Collaros, Oliveira key to Bombers success in Western Final By: Jeff Hamilton Posted: 6:30 PM CST Thursday, Nov. 9, 2023

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This article was published 09/11/2023 (1000 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

With the regular season in the rear-view mirror, the Winnipeg Blue Bombers road to the Grey Cup begins in earnest this weekend.

The Bombers welcome the B.C. Lions to town for the Western Final at IG Field Saturday. It’s the second consecutive year the clubs will meet for a chance to punch their ticket to the Grey Cup, played next Sunday at Tim Hortons Field in Hamilton.

For the Bombers, a victory against the Lions would send them to a fourth straight Grey Cup, giving Winnipeg a shot at cementing itself as a dynasty with three league titles in four seasons. For the Lions, getting past the Bombers would mark a significant moment for a franchise that hasn’t competed in a Grey Cup since winning on home soil back in 2011.

It will also mark the fourth game between the Bombers and Lions in 2023, with the Blue and Gold claiming the regular-season series two games to one. After a convincing win by each team, the Bombers edged the Lions, 34-26, in overtime in Week 18, on Oct. 6, in a game that ultimately determined the top of the West Division standings.

Indeed, there was plenty to like from both clubs this season, and both are worthy representatives to come out of the West. To get you better prepared for what’s to come, let’s dive into the game with the latest edition of 5 Storylines.

HOME SWEET HOME

The Bombers have a list of goals each season and near the top, just below winning the Grey Cup, is finishing first in the West. It’s the third consecutive year they’ve accomplished that goal, earning a bye through the first round of the playoffs and needing just one home game to seal their spot in the Grey Cup.

While some might argue the challenges that come with having a week off game action — after all, the Lions come into town riding high on confidence from a dismantling of the Calgary Stampeders in the West semi-final — there isn’t any worry about feeling rusty in Winnipeg’s locker room. It’s not that there isn’t any validity to the rust vs. rest argument, the Bombers are just well-versed with handling such situations and it hasn’t been an issue the last two seasons and shouldn’t be this year.

That doesn’t even take into consideration how dominant the Bombers are while playing at home, where they finished 8-1 in this year and are 25-2 dating back to the start of the 2021 campaign. It also doesn’t factor in that Winnipeg will have 30,000-plus strong cheering them on at IG Field; at last check, the club is fewer than 1,000 tickets short of a fifth consecutive sellout.

With the weather also expected to be anywhere between minus-1 C and minus-4 C — a significant shift from the controlled confines of a domed BC Place — the Lions will have to earn every last inch for a victory.

GAME-TIME DECISIONS

The Bombers have been among the healthiest teams in the CFL this season, something that undoubtedly played a big role in their success. On the eve of the most important game of the year, the injury bug has suddenly reared its ugly head.

Receivers Dalton Schoen (ankle), Nic Demski (ankle) and Rasheed Bailey (knee) have all been listed as questionable to play Saturday. The three combined for 2,736 receiving yards and 22 touchdowns this season, meaning if any or all three of them are out, it’s a significant hole to fill.

Schoen, who led the Bombers with 1,222 receiving yards and had 10 TDs, hasn’t been available to practice since injuring himself against B.C. last month. Demski and Bailey both missed the first two practice days this week and were limited on Thursday, which was the final on-field workout.

History suggests all three could play, as the Bombers are no strangers at getting seemingly badly banged-up players ready come game time. There’s a reason Winnipeg brought in the likes of Markeith Ambles in recent weeks, and they have confidence in running-back-turned-receiver Greg McCrae if they need to dig into their tool bag.

COLLAROS EFFECT

I had a sit-down with Bombers quarterback Zach Collaros for a feature this week on his process and the work he puts in to be ready for an opponent. Collaros’ work ethic is widely known and appreciated in these parts and across the rest of the CFL, resulting in back-to-back nods as the CFL’s most outstanding player.

What few know about Collaros, though, is just how competitive he is and how personally he takes things. He’s been in a particularly grumpy mood this week, which should scare the Lions.

Simply put, injuries or not, it’s difficult to count out a team with Collaros behind centre. As head coach Mike O’Shea said Thursday, he’s not only the best quarterback in the CFL, but he also pushes everyone around him to be better.

Collaros set new highs in passing yards and touchdowns this season, but also had a career-high 15 interceptions, four of which were returned for touchdowns. He’ll be prepared Saturday, that’s for sure, but the Bombers will need Collaros to be at his best, making smart decisions with the ball, if they want to win this one.

STATEMENT GAME FOR ADAMS

Vernon Adams Jr. is coming off his best season as a starting quarterback, leading the CFL with 4,769 passing yards. The Lions pivot was in a tight race for MOP in the West but fell short on votes to Bombers running back Brady Oliveira.

The knock against Adams has been his ability to play well consistently, something he improved on greatly this season, helping lead the Lions to a 12-6 record. There were still moments in the year where that up-and-down play proved to be his downfall, including a dismal second half against the Bombers in their Week 18 loss in OT.

The Lions hope to see the same Adams from last week’s win over the Stamps, where he threw for more than 400 yards and two TDs, along with rushing for close to 60 yards and three additional scores. Adams ability to run with the ball might be hampered by the weather, but he still has arguably the best group of receivers in the CFL.

There’s no debate that Adams is a very good quarterback in the league, but now he has a chance to make a major statement with a win over the Bombers. Another strong performance this week has the potential to shed his reputation of being inconsistent once and for all.

RUN, BRADY, RUN

If it were up to Brady Oliveira, the game would be played in a foot of snow. Regardless of the weather, the game still might be decided by the Bombers running back.

Oliveira has been a human wrecking ball this season. He led the CFL in rushing yards (1,534), yards from scrimmage (2,016) and total TDs (13). That earned him the West nominee for MOP in what is just his second year as a starter.

Playoff games, especially those played in the cold, are often won on the ground, and given how Oliveira has performed this season, expect the Bombers to feed him the ball. The Lions are middle of the pack when it comes to stopping the run, averaging 99 rushing yards against per game, with that number jumping to 112 in the games against Winnipeg.

Another strong performance by Oliveira would help the Bombers chew up yards, control the clock and open up the passing game, as seen several times this year. Oliveira has been itching for redemption since last year’s loss to Toronto in the Grey Cup, and he’ll finally get his chance at redemption against the Lions.

Jeff.Hamilton@freepress.mb.ca

X: @jeffkhamilton