Big Blue leaving points on the field

The Winnipeg Blue Bombers’ 34-30 loss to the Saskatchewan Roughriders in Sunday’s Labour Day Classic was a stark reminder football is a game of inches and the margin for error is razor thin.

While the final score suggested a tight, back-and-forth affair, a deeper look at the tape reveals a series of plays that left points off the scoreboard and ultimately cost Winnipeg the game. For a team accustomed to winning — and winning with a specific identity — the defeat seemed unsettling in the locker room afterwards.

It wasn’t just that they lost, but how they lost.

“It was a good battle, but we weren’t good enough,” Bombers head coach Mike O’Shea said following Tuesday’s practice. “We made some mistakes that we’d like to have back. We took too many penalties.”

He added: “Against a really good team like that, that generally has all three phases going, you got to play better.”

Included in that, though not singled out by O’Shea, were a few head-scratching play calls by first-year offensive co-ordinator Jason Hogan.

Through 11 games, Hogan’s first season at the helm of the Bombers offence has been a learning experience, a fact O’Shea readily admitted.

“I think there was always going to be some growth,” O’Shea added. “But I think he’s come a long way. And he doesn’t have to do it himself, either. It’s always been a collaboration, input into a game plan, and there’s always a ton of chatter on the cans as to what comes next.”

The first questionable decision came early in the game after the defence forced a turnover, giving the Bombers a golden opportunity with a first-and-goal at Saskatchewan’s five-yard line.

Instead of relying on their star quarterback, Zach Collaros, Hogan brought in short-yardage specialist Chris Streveler. After two run plays gained three yards, the Bombers settled for a short field goal, forgoing a potential touchdown.

Hogan defended the call, pointing to the challenges of the hostile environment. Mosaic Stadium was packed with 34,000-plus, creating a sea of green that was relentless whenever Winnipeg had the ball.

“The idea behind it is simply this: Strev orchestrates our short-yardage package,” Hogan explained. “When he gets under centre, which he does a lot more than Zach, we can go full cadence. We’re in a loud environment, hostile environment, so he can just call it out on the line instead of being in silent cadence mode.”

While the logic is sound, it doesn’t fully address the frustration felt by those who saw an opportunity for six points turn into three. And it wasn’t just Bomber fans.

Running back Brady Oliveira, among others, hoped for the chance to punch the ball into the end zone, even if he understands the decision to bring out the kicking unit to ensure points were scored on the drive.

“Every single person in this locker room is here because they’re competitors, and we love to win games,” Oliveira said. “Of course, in that moment, on the two-yard line, we think we have the unit, every single week, that can get the job done.”

The second questionable call came just before halftime.

Facing a second-and-inches from the Roughriders’ 35-yard line and already well within field-goal range, Hogan called a pass play with Collaros in shotgun. The decision was aimed at pushing for a touchdown, but instead resulted in a seven-yard sack and a subsequent missed 50-yard field goal from kicker Sergio Castillo.

The gamble turned a guaranteed three points into zero. Hogan labelled the play a “free play,” banking on the high likelihood of a first down on third-and-inches if the pass attempt failed.

“It’s to potentially push the ball down the field and stay out there and get more than three (points), get a touchdown,” he said. From the outside, however, it seemed like an unnecessary risk when points were a near-certainty.

Finally, the game-deciding two-point convert attempt in the waning moments was another source of frustration.

After an incredible comeback drive, the Bombers had a chance to tie the game with a two-point convert. The play call, a short pass that was ultimately picked off and returned for a Saskatchewan two-point score, felt predictable.

“You want to give your guys something they know like the back of their hand,” Hogan said of the decision to use a play they had repped for weeks.

While Hogan stood by his calls, he was asked what the balance is between taking chances and playing to your strengths. For a team with the best running back in the league and an offensive line that prides itself on physicality, some fans and league pundits wondered why the run game was underutilized, especially when Winnipeg’s passing attack was thriving.

“It’s tough, because we have a lot of weapons, and how do you get everybody involved on a weekly basis is extremely hard. It’s one of the hardest things we have to deal with as a staff,” Hogan said. “But, ultimately, in that instance, in that situation, we were throwing the ball extremely well. Zach was seeing it, as we were pushing the ball down the field against a pretty good opponent, in their house. So, we took advantage of that.”

Oliveira, despite his frustration, sees the bigger picture.

“I understand the importance of passing the football to soften up the defence, and if that’s going to be the plan, hey, man, I’m all for it,” he said. “If we need to pass the ball to win a football game, let’s do it. But when we lose a football game and there’s only five carries, I think we can lean a little more on the big boys up front.”

For Collaros, he said losses always feel self-inflicted.

“I always think that I could play better, and if I play better, we win,” he said. “I don’t want to take anything away from Saskatchewan. They did a better job in those moments we wish we had back. And I’m sure that there are five or six plays that they’re looking at like, ‘Hey, if we did this differently, then we could have won by more.’ Those kinds of things all add up.”

Not all that was lost, even if Winnipeg wasn’t able to leave Regina with a valuable two points. The last five minutes of the game, with the offence coming alive and fighting its way back into the contest down 14 points, offered a glimpse of the team’s unwavering resilience and fight.

“It’s what you want,” Hogan said of the final minutes. “Hats off to the guys. I thought they played valiantly for 60 minutes, and we were able to put two drives together and give us a chance to win.”

Looking ahead to Saturday’s Banjo Bowl, the focus for the Bombers is to learn from the mistakes and control what they can. The challenge now is translating this week’s work into a cleaner performance in the rematch.

The Riders’ defensive front, which sacked Collaros five times, will be a major test again. So, too, will Trevor Harris and Saskatchewan’s offence, which did most of their damage on the ground, including three rushing touchdowns.

“It doesn’t matter what the score is on the scoreboard, you want to go out there and give your best and play to the echo of the whistle,” Collaros said. “That being said, we’ve learned from the film and now we have to take it to the field this week and execute at a higher level.”

Jeff.Hamilton@freepress.mb.ca