Bombers — defence side

Hey there, time traveller!
This article was published 23/10/2011 (5155 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Are the winds of change blowing in the CFL’s East Division?

That’s the big question still to be determined through playoff action, but what the Winnipeg Blue Bombers managed to do in the gutsy 26-25 come from behind win over the Montreal Alouettes at Canad Inns Stadium was put out a signal to the rest of the league: The Bombers remain a tough out, and won’t be easily blown over heading into the most important part of the season.

“That was a game a defence can hang its hat on,” a pleased tackle Doug Brown said after the contest. “We don’t let people come in here and win Eastern division titles on us.

“We have two weeks to decide if this is the changing of the guard or not, but we just threw a little monkey wrench in their plan to close up shop with a couple weeks left.”

Winnipeg’s effort without the ball was simply, in a word, dominant. They held Montreal to 289 yards offence — 199 yards passing by Anthony Calvillo (14 completions on 37 attempts) — and forced the future Hall of Fame quarterback into three interceptions.

He had five coming into the game.

The veteran pivot was also sacked six times — twice by both Fernand Kashama and Jason Vega — and the front seven forced hurried throws all day long.

If the stiff breeze blowing from the south end zone Saturday was indeed the winds of change in the East Division, then the Bombers (10-6) might be tempted to hoist the sails and enjoy the ride. With two games left to play, the Bombers just need to keep pace with the Alouettes (10-6) the rest of the way to host their first division final since the 2001 campaign.

Jovon Johnson, who set the tone for the defence with an interception on Montreal’s first drive, said the game plan was to make Calvillo uncomfortable — and not by blowing in his ear.

“When you get pressure on a great quarterback it can make him average,” said the defensive back, who has a league-leading seven interceptions now. “I think the wind affected him a little bit in those two quarters that he had to face (it). They couldn’t really take the shots they wanted.”

Also key for the Winnipeg defence: Holding Montreal to just field goals while in the shadow of the goal posts, and while kicker Sean Whyte was a perfect 6-for-6 in that department, 18 points against looks a lot better than the possible 42 for a team looking to come back on the scoreboard.

Bombers head coach Paul LaPolice said winning the coin toss, which allowed the Bombers to have the wind and come back in the final quarter, was the biggest play of the game.

The players were banking on that, too.

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“I just knew with the way that wind was blowing out there today; in that third quarter we were in tough,” Brown said, noting how the Alouettes scored 16 points with the wind at their backs to open the second half. “We bent, we didn’t break, and we stuck around long enough to not be down and out.”

Ian Logan and Jonathan Hefney also had interceptions.

Clint Kent and Bryant Turner had the other sacks for the Blue and Gold.

Defensive end Odell Willis, who didn’t start on the Winnipeg defence, did not play much in the game. He suffered a rib injury in the first half and did not get back on the field for the final 30 minutes.

adam.wazny@freepress.mb.ca Twitter: @wazoowazny