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Posted: 3:00 AM CDT Friday, Oct. 16, 2015

ANOTHER 'MUST-WIN'

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Hey there, time traveller!
This article was published 16/10/2015 (3740 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

ANOTHER ‘MUST-WIN’

OTTAWA — There’s a reason why you haven’t heard Winnipeg Blue Bombers head coach Mike O’Shea speak about his club’s game tonight against the Ottawa Redblacks as a “must-win.”

That’s because every game from now on is a “must- win”, O’Shea explained Thursday afternoon.

“It goes without saying — the urgency is there and this is a playoff game. We’re treating them all like that going forward,” O’Shea told reporters shortly after his team’s arrival in the nation’s capital.

The Bombers would claim the final playoff spot in the West Division if the season were to end today, but O’Shea says his 5-10 team doesn’t want to just limp into the playoffs.

“In order to do well in the playoffs, you want to go in on a roll,” he said. “That’s the whole point, right? We need to also prove to our team we can win two games in a row. Because if you want to win the Grey Cup, you have to be able to win more than two games in a row.”

The Bombers haven’t won two in a row since July 2014 and come into tonight’s game following a dramatic last-second victory over the B.C. Lions last weekend.

O’Shea had spent much of last week telling anyone who would listen — including his players — their game against the Lions was a “must-win” and that seemed to translate into a sense of urgency in a second half that saw the Bombers storm back from a 23-9 halftime deficit.

But having played that card successfully last week, O’Shea has dropped the wordplay this week and is simply focusing his players on putting together a successful three-phase effort to beat a second-year Redblacks squad that is 8-6 and a bona fide Grey Cup contender.

The Redblacks lead the CFL in net yards, passing yards, first downs and time of possession. Winnipeg defensive back Johnny Adams — who leads the league in interceptions with six — said the key to containing Ottawa is to figure out how to contain their 40-year-old wonder, quarterback Henry Burris.

“He brings a leadership to their team. We need to be prepared as a defence and a team to go out there and play Winnipeg football,” said Adams.

GRIDIRON TRICKERY

Ottawa head coach Rick Campbell was asked if he changed his normal game preparations after watching the film of Winnipeg’s win in B.C., in which the Bombers used all kinds of gadget plays on special teams — including a pair of fake punts — in their victory over the Lions.

“No, you’ve just got to make sure you’re sound and you play smart,” said Campbell. “Mike O’Shea is one of my favourites in the CFL because he’s a special- teams guy and he appreciates it. And I grew up doing special teams, too.

“So we know we’ve got our hands full.”

STRAIGHT FROM HANK

Henry Burris held court with the media Thursday and was in vintage form.

Here’s a sampling:

On growing old: “Well, I don’t feel like I’m 40. I don’t have to take Viagra or Cialis or nothing like that.”

On the doubters who have second-guessed him his entire career: “The doubters are always waiting on the front lawn for me. I don’t know why. I don’t know what I’ve done to any of them.”

On building a new expansion franchise from the ground up and the on-field struggles in Ottawa’s inaugural season in 2014: “Sports is not a fast-food industry,” he sald. “You can’t just put something in place and expect it to sell right away. Not many restaurants or businesses do well in their first year either.”

GAME-WINNING HEROICS

That walk-off field goal by Winnipeg placekicker Sergio Castillo last Saturday night in the win over the B.C. Lions was the first time a Bombers kicker had booted the game-winning field goal as time expired since Troy Westwood nailed a 55-yarder to end the game on July 10, 2003.

— Wiecek