‘Why not now against the No. 1 team in the East?’

Good luck finding someone who believes in the Winnipeg Blue Bombers this week.

Sure, they’re in OK shape at 5-5, but they’ve had some real stinkers lately.

Their lowlights include getting torched for 52 points by Calgary, surrendering a franchise-worst 377 rushing yards to B.C., and producing a measly 19 yards of net offence in the final two quarters against Edmonton.

With all that, and the fact that they’re hosting a 9-1 Montreal Alouettes side that feels nearly untouchable, it’s hard to envision Bomber fans high-fiving one another as they leave Princess Auto Stadium on Friday night.

“I can see why people maybe aren’t as optimistic, but at the end of the day, everybody in this room is optimistic that we’re going to go out there and win this football game,” receiver Nic Demski told the Free Press after Wednesday’s closed practice.

“That’s what we get paid to do, and that’s what we’re gonna come out here and do.”

It’s been a long time since the Bombers have been heavy underdogs in their own backyard. You’d likely have to go back more than a decade to find the last time that was the case.

“I don’t think the time is now to lose faith in us,” said left tackle Stanley Bryant. “I think a win against a team like Montreal would be a great steppingstone for us to get on the right track, play ball, and win games like we know how to do.

“Montreal’s just in the way, they’re the best team in the league, and hopefully we can go out there, come out victorious, come in here and celebrate, then get back on track.”

The Bombers weren’t celebrating the last time these two teams met. It was back on Nov. 1, 2025, in Montreal for the Eastern semifinal when the Als won 42-33 in a wild back-and-forth affair.

“We had the chance to take the lead late, or even win the game, and things kind of just didn’t go our way,” said Bryant. “After we lost, it just felt like one of those games where we let it slip through our fingers.”

The Bombers dusted off that tape and watched it this week. And while there have been changes made to both rosters, that game should give the Bombers confidence that they can hang with the defending East champions.

“You always remember those losses that stop you from getting to the ultimate goal of a Grey Cup,” said linebacker Tony Jones.

“They’re playing elite ball right now, and we know going into this game that we’re gonna have to put it all together. Why not now against the No. 1 team in the East?”

The Bombers are averaging 25.6 points per game this season which is unlikely to cut it on Friday. Montreal’s generating 36.7 points and beating teams by an average of 10.4 on a weekly basis, including a 46-16 stomping last week over the winless Ottawa Redblacks.

“I hope (25 points) does cut it,” said Bryant with a laugh. “But no, we gotta handle our own thing, man. We just gotta figure out how to get points on the board, however it’s gonna look or however it’s gonna happen. I feel like we can’t just settle for three anymore. It’s on us to get six in each and every way we can.”

Montreal’s attack presents a never-ending list of problems. Quarterback Davis Alexander leads the three-down loop in passing yards (3,400) and his favourite weapons — Tyson Philpot (1,229) and Tyler Snead (982) — are first and second in receiving yards.

They’re also plus-13 in turnovers and running the ball efficiently behind Travis Theis who trails only Bombers tailback Brady Oliveira (850) and Edmonton’s Justin Rankin (791) in ground yards with 788.

Theis owns an impressive 6.6 yards per carry average.

“Just try to lock in and hit your target. Do what you need to do and don’t worry about the outside noise,” said Bombers defensive end Willie Jefferson on slowing down the Als.

“Montreal is a good team, and we’re a good team, too. We just need to go out, execute our game plan, and when we need to get off the field, get off the field.”

Head coach Mike O’Shea typically takes a conservative approach on game days. He pushed back on the idea that he’ll have to be more aggressive for his team to prevail over the Als.

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“I think you just have to be more right. If there’s a decision that would seem more aggressive, it still has to be made with taking account all the information,” said O’Shea.

“The more right you are in all three phases, including the coaching staff, the more right the team is, the more simpler the game is… So, I wouldn’t say going in with a plan to say, ‘Hey, we have to be more aggressive because they are this.’ I think it’s more (about) what we do and staying on schedule.”

The Bombers are 2-4 at home in 2026, and although they’ve been incredibly disappointing at times, knocking off Montreal would send the club into their upcoming back-to-back with the Saskatchewan Roughriders on the ultimate high note.

“If you choose not to believe, then that’s more fuel to our fire,” said Jefferson.

winnipegfreepress.com/taylorallen

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.