They’ll have an extra week to prepare and devise their first game plan, but the Winnipeg Blue Bombers will have to patiently wait for the curtain to rise on the 2017 season.
The Canadian Football League released the 2017 schedule today, and the Bombers are missing from the four Week 1 battles, having earned the first bye of the campaign.
The opening week bye means Winnipeg’s ’17 season opens on Canada Day in Regina against the arch-rival Saskatchewan Roughriders in the official CFL christening of the new Mosaic Stadium. The Bombers will get a sneak peek at the building in the preseason, playing their first exhibition date there on June 10th and then return for a third time in their annual Labour Day Classic in early September.
Winnipeg Blue Bombers fans during the Labour Day game between the Saskatchewan Roughriders and the Winnipeg Blue Bombers at Mosaic Stadium in Regina, SK. Sunday, September 4, 2016. (Photo: Johany Jutras)
The Bombers home opener comes six days later when the defending West Division champion Calgary Stampeders are in town on Friday July 7th.
The 2017 schedule includes the traditional Labour Day Classic/Banjo Bowl showdowns with the Riders and features a bye in Week 13 (mid-September).
At first glance, some other notable facts from the Bombers schedule include:
- The Bombers 10 home dates, including the preseason, will feature four Thursday night games – all of them before September rolls around – three Friday and three Saturday contests.
- Six of the Bombers’ final nine games will be against their divisional opponents, with three of their last four coming against B.C. (twice) and the regular season finale in Calgary.
- There is only one back-to-back series in ’17 – the Labour-Day Classic/Banjo Bowl showdowns with the Riders. Contrast that to last season when the Bombers had three back-to-backs, including finishing their campaign with home-and-home series with the Lions and Ottawa REDBLACKS.
- There are no nightmare, short-week chunks to the schedule, other than the five days between a Saturday night game in Hamilton on August 12th and a home date against Edmonton on Thursday, August 17th.
- A year ago, smack dab in the middle of the seven-game win streak that helped breathe life into the season, the Bombers had a stretch where they had three road games and a bye in their schedule. That kept the team from playing in front of their fans from an August 3rd home game against Hamilton to the Banjo Bowl on September 10th – or 36 days.
Aside from the long wait to open this year’s schedule, the Bombers have only one chunk – visits to Ottawa and Hamilton in the first two weeks of August – that will keep the team away from home.
bluebombers.com broke down the schedule in more detail below (all times Central):
During the game against the Montreal Alouettes at Investors Group Field in Winnipeg, MB. on Friday, June 24, 2016. (Photo: Johany Jutras)
PRESEASON 1
WINNIPEG AT SASKATCHEWAN
When: Saturday, June 10th, 8 p.m.
Notable: The Bombers will be the first opponent for the Roughriders as they christen the new Mosaic Stadium. The Riders called Mosaic Stadium at Taylor Field home from 1936 until last season. Construction on the new $278-million facility began in July of 2012 and the first game – a CIS contest between the Regina Rams and Saskatchewan Huskies – was held on Oct. 1, 2016.
PRESEASON 2
EDMONTON AT WINNIPEG
When: Thursday, June 15th, 7:30 p.m.
Notable: Winnipeg’s 36-13 victory over Montreal in their final preseason game on June 8th a year ago was the first exhibition win at Investors Group Field after three tries. The Bombers lost to Toronto in 2013 and 2014, and in 2015 lost to Hamilton in their home preseason contests.
GAME 1
WINNIPEG AT SASKATCHEWAN
When: Saturday, July 1st, 8 p.m.
Notable: The Bombers have the bye in Week 1 of the 2017 CFL schedule and then return to the new Mosaic in Regina for the Roughriders official unveiling of their new building. The opening week bye, coupled with the fact that the Bombers and Riders are the final meeting of Week 2, means six other CFL teams will have already played two games before Winnipeg has lined up for their season opener.
Fast fact: The Bombers are 4-5-1 in their last 10 season openers and 2-1 under Mike O’Shea.
GAME 2
CALGARY AT WINNIPEG
When: Friday, July 7th, 7:30 p.m.
