The Canadian Football League season offers up some significant signposts on the road to the Grey Cup, from the opening of training camp and the regular season, to the turn for the stretch run that comes at Thanksgiving.
But it could be argued none is bigger for getting a read on where a team stands than the midway point of the campaign and the annual Labour Day weekend.
All of which brings us to the crazy, compelling story that the Winnipeg Blue Bombers have become.
Given up as comatose just a few weeks ago – some were already penning the obituary and clearing throats to administer last rites – the Bombers have cranked out four straight wins to get to 5-4.
That’s a juicy number not just solely in light of the 1-4 start, but because it marks just the third time in nine seasons the club has reached the midway point of the season with a winning record (7-2 in 2011, 6-3 in 2014).
Let’s take this one step further, too, just to hammer home a point.
A year ago, the Bombers starting quarterback, Drew Willy, had already been lost for the season with an injury, and Brian Brohm was about to make his only start against the Saskatchewan Roughriders. Cameron Marshall was the running back and Lirim Hajrullahu, already having lost his mojo, was about to enter a nasty final nine games in which his nightmare season was only going to get more gruesome.
Read that last paragraph over one more time, and then consider this: Matt Nichols – still an Edmonton Eskimo this time late last August – is 4-0 this year as the Bombers new starter and 6-5 overall; hometown hero Andrew Harris is the feature back, and Justin Medlock is in the middle of a club-record streak that has him at 20 consecutive field goals, and counting.
There’s more…
Kevin Fogg is a rookie-of-the-year candidate; the team’s top four picks in the 2016 CFL Draft – Trent Corney, Michael Couture, Taylor Loffler and Shayne Gauthier – all made the team and with Loffler, now starting at safety, looking like an absolute steal.
Other veteran CFL’ers like Euclid Cummings and Keith Shologan, coupled with fresh faces like Fogg, C.J. Roberts and Terrence Frederick, have helped morph the defence into a turnover machine. And the offensive line and receiving corps, both crushed by injuries in the first half of the season, have been bolstered by the additions of Travis Bond, Manase Foketi, Jermarcus Hardrick, Thomas Mayo, Quincy McDuffie, Jace Davis and Kevin Sheppard.
All of this leads to one thought: for as much as Kyle Walters & Co. were criticized for spending like sailors on shore leave in free agency, the Bombers brain trust has had a heckuva last seven months, the 1-4 start included.
But, again, the midway point/Labour Day weekend is just a signpost on the way to the real games in November. There’s a ton of season left and the Bombers final third – featuring games against Calgary, Edmonton and back-to-backs with B.C. and Ottawa – is absolutely grueling.
The about face in the narrative, however, is already dramatic. The Bombers have folks tuning in – not tuning out – for a change. A welcome change.
THE BOMBERS AT THE MIDWAY POINT
Record: 5-4, tied for third in the West Division with Edmonton, two points back of the B.C. Lions
PF: 231 (6th)
PA: 204 (2nd)
Remaining schedule: @Sask; vs. Sask; vs Tor; @Cal; vs. Edm; vs. B.C.; @ B.C.; vs. Ott; @ Ott.
5 TELLING TOTALS
33: The number of turnovers the Bombers have forced this season, including 18 interceptions, 12 fumbles and three on downs.
+16: The Bombers takeaway-giveaway ratio, best in the CFL.
4-1: Winnipeg’s road record. The Bombers are just 1-3 at home, but did win their last tilt at Investors Group Field and it’s trending towards a sell out for Banjo Bowl.
106.8: The quarterback rating for Matt Nichols, courtesy a 71.7 completion percentage for 1,107 yards with six touchdowns against just one interception.
105: Point total for Bombers placekicker Justin Medlock, who has hit 20 consecutive field goals.
5 QUESTIONS TBD
- What happens when the Bombers start to clear out their sick bay?
Regulars like Weston Dressler, Ryan Smith, Darvin Adams, Chris Randle, Julian Posey, Patrick Neufeld, Jeff Keeping and Macho Harris are all at varying stages of their recoveries. But with the team enjoying a four-game win streak there are no guarantees there will be spots waiting for them when they return.
Hard to imagine the coaching staff keeping Dressler, Smith and Adams from returning to the receiving corps, given their production, and Randle is a must for the defensive dozen.
But Loffler at safety over Harris allows the team to play three Americans on the offensive line and players like Fogg, Roberts and Frederick mean Posey will have some work to do to get back into the lineup.
- Can the Bombers afford to keep Drew Willy as their backup?
That’s a healthy chunk of change the Bombers have roaming their sidelines in Willy. And with each start he makes, Matt Nichols cashes in on some bonuses.
But another question: given this team’s history at the position, can it afford NOT to have a veteran piece at No. 2, even at the cost?
- Is the upcoming home and home with the archrival Roughriders a potential quicksand for the Bombers?
Abso-freakin’-lutely.
The Riders may be 1-8, but they pushed the Grey Cup champion Eskimos last week. If we know anything about Chris Jones, he’ll have his Riders fired up like rabid dogs for Sunday. Besides, all rules/trends/records are tossed on Labour Day.
- Can Andrew Harris win a rushing title?
The Bombers’ ace back currently leads the CFL with 575 yards, 33 ahead of Calgary’s Jerome Messam. Harris finished third in rushing in 2012 and second last season while with B.C.
An accomplishment like winning the title would represent two things: Harris would not only become the first Bomber since Fred Reid in 2010 to lead the league, but in a loop where rushing totals are down, a crown like that would also further represent the offensive balance the club is seeking.
- Will there be meaningful games in November?
It’s been awhile, since the run to the 2011 Grey Cup, that the Bombers have even played in a postseason contest. The 5-4 record is a foundation, but there’s a whole pile of work to be done to finish the job here. The next three games are critical, as we stated above, because the final six are going to be nasty-tough.
