Special teams, defence shine in gritty Bombers win

OTTAWA – The Winnipeg Blue Bombers walked out of TD Place with a much-needed victory Saturday afternoon, defeating the Ottawa Redblacks 26-18 in front of 20,033 fans in the nation’s capital.

The win snapped a three-game losing streak and improved the Bombers record to 7-7, keeping their playoff hopes alive in the competitive West Division. But while the Bombers will gladly take the valuable two points, it was far from a perfect performance, and there were few, if any, style points to be found on offence.

Indeed, in a game where the offence struggled to find its rhythm and was consistently outgained by Ottawa, it was the defence and special teams that stepped up to carry the team to victory. The Chris Streveler-led attack managed a mere 210 yards of net offence, but the defence forced multiple turnovers, and the special teams provided the game’s most electrifying moment – a record-setting missed field goal return for a touchdown.

“It’s a grinder and our guys grinded right to the end,” said Bombers head coach Mike O’Shea. “And when it mattered most, we were able to run the ball. We’re going to let the guys enjoy this one.”

For the Redblacks, the defeat was a crushing blow to their playoff hopes. The loss drops their record to 4-10, keeping them in the basement of the East Division and all but mathematically eliminating them from postseason contention.

Despite a strong offensive showing from quarterback Dru Brown and a big performance from receiver Eugene Lewis, the Redblacks were undone by turnovers and costly penalties that killed drives and provided the Bombers with crucial scoring opportunities.

This was a gritty win, not a pretty one, but for a team desperate to get back on track, it was exactly what the doctor ordered.

Let’s dig deeper into the game.

Bombers struggle to move ball

Putting it nicely, the Bombers offence delivered a performance that was more effective than it was pretty.

On a day where Streveler attempted just eight passes, completing three for 54 yards, the ground game became the focal point of the attack. Streveler was a bigger threat with his legs than with his arm, rushing for 72 yards on the day, which included the Bombers only offensive touchdown – a one-yard QB sneak late in the second quarter.

The first half was particularly difficult for the passing game, as Streveler completed just one pass for 11 yards. The Bombers first four drives resulted in three two-and-outs and an interception, leaving the team with just 90 net offensive yards at halftime.

“As weird as it looks, it feels weird, too,” Streveler said of his performance. “I’m like, ‘Have I completed a ball in the last two hours, what’s going on?’ Then you look up and it’s like, ‘Ok, let’s go put a drive together to put this away and win,’ and we did that at the end. So, as crazy as it is, we put drives together at crucial points of the game when we needed them. I can’t say enough about our defence and I can’t say enough about special teams and what they did today.”

Winnipeg’s receiving corps was largely shut down, with no one having more than a single catch and Joey Corcoran leading the way with a lone 24-yard reception. A notable footnote was the end of receiver Nic Demski’s impressive streak of 84 consecutive games with a reception.

Despite the struggles in the passing game, the rushing attack was a source of strength. Brady Oliveira delivered his second 100-yard game of the season, carrying the ball 20 times for an even 100 yards.

The offence found its stride when it mattered most, effectively running the clock out in the fourth quarter while protecting a two-touchdown lead. This late-game effort to move the chains and burn time proved to be the final nail in the Redblacks’ coffin.

D stands tall

The Bombers defence, faced with a significant challenge with the return of Redblacks quarterback Dru Brown from a knee injury, proved up to the task.

Brown wasted no time making an impact, completing his first five passes and connecting with Bralon Addison for an early touchdown that gave Ottawa a 7-0 lead. While Brown’s final stat line was impressive – 34-for-45 passing for 406 yards and two touchdowns – the Bombers defence might have bent but did not break.

They limited the Redblacks to just one more offensive touchdown, which came in garbage time with the clock at zeroes. The defence was particularly effective at making key plays, forcing a pair of interceptions from Brown that were both capitalized on by the Bombers offence.

