitor on a Hail Mary attempt on the final play of the game that sealed the win.

Harris came to life in the second half, registering 126 of his 153 rushing yards in the final two quarters. In a game-deciding three-play touchdown drive late in the fourth quarter, Harris accounted for all 53 yards on the series, on three running plays, including a two-yard plunge into the end zone.

Extra credit belongs to the Bombers offensive line, a unit that often dominated the line of scrimmage and created lanes for Harris to run through.

“It was a great battle,” Bombers left tackle Stanley Bryant said. “We knew they were going to bring the physicality and that it was going to get nasty and bloody, so we were prepared for it.”

BRIDGING THE GAP

News broke late Saturday that the Roughriders’ No. 1 quarterback Zach Collaros had been ruled out the game, still reeling from the effects of a concussion he suffered in a Week 20 win over the B.C. Lions.

That paved the way for backup Brandon Bridge to earn the start, making him just the second Canadian quarterback to do so in a playoff game since Gerry Dattilio stood behind centre for the Montreal Alouettes in 1984.

While Collaros wasn’t anything special this year — he had just nine passing touchdowns, which were two fewer than Bombers backup Chris Streveler — he did have a 10-4 record as a starter. As for Bridge, who had attempted just 27 passes since his last start on July 28, he was 2-2 in four games, with just one touchdown compared to three interceptions.

Bridge earned most of the reps with the first-team offence the past week, but it was clear he still possessed some major rust. His throws were often off, and though he was able to use his speed, churning out a team-high 86 rushing yards on five carries, he never really found much cohesiveness with the offence.

Besides Naaman Roosevelt, who had seven catches for 79 yards, only two other receivers — Patrick Lavoie and Jordan Williams-Lambert — reeled in a catch, though they combined for just two catches for a grand total of three yards.

Saskatchewan’s offence had been a problem all season, and with Collaros and Bridge both due new contracts, it’s hard to imagine either will be back in green next season.

SPECIAL ATTENTION ON SPECIAL TEAMS

If there was one aspect of the game Winnipeg was dominated in, it was special teams. The kicking game was strong — Justin Medlock was three-for-four, with his lone miss a 54-yarder wide-left on the final play of the first half — but the rest is in need of close evaluation.

While Fogg didn’t dazzle in punt-return duty despite predicting he’d return one to the house following practice Friday, it was limiting the Roughriders’ returners that was the Bombers’ greatest weakness. Saskatchewan was tied with the Stampeders for most return touchdowns in the regular season, with four, and on Sunday once again showed how dangerous it can be in the open field.

Both Kyran Moore, who averaged nearly 17 yards on four punt returns, and Loucheiz Purifoy, who put up a whopping 181 yards on five kick-off carries, were nearly unstoppable. Of the 10 drives set up by a Roughriders returner, seven of them began no deeper than Saskatchewan’s 40-yard line. That certainly won’t fly against Calgary, which, with Bo Levi Mitchell, the league’s front-runner for most outstanding player, will eat them alive with a short field.

BIGHILL’S HEALTH A BIG DEAL

The Bombers defence was able to limit the loss of linebacker Jovan Santos-Knox, who suffered an injury in Edmonton in the final week of the regular season and was ruled out last minute Sunday.

Both Ian Wild and Kyrie Wilson played well in relief, with Wilson finishing with three tackles, including a quarterback sack and another tackle for loss on running back Cameron Marshall.

But covering for Santos-Knox, who is expected to return this week, is much a different story than trying to find a replacement for Adam Bighill. Bighill was nowhere to be seen on the field in the final few minutes, including the last series for Saskatchewan in what was a one-score game.

Bombers head coach Mike O’Shea was unable to provide an update, which is often the case, but one could imagine that if Bighill was good to go he would have — and has in the past — made that known, if only to put out the flames of a worried fan base. Now, that’s not saying Bighill might have a serious injury, but it does allow for speculation. We should get a better answer when the Bombers return to practice on Wednesday, assuming Winnipeg doesn’t choose to close the first workout.

JEFFCOAT HIT TO BE LOOKED AT

The game ended in controversy when Bombers defensive end Jackson Jeffcoat delivered a crushing blow to the head of Bridge with seconds left and not one official reached for a penalty flag.

“There was no malicious intent and I didn’t feel like there was any head contact. I came in with my shoulder. My job is to sack the quarterback and hit him,” Jeffcoat said.

According to The Canadian Press, CFL commissioner Randy Ambrosie was planning to talk with the league’s board of governors today and will have the hit on the agenda.

Ambrosie said the league has already started reaching out to coaches and GMs to get their thoughts on potential changes in the wake of the Jeffcoat hit and subsequent non-call.

“I know we’re going to do something,” Ambrosie said Monday from Hamilton. “Exactly what it is, today, I’m not perfectly sure. But I’m very committed to getting something done and doing it as quickly as possible.”

The commissioner issued a statement after the game, saying it was “clearly a missed call” due to the on-field referee’s view being blocked, and suggested it was time to explore the idea of allowing the command centre to make the call on such plays.

Any potential changes to the current setup would come after the post-season.

“If I thought I (could have) it nailed by Friday, I would do it, but I think it’s going to take more time than that,” Ambrosie told The Canadian Press. “This is an important item. That’s why I’m going to have a separate discussion with the governors… Just to take their temperature on where they stand on this, because I think that consulting them is another important part of a good, healthy process.”

jeff.hamilton@freepress.mb.ca

Twitter: @jeffkhamilton