The Winnipeg Blue Bombers defeated the Hamilton Tiger-Cats by a score of 26-23 in front of a sold-out crowd of 32,343 on Friday night at Princess Auto Stadium. Below are my thoughts on the game.
Three steps backward, one step forward
It was a rough opening 58 minutes for franchise quarterback Zach Collaros, who has struggled at times playing against Chris Jones, who was hired to replace Mark Washington as Hamilton’s defensive coordinator this past week.
If there were any doubts about Jones immediately implementing his defensive system in Steeltown, Collaros erased them postgame.
“(Hamilton’s defence was running) all Chris’ stuff,” he said. “It was drop nine (players back into coverage), walk the backers, make you hand off the [zone read run-pass options], make you throw in front — vintage Chris Jones.”
The two-time CFL Most Outstanding Player threw a bad interception midway through the second quarter, throwing high on an outlet pass intended for Brady Oliveira that landed in the hands of cornerback Jamal Peters. Throwing an interception in the red zone is bad enough. Throwing one on first down is worse.
Collaros threw another bad interception in the second half when he targeted Kenny Lawler on an intermediate hook route. Richard Leonard was in coverage and read the play like a book, stepping in front of Lawler to make the pick. Collaros looked like he wanted a flag for pass interference but head coach Mike O’Shea elected not to challenge the play.
The third interception came late in the fourth quarter when the timing appeared to be slightly off on a pass to Ontaria Wilson near the sideline. The ball popped up in the air and was caught by linebacker Kyle Wilson, giving Hamilton possession at Winnipeg’s 36-yard line, leading to a 45-yard field goal from Marc Liegghio.
Collaros finally found his footing when his team took possession at their 38-yard line with 1:38 remaining and trailing 23-19. He extended plays with his legs outside of the pocket, hitting Nic Demski, Kenny Lawler, and Ontaria Wilson to get into scoring range.
After a pair of nice runs from Brady Oliveira, Collaros and Wilson appeared to connect for a game-winning touchdown on first down from the 10-yard line, though the rookie receiver was unable to complete the catch. On the following play and with 19 seconds left in the game, Collaros hit Lawler between two defenders on a dig route, bringing the sold-out crowd to its feet.
“I thought it was just Kenny being Kenny on that play,” said Collaros. “They rolled coverage to him, they were pressing, had a safety over there — I think they rolled another guy that he ended up getting hit by in the end zone. That’s just who he is. He’s an unbelievable receiver, an unbelievable competitor. In big moments, he’s not going to shy away from them.”
“When the night ain’t going your way, you can mentally lock yourself out of it but you’ve gotta stay down, stay in the game — you never know what’s going to happen,” said Lawler, who didn’t have a catch until Winnipeg’s last drive. “The coverage that we got was perfect and it was just about going out there and making it happen and that’s what I did.”
Collaros finished the night 18-of-36 for 177 yards, one touchdown, and three interceptions. He also rushed four times for 15 yards, drawing a penalty for roughing the passer on one of those carries.
The stat line was ugly but O’Shea was grinning from ear-to-ear postgame when asked about the play of his quarterback.
“We’ve been around him long enough,” said O’Shea. “He’s just f***ing awesome.”
The veteran passer has been at his worst this season when he’s tried to force balls to his top receiver, which appeared to be the case on his second interception. Lawler, who was unsuccessfully targeted in double coverage on a couple of deep shots, believes he and Collaros will soon start refinding their chemistry.
“Sometimes, Zach is just gonna give me an opportunity. You don’t have to have the ideal coverage — some of those deep balls, you’ve seen there’s two guys right there and I’m getting banged up — but I love it,” he said. “When my quarterback has that much faith to go with me and it don’t matter what the coverage is — just launch it up there, give me a shot — I’m more than appreciative. Sooner or later, those are going to be coming down.”
Winnipeg’s injuries along the offensive line — more on those in a moment — clearly affected the passing game but it was far from a banner night for Collaros and company despite an impressive final drive.
