Game Day
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Hey there, time traveller!
This article was published 18/09/2010 (5532 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.
3 KEYS TO VICTORY
1. REPEAT AFTER LAST WEEK
Streak; noun; definition: a brief run.
We bring this up today for the sake of the Bombers, many of whom may have forgetten what it feels like to win back-to-back contests. After all, that ‘feat’ hasn’t been accomplished this season and you have to go back almost a year to unearth the last time this team won consecutive games (three straight over Toronto, Edmonton and Hamilton last Sept. 26-Oct. 2). What we all saw last week in the Banjo Bowl win over Saskatchewan was jaw-dropping, but it won’t mean diddly unless they do it all over again Sunday in Toronto.
“I have a great team behind me,” said Bomber QB Steven Jyles. “These guys are fired up, ready to play, and we’re coming off a big win last week. We’re pretty motivated and looking forward to going into Toronto. We’re trying to get back into the playoff march and a win this week would be key.”
Sure would, considering the Bombers are home to Montreal next week before a home-and-home series with the B.C. Lions.
2. NO BOYD? PUT THE SQUEEZE ON LEMON
You could take any player out of any lineup in the CFL and arguably none would be bigger than the Argos losing running back Cory Boyd. Not only is he the loop’s leading rusher, he is a pile mover who can grind down a defensive front and has the speed and athleticism to kill teams in the open field or as a receiver. The Argos will still try to pound the ball with a RB-by-committee trio that features Jeff Johnson, Bryan Crawford and Andre Durie but, sorry, those three are shadows of Boyd. Consider this, as well: no Argo receiver is among the CFL’s top 20 and Toronto is dead last in passing.
“I don’t think they’re going to alter their game plan,” insisted Bomber head coach Paul LaPolice earlier this week. “Their philosophy is to run the football and make sure they establish the run to put the quarterback (Cleo Lemon) in position to make some easy throws. Our job is to stop the run and make them one-dimensional. The last time we played them they ran the ball very well (Boyd is the only back to crack the 100-yard mark against Winnipeg). And they’ll move the launch point for (Lemon) and do some things to control our ends. Now we have to defeat offences without just the pass rush.”
3. WIN THE SPECIAL TEAMS WAR
The Argos will be without Ryan Christian, their leading kickoff returner, but still have the deadly Chad Owens ready to make some magic back there. It was Owens, the Bombers are painfully aware, who stung them for a 117-yard missed field-goal return for a TD in Toronto’s 36-34 victory in Winnipeg in July.
“This morning we got up and spoke about the keys to victory,” said Bomber special teams co-ordinator Kyle Walters. “It’s the same every week. (Toronto) has a very good returner. (Owens) is a good football player for them. He handles punts, kickoffs, missed field-goal returns, he’s a good receiver. I look at where we were in the first couple of weeks to where we are now… we keep getting better and we keep evolving. That’s what we pride ourselves on.”
