Brawny Blue defence does it again

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This article was published 09/07/2023 (816 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

It was the type of game that at first blush made you wonder if the Winnipeg Blue Bombers were ever going to get things figured out.

The Calgary Stampeders, despite having a long list of injured players, including a few key contributors on offence, pushed the Bombers around for much of the first half. Then with fewer than two minutes remaining in the second quarter, the Blue and Gold finally woke up, with quarterback Zach Collaros launching a 68-yard catch-and-run touchdown to Greg McCrae.

All of a sudden, it was a tied game, 11-11, at the break. And the Bombers, using halftime to make some critical adjustments, rode that momentum throughout the second half, shutting out the Stampeders in the final 30 minutes to earn a 24-11 victory in front of 30,561 relieved fans at IG Field.

The win improved the Bombers to 4-1 on the season, giving them victories now in back-to-back weeks following an embarrassing 30-6 loss to the B.C. Lions. That puts Winnipeg in sole possession of first place in the West Division, at least for the time being, though the Lions can join them at the top with a win over the Montreal Alouettes Sunday night.

As for the Stampeders, the loss dropped them to a disappointing 1-3, including 0-3 within their division. Calgary is nestled in fourth spot in the West, better than only the other Alberta-based club, with the Edmonton Elks a dismal 0-5.

The Bombers return to practice on Tuesday ahead of their Week 6 matchup in Ottawa against the Redblacks. But before we look too far ahead, let’s take a look back at Friday’s win in the latest edition of 5 Takeaways.

1) It was another stellar performance by the defence, a unit that also led the way in the win over the Alouettes last week.

Things weren’t going well early, especially when it came to stopping the run. Calgary’s Dedrick Mills, who entered the night leading the CFL with an average of 88 rushing yards a game, had racked up 74 yards on the ground in just the first quarter alone, including a three-yard touchdown that put the Stampeders up 10-0.

Mills would put up just 23 more rushing yards in the final three quarters as the Bombers defence came to life. After the early TD, Calgary’s remaining drives looked like this: punt, punt, punt, punt, punt, punt, punt, interception, missed field goal, punt, turnover on downs.

It was Demerio Houston’s team-leading third interception of the season that really tilted the game in Winnipeg’s favour, especially when you consider the drive started in Bombers’ territory after the offence was pinned deep in its own end on the previous drive. That was the first of two takeaways, the other one coming on Calgary’s final drive, after Tommy Stevens, who replaced Jake Maier under centre late in the game, had a pass attempt broken up by defensive end Jackson Jeffcoat, resulting in a turnover on downs.

Maier, who is in his first season as the undisputed starter after the Stampeders traded Bo Levi Mitchell to Hamilton last November, was far from great, finishing 14-for-25 passing for a dismal 122 yards and the pick. Stampeders head coach Dave Dickenson lamented the performance afterwards, noting you can’t win with 122 yards through the air, adding he brought in Stevens to create a spark.

Not much you can do with two series, however, with Stevens completing one of his four passes for just five yards. The Stampeders posted just 215 yards of net offence, which was the worst total of their season and 200 yards fewer than each of their last two games.

2) For a second straight week, the Bombers offence wasn’t dominant, but they did show up when it mattered and only improved as the game wore on. Winnipeg finished the night with 307 yards of net offence.

Collaros completed 71 per cent of his passes (20-for-28), throwing for a modest 231 yards and two touchdowns, with no interceptions. Running back Brady Oliveira rumbled for 73 rushing yards on 15 carries – while also adding a pair of catches for 37 more – rebounding from a slow start that had the Bombers punting on their first five drives.

Things seemed to click after the TD pass to McCrae late in the second frame, with Collaros also saying afterwards that halftime allowed the offence to identify what Calgary was trying to do, as well as ways to exploit it. That set the stage for a second half where the Bombers were able to make good on defensive turnovers and then run down the clock with a long fourth-quarter drive.

Following Houston’s interception late in the third quarter, the Bombers offence responded with a seven-play, 36-yard drive that was capped off with a nine-yard touchdown pass to Rasheed Bailey. Bailey, like McCrae on the first TD, was on the receiving end of a play so well executed that he was able to stroll into the end zone untouched.

Finally, with the Bombers up 10 points, 21-11, early in the fourth quarter, Collaros led a 15-play, 99-yard drive that although resulted in just three points from a 12-yard field goal, managed to milk nearly 10 minutes off the clock. That sealed the game, extinguishing any chance of a comeback by the visitors.

3) McCrae deserves as much credit for his performance on the field Friday as he does for the patience and determination that he’s displayed off it the last two years, this season in particular.

It was just his second game this year after being promoted last week from the practice squad to the game-day roster in Montreal. McCrae, who is a natural running back but has converted to a slotback receiver in Winnipeg, combined for 59 all-purpose yards versus the Alouettes, but was truly a monster against the Stampeders, totalling 182 yards while chipping in as a receiver, running back and returner.

McCrae helped set the tone with his first-half touchdown, taking full advantage of a pump-fake by Collaros that had Stampeders veteran DB Branden Dozier biting hard, creating a clear path to paydirt. Then with returner Janarion Grant sidelined with an injury, McCrae returned a missed 47-yard field goal by Rene Parades back 102 yards to Calgary’s 14, leading to a chip-shot field goal and a healthy 10-point cushion late in the game.

The Bombers clearly saw something in McCrae, and were willing to go as far as placing receiver Carlton Agudosi on the one-game injured list just to make room for him. Given the way he’s played, especially with Grant potentially out for the forseeable future, it appears McCrae is here to stay, giving the Bombers yet another versatile option in their dangerous attack.

4) Grant has been nothing short of spectacular during his run in Winnipeg, a threat every time he touches the ball. He had also looked somewhat invincible this season, able to bounce off the kind of tackles that seemed more than enough to take down his 5-9, 157-pound frame.

Alas, no one is spared when it comes to the violence and rigours of the game. And following a hit that forced Grant to seek assistance from trainers on the field, only for him to walk off gingerly using his own strength, his status for next week is now firmly up in the air.

The injury hasn’t been revealed just yet, with head coach Mike O’Shea unwilling to provide any insight immediately after the game and with the first formal update not until the club’s injury report is made public Tuesday afternoon. But the word is Grant won’t be at practice when the club returns this week and that the early diagnosis has him ruled out long term.

If Grant can’t go, that should open the returner job to McCrae after how he performed against Calgary. Still, Grant is a true game-breaker, and any missed time will surely be felt by the Bombers.

5) It really is quite fascinating what O’Shea has been able to achieve during his time in Winnipeg. Now in his 10th season as head coach, Friday’s victory moved him into a tie for second place in all-time wins, with 86, in franchise history, alongside Cal Murphy.

That leaves O’Shea just 16 victories shy of leader Bud Grant, the club’s long-revered former bench boss from the late-1950s to mid-1960s who just so happens to have a statue erected directly outside the front of IG Field. While O’Shea all but grimaced at the suggestion he, too might have a bronzed replica of himself nearby Grant one day – “Maybe a snowman,” he mumbled under his breath as he exited the media room – there’s no doubt he belongs there.

You often hear about the culture within the Bombers organization, and the commitment to being held accountable on and off the field. That starts and ends with O’Shea, who has also helped instill the importance of being a good family man.

It’s almost wild to think that in the first couple of years after O’Shea took the job in 2014, finishing his first two seasons a combined 12-24, that we’d be at this point. But after three straight trips to the Grey Cup, including two league titles, it’s even wilder to think about where this team might be without him.

Jeff.Hamilton@freepress.mb.ca

Twitter: @jeffkhamilton