Squad tries to rebuild confidence

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This article was published 22/10/2019 (2147 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Instead of peaking, the Winnipeg Blue Bombers are sinking as they approach the CFL’s post-season.

The Blue and Gold started the season 5-0 and looked like they had what it takes to run away with the West Division. Since then, the Bombers have gone 5-7 and appear destined to finish in third place in the division.

The Bombers, who have dropped four of their past five, would be singing a different tune if they could find ways to win close games. The club is 1-4 in games decided by four points or fewer.

Heading into their final regular-season game Friday night against the visiting Calgary Stampeders, Bombers linebacker Adam Bighill was asked if the team has the confidence to turn this thing around.

“We’ve gotta prove that we still got it,” Bighill said. “The fact that we know we’ve done a lot of great things, we’ve got to continue to prove that we can do it. I don’t know how many games we’ve lost by four points or less in the season so far, but it’s come down to we’ve got to win the close ones. I mean, a couple plays here and a couple plays there. That’s the fact of the matter of the truth. You want to win the playoffs, you’ve got to win the close games. It’s not going to be blowout victories. You’ve got to be able to battle and grind all game long.”

The Bombers are coming off a 37-33 loss in Calgary on Saturday. In the defeat, rookie quarterback Sean McGuire got his first chance to throw the ball in a professional game. Starting quarterback Chris Streveler came out of the game in the fourth quarter after injuring an ankle on a three-yard run.

McGuire took over for a drive, and on his first pass attempt, he threw the ball deep but just out of the reach of receiver Lucky Whitehead. On the next play, McGuire hit running back Andrew Harris for a three-yard completion, forcing the Bombers to punt.

Streveler limped back to the huddle on the next possession.

“I loved it,” the 23-year-old McGuire said of the play call to go deep on his first pass. “I went in the huddle and said ‘We’re going to score right here’ and I fully expected to. I loved the play call. It was a double move and the guy didn’t bite on it quite as hard, but still had the opportunity and just in that moment, it was just instinctual. I just dropped back and was just playing football.

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“I wasn’t thinking, was just, again, trying to do my job, make a play and barely missed on it, but I was fired up. Your number gets called and you just go in and try to make the most of what you’ve got.”

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Wide receiver Drew Wolitarsky left Tuesday’s practice early after falling while running a route and was slow to get up. Wolitarsky exited the field on his own but appeared to be in a considerable amount of discomfort.

taylor.allen@freepress.mb.ca

Twitter: @TaylorAllen31

Taylor Allen
Reporter

Taylor Allen is a sports reporter for the Winnipeg Free Press. Taylor was the Vince Leah intern in the Free Press newsroom twice while earning his joint communications degree/diploma at the University of Winnipeg and Red River College Polytechnic. He signed on full-time in 2019 and mainly covers the Blue Bombers, curling, and basketball. Read more about Taylor.

Every piece of reporting Taylor produces is reviewed by an editing team before it is posted online or published in print — part of the Free Press‘s tradition, since 1872, of producing reliable independent journalism. Read more about Free Press’s history and mandate, and learn how our newsroom operates.