Bombers hang on for victory

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This article was published 28/06/2019 (2263 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

It’s way too early to be making any kind of long-term projections. But there is a temptation, at least a little bit, to suggest that after Thursday’s win over the Edmonton Eskimos, the Winnipeg Blue Bombers might just be the team to beat in the West Division.

Of course, only time will tell whether that will prove true. But that didn’t stop Winnipeg from sending a message to the rest of the league with a nail-biting 28-21 win over the Eskimos at IG Field. In what was dubbed the battle of the unbeatens, it was the Bombers who kept their perfect record intact, improving to 2-0 on the season after opening the year with a road win over the B.C. Lions.

“We know we’re a good football team. We can win tough games and we can make some mistakes here and there and overcome them,” Bombers quarterback Matt Nichols said after the game. “But also there is so much room for improvement and we left a lot of stuff out there. For us, it’s just holding ourselves to the highest standard that we can play much better than that and the sky’s the limit for us.”

The Eskimos carried a bit more hype, having earned victories over The Montreal Alouettes and B.C. Lions through the first two weeks. But despite outperforming the Bombers statistically in net offence (440 to 273), passing yards (350 to 210) and rushing yards (100 to 83), it mattered little against a suffocating Bombers defence and an offence that made the most on its few opportunities. Edmonton drops to 2-1 with the loss.

Indeed, it was a roller-coaster affair for the Bombers’ offence. For the second straight week they put up three touchdowns, including two highlight-reel plays off the arm of Matt Nichols to first-year receiver Lucky Whitehead. But they also went for long stretches where they looked mediocre, including six punts and a fumble on second-half drives.

Instead, it was the Bombers’ defence that proved to be too much for the visitors, limiting a potent Eskimos’ offence. Quarterback Trevor Harris entered the night with 741 passing yards through his first two games, and he added to that league-leading total, going 35-for-54 passing for 345 yards.

But while Edmonton threatened on a number of drives, they settled for seven field goals by kicker Sean Whyte.

“We don’t worry about yardage and I don’t think you’re ever going to convince me of that,” said Bombers head coach Mike O’Shea, before being asked about his sputtering offence. “Big plays. 28 points… against a good Edmonton defence.”

On Wednesday, shortly after the Eskimos arrived in Winnipeg, head coach Jason Maas stressed to reporters that if his team was to have success limiting the Bombers’ offence it started with the run game. He lamented the different ways Bombers offensive co-ordinator Paul LaPolice used No. 1 tailback Andrew Harris, including disguising him in different positions to allow Nic Demski to rush the ball.

What Maas feared is exactly what played out late in the first quarter. On a drive that was aided by 55 yards in penalties, Demski went to work. With the Bombers in Eskimos’ territory, Demski scampered 35 yards to put Winnipeg on Edmonton’s seven-yard line. Still huffing and puffing from the first run, the former University of Manitoba Bison chewed up the remaining yards on the next play to earn his first TD of the season and a 7-0 lead.

After the Eskimos cut the lead to 7-3 with a 30-yard field goal on the ensuing drive, the Bombers wasted little time to get those points back.

Nichols needed just one play, launching the ball up the right sidelines to Whitehead for a 75-yard touchdown. Much like the 86-yard score he had against the Saskatchewan Roughriders during the pre-season, the former NFLer flashed his jets once again, at one point tip-toeing near the line to stay in bounds before diving backwards into the end zone.

Winnipeg carried momentum and a 14-3 lead into the second quarter but the tide started to turn before halftime. While the Bombers’ offence sputtered, Edmonton began to find their groove.

Harris was able to move the ball downfield with quick, short passes. Running back C.J. Gable also came alive, rebounding from an opening frame that saw him register just four carries for 10 yards.

Edmonton made it to within striking distance on two series in the first half, but the defence limited the damage. On both drives, including one that stalled on the Bombers’ three, the Eskimos once again settled for field goals.

And it could have been worse.

Earlier in the second quarter, with Edmonton pressing, the Bombers came up with an impressive stop on third-and-1 at their own 33. The Eskimos assisted on the play by lining up in a shotgun formation, allowing Thomas Miles to snuff out a run by Gable and a turnover on downs.

A brain fart by Nichols late in the dying seconds before halftime led to an interception by Brian Walker, who took advantage of a pass that was delivered too high for Chris Matthews.

With little time to work with, Harris connected with Ricky Collins for 27 yards and then Kenny Stafford for 10 to set up a fourth field goal. The 45-yard kick cut Winnipeg’s lead to 14-12.

Much like the Bombers did in their 33-23 Week 1 win over the Lions, adjustments made over the break resulted in a strong start to the second half.

In Vancouver, it was an interception by safety Jeff Hecht that led to touchdown by Drew Wolitarsky. On Thursday, it was a decision by O’Shea to challenge pass interference on receiver Darvin Adams, who had been grabbed by Eskimos corner Josh Johnson near the end zone.

Replays confirmed there was early contact and the Bombers took over first-and-goal on Edmonton’s five. One play later, Harris punched the ball in for the touchdown and a 21-12 lead. The lead swelled to 28-12 three drives later, when Whitehead took a short pass and cut to the left sidelines before cutting back inside to beat six would-be defenders for a 41-yard touchdown.

“Unbelievable player,” Nichols said of Whitehead. “That’s something that not many people in the world can turn into a touchdown. He’s lighting in a bottle, for sure.”

The Eskimos didn’t go away quietly, however, even if their attempt at a comeback looked unorthodox at times. With 2:02 remaining and facing a first-and-10 on Winnipeg’s 26, Maas elected to kick a seventh field goal to make it a one-score game, 28-21.

“The offence needs to maybe keep our stress level a little bit lower,” Hecht said.

“But they’re going to work on it, and we’re going to work on some things and really it comes down to who has more points.”

Edmonton got the ball back but failed to convert on a third-and-three, giving possession back to Winnipeg. The Bombers had three plays to milk the remaining 1:01, but Harris fumbled on the first play, setting up one final drive for the visitors.

The Eskimos got as close as Winnipeg’s 36, but once again the defence came up with the stop.

 

jeff.hamilton@freepress.mb.ca

Twitter: @jeffkhamilton