Ground & pound Blue’s best shot

Hey there, time traveller!
This article was published 18/10/2019 (2153 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

CALGARY — The Winnipeg Blue Bombers stopped a three-game losing streak last week with a win over the Montreal Alouettes.

In doing so, the Bombers kept alive their chance to finish first in the CFL’s West Division, a goal they set at the start of training camp. It will still take some major work, and help from other teams, to get there.

What the Bombers (10-6) do control is how they perform over the next two games to close out the regular season, a home-and-home series with the Calgary Stampeders (10-5) beginning tonight at McMahon Stadium.

Though two victories wouldn’t secure first place — the Saskatchewan Roughriders would have to lose two of their three remaining games — it would cement a second-place finish, meaning the Bombers would host the West semifinal against the Stamps.

Needless to say, there’s a good chance these teams will be seeing a lot of each other over the next month. Setting the tone early would benefit the Bombers in their pursuit of an elusive Grey Cup championship.

With that, here are five storylines to keep an eye on in tonight’s game.

 

1) STAYING GROUNDED

If the Bombers are to defeat the Stampeders, they must resist going head to head in the passing game.

Winnipeg is most successful when running the ball. Look no further than the win over the Alouettes, when the Bombers dedicated 35 of their 59 offensive plays to pounding the rock, totalling 240 yards on the ground. League rushing leader Andrew Harris put up a career-high 166 yards on a season-high 24 carries.

A strong run attack helps keep a potent Calgary offence off the field.

However, the Stampeders have a much better run defence than the Alouettes. The Stampeders are second only to the Bombers in fewest yards against in the CFL, with 90.8 yards per game compared to Winnipeg’s sparkling 67.4. 

You often hear football games are won or lost in the trenches and perhaps no game better exemplifies that theory than this one.

 

2) THE BO SHOW RETURNS

Following Thursday’s closed practice, Bombers receiver Nic Demski was quick to compliment the Stampeders on what’s been an impressive run over the past decade. Demski also noted the Bombers won the first game between the two this season.

“They’re a good team but you definitely see holes in their defence and we know as an offence they’re beatable,” Demski said. “It’s later on in the season and we just got to go out and prove we’re the better team still.”

The Bombers beat the Stamps 26-24 at IG Field in August. As good as Winnipeg played in that game, there was one critical piece missing for the Stampeders: quarterback and reigning league and Grey Cup MVP, Bo Levi Mitchell.

Mitchell missed seven games after suffering a pectoral injury in Week 3. Nick Arbuckle posted a 4-3 record in relief, but the Stampeders are a much better outfit with the Bo Show.

Though Mitchell hasn’t put up the kind of statistics he’s used to — he has 11 touchdown tosses and nine interceptions — the fact is the Stampeders win when he’s in. In the six games since his return, the Stampeders are 5-1. Mitchell holds the CFL record for winning percentage (.809) as a starting pivot with an overall mark of 75-17-2.

 

3) A STATEMENT GAME

Count me as someone who wasn’t overly impressed with the victory over the Alouettes last week. While it stopped a losing skid, the win came against a team hovering around a .500 record with little to play for after already locking up second place in the CFL’s East Division.

If the Bombers were looking for a statement game, proof that they’ve hit their stride going into the playoffs, defeating the Stampeders on the road would make even the most critical observer a believer.

The Stampeders have posted a 37-7 record at McMahon over the last five seasons, with a couple of those losses the result of playing a watered-down roster late in the year after already clinching the West.

This time around, Calgary has everything to play for. The Stampeders are this year’s Grey Cup host and would love nothing more than to play at home throughout the playoffs as they defend last year’s title.

 

4) STREVELER’S TEAM FOR NOW

Bombers head coach Mike O’Shea has never been asked what particular player leads this team, but he’s provided an answer to that question a number of times in recent weeks.

The inconsistent play and questionable decision-making of Chris Streveler has led many to believe this team will go a 29th straight year without a championship. Still, O’Shea has given the 24-year-old pivot his full support.

Personally, I have no problem with the vote of confidence. After all, Streveler is the QB most experienced with the team’s offensive system and if he can limit his mistakes, while exploiting his strength as a runner, he might just be able to pull it off.

This team’s best chance at winning is having both Streveler and newly acquired pivot Zach Collaros share time behind centre, creating a decent 1-2 punch. That can only happen if the Bombers truly know what they have in Collaros, beyond what we’ve seen in previous years.

The 31-year-old will dress for the first time since being acquired on Oct. 9. Could Collaros, after earning reps in practice this week, actually see some game action?

O’Shea said he has no plan to get Collaros meaningful game reps and his history as a head coach backs that up. Simply put, it would take a lopsided game — and likely more — for Collaros to play. That doesn’t mean the pressure isn’t on Streveler to perform.

 

5) TURN ON THE TURNOVERS

It was Pick City for the Bombers last week, as the defence recorded four interceptions against Montreal pivot Vernon Adams Jr. Defensive back Marcus Sayles, who accounted for two of those interceptions, also prevented a punt, forcing a turnover on downs to round out Winnipeg’s five-takeaway day.

Though the Bombers can’t be expected to record four picks each week, they lead the league in forced turnovers with 43. That penchant for takeaways has become the identity of the Bombers defence and a crucial aspect of the team’s overall success.

Defensive end Willie Jefferson noted the mistakes made by Adams were because of the pressure the defence put on him. The plan is to do the same to Mitchell, who, unlike Adams, doesn’t offer the same threat as a runner but is able to compensate with a high football IQ.

“He’s not very athletic but he’s smart when he gets in the game. He doesn’t make a lot of turnovers and when he does throw the ball down the field it’s usually a big play,” Jefferson said.

The Bombers are 9-2 when they have more takeaways than their opponent.

jeff.hamilton@freepress.mb.ca

Twitter: @jeffkhamilton