Bombers’ comeback comes up short in Labour Day Classic

REGINA – Sunday’s Labour Day Classic had all the drama we’ve come to expect between these Prairie rivals, as the Winnipeg Blue Bombers and the Saskatchewan Roughriders went right down to the wire in front of a packed house at Mosaic Stadium.

The Bombers looked finished, trailing 31-17 with just minutes remaining in the fourth quarter. But instead of a slow burn to the finish line, Winnipeg mounted a fierce comeback with two quick touchdowns, only to fall a two-point convert short of completing the improbable comeback.

With the game on the line, Roughriders defensive back Tevaughn Campbell snuffed out Zach Collaros’s game-tying pass intended for Dalton Schoen, intercepting it and returning it to the end zone for a game-sealing two-point score. That play sealed a 34-30 victory for the Riders and sent a majority of the 34,000-plus in attendance home happy.

It was the fourth straight LDC decided by four points or fewer, with the three prior Classics all decided by just two points. The loss snapped a two-game win streak for the Bombers, dropping them to 6-5 on the year, while the Riders improved to a CFL-leading 9-2 after rebounding from a disappointing loss to the Calgary Stampeders in Week 12.

The Bombers will get their chance for a rematch on Saturday, with the Banjo Bowl set for Princess Auto Stadium. But before we look too far ahead, let’s take a closer look back at Sunday’s thrilling back-and-forth affair in the latest edition of 5 Takeaways.

So close, yet so far

The Bombers comeback attempt was nothing short of remarkable, even if it ultimately was for naught. The team’s hopes were reignited with five minutes left in the fourth quarter by a critical fumble from Riders returner Mario Alford at midfield.

The Bomber offence wasted no time capitalizing on the opportunity. Quarterback Zach Collaros quickly connected with Kevens Clercius on a pair of key grabs before hitting Keric Wheatfall in the back corner of the end zone for a 33-yard touchdown.

The drama, though, was just beginning.

Following a review by the league’s command centre, an initial safety call on Bombers defensive back Deatrick Nichols was overturned and changed to a rouge, giving Winnipeg the ball back on its own 40-yard line. The controversial ruling came after a rare punt from quarterback Trevor Harris on third-and-six from Winnipeg’s 44.

The overturned call gave the Bombers life, down just eight points with 1:17 left on the clock.

Nic Demski then drew a defensive pass interference penalty, moving the ball 57 yards down to Saskatchewan’s 8. Three plays later, Collaros found Dalton Schoen for a touchdown, bringing the Bombers within two points of tying the game.

That set the stage for Campbell to play the hero, with his pick-two sealing the game and ending a very uncomfortable situation for the home crowd, while simultaneously breaking the hearts of those in blue.

Where was the run game?

Collaros’s stellar performance was a testament to his resilience, as he completed 26 of 37 attempts for 326 yards and three touchdowns. His outing was made even more impressive by the fact that Winnipeg could never establish the run game.

Many expected the Bombers to lean on Brady Oliveira and the league’s top-ranked run attack, especially after Oliveira bulldozed his way to a season-high 137 yards a week earlier against Montreal. Instead, Bombers offensive co-ordinator Jason Hogan chose to take advantage of Saskatchewan’s vulnerable secondary — a unit that has been susceptible to big plays this year.

The strategy seemed to pay off, as Collaros connected on a number of deep passes, picking apart the Riders’ last line of defence. While the decision to attack through the air made sense given Saskatchewan’s top-ranked run defence, it still doesn’t explain the lack of opportunities for Oliveira.

Oliveira finished with just five carries for 24 yards and a fumble, adding five receptions for 30 more yards.

The star running back was visibly frustrated after the game but chose to bite his tongue and be a good teammate. You could feel that Oliveira wanted to be the difference in a game that should have featured his talents a lot more.

Questionable Play-Calls Keep Points Off the Board

Hogan appeared flustered in his first Labour Day Classic, and the Bombers’ offence paid the price with a number of questionable play-calls.

After the Bombers’ defence registered a strip-sack on Harris to set up first-and-goal from the Riders’ five-yard line, Hogan opted to remove Collaros, his best player, for backup Chris Streveler. A handoff to Oliveira, followed by a Streveler run, gained just three yards, forcing a chip-shot field goal.

Then, with just 41 seconds remaining in the second quarter, the Bombers faced second-and-inches from Saskatchewan’s 35-yard line. Instead of using a quarterback sneak to get a new set of downs, Hogan chose a shotgun play.

The call went awry, as Collaros was sacked for a seven-yard loss, leading to a missed 50-yard field goal that would have made it a one-point game at the break.

Finally, Hogan looked like an inexperienced OC on the game-deciding two-point convert, calling a play that many defences hope for in those situations. Much like Oliveira, Collaros looked visibly unhappy after the game but chose to put the loss on his shoulders.

The Bombers brought in Jarious Jackson as a senior offensive assistant for a reason, and if Hogan doesn’t improve quickly, he might find himself replaced.

Bombers D a Mixed Bag

While the Bombers’ defence struggled in some key moments, the unit largely did a solid job of keeping Harris in check.

A front-runner for the league’s Most Outstanding Player, Harris was held to a modest 219 passing yards on 17 completions and a single touchdown. The unit gave up just 338 yards of net offence for the game, a reflection of the pressure it generated on Harris all night, even if it resulted in a single sack.

The biggest issue for the group, however, was its inability to stop the run. A.J. Ouellette opened the scoring for Saskatchewan with a seven-yard touchdown, and backup Mario Anderson was not to be outdone, punching in a pair of touchdowns, including an impressive 26-yard score.

The defence ultimately showed its grit at the end of the game, preventing the Riders from getting into range for a manageable field goal while the offence was mounting its comeback. Despite this, a lack of discipline proved to be a major liability, as a number of costly penalties put the team in difficult positions and contributed to the loss.

West Division Playoff Picture

The victory for the Riders helped them solidify their hold on first place, and the win cements them as a legitimate Grey Cup contender. The Calgary Stampeders’ win over the Elks on Monday keeps them just two points back at 8-3, but Saskatchewan remains in control of their destiny.

For the Bombers, the loss prevented them from gaining ground on the teams ahead of them, while also keeping them just two points up on the B.C. Lions. The 5-6 Lions now sit in fourth place, with the Elks in fifth place at 4-7.

The Bombers still have two more games against the Riders, both at home, so they can still clinch the season series. Catching up to the division leaders, however, got a lot harder with Sunday’s loss.

Jeff.Hamilton@freepress.mb.ca