Bombers win thriller over Riders

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This article was published 06/06/2019 (2504 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

REGINA — Matt Nichols had yet to throw a single pass in the pre-season, and the rust accumulated over a long offseason showed early on in his debut Thursday against the Saskatchewan Roughriders.

But by the time the dust settled at Mosaic Stadium, in what ended with a nail-biting 35-29 win for Winnipeg, the Bombers starting quarterback turned what began as a slow start into an honest performance. Playing for almost the entire first half, Nichols finished 7-for-14 passing for 163 yards and a touchdown.

“There were a couple (plays) that I want back, but overall I felt I was on my reads, made some good throws…going into this game it was important to throw with live guys around you, stuff you can’t get in practice, and throwing with some adrenaline,” Nichols said after the game. “Overall, it was just awesome to be out there, knock some of that rust off and get ready for Week 1.”

The Bombers are now done with the pre-season schedule, finishing with a perfect 2-0 record that included a win at home last week against the Edmonton Eskimos. The regular season begins in earnest in Vancouver against the B.C. Lions June 15, and, though neither exhibition game will count in the standings, Nichols still believes it will have an effect on the team as they begin their bid for a Grey Cup.

“It’s not easy to win so we celebrate anytime we win and that’s the ultimate goal here today. Offensively, our couple young quarterbacks took us right down the field and took the lead a couple different times, and our defence made a couple great stands at the end,” Nichols said.

“That’s obviously great to see and I think that momentum can carry over to the regular season, where you just get that feeling of winning and you want more of it. To win our two pre-season games, as much as a lot of people don’t put any stock into that or whatever, it is nice to have that winning feeling going into the regular season.”

Entering his fourth season with the Bombers, and third as the undisputed No. 1 pivot, Nichols has claimed throughout training camp that he’s never felt better heading into a season. He tweaked his workout routine over the winter, changed his diet and focused on becoming a more mobile quarterback following a 2018 season hindered by a serious knee injury.

Whatever progress Nichols asserted to have gained in recent months, however, didn’t translate in the first 15 minutes on Thursday. He struggled to move the chains, earning just one point – a rouge following a failed 29-yard field goal attempt by kicker Gabriel Ortiz – through his first four series.

There was a noticeable wind that might have affected Nichols’ accuracy, but that was of little excuse, given it was to his back in the opening frame. Seemingly unable to judge its power, Nichols overthrew two receivers on what would have been sizeable gains, including airing the ball out of the reach of Lucky Whitehead in the end zone.

“The one to Lucky in the end zone…it felt like I had flicked it out there and it sailed about 50 yards on me. That’s what this game is for, and I felt like after that one I settled into it,” said Nichols.

But Nichols and the offence, which was made up of mostly starters, minus a few injuries at receiver (Chris Matthews, Nic Demski) and on the offensive line (Patrick Neufeld, Jermarcus Hardrick), found groove as halftime inched closer. Nichols’ best play of the night came five minutes into the second quarter, which began with a short dish-pass to Lucky Whitehead, who did the rest of the work from there.

Whitehead, who is in contention as both a punt returner and starting receiver, flashed the kind of speed he used to display as a member of the NFL’s Dallas Cowboys and New York Jets before heading north to the CFL this year. After catching the ball at the Bombers’ 34-yard line, Whitehead turned up field, dodging a number of would-be tacklers before running 76 yards untouched to the end zone.

“We knew they were going to be in a lot of man-coverage, so when coach called it I was excited because it’s kind of a choice-route for me, meaning I can go in or out. When it cleared up and it was just me and him I knew I was taking that middle lane,” Whitehead said. “I’m just glad Matt had some time back there, and it was a great play call. It was just green grass, and I could see my receiver running with me and we were like 10 yards from the end zone and he’s already celebrating.”

He added: “It was a great feeling, being able to showcase your speed and talent.”

The touchdown evened the score at 8-8 and was a quick answer to the Roughriders offensive push earlier in the quarter. Zach Collaros, who was steady in his season debut after struggling with injuries for much of the 2018 campaign, had connected with Naaman Roosevelt minutes earlier on a 22-yard touchdown.

