Bombers have something to prove (2024)

OTTAWA – The Winnipeg Blue Bombers find themselves in uncharted waters as they get ready for a Week 2 road game against the Ottawa Redblacks at TD Place Thursday night.

The Bombers have been a dominant force in recent years, with a combined 37-9 regular-season record since winning the Grey Cup in 2019.

Over that stretch, they resisted falling below .500, even for a week; in fact, the last time the Bombers had more losses than wins dates back to Week 13 in 2018, before a victory over the Edmonton Elks evened their mark at 7-7, with Winnipeg ending the season 10-8.

That is, until the recent demoralizing defeat to the Alouettes, who picked up right where they left off after downing the Bombers in last year’s championship game. Winnipeg looks to get back on track against a Redblacks club that also has plenty to prove and are champing at the bit following a Week 1 bye.

“What’s served us well the last pile of years is you go in expecting their best,” head coach Mike O’Shea said at TD Place Wednesday. “It’s a fool’s game if you short-change your opponent.”

In speaking to the several players on the Redblacks following their walkthrough, there’s a noticeable chip on their collective shoulder after missing the playoffs the last four seasons and finishing at the bottom of the East Division each year. With a healthy roster and an identity built on playing tough, physical football, Ottawa is eager to get things started and test all the hard work its put in the last month against one of the CFL’s premiere clubs.

Let’s dive a little deeper into this matchup and get you ready for kickoff with the latest edition of 5 Storylines.

The Dru Brown Show

The Bombers were sad to see Dru Brown leave this winter but they were genuinely happy for him when the Redblacks traded for his rights before inking Brown to a contract to become the club’s official No. 1 quarterback.

Brown spentthreeyears in Winnipeg, developing into a reliable QB behind Zach Collaros, finishing 2-1 in his three starts while throwing for 14 touchdowns compared to two interceptions.By the time he was in his final year with the Bombers, Brown’s talents were well-known across the league, earning him the reputation as the next up-and-coming starter.

Now that Brown is firmly in the driver’s seat in the Nation’s capital, he’ll need to prove he can take the wheel and lead the Redblacks out of their years-long funk. It’s a tall order, but one that Brown is ready for, and what better way to start than versus the team who gave you your first shot.

Brown has a high football IQ and has the legs to escape the pocket and throw on the fly, a skillet that hasn’t always been easy for Winnipeg’s defence to contain. It’s worth a reminder, the Bombers choked the last time they were in Ottawa, coughing up a 24-6 third-quarter lead to fall 31-28 in overtime against a Redblacks team led by rookie QB Dustin Crum.

Time to step up

I posed the question to a few of the players during training camp on what they thought of the growing narrative that the Bombers had lost a step this year. With an aging core and a few key pieces from last season now gone, eyes have started to stray elsewhere when it comes to choosing the cream of the CFL crop.

Most of the answers aren’t suitable for a family paper, but it was clear they didn’t take kindly to the suggestion. After the loss to Montreal, however, the critics have only gotten louder.

This might seem a bit hyperbolic, but we’re going to find out just what kind of team the 2024 Bombers are with how they respond to the Redblacks. Ottawa is far from a juggernaut. While it’s not easy to beat teams on the road, Winnipeg has done a terrific job of rebounding from losses.

In fact, the last time the Bombers lost back-to-back meaningful games in the regular season was in 2019. Whenever it’s mattered in the standings, Winnipeg has risen to the occasion.

Well, it matters now, if only to keep pace with a competitive West Division. That consistency is a trademark of their culture, and it will be tested against the Redblacks.

Lawler, Oliveira ruled out

Following the loss to the Alouettes, several players on offence placed the blame solely on their group. That wasn’t exactly a surprising development, not with the offence sputtering for most of the game, registering just 284 yards of offence and 10 points, with six of those coming on a late touchdown with the game already out of reach.

It couldn’t get much worse, or can it?

The Bombers will have to regain their rhythm with two key players out of the lineup. Kenny Lawler is sidelined for the foreseeable future, added to the six-game injured list after suffering a broken arm against the Alouettes, while running back Brady Oliveira has landed on the one-game with a knee injury also suffered in last week’s tilt.

Taking over for Lawler is Keric Wheatfall, a 25-year-old out of Fresno State who had a training camp invite with the NFL’s Philadelphia Eagles in 2022 before a brief stint is the USFL. He looks and talks like Lawler, even going so far as comparing himself to NBA star LeBron James for how versatile he is on the field.

Veteran Canadian tailback Johnny Augustine will draw in for Oliveira. This is Augustine’s sixth year in Winnipeg. While he hasn’t had a ton of opportunity with Oliveira as the lead back, he said he’s using the game as an opportunity to remind fans he’s still got what it takes to be a No. 1 option.

Bighill returns

It wasn’t all bad news on the injury front. The Bombers welcome back middle linebacker Adam Bighill after missing a couple weeks with an injured calf.

Bighill hurt his calf ahead of last year’s Grey Cup, only to make a triumphant return just moments before kickoff in the championship game. He said it’s not the same injury and is at full health and cleared to play.

The addition of Bighill to the defence is sizeable. Not only does he bring a level of playmaking ability that the guys behind him don’t possess, but he’ll also improve the level of communication as the heartbeat of the D and set the standard for the rest of the group.

“Football is a very unique game in the sense that you need everybody to be perfect,” Bighill said. “Eleven out of 12 isn’t good enough, because you can still have explosive (plays) happening that change the game and affect the way you lose. We know what wins and we know what loses and it’s just a reminder of you got to handle the small details to be able to win football games.”

The defence, now led by new co-ordinator Jordan Younger, pulled its weight against the Alouettes, limiting Montreal to 324 yards of offence and 15 first downs. They were susceptible to the explosion plays Bighill was referring to, as Tyson Philpot blew the top off Winnipeg’s D with a 76-yard score. The task gets more difficult with the Redblacks, who have an even better receiver group, led by Dominique Rhymes and Jaelon Acklin.

No more excuses

It was a rough game for Winnipeg’s special teams last week, with a couple of standouts when it comes to poor performances.

Sergio Castillo had one of his worst games in a Bombers uniform. He went 1-for-3 on field goal attempts and shanked his lone one-point convert.

Turns out it was more than an off-day, as Castillo ended up blaming the microchips that were inserted into the football for his misses. The chipped balls are being used to gain data to enhance TV broadcasts, as part of the league’s relationship with Genius Sports. The CFL has since scrapped the chipped balls for kickers, so Castillo should be back to his usual 90 per cent clip.

Myron Mitchell will get another shot as the return man after an underwhelming debut last week, which included fumbling a ball deep inside Winnipeg’s end that set up an Alouettes touchdown. Mitchell deserves some grace, as he went the entire preseason without fielding a single punt, but now that he’s got the first-game jitters out of the way, there’s no more excuses.

Jeff.Hamilton@freepress.mb.ca

X: @jeffkhamilton

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Updated on Wednesday, June 12, 2024 7:48 PM CDT: Adds photo