Two teams with something to prove

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This article was published 19/07/2023 (845 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

It’s a short week and a short memory for the Winnipeg Blue Bombers, as they look to put last week’s meltdown in the rear-view mirror and return to their winning ways against the Edmonton Elks at IG Field Thursday night.

The Bombers didn’t have much time to dwell on a 31-28 overtime loss to the Ottawa Redblacks in Week 6, a game in which they squandered a 19-point, fourth-quarter lead to drop to 4-2. That doesn’t mean it didn’t sting, though, and with just one full practice for the club this week, there’s a lot of pent-up energy brewing in the locker room waiting to be unleashed.

The Elks also come into Winnipeg wearing a boulder-sized chip on their shoulder, with Edmonton still in search of its first victory, currently sitting last in the CFL at frustrating 0-6. It’s been particularly tough sledding on the road, where the Elks have lost all three of their games by a combined score of 60-18.

If the Bombers learned anything from last week it’s that you take an opponent lightly at your own peril. The Elks are a desperate club and it’s only a matter of time before things start to click.

With both teams having something to prove, that extra dose of snarl should make for a physical and entertaining affair. To get you better prepared for kickoff, let’s dig a bit a deeper into the game with the latest edition of 5 Storylines.

LAWLER RETURNS

After averaging more than 40 points in the first two games, the Bombers have put up fewer than half that over their last three. While the offence has improved over the last couple of games, scoring 24 and 28 points, respectively, it has still struggled to move the chains for long stretches.

The addition of game-breaking receiver Kenny Lawler should certainly help. Lawler returns to the lineup after spending the first six weeks of the season trying to get a valid working visa stemming from a 2021 impaired driving charge that he pleaded guilty to back in April.

Lawler instantly becomes the club’s No. 1 target and while he might not be in full game shape, he also doesn’t have the inevitable nicks and bruises that come with playing the first third of the season. Adding to a receiver group that already includes the likes of Dalton Schoen, Nic Demski, Drew Wolitarsky and Rasheed Bailey, the Bombers are in good shape for an offensive outburst.

With Lawler back in the mix, the Bombers have re-assigned Carlton Agudosi to the one-game injured list. That means Greg McCrae, who will also be tasked with returning kickoffs, is the other American receiver option.

SEEKING REDEMPTION

The Bombers offensive line has been the identity of the club for years, but the group’s reputation has been taking a beating of late, on and off the field.

Outside the room, a sluggish run game and increased contact on quarterback Zach Collaros have been the main points of criticism. Inside the room, while the play hasn’t been to their standard, there’s still plenty of confidence from a group that continues to put in long hours each week studying and preparing for the upcoming opponent.

The run game hasn’t been bad this season, with a lot of the criticism the byproduct of recency bias, as the Bombers mustered a dismal 26 yards on the ground in the loss to Ottawa. In the five games prior, Winnipeg averaged 125 rushing yards, with a low of 81 yards and a high of 185.

Running back Brady Oliveira, who leads the CFL with 416 rushing yards, shouldered the blame last week for a fumble he had in the fourth quarter. He returned this week still miffed by his performance – he had 16 rushing yards but still caught three passes for a game-high 108 yards – and said he planned to use that anger to redeem himself against the Elks.

Although the O-line isn’t saying it out loud, you can believe it, too, is seeking redemption. And there’s perhaps no better opportunity to do just that than against an Edmonton club that is giving up a league-worst 147.5 rushing yards a game.

MOVING PIECES

Two weeks ago, the Bombers were the models of good health in the CFL. Fast-forward to today and the injury bug has taken a bite out of the Blue and Gold, most notably on defence.

Indeed, there are a fair amount of moving pieces on the roster, including the absences of weakside linebacker Malik Clements (hip) and defensive end Celestin Haba (hamstring), both of whom were added to the six-game injured list. The Bombers will dress just six defensive linemen, with 2023 first-rounder Anthony Bennett likely to see an increased role, while global player Les Maruo earns the start for Clements.

It’s not the only change on defence, with Redha Kramdi, who returns from a hip injury, starting at strong-side linebacker over Alden Darby. Kramdi was supposed to start against the Montreal Alouettes in Week 4 but was injured in practice.

Defensive back Jamal Parker makes his 2023 debut after injuring his ankle in training camp. Parker will be tasked with returning punts but is a quality depth option in the secondary.

Some good news: DB Winston Rose and LB Kyrie Wilson, both of whom have missed the entire season, have been moved from the six-game to the one-game injured list, hinting at a return sooner than later.

ON THE HOT SEAT

There’s no sugarcoating what’s going on in Edmonton right now. It’s not good. Far from it.

The Elks are mired in a 10-game losing skid and their loss to the Saskatchewan Roughriders last week was their 20th straight at home, tying a North American professional sports record with the 1906 Boston Americans (Red Sox). What’s more, they seemingly come up with different ways to lose each week, with last week’s defeat the result of extremely undisciplined play, to the tune of 13 penalties for 166 yards, and the week before an ill-advised surrendering of a rouge in the dying seconds that proved to be the game-winning point.

The Elks have been particularly bad in the first half, averaging just six points through the opening 30 minutes this season. It’s been musical chairs at quarterback, with Taylor Cornelius earning the start for a second consecutive game after being briefly replaced by Jarret Doege, and injuries have begun to pile up, including the loss of two more defensive starters this week.

In his media availability, GM/HC/DC Chris Jones said that although the Elks are winless, it hasn’t been for a lack of effort. But you have to wonder, just how hot his own seat might be getting?

Elks president Victor Cui threw his support behind Jones last week, while at the same time noting they’re in a results-based business. How much more losing will he be able to endure?

With Winnipeg, B.C. and Winnipeg again next on their schedule, there’s a good chance Edmonton reaches the midway mark of the season 0-9.

GONE STREAKING

Justin Medlock, arguably the best kicker ever to lace up a pair of cleats in the CFL, was affectionately known over his career as Money Medlock.

Given the way Sergio Castillo has been playing of late — and over his entire career, really, with his accuracy rate just one percentage point lower than Medlock’s 86.5, albeit with much fewer attempts — what might his nickname become?

Captain Consistency? The Real Deal Castillo? We’ll save that debate for another day.

Castillo has come exactly as advertised this year, bringing some much-needed stability to Winnipeg’s kicking game. The 32-year-old is off to a sizzling hot start, connecting on all 13 of his field-goal attempts this season, extending a streak that began last year to 23 straight.

The Bombers were trying to trade for Castillo last season while he was with the Elks, only for the deal to fall through. That they were able to sign him as a free agent after the Elks outright released him is proving to be nothing short of a Castillo of a deal.

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.

Every piece of reporting Jeff produces is reviewed by an editing team before it is posted online or published in print — part of the Free Press‘s tradition, since 1872, of producing reliable independent journalism. Read more about Free Press’s history and mandate, and learn how our newsroom operates.