Wilson early candidate for catch of the year

Ontaria Wilson has made a habit of ending up on highlight reels for his brilliant play-making ability.

But the Winnipeg Blue Bombers receiver added an exclamation point to all of that jaw-dropping footage last Friday, quickly changing gears into the role of a defender after a Dru Brown interception ended up in the hands of Calgary Stampeders defensive back Ben Labrosse.

Wilson has been seen flying through the air with the greatest of ease to haul in passes during his time with the Bombers, but this was a thing of beauty, turning a potential turnover into a new set of downs when he snatched the ball that was heading for the hands of Marquel Lee.

“I’ve never seen anything like that in my life,” said Bombers offensive lineman Patrick Neufeld, a 15-year CFL veteran. “It’s one of those crazy CFL action plays. Thank God (Wilson) had the wherewithal to do that. He’s made some unbelievable plays for us and that’s going up there on the top for sure.”

Bombers bench boss Mike O’Shea shared a similar sentiment.

“Great vision, great anticipation. One of the best plays I’ve seen,” said O’Shea. “Whatever they do for the play of the year, I don’t know what they do for that stuff, but it’s got to be up there.”

This is a classic example of why it’s so important to never quit on a play or to battle right until the whistle.

“One of the great joys of coaching is you see something new all the time. And that was fantastic,” O’Shea continued. “Right on time. Refusing to let something negative take hold right away. You’re going to finish the play and he finished it in absolutely the best possible way he could, short of getting up and scoring a touchdown.”

“Great vision, great anticipation. One of the best plays I’ve seen.”

Wilson showed off his football intelligence on the play in question, but admits he also used his ears to put himself in position.

“I was just looking for an opportunity to get the ball back,” said Wilson, who has 34 receptions for 470 yards and three touchdowns in seven games this season. “Initially, when he caught the pig, I was initially going to try to punch it out. But his teammate was like, ‘Throw it to me.’ I saw him gathering himself to toss it and thought this might be my opportunity to get it.

“So I dove and I got it. It was just a good play, I guess.”

Wilson was being modest.

This was an exceptional play — one that not many individuals would be able to pull off at full speed and in real time.

“You and I would be thinking, ‘Punch it out’ and we’d be doing this (punching motion) and falling forward and landing on our face three yards short and then the plan never worked,” said O’Shea.

“A guy like that is so athletic he can just transition from what he wants to do to what he sees and react in time with great athleticism, with good poise and anticipation.”

Wilson is still a bit taken aback by what transpired, even with the benefit of watching it back in the film room.

“It still feels unreal to watch it on the replay.”

“It still feels unreal to watch it on the replay,” he said. “Everybody was like, ‘How did you know (he was going to lateral the ball)’? It felt way slower in person than watching it.”

Wilson didn’t have time to wonder what in the world Labrosse (who had three interceptions in the game) was thinking as the play unfolded.

“It kind of could have been a good play if I wasn’t there,” said Wilson.

But Wilson was there and the turn of events was magnified when running back Brady Oliveira rushed for a 45-yard touchdown to cut the deficit to nine points on the next play.

Earlier this season, Wilson prevented Edmonton Elks defensive back Tyrell Ford from scoring a touchdown on a fumble recovery when he showed off his blazing speed to catch him from behind.

That hustle play was also impactful as the Blue Bombers defence held the Elks to a field goal on the next possession in that game.

DEFENCE SEARCHES FOR CONSISTENCY

Overall, it was a tough showing for the Bombers defence, as the team allowed its opponent to eclipse 50 points for the first time in more than a decade — dating back to July 2, 2015, against the Hamilton Tiger-Cats.

“Familiar in the sense that some of the same issues that have caused us some issues earlier in the season — the explosion plays, we had a dropped coverage where we had miscommunication on who was supposed to be doing what job, who was supposed to be covering the running back out of the backfield,” said Bombers defensive co-ordinator Jordan Younger. “When I look at it, I see incomplete games.”

Younger has seen flashes of the defence he envisions, but they’ve also been giving up too many explosion plays.

With a 4-3 record going into Thursday’s game with the B.C. Lions and tied with the Saskatchewan Roughriders (who hold a game in hand) for second in the West, the Bombers are fifth in the CFL in points allowed (29.7) and they’re also in the middle of the pack for net offence (381.6 yards per game), but have struggled against the run, sitting eighth in that category after allowing 752 yards (an average of 107.4 per game).

One area the Blue Bombers have shown improvement in this season is the ability to get to the quarterback, as they’re first in the CFL in sacks with 15.

Jake Ceresna and Willie Jefferson are tied for the individual lead with five sacks apiece. Ceresna was brought in as a free agent to help the pass rush and has lived up to expectations, while Jefferson has been a force to be reckoned with.

“I believe (Willie Jefferson is) still arguably the most dominant player in the league. Definitely a standout among all of the defensive lineman.”

“It’s standard Willie Jefferson. He’s an exceptional football player. He always has been,” said Younger. “I believe he’s still arguably the most dominant player in the league. Definitely a standout among all of the defensive linemen.”

Already looking to regroup, the Bombers will face an interesting challenge as the Lions are expected to give quarterback Kaidon Salter (who was a star with the Colorado Buffaloes of the NCAA) his first CFL start on Thursday.

“Well, we saw him in the pre-season. He was pretty efficient. He played very well,” said O’Shea. “I’m sure he’s providing them with a lot of hope and we’ve got to be prepared for that.

“In university, he was able to be very, very productive, especially in 2023 when he ran the ball for 1,000 yards and passed for (almost 3,000). He’s a dual-threat quarterback. He seems to be pretty calm, too.”

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