Big Blue save best for last

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This article was published 24/08/2022 (853 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

In a game that had a little bit of everything, including lots of scoring, several highlight-reel plays and plenty of lead changes, the Winnipeg Blue Bombers saved their best for last.

Clinging to a 31-29 lead over the Calgary Stampeders with 2:18 remaining in the game — an eternity in the CFL — the Bombers drained the clock with a series of creative run and passing plays before kneeling to victory in front of 30,062 raucous fans at IG Field.

Johnny Augustine rushed the ball four times for 20 yards and Nic Demski (nine yards) and Greg McCrae (six yards) each had a catch in the final minutes, capping off what was another thriller between two of the top clubs in the West Division.

The Bombers, coming off their first bye week, were tested by the Stampeders all night, despite Calgary being on a short week. It was the third victory over the Stampeders this season for the Bombers, who improved to 10-1 and earned their first season-series sweep over Calgary, who dropped to 6-4, for the first time since 1987.

“I would say it’s probably not a classic in terms of when the coaches watch it,” a grinning Bombers head coach Mike O’Shea said after the game. “But for the CFL fans, I don’t think anyone cares about that, that was one hell of a game for the audience.”

The victory was also the Bombers’ 400th win at home, making them the only club to reach that mark in league history.

To call this one a thriller would be doing it an injustice. Both offences were firing, combining for 868 yards and 60 points, including seven touchdowns. It was also a relatively clean game, with just a combined nine penalties for 77 yards, including only two for 15 yards by the Blue and Gold.

“Two great organizations. Two great teams. I thought we showed a lot of resiliency,” Bombers quarterback Zach Collaros said. “I put us in a couple of bad spots and the entire team picked me up, picked the offence up. We did enough there at the end, scored some touchdowns there at the end of the second half. It’s always nice to stay on the field and end the game like that.”

Both clubs were quick out of the gate, combining for 22 points and three touchdowns in the first quarter, with the Bombers holding a 14-7 lead through 15 minutes.

Winnipeg found the end zone in each of its first two series, including an opening drive that lasted five plays and covered 69 yards, capped off with a 41-yard touchdown pass from Collaros to McCrae. McCrae, who cracked the starting lineup after Greg Ellingson pulled up lame in practice earlier this week, had Calgary defensive back Brad Muhammed draped all over him on the play, drawing multiple flags for pass interference, but still managed to come up with the ball to give the home side an early lead.

The Stampeders answered back on the next drive, as Jake Maier, facing a second-and-10 near midfield, dialed up a 61-yard touchdown to Malik Henry. Henry caught the ball at the Bombers’ 21 and had an easy stroll to paydirt as Winnipeg DB Demerio Houston appeared to pull his hamstring, requiring assistance to leave the field before being ruled out of the game.

The Bombers were unfazed by the Stampeders counter punch, landing another blow of their own with a 15-yard touchdown from Collaros to Demski for a 14-7 lead. The score was aided by a pass interference call on Rasheed Bailey for 17 yards and an 18-yard gain through the air by Demski.

Collaros entered the game having torched the Stampeders defence already in 2021. In their two previous games, Collaros completed 72 per cent of his passes (49-for-68) for 585 yards and six touchdowns. On Thursday, he was 19-for-26 passing for 294 yards, two touchdowns and a pair of interceptions.

“I just think we were focused on what we were doing offensively and I don’t know if we punted the ball tonight or not but I have to do a better job understanding that we have points and taking points,” added Colaros. “It’s a great team, a really well-coached team. They’re disciplined and they have great players. Winning against any team is hard. Calgary, especially, makes it difficult.”

Calgary kept the scoring streak alive with a punt in the end zone for a single point, only for Winnipeg to add three more to their total on a 32-yard field goal from Mark Liegghio. The Stampeders answered back with a field goal of their own — making it six straight drives resulting in points — with Rene Parades’ 47-yarder cutting the Bombers lead to 17-11.

The Stampeders refused to back down. Maier, who created headlines this week after Calgary head coach Dave Dickenson benched Bo Levi Mitchell to give him the start, found Malik Henry for a second time in the end zone on a six-yard pass, resulting in Calgary’s first lead of the game, 18-17.

Calgary would keep the one-point edge at the break, despite the Bombers marching down the field for one last chance before halftime. Facing a first-and-10 from the Stampeders’ 17, with 10 seconds left on the clock, Collaros reached for a pass in the end zone but was intercepted by Muhammed.

Maier, 25, had just three starts in the CFL prior to kickoff, all of which were for Calgary and came in 2021, including a tilt with the Bombers. In that game against Winnipeg, he went a perfect 16-for-16 passing in the first half; on Thursday, he was 15-for-16 through two quarters, finishing the night 23-for-28 for 294 yards and three touchdowns.

“We know what Calgary brings to the table. We know how they play football,” Demski said. “They’re always going to battle it out to the last second. That was a good football game between two good football teams.”

The Bombers opened the second half the same way they started, with a touchdown drive, only the series was sealed with No. 2 quarterback Dakota Prukop finding Bailey for a 14-yard score. Bombers offensive co-ordinator Buck Pierce opted to keep Prukop in the game after earning a first down on a short-yardage package, the move paying off as Winnipeg regained the lead, 24-18.

Speaking of deja vu, the Bombers lead would be short-lived thanks to Henry completing the hat trick of touchdowns, reeling in a seven-yard pass to put the Stampeders back up, 25-24, with minutes remaining in the third quarter.

That theme of familiarity wouldn’t relent by the end of the third, which was bad news for the Blue and Gold. With Collaros in prime position to reclaim the lead, the Bombers pivot was picked off by Muhammed for the second time in the end zone.

Parades added a 31-yard field goal early in the fourth quarter to make it 28-24 Stampeders.

The Bombers would make their way back into striking distance on the next drive. Dalton Schoen caught two passes totalling 34 yards and Demski reeled in an 18-yard catch before Drew Wolitarsky’s nine-yard reception put Winnipeg on the Calgary three-yard line.

Two plays later, Prukop punched the ball into the end zone, marking the fourth lead change in the game and resulting in a 31-28 edge for the Bombers.

That set up a photo-finish and another Bombers win.

“I love playing games like that. That’s what football is all about. Putting your all into everything until that final whistle blows,” added Demski. “I really think that our team needs games like that as well. You’re only going to get better when you face adversity like that throughout the game. When you put it all on the line for your brothers for all four quarters, it’s definitely a bigger statement than just putting it on the line for two or three quarters.”

Winnipeg will spend the next couple days reviewing Thursday’s game film, before starting preparations for the annual Labour Day weekend game against prairie rival the Saskatchewan Roughriders on Sunday.

Jeff.Hamilton@freepress.mb.ca

Twitter: @jeffkhamilton