Scary sight
Franchise left tackle Stanley Bryant went down on Winnipeg’s opening drive and didn’t return to the game following what appeared to be a serious medical event.
The 38-year-old initially got up after blocking on a three-yard run by Brady Oliveira but took a knee while making his way back to the huddle. He received attention from medical staff and briefly tried to leave the field under his own power before a stretcher was called, taking him away with a towel over his face. Winnipeg’s bench emptied to see him off and he received a standing ovation from the crowd.
After he left the field, the team announced that Bryant was being taken to hospital for further evaluation. The club later indicated that he was stable and alert.
“Stan is feeling a lot better. I wouldn’t normally [discuss injuries with the media] but because of what people would see on TV, I just want to let everybody know that he called, he says he’s feeling a lot better,” said head coach Mike O’Shea. “(It was) a combination, I think, of the heat and being sick — I think he was sick all week — and a short week. I just think it all added up to him not feeling good for a second.”
Bryant is not only arguably the greatest offensive lineman in CFL history but he’s also a consummate professional and one of the most popular players in the locker room. The ironman has started 148 of a possible 151 regular season games since joining the Blue Bombers as a free agent in 2015, which is part of why it was so shocking to see him go down. He was a healthy scratch for the three games he missed, all of which came late in the year after Winnipeg had clinched first place in the West Division.
“Stan is one of my best friends, I love the guy. He’s such a great person, great teammate, great father, so it’s tough — not just me, it’s not about me, everybody — you could see the level of concern from our bench,” said Collaros. “He’s been here for so long, everybody calls him ‘Uncle.’ We should probably call him ‘Gramps’ by now. He knows we love him. I’ve talked to a few guys that have talked to him and seems to be doing OK, but it’s troubling when a friend isn’t feeling well like that.”
What a hit
The play of the game came late in the second quarter when Hamilton’s rookie returner Jordan Byrd sprinted to his right after collecting a punt, evading brothers Noah and Nick Hallett. Tyrell Ford set the edge to force Byrd back inside where he met a speeding Tony Jones, who laid a hit so strong the ball bounced five yards backward.
Rookie linebacker Michael Ayers scooped up the ball at Hamilton’s 27-yard line and was escorted to the end zone by five teammates, scoring his first touchdown since he played receiver in high school. It ended up being Winnipeg’s only major score through the first 59 minutes of the game.
“They did a good job of forcing the ball down the alley so I could just shoot and not break down,” said Jones. “They did a good job setting the edges so I could run through.”
The veteran linebacker was cut by the Edmonton Elks in training camp this year when Chris Jones was the team’s head coach and general manager. While the defender still clearly respects his old coach, he loved making a big play at his new team’s expense.
“I’m happy for him to continue his coaching career (with Hamilton) but I was excited to get out there and just show him what he missed,” he said.
Winnipeg’s cover units have consistently played well following a poor start to the season. Byrd broke a punt return for 66 yards early in the fourth quarter, though it was negated by a holding penalty on linebacker Trevor Hoyte. He was otherwise kept in check.
The challenge
Head coach Mike O’Shea challenged the ruling on the field when Brandon Alexander appeared to intercept a pass intended for Tim White midway through the fourth quarter.
The CFL recently announced new guidelines for its command centre following considerable backlash from fans and members of the media, indicating plays will only be overturned if the ruling is “clear and obvious.”
Upon replay, it appeared as though White lost control of the ball after landing on Alexander, who secured it to his chest. However, it was relatively a close call and the view of the ball was obstructed by the position of both players.
A week or two ago, the command centre would likely have ruled the play an interception by Alexander. Following the change, it’s understandable that the call stood — at least in this scribe’s opinion.
The command centre is caught between a rock and a hard place. Nobody was happy when they were trying to correct everything, so they’ve taken on a more hands-off approach. Let’s see how public perception shifts over the coming weeks.