Nichols lasted one more drive after Whitehead’s score, leading the Bombers to a 25-yard field goal by Ortiz to put the visitors up 11-8 with fewer than two minutes before the break. Beginning on Winnipeg’s 44-yard line, Nichols mixed in a blend of passing and running plays, going 3-for-3 through the air and showing off some of that improved mobility by escaping the pocket on two of the throws, buying more time to complete the play.

“I don’t notice anything different,” O’Shea said. “He’s good and understands what he needs to do on every play and he’s so smart, sharp…he’s Matt.”

Led by Collaros, who finished 10-for-15 passing for 163 yards, and two touchdowns to one interception, the Roughriders made quick work of the Bombers watered-down defence (all but two projected starters got the night off) as the clock ticked down in the first half. Running a quick two-minute drill, he capped off the drive with an 8-yard touchdown to Shaq Evans.

Winnipeg evened the score, 14-14, at halftime with a 34-yard field goal from Ortiz, the ball sailing through the uprights as time expired.

To better support Collaros, Saskatchewan signed free-agent running back William Powell – the belief being a bonafide run-game would get the best out of their veteran pivot. If Thursday was any indication of what Powell, who, with the Ottawa Redblacks, finished second behind only Andrew Harris in rushing yards the past two seasons, can do for the Roughriders this season, they appear to be in good hands.

The 31-year-old averaged 7.9 yards on seven carries, totalling 55 yards, and added two catches for 20 yards. By contrast, Harris rushed seven times for 23 yards, an average of 3.3 yards per carry.

The second half showcased mostly back-ups on both sides, which, in a twist from the usual, only seemed to ignite the offence and turn the game into must-watch TV by the end.

“Towards the end it had a playoff feel to it; we were both going back and forth. It was a lot of fun to watch guys compete, guys trying to earn a spot on the team on both sides,” Nichols said. “I thought there was a lot of competition out there…it was fun to watch.”

Saskatchewan was the first to find the end zone in the second half, capitalizing on following the recovery of a kick-off after having just surrendered a safety. Taking over Bombers’ territory, and with Issac Harker in for Collaros, the Roughriders marched all the way down to Winnipeg’s goal line, setting up Cody Fajardo to punch in a one-yard touchdown on a perfectly executed quarterback-sneak.

A failed two-point convert left Saskatchewan with a 20-16 lead midway through the third frame.

Ortiz, rebounding nicely from the missed kick in the first quarter, evened the game with a 44-yard field goal, before adding a rouge from a booming 75-yard punt. Trailing 26-20 after a touchdown drive from Harker, who finished 5-for-9 for 78 yards and the score, it was time for Bryan Bennett to steal the spotlight.

Bennett, who is competing with Sean McGuire for third spot on the Bombers QB depth chart behind Nichols and backup Chris Streveler, launched a long pass to Kenny Walker, who completed the 86-yard play with an impressive run up the right sideline for a touchdown – and a 27-26 Winnipeg lead.

That set up an exciting finish.

After a 19-yard field goal from Sean Stenger put Saskatchewan up 29-27, it was McGuire’s turn to give the Bombers a chance at victory with just minutes to play.

He completed two passes on what turned out to be the game-deciding drive, including a 31-yarder to Matt Hazel that pushed the ball to the Roughriders’ one-yard line. McGuire, who finished 6-for-9 for 77 yards, then kept the ball for himself, punching in the rushing touchdown and adding a two-point convert on another run that put the Bombers up for good, 35-29.

A strong stand by the defence with under a minute to go, and with the Roughriders pressing on Winnipeg’s 13-yard line, ultimately sealed the game. Saskatchewan had one last attempt, after a fumbled ball by John Santiago, but ran out of time for the comeback.

The Bombers will spend the next couple of days looking over game film before having to make some tough decisions by Saturday, when they have to trim their roster down 56 players, including a 10-man practice roster.

“This will be tough. We got good team speed on offence and I thought some guys, when you look at the fourth quarter with the two stops on defence at the end, some guys were flying around there,” O’Shea said. “It was good.”

twitter: @jeffkhamilton

e-mail: jeff.hamilton@freepress.mb.ca