Five storylines to watch in the Labour Day Classic By: Jeff Hamilton Posted: 7:00 PM CDT Friday, Aug. 30, 2019

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This article was published 30/08/2019 (2203 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

There is a long history between the Winnipeg Blue Bombers and Saskatchewan Roughriders when it comes to Labour Day weekend.

The two prairie rivals have played 55 times since 1949, with every game played in Regina but one – in 1952, when Winnipeg downed Saskatchewan 27-9 at the old Osborne Stadium. In these parts, it’s been a frustrating affair for much of the past 70 years, with the Roughriders winning 36 games to Winnipeg’s 19. It’s been particularly tough sledding in recent memory, with the Bombers winning just once in the past 14 years.

While much has been the same, there is one unique difference to this year’s annual clash. For the first time since 1954, the Bombers (8-2) and Roughriders (6-3) are N0. 1 and No. 2 in the West Division heading into Sunday’s game at Mosaic Stadium.

“Besides the Grey Cup it’s probably the biggest weekend of football for the CFL,” Bombers head coach Mike O’Shea said following Friday’s closed practice. “We expect our opponent to bring their best and, knowing that, we better line up and bring our best, too.”

With that, here are five storylines to keep an eye on.

NEXT-MAN UP MENTALITY

The Bombers are facing a stiff challenge in the Queen City.

Not only are the Roughriders one of the hottest teams in the league, earning wins in five straight weeks, they also have the added bonus of a fan base that eats, sleeps, and breathes the mighty Green and White. The Bombers are well accustomed to planning for the loud crowd noise; they’ve pumped artificial sound into practice all week for what should be a spirited affair.

But managing the decibel level in the stands pales in comparison to entering a game with two of your best players out on offence.

Already without the sturdy arm of starting quarterback Matt Nichols while he rehabs a serious shoulder injury, the Bombers will also be sorely missing the legs of running back Andrew Harris. Harris is set to serve the first of his two-game suspension after testing positive for a banned substance.

The Bombers have faced their share of adversity this season but have still managed ways to win while employing a next-man-up mentality. Sunday, however, will surely be the toughest test yet.

“We’re never too high, never too low, nothing gets in the way, next man up and everyone’s a starter,” Bombers right tackle Jermarcus Hardrick, in an attempt to fit as many clichés as possible into one sentence, said. “They’ve got blue on and they’re family, we love ’em. You guys will see.”

HERE’S JOHNNY!

There are two things you notice right away about Johnny Augustine.

The first are his muscles. The Bombers running back isn’t an intimidating presence, per se, standing just 5-foot-9 and weighing 206 pounds. But you’d be hard pressed to identify an ounce of fat on his sculpted frame. The other is he’s always smiling. He’s living his dream and it’s not hard to see the sheer joy every time he takes the field.

“Sometimes I come in and I think ‘wow, this is my job.’ That’s why I have smiles,” said the 26-year-old Augustine. “It’s been a while since I’ve been carrying the rock so I’m pretty excited to play my heart out.”

The Bombers haven’t released their lineup for Sunday, but all signs point to Augustine making his first CFL start in relief of Harris. It’s a feel-good story for a kid who went undrafted in 2017, despite a standout career at Guelph and high praise from a number of CFL general managers that year.

Used primarily on special teams, the second-year Bomber has been utilized sparingly behind Harris, with just nine carries for 60 yards. He faces a sturdy test against a Roughriders defence that has allowed just two rushing touchdowns all season.

STREVELER TAKE 2

Chris Streveler will make his second straight start of the season behind centre after guiding the Bombers to an impressive 34-28 road win over the Edmonton Eskimos in his 2019 debut last week.

Streveler’s night wasn’t overly spectacular, though he made key contributions – mostly with his feet – when it mattered. The Bombers pivot attempted just 17 throws, completing seven, for 89 yards. He paced the offence with 95 rushing yards on 14 carries, including a pivotal six-yard touchdown run late in the fourth quarter.

With the heavy crowd noise and Harris sidelined, it’s hard to imagine Bombers offensive co-ordinator Paul LaPolice implementing a pass-heavy game plan. That means Streveler will likely be leaned on again to use his legs to extend drives, which could make for another unpredictable, yet entertaining bout.

Streveler will have one key piece back in receiver Darvin Adams. Adams returns after missing four games with a lower-body injury, though his re-activation to the roster came with a cost. The Bombers cut veteran receiver Chris Matthews earlier this week, only for Matthews to sign with the Montreal Alouettes Friday.

WILLIE RETURNS TO RIDERVILLE

Willie Jefferson knows what’s coming Sunday in Regina. In fact, he can’t wait for his return to the city he last played for, relishing at the opportunity to make a major impact in front the Roughriders faithful.

“I’m expecting a lot of boos, just because of the way things went down in the offseason. But on the other side, I know there’s a lot of people in Regina, Saskatchewan that still love me, love the way I play football and just love me for me,” Jefferson, who has eight sacks, one interception and a league-leading five forced fumbles this year, said. “So, yeah, I’m expecting a love-hate relationship type of thing when I return back to Mosaic.”

Jefferson played three seasons in Saskatchewan before signing a one-year deal with the Bombers on the first day of free agency. He was courted by a number of other teams, but took less money with the Bombers because he felt Winnipeg was his best chance at winning a Grey Cup.

The 28-year-old native of Beaumont, TX., has no hard feelings with his old club, and remains friends with a number of his former teammates. Jefferson was recently named the CFL’s star for the month of August. He is coming off his best game of the season against Edmonton, recording four defensive tackles (two for a loss), three quarterback sacks, two forced fumbles, a pass knockdown and even a 35-yard punt for a single.

So, what’s he planned for an encore?

“Hopefully I can get me a pick-six, you know what I’m saying? Scoop and score,” Jefferson said. “That’s the only way you can really outdo that game.”

FAJARDO A POISED PRESENCE

O’Shea was asked Friday to evaluate Roughriders quarterback Cody Fajardo. He began with the usual compliments from an opposing coach – a strong arm; legs that can take off at any time – only to end his review with the most telling compliment.

“He’s shown a tremendous amount of poise, too,” O’Shea said. “It looks like he’s very comfortable running their offence.”

Fajardo was thrust into the spotlight only after a series of injuries at quarterback, including to Zach Collaros. But the 27-year-old has taken full advantage of the opportunity; his stellar play was the major reason Collaros was deemed expendable, eventually traded to Toronto.

He is 6-2 in nine starts this season, and is one win away from becoming the first Roughriders quarterback to win six straight games since Darian Durant in 2014. Fajardo is complimented by a strong group of receivers, but it’s his smart decision-making and an equally effective run game that has made the Roughriders offence a dangerous unit.

Fajardo is on a current streak of 129 pass attempts without an interception. He also leads the CFL with 57 rushing attempts, ahead of Streveler in second, with 53. His versatility has him at almost an equal split when it comes to producing touchdowns, with eight through the air and seven rushing.

jeff.hamilton@freepress.mb.ca

twitter: @jeffkhamilton

Jeff Hamilton
Multimedia producer

Jeff Hamilton is a sports and investigative reporter. Jeff joined the Free Press newsroom in April 2015, and has been covering the local sports scene since graduating from Carleton University’s journalism program in 2012. Read more about Jeff.

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