Meaningless game full of meaning for Bombers QB Brown

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This article was published 26/10/2023 (717 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

The Winnipeg Blue Bombers are in Calgary to wrap up the regular season against the Stampeders in a game that won’t mean anything in the standings.

The Bombers (13-4) have already clinched the West Division, giving them a bye into the West Final, which they’ll host on Saturday, Nov. 11 at IG Field. This is familiar ground for the Blue and Gold, who have wrapped up the West three straight years, achieving a feat that hadn’t been reached since the mid-1960s.

The Stampeders (6-11) earned the third and final playoff spot in the West and will travel to Vancouver next weekend to play the B.C. Lions in the Division’s semi-final game. Calgary’s road to the playoffs was a bumpy one, requiring a bit of luck and help from the Saskatchewan Roughriders, who dropped their last seven games to allow the Stamps to sneak in.

While the two points up for grabs Friday won’t change either club’s position in the standings, it still figures to be a physical and entertaining affair. Both teams will feature a lineup dotted with depth players as they prepare for the playoffs in the coming weeks.

With that, here are five storylines to keep an eye on in the regular-season finale.

BROWN GETS THE NOD

With Zach Collaros sidelined, No. 2 quarterback Dru Brown will earn his second start of the season and second start against the Stamps in Calgary in 2023.

Brown led the Bombers to a 19-18 win in McMahon Stadium in Week 11. He put up modest numbers, ending the night 17-for-27 passing for 171 yards, with no touchdowns or interceptions.

Brown was asked about that performance and he lamented some of his struggles, though he capped off his answer by saying the most important part was earning the win. Given how competitive the 26-year-old is, he’s going to want to improve from his last outing, making him the last person to view this game as meaningless.

To that point, this could very well be the last start for Brown in a Bombers uniform, as he’s on an expiring contract. With some uncertainty at quarterback across the league, there will be teams interested in looking to fill the game’s most important position, meaning one final chance for Brown to leave a positive impression.

NEXT MEN UP

Speaking of leaving a positive impression, others will also be looking to make their mark. The Bombers will be sitting several starters, with key players out on both sides of the ball.

The list of players sidelined include, on offence, Collaros, receiver Nic Demski and offensive lineman Stanley Bryant. On defence, defensive ends Willie Jefferson and Jackson Jeffcoat, defensive tackle Ricky Walker, linebackers Adam Bighill, Kyrie Wilson and Redha Kramdi, and defensive backs Brandon Alexander and Winston Rose are all out.

That leaves opportunities for several players to get into the game and earn valuable reps. A couple new faces to look out for include receiver Ravi Alston and defensive back Tyrique McGhee, both of whom are expected to get a lot of playing time.

LET IT SNOW, LET IT SNOW, LET IT SNOW

So much for those chinooks we hear a lot about out west. Calgary has already been hit with snow and judging by the forecast, it doesn’t look like it’s going to get any nicer anytime soon.

As of Thursday afternoon, mother nature is calling for a high of 4 C and a low of minus-11, with a chance of flurries and north winds of 20 km/h. It’s apparently supposed to jump to minus-19 with windchill, so you Bomber fans out in Calgary, if you’re planning to attend the game, be sure to wear plenty of layers — the wind is no friend at McMahon Stadium.

With these types of conditions, expect much of the game to be decided on the ground. Both teams have strong running back options and depth at the position.

Winnipeg will start with Brady Oliveira, who has all but officially claimed the league’s rushing title this season with 1,498 yards, with Johnny Augustine likely to get the lion’s share of the touches. The Stamps are resting Ka’Deem Carey but have two really good backup options in Dedrick Mills and Peyton Logan they’ll turn to.

OLIVEIRA CHASING 2,000

To go with his rushing total, Oliveira also caught 38 passes for 482 receiving yards, bringing him to a grand total of 1,980 yards from scrimmage.

Only one other Canadian has ever hit the 2,000-yard mark, and that was former Stamps great Jon Cornish. Cornish reached 2,139 yards in 2013, including 1,813 rushing yards — the most rushing yards of any Canadian in a single season, with Oliveira’s 1,498 and counting this year ranked as No. 2.

Oliveira said earlier this week that he wanted badly to hit that 2,000-yard mark and seeing that he’s starting the game, has a good chance to do just that.

RICHMOND READY TO GO

There aren’t many players in the CFL as patient as Bombers offensive lineman Drew Richmond. Richmond has had a roller-coaster run with the Blue and Gold since signing with the club late in the 2019 season.

After the ‘19 campaign, Richmond returned in 2021 after the cancelled season to play a backup role. When he finally got into a game, coming late in the year and under similar circumstances, he suffered a serious knee injury that would keep him out of the entire next season.

Richmond rehabbed all last season and returned this year and has been on the practice roster ever since. That is, until he was activated to play on Friday, making his triumphant return against the Stamps.

Clearly, the Bombers think highly of him to keep him around this long. Richmond finally gets the chance to return the favour.

Jeff.Hamilton@freepress.mb.ca

X: @jeffkhamilton