Bend don’t break, name of the game for Blue and Gold defence

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This article was published 30/09/2022 (1119 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Bend, don’t break. That’s the name of the game on defence.

The Winnipeg Blue Bombers defensive unit was due for a bounce-back game after shockingly surrendering 48 points two weeks ago to what had been a dismal Hamilton Tiger-Cats offence to that point in the season.

It was the most points the typically stout unit had allowed since Week 2 of 2015 and the sour taste in their mouths lingered through the bye week.

The defence responded in a big way, allowing just 13 points to the Saskatchewan Roughriders on Friday night at IG Field and forcing a whopping six turnovers.

The Bombers have allowed 51 points in three games against the Roughriders this season, a series Winnipeg swept.

The game was stamped by the Big Blue hunkering down when it mattered most. The Bombers offensive unit, which had a smooth going of things in the opening half to the tune of 17 points and more than 200 yards of offence, sputtered out of the gates of the second half.

Three-consecutive two-and-outs on a combined eight yards of offence saw the momentum shift in the visitor’s favour.

The defence played the kind of football Winnipeg fans have become so accustomed to, forcing a fumble and a turnover on downs while surrendering just seven points in that span.

“I don’t think it puts a lot of pressure on them. I think everybody out there that’s dressed for a game wants to be out there,” said head coach Mike O’Shea.

“I don’t think these guys even bat an eye. They wouldn’t be able to tell you how many times they are out there, how many plays they’re out there, they just know they went out.”

The Riders threatened the Bombers with five trips into the red zone in the game, walking away with one major and two field goals in the end.

It was a special night for rookie Jamal Parker, who snagged his first career interception in the waning moments of the first half. He showcased his speed in the process, returning the ball 37 yards into Riders territory to set up the Bombers touchdown before halftime.

“I’m trying to score. Number one, I’m trying to get in the end zone,” Parker said with a laugh. “I just played to my technique. I lost the ball for a moment in the light, got it again and just made a play on the ball.”

“It was just a relief. You’re out there with so many vets, so many champions and you’re like the rookie out there. So you don’t want to be the weak link or the liability, so you’re trying your hardest to play your part.”

Other contributions from the likes of Brandon Alexander, who made his second start after an arduous 10-month rehab stint owing to a knee injury he suffered in the 2021 Grey Cup and recovered a fumble in the third quarter, helped keep the Riders’ offence in check, even when they looked to be gaining momentum.

“I mean, the guys love it, right? They know these guys came in, ready to learn and learn a new game, and they’re sponges so they take it all in, so when they make plays, the guys just erupt, right?”

jfreysam@freepress.mb.ca

Twitter: @jfreysam