Weapons of mass production

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This article was published 11/11/2022 (1278 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Zach Collaros couldn’t ask for better timing to get all of his weapons back.

Greg Ellingson, Dalton Schoen, Nic Demski, Rasheed Bailey, and Drew Wolitarsky have all been practising this week and are expected to be in the lineup for the Winnipeg Blue Bombers in Sunday afternoon’s West Division final against the B.C. Lions at IG Field.

The group of five hasn’t played a game together since their 20-17 overtime loss to the Montreal Alouettes on Aug. 11.

“Yeah, it’s something me and the guys have talked about. It’s been interesting how when someone comes back (from injury), then someone else can’t go,” said Schoen after Thursday’s practice.

“But we’re excited for it. I think we have a really close group. The five of us really want to play together and I think it’s pretty special when we’re all out there because we’re so close knit. We have such good chemistry, so we’re excited to get back out there.”

Only Schoen and Bailey have played every game this season. But it hasn’t mattered who’s been in and who’s been out, the passing attack hasn’t missed a beat. Ellingson was sidelined for 10 games, Wolitarsky missed four, and Demski was out of action for five weeks, including the regular season finale.

“We’re just a bunch of dogs, man. And when you got a quarterback like Zach and all the other guys that are in there, there is no fall off,” said Bailey. “We have a great coaching staff and when you lose some of your core guys, it’s a guy like me that has to step up and do some more of the dirty work and it really gets other guys open. It’s been good just being able to survive all 18 games, and just being dogs, that’s what we do. We’re going to play a key role in why we win and why we go and win the Grey Cup.”

Bailey registered career highs across the board with 63 catches for 729 yards and nine touchdowns. Despite missing some time, Demski did the same with 64 receptions for 772 yards and 10 touchdowns. Ellingson led the league in receiving before injuries derailed his season, but Schoen, as you’re well aware of by now, took over and topped the CFL in touchdowns (16) and receiving yards (1,441).

“I think the most special thing about it is we don’t necessarily care who is the one making the play. It’s all about success for the unit and I think that’s really special,” said Schoen.

“That’s something they already had here before I got here. I saw it right away as a rookie coming in and that’s something I wanted to be a part of.”

“I’ve seen in other places I’ve been or in college where there’s certain guys who want the ball and this many catches, this many yards, all these stats, and that’s just not the case here.”

Sunday’s conditions might put the run game in position to put up the most stats, but no matter what Mother Nature delivers, Bailey feels the receiving corps will be as important as ever.

“We’re the standard of this team. We keep things going, we keep it rolling. And depending on how we come out and play, that’s how the game is gonna go,” said Bailey. “We believe in each other, we work hard for each other, we’re a big part of the run game, and we just have a responsibility in this offence. I think we hold a high level and I feel like we are the standard.”

The receivers on the opposite sideline are no slouches either. It’s not a far-fetched statement to say the Bombers and Lions have more talent at receiver than the rest of the CFL. The Lions had three 1,000-yard receivers in 2022 with Dominique Rhymes (1,401), Keon Hatcher ( 1,043), and Lucky Whitehead (1,011). But that list doesn’t include arguably their most dangerous wideout, Bryan Burnham. Burnham’s been held to nine games this year, but he looked like himself in last weekend’s West semi-final against the Calgary Stampeders with a clutch, highlight-reel touchdown grab in the game’s final minutes.

Whitehead, who missed the semi-final with an injured ankle, is also expected to miss Sunday’s affair.

While Ellingson admits the Lions boast a ton of talented receivers, he and his fellow pass catchers in blue and gold aren’t focused on outdueling B.C.’s bunch.

“This is being what, my eighth year, I think, making the playoffs and you can see the difference I think in the guys that are together and battle on the football field and care about each other,” said Ellingson.

“It means a lot and that extra effort goes a long way.”

taylor.allen@freepress.mb.ca

Twitter: @TaylorAllen31

Taylor Allen
Reporter

Taylor Allen is a sports reporter for the Winnipeg Free Press. Taylor was the Vince Leah intern in the Free Press newsroom twice while earning his joint communications degree/diploma at the University of Winnipeg and Red River College Polytechnic. He signed on full-time in 2019 and mainly covers the Blue Bombers, curling, and basketball. Read more about Taylor.

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