Notable: The Bombers meet the powerhouse Calgary Stampeders in their home opener and the game marks the first time their home schedule has started with a West Division opponent since meeting the Edmonton Eskimos in 2012.
Fast fact: Winnipeg is 7-4 in their last 11 home openers, but have lost three of their four home debuts at Investors Group Field.
GAME 3
TORONTO AT WINNIPEG
When: Thursday, July 13th, 7:30 p.m.
Notable: They are without a GM or head coach right now and so the questions abound for the Argos. But – big emphasis on ‘but’ – this could be the first time the Bombers face their former starter Drew Willy since he was traded last September.
Bomber fans will recall Willy was traded to the Argos just prior to a meeting here last Sept. 17th, but Dan LeFevour started that game – a 46-19 Winnipeg win – for Toronto.
Fast fact: The Bombers won both meetings against the Argos last year, 34-17 in Toronto in August and 46-29 here in September.
GAME 4
WINNIPEG AT B.C.
When: Friday, July 21st, 9 p.m.
Notable: A rematch of last year’s West Division Semi-Final between these two clubs – a 32-31 B.C. win that will still be stuck in the collective Bomber craws by the time this one rolls around. Winnipeg held a 25-6 first-half lead and were up 31-19 in the fourth quarter before the Lions rallied. Apologies for opening up old wounds, Bomber Nation.
Fast fact: The last four Winnipeg-B.C. meetings have been decided by a grand total of nine points. The Bombers are 3-1, with the lone loss the biggest in last year’s playoff tilt.
GAME 5
MONTREAL AT WINNIPEG
When: Thursday, July 27th, 7:30 p.m.
Notable: The Bombers face the new-look Alouettes – with new coach Jacques Chapdelaine, new GM Kavis Reed and new QB Darian Durant – for the first time in 2017.
Fast fact: Andrew Harris combined for 251 yards from scrimmage in two games against the Alouettes last year – 150 yards along the ground on 29 carries and 101 yards on 11 receptions.
GAME 6
WINNIPEG AT OTTAWA
When: Friday, August 4th, 6 p.m.
Notable: The Bombers make their lone appearance in the nation’s capital against the defending Grey Cup champions – minus Henry Burris. Winnipeg won its only regular season game in Ottawa in the finale last October, an ugly contest in which the REDBLACKS rested a bunch of their starters for their successful playoff push.
Fast fact: Darvin Adams owned Ottawa a year ago, pulling in 15 passes for 187 yards and three TDs in two games. Add in his 2015 totals, the lanky receiver has five TDs in four games vs. the REDBLACKS.
GAME 7
WINNIPEG AT HAMILTON
When: Saturday, August 12th, 6:30 p.m.
Notable: Winnipeg was 6-2 vs. the East Division in ’16, including a pair of wins over the Ticats. The Bombers were also 2-0 vs. Toronto and split their series with Montreal and Ottawa.
Fast fact: The Bombers lowest net offensive total of the 2017 season –289 yards – came in an Aug. 3 meeting against Hamilton. But it was also a game they led 34-0 at halftime and won by a score of 37-11. Winnipeg forced six turnovers in that game, including a pick-six by C.J. Roberts to open the scoring.
GAME 8
EDMONTON AT WINNIPEG
When: Thursday, August 17th, 7:30 p.m.
Notable: Matt Nichols is 1-2 in starts against his old club, but his numbers against the Eskimos are the best against any CFL opponent. He has a 99.9 QB-efficiency rating against Edmonton with a TD-to-interception ratio of 4-1 and has posted three 300-yard passing efforts in those four games.
Fast fact: Eskimo QB Mike Reilly has a 7-1 career mark against the Bombers.
GAME 9
WINNIPEG AT MONTREAL
When: Thursday, August 24th, 6:30 p.m.
Notable: Playing in Montreal can serve up its share of distractions for a visiting team. But the Bombers are 6-2 in their last eight games to La Belle Province.
Fast fact: Bombers LB/DB Maurice Leggett tied for the CFL league in interceptions with teammate T.J. Heath with seven, three of them for TDs. One of those scores came against in the Als last summer.
GAME 10
WINNIPEG AT SASKATCHEWAN – Labour Day Classic
When: Sunday, September 3rd, 3 p.m.
