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December 31, 2016

Year In Review | Story #1

YEAR IN REVIEW SERIES

Ed Tait takes a look back at the 2016 Blue Bombers season with his Top 10 stories of the year…

 

#1 – A Trip to the Playoffs

 

It was a wild, wonderful, dramatic, and nerve-wracking 60-minute advertisement of everything that is spectacular about the Canadian Football League

And for 58 minutes and 54 seconds of the West Division Semi-Final back on Sunday, November 13th at B.C. Place in Vancouver, it was just about perfect for the Winnipeg Blue Bombers and their fans.

But alas, the last 66 seconds didn’t go as planned for the visitors in a 32-31 heartbreaking loss to the Lions that ended what had been such a promising 2016 season a couple of stops before the desired finish line.

All that said, while postseason appearances are old hat in some CFL locales, the return to the playoffs is #1 on our list of Top 10 Bombers stories of the year.

There’s a lot of factors that go into it being in the top spot on our list, not the least of which is the turnaround from a 1-4 start that had the vultures circling. Yes, while this franchise drought has stretched into another year dating back to 1990, the 2016 Bombers rallied to at least get into the fight.

And that counts for something. Actually, it counts for a lot.

Winnipeg Blue Bombers running back Andrew Harris (33) celebrates with Winnipeg Blue Bombers wide receiver Ryan Smith (12) after a touchdown during the first half of CFL action in Vancouver, B.C., on Sunday, November 13, 2016. (CFL PHOTO - Jimmy Jeong)

The playoff berth, you see, is the perfect representation of where this franchise is now after the recent years of futility. Worth pointing out here: The Bombers playoff appearance was not only their first since losing in the 2011 Grey Cup, but halted a four-year absence that matched the franchise’s longest ever non-playoff run (1967 to 1970).

Winnipeg entered the game as five-point underdogs, but with a 7-2 road record and after having swept the Lions in two close encounters in back-to-back weeks in October. The Bombers took a nine-point lead into the final quarter, but then watched as Lions QB Jonathon Jennings finished the game with 12 straight completions, including an 11-for-11 run for 110 yards and one TD while rushing for another in the fourth quarter.

And when Medlock’s long-bomb attempt fell short, the Bombers ’16 season had come to a sudden and crushing halt.

“We’re disappointed, we’re sad… everything just feels bad right now,” said Bombers defensive end Jamaal Westerman afterward. “Guys played hard, but everybody feels like they were the one to let us down. We tip our hats to B.C. They’re a good team. It was like our two other games against them this year. It came down to the last drive, the last play, the last second… this time we just weren’t able to get the ‘W.”

Jennings rushed for the go-ahead score and in the ensuing drive, the Bombers were faced with a third-and-four situation from the B.C. 53-yard line with 36 seconds remaining when head coach opted to have Medlock attempt the 61 yarder rather than gamble to move the chains.

“I just think it gives us an opportunity. I go back to being down on the goal line several games ago, down by 10 and taking a field goal there to give us the opportunity,” explained head coach Mike O’Shea. “The kick gets off… it gives us a chance, right?

“I realize the offence would give us an opportunity, too, but there’s the finality of a third-down play compared to kicking a ball.”

“We have all the trust in the world in Coach O’Shea to make those decisions,” added quarterback Matt Nichols, who was superb in completing 26 of 40 for 390 yards with two TDs and no interceptions.

“That was the decision that was made and I’ve watched Justin make that field goal a ton. It is what it is. We just didn’t make enough plays to win. It wasn’t one thing that lost us this game, it was a combination of not making plays here and there and them making the plays when they needed to.”

Winnipeg Blue Bombers kicker Justin Medlock (9) kicks a field goal during the first half of CFL action in Vancouver, B.C., on Sunday, November 13, 2016. (CFL PHOTO - Jimmy Jeong)

Medlock’s late attempt overshadowed what was a frustrating afternoon for the defence, which limited the Lions high-octane attack to just 12 points in the first half, but surrendered 503 yards net offence, including 193 along the ground.

“We had a special group of men, we just didn’t have the special outcome that we wanted,” said Westerman. “Right now it feels like, ‘Ahh, s—t, it’s all for naught.’ But when you look back at it, sometimes it’s about the journey. I’m proud of the men in here, proud of what we were able to accomplish.”

Maybe in the end that’s too much silver lining for some people. But not every rebuild is a quick one. And as the old saying goes, sometimes a team has to go through hell to get to heaven.

“For me it’s been an emotional year as far as coming back home and the adversity we faced early on and coming back like we did,” said Andrew Harris. “But, all said and done I’m really proud of this team and this organization and what we’ve accomplished and where we’re headed.

“I’m optimistic of where we’re going to be next year. Guys in the locker room are great guys and we fight and we’re definitely going to forget this next year and that’s going to mean a lot.”

 


 

 

This is the 10th and final part of a series recapping the Top 10 Bomber stories of 2016.