Game Balls

Posted: 1:00 AM CDT Sunday, Nov. 3, 2013

OFFENCE

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Hey there, time traveller!
This article was published 03/11/2013 (4655 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

OFFENCE

One of the Ticats’ primary goals heading into this meaningless regular-season finale was to help Henry Burris find his mojo again after he had gone three games without a throwing a TD pass. Ticats’ problem, meet Bombers’ defence. Issue solved. Burris threw for two TDs in the first half, both to Onrea Jones, and completed 17 of 24 passes for 135 yards before being replaced at the intermission. In the process, he set a Hamilton single-season completion record of 65.8 per cent, eclipsing the old mark of 65.2 set by Tom Clements in 1982.

DEFENCE

If Henoc Muamba played his last game of the season on Saturday — he is headed for free agency this winter unless the Bombers can re-sign him — then it was a grand farewell. Playing in front of friends and family, the three-year vet finished with nine tackles against the Ticats. That gave him 105 tackles the season and marked just the fifth time a Bomber had hit triple digits in tackles since the league started officially tracking the stat in 1987. The others: Greg Battle (108 in 1989, 100 in 1990), K.D. Williams (102 in 1996) and Barrin Simpson (110 in 2006 and 112 in 2007).

SPECIAL TEAMS

The Bombers’ inability to move the ball meant Tavoy Moore was busy returning kicks all afternoon for the Ticats. Moore finished the day with 150 yards in punt and kickoff returns and consistently set up the Hamilton offence in prime real estate.

REST VS. RUST:

The Ticats rested a dozen starters on Saturday and were still able to flatten the Bombers like a tank rolling through a field of clover. Included among those who had the day off were Andy Fantuz, Brian Bulcke, C.J. Gable and Evan McCollough.

CRITICAL NUMBERS

2: Times the Bombers have finished 3-15 since the CFL went to an 18-game schedule in 1988 — in 1998 and this season.

7-21: Tim Burke’s record as the Bomber head coach since replacing Paul LaPolice in the summer of 2012 — 4-6 on an interim basis last year and 3-15 this season.

57: The Bombers net offensive yards in the first half; a 30-minute stretch that featured just two first downs and three yards along the ground.

900: Receiving yards in 2013 for Clarence Denmark, the top total on the Bombers this season.

2: Seasons, in the last 15, in which the Bombers have not had at least one 1,000-yard receiver. The other: Adarius Bowman in 2009 (925 yards).

CAN ANY OF YOU STILL PLAY?

The Winnipeg Football Club honoured the 1988 Grey Cup champion Bombers during halftime on Saturday. Among those players who attended the reunion over the last few days were: Chris Walby, David Black, James Murphy, Trevor Kennerd, Bob Cameron, Rod Hill, Sean Salisbury, Ken Pettway, Paul Clatney, Darryl Sampson, Terry Cochrane, Darren Yewchyn, Leon Hatziioannu, James West, Lyle Bauer, Bob Molle, Nick Bastaja, Randy Fabi, Stan Mikawos, Rob Prodanovic, Tim Jessie, Jeff Smith and family of the late Steve Rodehutskors.

— Tait