Rise up, rise up Winnipeg The Fifth Quarter

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This article was published 25/10/2009 (5810 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

NBC uses the slogan Must-See TV for some of its programming and the Winnipeg Blue Bombers can borrow and alter the phrase to Must-See Football when Jovon Johnson gets his hands on the pigskin.

Getting up for a soda is a bad idea when the Bombers are receiving a punt or a kickoff these days.

Return man Johnson is making those moments memorable with his shifty acceleration and brilliant field vision. Just ask the Montreal Alouettes punt coverage team.

Johnson burned the Als for a 79-yard punt return in Saturday’s 41-24 win and turned the entire stadium, including his teammates and coaches on the sideline, into open-mouthed, gasping admirers.

“I think I must have said, ‘Are you kidding me?’ about 12 times as he kept running around there,” said Bombers coach Mike Kelly. “Any time you see guys give a little ground and start reversing their field… normally good things don’t happen. But he’s a special player and he’s done a lot of good things for us this year. It was a nice way to put the final points on the board.”

Johnson had 108 yards on six punt returns and 146 yards on kick returns. The second-year Bomber almost busted a kick return as well before being stopped after 47 yards.

“Every week I go into the game trying to make plays. Early in this game they kind of got to me and got me frustrated,” said Johnson, standing at his locker with teammates and coaches walking by to shake his hand and slap his back.

“Every time I went down on the ground, they had guys diving on me and they kept pounding and pounding. The easiest way to put a stop to that is make a play and not let them put you on the ground.”

Johnson now has three touchdowns on the season — one on an interception, one on a missed field goal return and now a punt return.

“There are some good returners in this league but I think I’m right up there with Triston Jackson (Edmonton) and Larry Taylor (Montreal),” said Johnson. “I think I can compare with the best of them.”

Johnson began to make a name for himself last season in his first year with the Bombers, but has exploded this season into a bona fide star.

“The way he swerves in and out and makes people miss is amazing,” said Bombers fan Carter Friesen, 15. “He’s a superstar. He makes you stand up and watch whenever they kick the ball at him.”

gary.lawless@freepress.mb.ca

GAME BALLS:

�ñº OFFENCE

Bomber quarterback Michael Bishop passed for two touchdowns, one interception and 411 yards while going 17-for-33.

�ñº DEFENCE

They’re young, fast, talented and exciting. Bomber rookie defensive ends Odell Willis and Phillip Hunt were all over the place and gave the CFL’s best offensive line fits all day. Willis finished with three tackles and two sacks while Hunt had two sacks.

�ñº SPECIAL TEAMS

Jovon Johnson is becoming one of the most dangerous players in the CFL and he had a great day returning kicks, including a show-stopping 79-yard punt return for a touchdown in the fourth quarter, his third major of the year.

CRITICAL NUMBER:

411

Bishop threw for 411 yards to bounce back from a dreadful performance a week ago.

SCORING SUMMARY:

FIRST QUARTER

Mtl — FG Duval 28 4:17

Wpg — FG Serna 23 6:28

Mtl — FG Duval 41 12:53

Wpg — Single Westwood 52 14:15

Second Quarter

Wpg — FG Serna 29 5:11

Wpg — FG Serna 20 11:25

Mtl — FG Duval 30 13:36

Wpg — TD Edwards 57 pass from Bishop (Serna) 13:52

Wpg — TD Ryan 53 pass from Bishop (Serna) 14:44

Third Quarter

Mtl — Safety Westwood concedes 4:48

Mtl — TD McPherson 9 run (Duval convert) 9:24

Wpg — TD Santos 1 run (Serna convert) 11:14

Fourth Quarter

Wpg — FG Serna 15 0:29

Wpg — TD Jo. Johnson 79 punt return (Serna convert) 7:05

Mtl — TD Hawkins 19 pass from McPherson (McPherson run two-point convert failed) 9:24

Montreal 6 3 9 6–24

Winnipeg 4 20 7 7–41

Attendance — 21,378.

Individual

Rushing: Montreal — McPherson 11-95, Cobourne 6-29, Hawkins 1-5; Winnipeg — Reid 9-50, Bernard 6-38, Santos 5-20, Bishop 1-10.

Receiving: Montreal — Watkins 6-97, Cahoon 6-55, Hawkins 3-40, Richardson 2-23, Cobourne 2-14, Carter 1-3; Winnipeg — Edwards 6-156, Ryan 4-140, Ralph 4-61, Bowman 3-54.

Passing: Montreal — McPherson 20-35, 232 yards, 1 TDs, 0 ints; Winnipeg — Bishop 17-33-411-2-1, Bramlet 2-0-0-0-0.

— Gary Lawless