Bombers in make-or-break stretch

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This article was published 25/08/2015 (3995 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

THE sights and sounds of construction are everywhere, from the bright flashes courtesy a welder’s handiwork to the metallic clang as scaffolding is erected in the south end zone at Investors Group Field.

Yes, the Grey Cup will be played right here in River City in 96 days and work began this weekend on the temporary seating for the Canadian Football League’s marquee event.

Question now is, when the real games begin in November will the Winnipeg Blue Bombers even be part of the discussion or will they be spectators again for the fourth consecutive season?

And so it was with that backdrop a refreshed and re-energized Bomber squad has returned from the bye week Sunday and Monday in advance of this weekend’s home date with the Calgary Stampeders.

But this is also a squad that is 3-5 after losing two straight, is still without its starting quarterback until late September and minus tailback Paris Cotton, deep threat Darvin Adams and now right tackle Jace Daniels.

And yet, as Week 10 of the schedule approaches this outfit is still tied for third in the West Division.

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“We’re still sitting pretty good in the West right now,” reasoned Bomber defensive tackle Zach Anderson after practice Monday. “Our biggest thing now going forward is being able to bounce back from losing momentum, from a pick six, to be able to fight back from that. And when we get up on teams we have to be able to stay there. We can’t be up by a touchdown at halftime and then two special-teams plays and we’re down by 14 points. We can’t let that happen.

“We’ve got to strengthen up our special teams and that involves offensive and defensive players, that’s where we’re mixed. That’s where we have to focus because we’re letting some big plays happen there and it’s changing momentum.

“But I will say this is my third year here and I feel this is the strongest team we’ve had. For sure. Hands down.”

That bar has been set incredibly low after 4-14 and 7-11 seasons, but Anderson’s point is essentially this: the Bombers hope to do more than just tread water until late September and, possibly, Willy’s return. With six of their next seven against West Division opponents the Bombers are entering the meat of their season, a chunk that could determine how their 2015 campaign is remembered.

“During the bye week we were all texting back and forth saying, ‘When we get back, we’ve got to get on a roll,’ ” said defensive end Jamaal Westerman. “We need to do this and do that. We know we have to get rolling now. The first part of the season hasn’t been what we wanted, but now we have a chance to change things.

“We know it’s going to be a grind, but that’s what we’re here for.”

Still, it’s also here — mid-to-late August — where teams start thinking about roster expansion from NFL cuts and where the patience level with repeated mistakes or the compilation of injuries can mean changes. Two more new players were on the field Monday in receiver Mike Willie and offensive lineman Sam Longo.

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And if the threat of changes from the coaching staff isn’t enough of a motivator, seeing a parade of new faces into the clubhouse most certainly should be for anyone and everyone.

“We’re into the second half of the season and that’s typically the playoff push,” said Bomber coach Mike O’Shea. “We’re not where we want to be. You’ve got to learn from those mistakes and move forward. You can’t keep looking back, you’ve got to get going forward. You bank on the guys getting smarter through that first half of the season and carry on. The players understand that. The coaching staff understands now what we have, what we’re working with and how to put guys in better positions to be successful.”

That’s all well and good. But if the first eight games of the Bombers’ 2015 season were to be summarized, it would be best described thusly: they haven’t yet shown they can take a punch and respond with a few of their own. Resiliency, it would seem, has hardly been their trademark.

“We have made steps, some good improvement, in that direction,” said O’Shea. “In a couple of games, not so much, but in a couple (other) games we’ve done well with that. So, more consistency with resiliency would be ideal.”

ed.tait@freepress.mb.ca
Twitter: @WFPEdTait