Clear and obvious
Moments after the command centre upheld two rulings — the Tim White catch and the non-pass interference call on Terrell Bonds — Ontaria Wilson was blatantly clotheslined over the middle by Robert Panabaker, which went unpenalized.
It’s one thing for the officials to miss a holding call 40 yards away from the play, but this was a safety issue. As part of its new doctrine, the command centre no longer steps in during the final three minutes of a game to assess new penalties, so this one needed to be called by the officials on the field.
It’s bewildering that none of the officials saw it. Football is a chaotic game but surely the ball-carrier must be in view of at least one official at all times.
The defence is human
Winnipeg’s defence has been sensational for the past month and was virtually impenetrable early on Friday night, forcing the Tiger-Cats to three two-and-outs on their first five possessions. The visitor’s lone first-half scoring drive came early in the second quarter when Bo Levi Mitchell hit Tim White on back-to-back passes for a combined 50 yards, setting up a 27-yard field goal from former Blue Bombers’ kicker Marc Liegghio.
Hamilton’s offence finally caught traction early in the second half as Greg Bell scored a touchdown on a 10-yard run. The drive included a third-down conversion near midfield, which saw Bo Levi Mitchell hit Shemar Bridges for a six-yard gain off play action, and another long completion to Tim White, who finished the game with seven catches for 134 yards. Bell capped off another drive later that same quarter, which included a 25-yard pass to former Winnipeg receiver Brendan O’Leary-Orange.
The Tiger-Cats finished the game with 12 first downs and 285 yards of net offence, almost half of which were recorded by White. While those are substandard numbers, they’re more substantial than we’ve seen the Blue Bombers give up in recent weeks.
Winnipeg’s pass rush, which was dominant at times over the team’s recent home-and-home against B.C., struggled to consistently pressure Mitchell with their lone sack coming from defensive back Nick Hallett. If this unit wants to be the CFL’s best, it’s going to have to find a way to generate more pressure against the league’s better offensive lines.
O-line shuffle
Rookie offensive lineman Kendall Randolph moved to Stanley Bryant’s spot at left tackle after the future first-ballot Hall of Famer left the game on a stretcher. Veteran backup Tui Eli initially took over Randolph’s spot at right guard before rookie Gabe Wallace was inserted in his place.
Randolph played well until late in the first half when he took a penalty for an illegal block, which caused Nick Usher’s helmet to pop off. He gave up a sack on the following play as there appeared to be confusion between him and left guard Liam Dobson, who didn’t provide inside help. The rookie struggled again on the following drive, giving up a sack to David Menard and taking a holding penalty on back-to-back plays.
The University of Alabama product gave up his third sack in the second half, though it came after Collaros was flushed due to pressure that came up the middle. In all, it wasn’t a strong performance at tackle for the native of Madison, Ala., who was primarily a blocking tight end with the Crimson Tide, though it came amid challenging circumstances.
Wallace appeared solid for the 20-odd minutes he played but was carted off late in the first half after Zach Collaros was brought down by Casey Sayles and landed on his right knee. Veteran defensive tackle Jake Thomas changed to No. 62 during halftime in case he needed to enter the game along the offensive line, though he wasn’t called upon.
“I’m not the trained eye from the sideline but I thought we did a good enough job (along the offensive line) to win the game,” said O’Shea. “I imagine (offensive line coach) Marty (Costello) wanted a few plays back from some of the guys but to play well enough to drive the field at the end and score a touchdown, I mean, that’s good enough. We’ll fix things tomorrow.”
The unit was still successful in the run game as Brady Oliveira recorded 18 carries for 120 yards and Johnny Augustine ran twice for 17 yards. Bailey Feltmate, who only recently made the transition from linebacker to fullback was called upon to fill one of the tight end roles typically reserved for Winnipeg’s backup offensive linemen. When he was injured in the third quarter, rookie wideout Kevens Clercius took up the task.