Notable: The Bombers ended an 11-year Labour Day drought a year ago with a 28-25 victory that featured a 43-yard Justin Medlock field goal on the last play. Medlock was seven of eight that day, hitting from 44, 25, 29, 18, 52, 41 and 43.
Fast fact: In two games against his old club last season, former Rider Weston Dressler pulled in 14 passes for 212 yards.
GAME 11
SASKATCHEWAN AT WINNIPEG – Banjo Bowl
When: Saturday, September 9th, 2 p.m.
Notable: The Bombers completed the Labour Day Classic/Banjo Bowl sweep last year for the first time since 2004. This will the final of three meetings between the two clubs – four if you include the preseason. Unless… they were to meet in the playoffs.
Fast fact: Winnipeg is 7-6 in the Banjo Bowl since its inception.
GAME 12
OTTAWA AT WINNIPEG
When: Friday, September 22nd, 7 p.m.
Notable: The REDBLACKS have won two straight in Winnipeg and are 2-1 overall at Investors Group Field since the joint opened. Ottawa won here last year 23-10 and 27-20 in 2015.
Fast fact: The CFL gave a hearty farewell to Henry Burris when he announced his retirement this offseason. The Bombers, it should be pointed out, won’t be sad to see him go: Burris was 20-10 in 30 career starts against them.
GAME 13
WINNIPEG AT EDMONTON
When: Saturday, September 30th, 8:30 p.m.
Notable: The Bombers return to Commonwealth Stadium for the first time since July of 2016 and the game that everyone in the locker room universally agrees turned last year around. The Bombers hadn’t won there since 2006, but with Nichols making his first start of the season, emerged with a 30-23 victory that was the beginning of their seven-game win streak.
Fast fact: Andrew Harris had two 100-yard rushing games last year, the first coming against Edmonton, the second vs. Toronto.
GAME 14
HAMILTON AT WINNIPEG
When: Friday, October 6th, 7:30 p.m.
Notable: The Ticats out-scored the Bombers 90-34 in sweeping them in two games in 2015, but Winnipeg won both last season by a combined score of 65-35.
Fast fact: Ian Wild’s stat totals in two games vs. Hamilton last year: 13 tackles, three special teams tackles, one interception, one fumble recovery, one quarterback sack, one forced fumble.
GAME 15
B.C. AT WINNIPEG
When: Saturday, October 14th, 3 p.m.
Notable: Matt Nichols had arguably his best game as a Bomber in the West Semi-Final, completing 26 of 40 passes for 390 yards and two TDs against zero interceptions.
Fast fact: Overshadowing Nichols’ numbers: B.C. quarterback Jonathon Jennings finished up last year’s West Semi-Final win over Winnipeg by completing 12 straight passes. He was 11 for 11 for 110 yards and one passing TD while running for the winning score in the fourth quarter alone.
GAME 16
WINNIPEG AT TORONTO
When: Saturday, October 21st, 3 p.m.
Notable: The Bombers are 1-0 at BMO Field after a 34-17 win there last August that featured five interceptions – two each by Maurice Leggett and Kevin Fogg, the other by Khalil Bass – and six turnovers total that were converted into 24 points.
Fast fact: Clarence Denmark had 10 catches for 225 yards and three TDs against the Argos last season.
GAME 17
B.C. AT WINNIPEG
When: Saturday, October 28th, 3 p.m.
Notable: This is the Bombers last regular season home game of the season. Winnipeg was 4-5 at home last year and has had just one season with a winning record – 5-4 in 2011 – at home since 2009.
Fast fact: In their last six Grey Cup appearances – 1990, 1992, 1993, 2001, 2007 and 2011 – the Bombers were a combined 43-11 at home; an average of 7.2 home wins per year.
GAME 18
WINNIPEG AT CALGARY
When: Friday, November 3rd, 8:30 p.m.
Notable: Winnipeg is seemingly O-for-forever at McMahon Stadium after losing two games in Calgary last season. For the record, Winnipeg is 1-14 in its last 15 trips and 3-23 dating back to 1992.
Fast fact: The Bombers were 0-3 vs. the Stamps last year, the only team they did not register a ‘W’ against.
