Bombers hoping to build off victory

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This article was published 03/08/2017 (2967 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

OTTAWA – The Winnipeg Blue Bombers are in search of back-to-back wins for the first time this season as they head out on the road to take on the Ottawa Redblacks at TD Place Friday night.

The Bombers (3-2) narrowly escaped defeat in an emotionally charged victory over the Montreal Alouettes in Week 5, erasing a 12-point deficit in the final 95 seconds to leave with a 41-40 victory. As for the Redblacks (1-4-1), they are coming off a disappointing 27-24 loss to the Toronto Argonauts, in a sea-saw game where Ottawa rallied back from 11- and seven-point deficits only to have Argonauts kicker – and former Bomber – Lirim Hajrullahu kick a game-clinching field goal.

With that, here are five storylines to keep an eye on for tonight’s game…

BOMBERS FLUSH GUSHING W

The victory over Montreal was no doubt the Bombers most impressive comeback in recent history and perhaps ever. So given what went into the win, it’s understandable that some of those positive vibe are still lingering around the locker room.

“It does a lot for us mentally and, really, for later in the season…you can lean back on past situations like the game last week and have that belief in each other that you’re going to find a way to win,” said Bombers quarterback Matt Nichols. “It showed that when you play at your top level, that you can close out games…so when we’re in those situations again we know what we need to do to win.”

But Bombers know they need to be careful not to feel too good about what themselves, keeping in mind that what happened last week means diddlysquat to what lay ahead.

“In sports there’s always momentum with wins,” said Bombers running back Andrew Harris. “It’s one of those games where it’s highly emotional and football is an emotional game but you can’t let emotions get the best of you. You want to string wins together but we ultimately flushed that one and we’re onto the next one.”

DON’T JUDGE A BOOK BY ITS…RECORD?

It’s a common refrain in professional sports that a team is only as good as its record. But it can be argued – and certainly was by both the Bombers and the Redblacks on Thursday – that Ottawa’s 1-4-1 mark through the first six weeks hardly tells the whole story about the reigning Grey Cup champs.

“It’s one of those things where you look at it and say ‘1-4-1, ugh, man,’” said Redblacks quarterback Trevor Harris. “It just looks terrible but this isn’t a 1-4(-1) team and if you talk to a lot of people I don’t think they’d say this team is terrible.”

There is a case against the dismal start for Ottawa.

The Redblacks opened the season against the class of the league – and the team they defeated in the Grey Cup – with back-to-back games versus the Calgary Stampeders, walking away with a single point from a tie. After that, Ottawa played their next four games in a span of 17 days – a stretch that included two games against a revamped Toronto Argonauts team and the Edmonton Eskimos, who are a perfect 5-0. Furthermore, all four of the Ottawa’s losses have been by five points or fewer.

But excuses will only take you so far and the Redblacks won’t have any come Friday. The Bombers have struggled at times this year and with Ottawa having 10 days before their last game, they should be well rested.

“The name of the game is winning and we know that,” said Redblacks head coach Rick Campbell. “You only get 18 games in football so you’ve got to make them all count.”

MESSAGED DELIVERED…KIND OF

Bombers defensive co-ordinator Richie Hall didn’t mince words earlier this week when he decided to, unprovoked, voiced his displeasure with the defence following Tuesday’s practice. The Bombers had surrendered their most yards against just days earlier – 531 total, with a whopping 183 yards rushing allowed to the Alouettes – so Hall had some choice words when he once again saw a lack of execution at the team’s workout.

It was an unfamiliar approach for Hall and the Bombers, who more often are calculated in how they communicate with local reporters; rarely are players criticized publicly, even if Hall’s reaction wasn’t all that animated.

Bombers head coach Mike O’Shea was asked if it was an attempt to send a message to his defence.

“If we want the players to know something, we have a meeting and we tell the players how we feel,” O’Shea reasoned. “I don’t know that it’s exactly calculated – it’s honest. It’s an honest opinion by Richie and shared by myself and shared by every member of the defence.

“They’re not happy with the way things went. We’re not where we want to be yet.”

The Bombers defence is near the bottom in both net yards (418.6) and points allowed (33.4) to opposing offences, with only the 0-5 Hamilton Tiger-Cats boasting worse numbers.

The task doesn’t get any easier this week, either, as the Bombers face a Redblacks offence led by quarterback Trevor Harris, who has thrown for over 300 yards in four of Ottawa’s six games this season and has passed for a league-best 12 touchdowns. They also have two receivers – Greg Ellingson an Brad Sinopoli – in the top-six in receiving yards, with Ellingson leading the CFL with 39 receptions for 643 yards.

THIS IS NOT A DRESS(LER) RHEHEARSAL

The Bombers will be without their most productive receiver after losing Weston Dressler to a lower-body injury in the second quarter of last week’s win over Montreal. Dressler, who hadn’t practised in the days leading up to the game, has not only been ruled out Friday but is currently occupying a spot on the Bombers’ six-game injured list.

The move came as somewhat of a surprise, if only because O’Shea refused to update the veteran receiver’s status throughout the week, calling Dressler game-time decision. When he was asked about the seriousness of the injury, O’Shea said the decision to put him on the long-term injured list was merely “a business decision.”

“You find a lot of clubs do that as an insurance policy in case there’s any setback but I expect him to be available much sooner than that and he expects that, too,” he said.

Meanwhile, Ryan Lankford, who replaced Dressler last week and reeled in a four-yard catch that sparked the Bombers’ thrilling comeback against Montreal, will make his first start at receiver. Matt Coates will take over for Dressler as the holder on field goals for kicker Justin Medlock.

But as well as Lankford was able to fill in, the team knows the hole left by Dressler, who has 23 catches for a team-best 342 yards, will be tough to fill.

“We have the guys that can make up for it but it’s still always tough when you lose a future hall of famer,” said Nichols.

HARRIS ON A RUN

Andrew Harris enters Friday’s game on pace to shatter the single-season record for most receptions by a running back. In five games, Harris has 37 catches, averaging 7.4 grabs per game. If he can maintain that rate, Harris will finish with 133 receptions – 31 more than the 102 set by current leader, Craig Ellis, in 1985.

“Body feels great,” Harris said, adding: “Mentally, it’s about my teammates and my relationships I have with them and with my teammates it’s stronger than ever. There’s definitely a trust level there. They know they can expect that in me every game, week in and week out and I’m starting to learn what I can expect out of them.”

He added: “This team is blossoming beautifully and I’m happy to be a part of it.”

Harris has been particularly strong in the air game in recent weeks. In the last three games, he’s caught 23 – or nearly two-thirds – of his receptions. He’s also been sturdy in the ground game, with four rushing touchdowns in the last three weeks, including a pair last Thursday against the Alouettes.

“They’re really good against the run and that’s something we need to establish and be consistent with on first down,” said Harris.

Harris may have some company in the backfield as Timothy Flanders is expected to draw into his first game of the season. A double attack could wear down the Redblacks’ defence that has allowed 78.8 rushing yards against per game – the fourth fewest in the CFL and two more than Winnipeg at third.

jeff.hamilton@freepress.mb.ca twitter: @jeffkhamilton