“You look at a call sheet, it’s all color-coded. Someone goes down, (offensive coordinator) Buck (Pierce)’s just striking it all out — like, all that’s gone, all that’s gone — so it just limits him a bit,” said centre Chris Kolankowski. “Having a guy like Bailey that can come in, we kept a lot of the packages live because he would come in and go where that seventh O-lineman would go. [Clercius] has been doing a hell of a job on the lead, so was able to keep that going. Everyone just stepped up. It was awesome to see.”
“It’s not pleasing and it ain’t easy, but [our coaches] have the process in place. They are very calm, they go through it, then they go through it at halftime — what’s working, what’s not, what’ve we got, what’ve we not,” said O’Shea. “They’ve already played that through in their head when they do the call sheet a few days before the game — they’ve already gone through certain scenarios of personnel. But they work well together. It was a fabulous job by those guys making sure the personnel was accurate.”
“It’s football. You have to be prepared for the next.”
Winnipeg has started three American offensive linemen since Patrick Neufeld was moved to the six-game injured list, so it seems reasonable to think Micah Vanterpool could be promoted from the practice roster next week.
Wallace will be tougher to replace given how few Canadian offensive linemen are free agents this time of year. Jakub Szott, who was in training camp with the Blue Bombers last year, would likely have been their first call, though he was recently added to the practice roster in Edmonton.
2QB
Winnipeg had backup quarterback Chris Streveler in at receiver for a play late in the first quarter, motioning him across the formation to his left. Zach Collaros, who was in shotgun, ran to his right after taking the snap but was forced to throw the ball away when he faced pressure from veteran defensive lineman David Menard.
Streveler was in at receiver again later on the drive and Collaros initially looked his way before hitting Ontaria Wilson for a six-yard gain.
This wasn’t the first time the Blue Bombers have had Collaros and Streveler on the field at the same time this season, though this was probably the most action they’ve seen together except for Week 3, when Winnipeg suffered multiple injuries in the receiver corps. The combination has yet to bear fruit but you have to give offensive coordinator Buck Pierce credit for thinking outside of the box.
Moving early
Winnipeg’s cheer team took the field as the clock expired at the end of the third quarter and launched into one of their well-prepared dance routines. The problem is that there was no music playing, which led the group to awkwardly leave the field in confusion.
The problem was that the third quarter had yet to finish because Greg Bell had scored a touchdown on the previous play and Hamilton had yet to kick the convert. Marc Liegghio nailed the point after to give his team a 20-19 lead and the cheer team retook the field to perform their routine, receiving a warm reception from the crowd.
Sandwiches are fine
Fred Penner performed the halftime show at Princess Auto Stadium, leading rousing renditions of “Sandwiches,” “Ghost Riders in the Sky,” and “The Cat Came Back/Happy Together.” The 77-year-old native of Winnipeg is probably as universally beloved as any active musician in Canada and has found traction on the CFL circuit as of late, playing the halftime show of last week’s game in Vancouver.
Penner is often referred to as a children’s entertainer, a moniker that no longer seems apt given that his once-young audience is now comfortably middle-aged. Maybe it’s time we simply call him what he is: a legendary entertainer.
Next up
The Winnipeg Blue Bombers (5-6) will visit the Saskatchewan Roughriders (5-5-1) on Sunday, Sept. 1 for the annual Labour Day Classic. The Riders won last year’s rivalry game by a score of 32-30 in overtime, ending Winnipeg’s winning streak that started when the CFL returned to the field in 2021. Saskatchewan won 14 of the 15 matchups before the pandemic, including an 11-year streak from 2005 to 2015.
Saskatchewan has a 1-0 lead on the season series between the two teams courtesy of their 19-9 win on July 19 at Mosaic Stadium. If Winnipeg wins the Labour Day Classic, the Banjo Bowl on Saturday, Sept. 7 — which sold out several weeks ago — will serve as the rubber match, though that’s somewhat of a moot point given Saskatchewan has an odd number of points because of their tie against Ottawa on Aug. 8.
