Leggett second coming of Tyrone Jones… just maybe

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This article was published 14/09/2015 (4038 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

MAURICE LEGGETT certainly didn’t look like a man playing a new position Saturday night.

Leggett — who had to move from his customary position at safety to strong-side linebacker last week after Chris Randle suffered a season-ending knee injury Labour Day weekend — had a monster game in his new spot, recording two sacks and leading the defence in tackles with six as the Winnipeg Blue Bombers defeated the Saskatchewan Roughriders 22-7 in the Banjo Bowl at Investors Group Field.

Players will tell you there is an exceptionally steep learning curve at the strong-side linebacker position and Bombers fans saw that earlier this season, as Randle took a few games to get used to a position also new to him.

Is Leggett just a really fast learner?

“It was an adjustment, for sure,” said Leggett. “But I found it was just a matter of relaxing — not pressing so much.”

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Leggett wasn’t the only linebacker to have a big impact on a night the team made wide use of a 3-4 defence to smother the Riders’ attack.

Khalil Bass, who is having a standout rookie campaign and is fifth in the league in defensive tackles, added a 59-yard interception-return TD to his resumé in the fourth quarter, plucking a ball out of the air after Riders QB Brett Smith coughed it up under pressure from defensive end Jamaal Westerman.

“That was just an all-around fun game, from the start to the end,” Bass said afterward. “The offence was rolling, the defence was rolling, the special teams were rolling. It was just a fun game.”

And the pick?

“I was actually coming up to make the sack and (Westerman) got there before I did. It was just right place at the right time.”

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Julian Feoli-Gudino doesn’t score often, but when he does his touchdowns tend to be memorable.

With the game tied 7-7, the slotback got loose behind the defence at the end of the third quarter and caught a 37-yard TD pass to put Winnipeg ahead for good.

It was a crucial play in a big game and it evoked memories of a game-winning TD catch Feoli-Gudino made in the final minute of a Bombers’ win in Montreal last season.

Feoli-Gudino gave full credit to quarterback Matt Nichols, who was making his first start for the Bombers.

“He’s a great quarterback. He’s calm, he knows what he’s doing out there and he’s cool.

“And that’s what you need out there — a cool quarterback. I think he proved it today. He throws a good ball and he executed really well.”

Feoli-Gudino is from Montreal and said he’s looking forward to going home when the Bombers play the Alouettes at Stade Molson Sunday.

“I love Montreal. I can’t wait for Montreal. A Sunday afternoon game, it’s going to be beautiful and it’s going to be packed.”

It’s also going to be expensive — Feoli-Gudino says he’s on the hook for about 40 tickets for friends and family this weekend.

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Bombers kicker/punter Lirim Hajrullahu was breathing a sigh of relief in the locker-room late Saturday night.

Hajrullahu fumbled a snap on a first-quarter punt attempt that led to Saskatchewan’s only TD, and he also missed a 22-yard field-goal attempt. He said he was worried all night his mistakes were going to cost his team the game.

“I’m so happy that wasn’t the cause of a loss,” said Hajrullahu. “But it’s a team game. They had my back and I had their back on kickoffs and punts, putting them in good positions. It goes full circle.”

So, what happened on that fumble?

“I just took my eye off the ball for a second,” said Hajrullahu, “and then everything happened so quickly after that. You lose your focus for one second and that’s what happens.”

paul.wiecek@freepress.mb.ca Twitter: @PaulWiecek