Winnipeg Blue Bombers fans have mastered the art of waiting lo, all these years. Waiting for the championship drought to end… waiting for this team to figure how to consistently win at home… waiting for consecutive wins for the first time in two years.
And, three times through seven games to start the 2016 season, waiting for Mother Nature to stop messing around with all these dang lightning delays.
Now, all that pain didn’t come to an end Wednesday night/Thursday morning at Investors Group Field – it is only August, after all – but the Bombers did take care of a good chunk of that unfinished business and then some by gutting and fileting the Hamilton Tiger-Cats 37-11 at Investors Group Field.
“That was a lot of fun, man,” said Bombers defensive back Bruce Johnson. “It’s so much fun when guys want to play and get out there and execute. The best part of all this is we’re winning.
“We’ve known since the offseason looking at everything on paper that we had a good team here. It was just a matter of getting this thing together and getting it on a roll. That’s what’s happening.”
“We’re not there yet, but we’re coming together.”
Bruce Johnson
The win, which improved the club to 3-4, ended a six-game home losing streak dating back to last September’s Banjo Bowl, and marked the first time since late July of 2014 it had posted consecutive wins.
But it represented more than just that.
The result was an across-the-board victory that featured major contributions from all three phases and with a lineup again still ravaged by injuries. Last week it was a revamped secondary that stepped up against the high-octane Edmonton Eskimos offence. This time a made-over receiving corps – missing its top two pass catchers in Weston Dressler and Darvin Adams, as well as Ryan Smith and Quincy McDuffie – was superb in working with Matt Nichols.
Old friend Clarence Denmark, dumped in March and brought back last weekend after the receiving corps was crushed, pulled in a 12-yard TD from Nichols in the first quarter while rookie Thomas Mayo pulled in his first career score as the Bombers built a 34-nil lead at the intermission.
“They did a great job,” said Nichols of the receiving corps. “Clarence had been here for a couple of days and only had one day of practice and came in and was a playmaker for us. And then a lot of rookies came in and made big plays… everyone just stepped up and did what we did all year with the ‘next-man-up’ mentality.
“I don’t think you could tell that was a patched-up group in the receiving corps. There were a lot of talented guys out there.”
That fresh-faced Winnipeg secondary, which was again missing Chris Randle, Johnny Adams, Julian Posey and Macho Harris was dynamite against the TiCats as the Bombers picked off Jeremiah Masoli three times – the first returned 19 yards for a touchdown by C.J. Roberts – and despite the passing yardage against, 335, thoroughly choked out the Hamilton passing attack when it mattered early in the game.
The contest was delayed two hours and 31 minutes as a lightning storm seemed to settle in above IGF, pushing back the opening kickoff to 10:08 p.m.
But it was the Bombers who appeared to handle the delay better than the TiCats. TSN took glimpses into the two dressing rooms during the delay, capturing the Bombers dancing and joking around while the TiCats played cards.
“I think if we had a deck of cards I think we would have been playing them,” said Ian Wild. “But I think everyone was just playing on their phones… probably Pokemon.”
“Each time I walked in with an update on the time and with more delay and more delay they seemed more ready to go,” added Bombers head coach Mike O’Shea. “Basically I’d step my toe across the line into the dressing room and then just turn around and leave because I knew they were ready to go. It didn’t matter what the delay was going to be, they seemed just ready.
“I’m telling you, each time I poked my head in that locker room I thought I’d better leave because they’ve got things figured out.”
Coach O’Shea
The win came on a night in which the legendary Milt Stegall was added to the Ring of Honour – he also guaranteed the victory – and as the club saluted the armed forces on Military Appreciation night.
The crowd that remained through the long delay were troopers, as well.
It was Winnipeg’s last home date until the Banjo Bowl in September, as the club has three road games and a bye week next on their schedule.
“I’m telling you, for the fans that stuck around through that delay, they’re unbelievable,” added O’Shea. “It was awesome. Every time I poked my head out to see what was going on, they were still sitting there.
“I heard the Rum Hut was closed, so they were sticking around for football, which was a good thing. Kudos to them. I’m very excited and the players are excited that they put on a good show for the fans and also the servicemen and women who were there and being honoured today.”
THE BIG STAT
34: The Bombers lead at halftime, the fourth-largest lead at intermission in franchise history. The record is 41, set Aug. 29, 1959 in a win over Saskatchewan. The 34-point advantage was the largest since the Bombers led Calgary 42-3 at halftime in a win in 2003.
NUMBERS GAME
3: The number of Bomber games delayed by lightning this season, including the home opener vs. Montreal, last week’s win in Edmonton and Wednesday’s contest with Hamilton.
256: Total time, in minutes of those three delays.
2: Punt-return touchdowns by Kevin Fogg wiped out by penalty this year. Fogg had another taken away against the TiCats as an 80-yard score Wednesday was wiped out by a Kyle Knox holding penalty.
9: Turnovers by TiCats QB Jeremiah Masoli in two games against the Bombers this year – five interceptions, two returned for touchdowns, and four fumbles.
19:25: Winnipeg’s time of possession in the first half, to Hamilton’s 10 minutes and 35 seconds.
HONOURING AA
The Bombers wore decals featuring the number 58 on the back of their helmets as a tribute to former linebacker Antonio Armstrong. The one-time Bomber (2000-01) and his wife were shot and killed by their 16 year-old son last weekend in their home in Houston.
FYI: Bombers right tackle Jermarcus Hardrick did not finish the game with what looked like a shoulder injury suffered in the first half. Travis Bond moved from left guard to his spot on the offensive line with rookie Michael Couture moving into the interior… Taylor Loffler, making his second start at safety, picked off Jeremiah Masoli for his first career interception.
