Bombers not hitting the panic button

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This article was published 20/06/2024 (539 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

The Winnipeg Blue Bombers are staying true to form.

Despite opening the 2024 campaign with back-to-back losses, marking the first 0-2 start for the organization since 2016, the CFL club insists it isn’t reaching for the panic button.

The consensus inside the locker room is they weren’t patting themselves on the back when life was good — and there’s been plenty of good in recent years — so there’s no point in getting too down during their current struggles.

The Bombers were disappointed with a lack of execution in a 27-12 loss to the Montreal Alouettes in the home-opener, but felt there was progress, particularly when it came to their level of physical play, in a four-point road loss to the Ottawa Redblacks last week.

Now that the rust of a new season has been shaken loose, it’s about putting it all together and getting back to the kind of game that has earned the Bombers the reputation as the class of the CFL the last few years.

“This is just the first chapter of our season. Yeah, we’re 0-2 and that’s our reality, so how do we turn things around?” Bombers receiver Nic Demski said following walkthrough Thursday. “It’s not the results we wanted. But at the end of the day, you can’t waist time being disappointed. You got to look at yourselves in the mirror, find the mistakes, get back to work and work harder.”

Things don’t get any easier with the Bombers welcoming the B.C. Lions to town Friday night.

B.C. sits at 1-1 after being stunned by the Chad Kelly-less Toronto Argonauts in Week 1, following that up a victory over the Calgary Stampeders. After years of nipping at the Bombers heels, many pundits around the league have predicted the Lions to win the Grey Cup this season.

Let’s dive deeper into Friday’s game in the latest edition of 5 Storylines.

TIME TO SHINE

Through two weeks, the biggest concern for the Bombers has been the play of their offence.

Quarterback Zach Collaros has yet to throw a touchdown, while the offence is in the basement of almost every meaningful statistical category. Winnipeg is currently dead last in average offensive points (13.5), offensive touchdowns (1.5) and net offence (296.5) per game.

“We have a selfless group, a very humble group…and everybody wants to play better – not just for themselves, but also the guy sitting next to you,” Collaros said. “At the same time, you don’t want to be overly critical and try too hard. We’ve been through a lot, these guys in the locker room, and you want to play well for each other. When you feel like you don’t, it hurts.”

One area that will be under the microscope is the offensive line, as it continue to find its rhythm after losing some key pieces over the offseason. That begins with winning the line of scrimmage, giving Collaros time to go through his options and opening lanes to establish the run.

As for Collaros, it’s the first time in his last 49 starts, dating back to 2019, that he’s gone back-to-back games without throwing for a TD. Over his career vs. B.C., he’s 11-3 in 14 starts, including 6-1 with Winnipeg.

BRADY’S BACK

The offence will get a major boost with the return of Brady Oliveira. Oliveira injured his knee partway through Week 1 and was sidelined last week.

The only question that remains is how much action Oliveira will we see against the Lions? That answer is unclear.

When the Bombers made their depth chart public, it listed Oliveira as the backup to Johnny Augustine, which set in motion a bit of controversy during walkthrough. Oliveira, who is coming off a career year, including leading the league in rushing yards and being named the West nominee for Most outstanding player, wasn’t too happy with the demotion.

Oliveira claimed he was 100 per cent good to go and admitted he was frustrated by the decision to be the backup. Head coach Mike O’Shea said his call to go with Augustine as the starter was owing to how little Oliveira has practised this season, having missed all of training camp and being unable to practice all week.

It’s certainly made for an odd situation, as O’Shea said he planned to play Oliveira, just wouldn’t commit to how much. Given the fact Augustine received just seven carries last week, it should be interesting to see how the Bombers plan to handle a run attack that has been mostly grounded this season, averaging 67 yards per game.

DOWN BUT NOT OUT

The Bombers defence was bit by the injury bug in a major way against the Redblacks, losing halfback Deatrick Nichols and defensive linemen Celestin Haba and Miles Fox. Nichols is on the one-game injured list, while Haba and Fox suffered significant injuries and have been added to the six-game list.

That sets the stage for a defensive line that will have to contend with a ton of moving pieces. They still have mainstays in Willie Jefferson and Jake Thomas to help guide the group, and they’ll need that leadership to help assimilate rookies Devin Adams, Ali Fayad, Owen Hubert and Jamal Woods into the fold.

Adams, who has been a solid contributor on the D-line rotation so far this year, will get the start for Haba, while Woods is starting for Fox. Taking over for Nichols is Marquise Bridges, who spent the last two years in the Indoor Football League.

The defence has been a bright spot for the Bombers this year, but will have its hands full against a Lions offence led by QB Vernon Adams Jr. Compared to the Alouettes’ and Redblacks’ attacks, this will be the biggest test yet for Winnipeg.

SMITH RETURNS

Chris Smith provided what little excitement there was for Winnipeg during a winless preseason when he returned a punt 109 yards for a touchdown. The Bombers had been looking for a new returner after moving on from Janarion Grant, and with few others making the kind of impact as Smith, the club finally seemed to have found their guy.

Then final cuts were made and Smith was included on the list of released players, creating a bit of a shock. Turns out, the 24-year-old had injured himself after the scoring play and Smith stuck around the club to rehab with the hope of getting another shot.

That shot has arrived, as Smith was activated from the practice roster and will be handling all return duties against the Lions. He replaces Myron Mitchell, who struggled the last two games, even if he did show progress from week to week.

Smith has a significant opportunity in front of him. If he can impress against B.C., he can lock up a job that has little competition behind him.

The Bombers desperately need to improve their field position, especially with an offence that is struggling to move the ball. The Bombers currently rank in last with an average punt return of 5.7 yards and are only ahead of the Alouettes when it comes to kickoff returns, averaging 18 yards.

BIG PLAY V.A.

The reason why many have the Lions as Grey Cup favourites is owing to the play of Adams. The Lions QB is coming off a 2023 season where he led the league in passing yards (4,769), with his 31 passing TDs just two fewer than Collaros.

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Adams has picked up where he left off; through two games, he’s averaging 320 passing yards per game, has thrown four TDs compared to one interception and has a 116.3 passer rating — a career-high. He’s also reunited with former Alouettes teammate in RB William Stanback, which was a major upgrade after the Lions all but abandoned the run last season.

B.C. lost receiver Dominique Rhymes after asking him to restructure his contract (he’s now with Ottawa) and Keon Hatcher is out at least half the season as he continues to rehab an Achilles injury suffered last year. That’s made room for Canadian Justin McInnis to take on a bigger role and he’s stepped up, currently leading the CFL with 194 receiving yards, along with a pair of TDs. Alexander Hollins, B.C.’s No. 1 target, is also off to a strong start, with 187 yards and one score.

The key for the Bombers will be winning the line of scrimmage and getting pressure on Adams. Adams has the ability to escape the pocket, much like Dru Brown last week, providing an added challenge for a Winnipeg defence that has several new pieces.

Jeff.Hamilton@freepress.com

X: @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.