Zach takes attack to Edmonton

Hey there, time traveller!
This article was published 17/09/2021 (1481 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

The Bombers won both the Labour Day Classic and Banjo Bowl for the first time since 2016, but the shine from that will quickly wear off if they fall to a shorthanded Edmonton Elks team.

It was supposed to be a battle of two of the best passers in the CFL with Zach Collaros going up against Trevor Harris, but they say “card subject to change” for a reason. Edmonton was dealt a devastating blow this week as they revealed Harris suffered a neck injury in last week’s loss to Calgary. Harris has been placed on the six-game injured list just as the Bombers (5-1) and Elks (2-3) enter a bizarre stretch where they will play against each other three times in the next four weeks.

Here are five storylines to keep an eye on in Game 1 of the series:

Collaros on MOP watch

Is it too soon to declare Zach Collaros a contender for the Most Outstanding Player award? Through six weeks, it’s easy to make a case for the guy.

It’s cliché, but the most important stat is wins. Collaros has led the Bombers to the best record in the CFL at 5-1 and while yes, the defence has been brilliant, they wouldn’t be where they’re at today without the play of their 33-year-old quarterback.

Collaros isn’t putting up record-breaking numbers, but he’s been incredibly efficient and has done a great job at spreading the ball around to all of the weapons at his disposal. He’s completed 69 per cent of his passes and has thrown only three interceptions. His nine touchdown passes are tied for the league lead with Montreal’s Vernon Adams Jr. (who tossed four TDs against the lowly Ottawa Redblacks last week), and his 1,479 passing yards puts Collaros three yards away from overtaking Trevor Harris for the most in the CFL.

Prior to Collaros getting traded to Winnipeg at the 2019 trade deadline, many people thought the veteran pivot’s best days were behind him. As much as he’s helped the Bombers, Winnipeg has also been the perfect landing spot for Collaros to have a career resurgence. Another big game for Collaros today and the MOP chatter will pick up even more steam.

Taylor who?

You’re not the only one who’s Googled Taylor Cornelius’s name in the past 48 hours.

If you haven’t, you’ll get to know him soon as the 26-year-old from Amarillo, Texas, will make his first career CFL start today for the Elks.

In a surprising development, Edmonton announced on Thursday that 35-year-old star quarterback Trevor Harris sustained a neck injury last weekend against the Calgary Stampeders that slowly worsened during the week.

Cornelius is unknown to most, but Elks head coach Jaime Elizondo knows exactly what he has at quarterback as the pair were together last year in the XFL with the Tampa Bay Vipers. Elizondo was the offensive co-ordinator and Cornelius made four starts for the Vipers, tossing four touchdowns and six interceptions while completing 63 per cent of his attempts for a grand total of 858 yards.

Cornelius is going to need to put up better numbers than that if he’s going to take down the reigning Grey Cup champs.

All-stars making their season debut for Edmonton

The Elks surrendered seven sacks in last week’s 32-16 loss at home to the Calgary Stampeders. Considering how Winnipeg’s defensive front is on a whole different level than Calgary’s, things could get real ugly for Cornelius. The good news for Edmonton is they have a former CFL most outstanding offensive lineman award winner making his season debut this week in SirVincent Rogers.

The bad news is Rogers is 35 and hasn’t played a game since the 2018 Grey Cup when he was a member of the Ottawa Redblacks. Rogers signed with Edmonton in 2019, but was quickly sidelined with a season-ending triceps injury in training camp. His 2021 season also got off to a rocky start as he tested positive for COVID-19 in Week 1.

It almost feels unfair that his first game in 1,028 days comes against Willie Jefferson.

On the other side of the ball, freshly signed linebacker Derrick Moncrief will don the green and gold for the first time. Moncrief, who spent three seasons with the Saskatchewan Roughriders and was a CFL all-star in 2019, is back playing the Canadian game after spending training camp with the Los Angeles Rams. The 28-year-old is expected to be a difference maker for Edmonton.

Don’t let things get Wild…er

The Elks may be rolling with an unproven quarterback, but there’s no doubt that they have one of the top running backs in the CFL.

James Wilder Jr. has been on a tear this season as he leads all rushers in carries (75) and yards on the ground (428).

They’ve got the best record in the CFL so it’s hard to criticize the Bombers about, well, anything, but they haven’t been great against the run. Winnipeg has surrendered 102 yards on the ground per game which is the fourth highest mark in the league. The Bombers have had success against Wilder Jr. before, though. The last time the former Florida State Seminole played Winnipeg was July 12, 2019 as a member of the Toronto Argonauts and he only mustered 12 yards on five carries.

Wilder will have to be much better, arguably perfect, if the Elks are going to stand a chance.

Is Mourtada the guy?

Life without Justin Medlock hasn’t gone too smoothly for the Bombers, at least at the kicking position.

It’s only Week 7 and the Blue and Gold are already on their third kicker.

With veteran Tyler Crapigna on the six-game injured list and Canadian rookie Marc Liegghio struggling to fill the void, the Bombers will now turn to 31-year-old American Ali Mourtada.

Before the Bombers signed him on Aug. 30, Mourtada was a name nobody was familiar with. The Pace University — a Division II school in New York — product has had tryouts with XFL and NFL teams over the years, but he’s mostly known for his work kicking in arenas as the Foxboro, Mass., native had two stints with the Massachusetts Pirates of the Indoor Football League.

Liegghio went 5-for-8 on both field goals and converts and will now revert back to handling punting duties.

If Mourtada isn’t the answer, it’ll be back to the drawing board for general manager Kyle Walters.

Their kicking inconsistencies haven’t cost them a game yet, but come November and December, the Bombers are going to need to have a reliable leg.

taylor.allen@freepress.mb.ca

Twitter: @TaylorAllen31