Rookie defensive back Cam Allen was the star of the show, hauling in both picks, with one leading directly to Streveler’s rushing touchdown and the other setting up a field goal from Sergio Castillo. The Bombers also won the turnover battle 4-1, a significant improvement for a team that entered the game with the CFL’s worst turnover ratio.

“We emphasized that this week, that we wanted to win the turnover battle,” Allen said. “I just give all the credit to my teammates, making sure they’re lining me up in the right spot. Being a rookie, they’re out there communicating to me…making sure I can make the play out there.”

Defensive end Willie Jefferson was a menace, recording a sack, two pass knockdowns and two defensive tackles. Linebacker Jaiden Woodbey, in just his third CFL game, also stood out with a team-high six defensive tackles.

The defence’s ability to limit the high-powered Ottawa offence to field goals for most of the game and getting a key turnover on downs in the fourth quarter was the difference-maker. Despite being outgained 452 to 210 in offensive yards, the Bombers defence made the plays when it mattered most, frustrating the Redblacks’ attack whenever they got close to the endzone.

Vaval shines again

In a game where the offence sputtered and the defence faced a formidable passing attack, it was the special teams that provided the most explosive and decisive plays. Indeed, the Bombers special teams unit, led by rookie returner Trey Vaval, provided the much-needed spark that ignited the team and changed the game’s momentum.

The 25-year-old rookie had a monster performance, returning two of the Redblacks’ missed field goals for a combined 199 yards.

His 128-yard touchdown return early in the second quarter not only tied the game at 7-7 but also set a new franchise record for the longest missed field goal return. The total of 199 yards on missed field goal returns also set a new CFL single-game record.

This was not the first time Vaval has etched his name in the league’s history books. Earlier this year, he became the first Bombers player to return a punt and kickoff for a touchdown in the same game in a Week 9 victory over the Toronto Argonauts.

“Honestly, no,” Vaval said when asked if he registers the significance of his achievements. “My mindset is I got to go harder. Next game, I got to get two for my team, I’ve got to have at least two touchdowns on the board for my offence. That’s how I think. It’s on to next week.”

Adding to the special teams’ success was a perfect day from kicker Sergio Castillo, who connected on four field goal attempts, with his longest coming from 44 yards. One of those key scores came after Redblacks returner DeVonte Dedmon fumbled a kickoff late in the second quarter. The fumble, forced by Michael Ayers and recovered by Tanner Cadwallader, gave the Bombers a valuable three points just before halftime.

On the other side of the ball, Redblacks kicker Lewis Ward had a difficult outing, missing two of his three field goal attempts. The absence of his regular holder, punter Richie Leone, who missed the game following the death of his mother, may have played a role in his struggles.

Wild, wild west

The victory was a significant step for the Bombers toward securing their post-season fate. Entering the game on a three-game losing streak, the pressure was mounting, especially after the B.C. Lions’ dominant 52-23 win over the Calgary Stampeders the previous night.

That win moved the Lions to a 7-7 record, placing them in a tie with the Bombers for third place in the West Division, behind the Saskatchewan Roughriders (10-3) and Stampeders (8-5). But the Bombers hold the all-important season series tiebreaker against the Lions, keeping them in the driver’s seat for the third and final playoff spot. The win also provides crucial breathing room from the chasing pack, as the Edmonton Elks are not far behind with a 5-8 record.

“One of the most grittiest games I’ve been a part of, and maybe an ugly one as well. But it’s also one of the most crucial wins for this organization,” Oliveira said. “We understand (the standings), I watch that so I’m not going to be naïve to the other outcomes around the league. We understand we need to win games and it started with this week, going 1-0. This was crucial for us and we got it done.”

While the Bombers’ playoff aspirations are now firmly back on track, they can’t afford to rest on their laurels. They will face another stiff test next week against the Hamilton Tiger-Cats, who handed the Bombers a loss just two weeks ago.

The potential return of quarterback Zach Collaros for that matchup could be a major boost, but his status won’t be known until practice resumes on Tuesday. Until then, the Bombers can celebrate a pivotal win that has put their season back on course.

Jeff.Hamilton@freepress.mb.ca