Let’s begin today with a report from the scene of Monday’s Winnipeg Blue Bombers practice…
No one, FYI, appeared to be curled up in the fetal position and there were no visible signs of a mounting frustration or desperation in the wake of last Friday’s 29-10 loss to the Calgary Stampeders.
Maybe they got all the moping, the cursing, and all the negative self-examination out of their systems on the weekend because the Bomber squad that took to the field Monday – minus a couple key defenders in linebacker Ian Wild and defensive end Tristan Okpalaugo – looked very much like a team that had put their first loss of the season in the rearview mirror.
They’ll have to, after all, because the Toronto Argonauts squad that rolls into town Thursday might just be the biggest surprise in the young Canadian Football League season.
“It’s going to be tough for us again. There’s no weeks off in this league,” said Bombers quarterback Matt Nichols after practice Monday. “We’re moving past last week. As far as we’re concerned, it was a learning experience. You move on. It’s a long season and there are enough vets in this locker room that understand that. We’ve been in tougher situations.
“We’re 1-1 coming into a home game and we feel like if we come out and play our game, things will take care of themselves.”
That was the common sentiment in the moments right after last Friday’s loss, and it still prevailed three days later. The Bombers tipped their collective hats to the Stamps out of respect, albeit with some considerable teeth grinding, but are also still cursing their own blunders in their first loss of the season.
Now the key is to not only prevent that defeat from bleeding into another, but to do something about fixing a home record that is 4-6 dating back to last season and an awful 11-26 since Investors Group Field opened.
“That’s everyone’s goal, to protect home turf,” Nichols said. “Our fans give us such an edge and you want to make sure they’re happy and they keep coming out and support you because they’re a big part of this team.”
“We owe it to them and to this city to play well in front of them. We want to play good each week but we feel like we owe our fans one this week.”
The Argos, meanwhile, look nothing like the tire fire so many predicted this winter when they appeared to be a rudderless ship. GM Jim Popp and head coach Mark Trestman have brought stability and credibility, their defensive front is absolutely deadly, and both quarterback Ricky Ray and receiver S.J. Green have apparently been chug-a-lugging from the fountain of youth.
“He’s actually looked pretty good,” said Bombers defensive back T.J. Heath, a former Argo, of Ray. “He’s throwing the ball downfield a good bit now. He looks five years younger.
“He still has a good touch on the ball, he’s always had that. And he’s still accurate. He’s still got it. That’s a hall-of-fame quarterback we’re talking about here, so of course he’s got some ability. He’s still doing some great things and so it’s going to be fun to be on the same field with him again.”
The Bombers will be making at least one change on defence this week, with head coach Mike O’Shea revealing after practice that Wild will be ‘longer term’ with an arm injury. Okpalaugo, meanwhile, could be out this week against his old club
“Tristan… it’s a short week so better to err on the side of resting a guy,” said O’Shea, “and we’ll evaluate him tomorrow or the next day.”
Wild was replaced at weak-side linebacker by Kyle Knox at practice on Monday, while newcomer Jackson Jeffcoat was working in Okpalaugo’s spot with the starting defence.
Knox had been battling for a starting job at middle linebacker before Sam Hurl won the job in training camp. And in Friday’s loss to Calgary, it was actually veteran Canadian Jesse Briggs who stepped into Wild’s spot. But Knox, who played 11 games last year, was working there with the start of a fresh week.
“We like him a lot, we’ve had him here for quite some time,” said O’Shea of Knox. “We’re finally seeing him on the field more and more. He’s certainly a terrific athlete who flies around. We know that he works hard off the field, too.”
BOMBER REPORT – July 10, 2017
THE BLUE’S NEWEST ‘CANADIAN’: Receiver Drew Wolitarsky was on the field for the first time on Monday after being grabbed by the Bombers in a recent supplemental draft.
Born in Santa Clarita, California, Wolitarsky was a star at the University of Minnesota, pulling in 66 passes for 860 yards last season, and because his mother if from Montreal – his father also moved there when was six – was able to apply for Canadian status in the CFL after trying to land a free agent gig with the Minnesota Vikings.
He had been working as a waiter at a French bistro in Wazata, Minn. when his brother Austin suggested he keep his football dream alive in Canada.
“He was, ‘Hey man, it’s too early to hang up the cleats. Let’s give Canada a try,’” said Wolitarsky after practice on Monday. “I was like, ‘Yeah, you’re right.’ At first, I was probably a little hurt when (the NFL) didn’t work out. But I got over that, applied for my papers and everything has worked out.”
Wolitarsky was excited to get on the field Monday to try out the ‘Waggle’ – the pre-snap motion towards the line of scrimmage allowed in the CFL game – and get back into the football grind.
“Great teammates… very welcoming right when I got here,” said Wolitarsky.
“A lot of great staff getting me on the film and great cut-ups (clips) for me to catch up. I’m loving it so far.”
“I watched a couple games growing up. I wasn’t completely familiar with the rules, but it looks fun, fast tempo and that’s the style I like to play.”
Asked if any of his teammates are teaching him the finer aspects of being Canadian, Wolitarsky added:
“You mean like eating poutine and stuff like that? I’ve been to Canada quite often with family… Guelph, Ontario, Prince Edward Island, Vancouver. I know a lot. Swiss Chalet, Tim Hortons… I’m all about that.”
TWO HE’D LIKE BACK: Bombers QB Matt Nichols was hard on himself after Friday’s loss, taking the blame after being picked off twice – once in the end zone and another that was returned for a score.
But that won’t stop him from attacking a defence.
“I’m always going to trust my eyes,” Nichols said. “They made a couple good defensive plays. I didn’t really feel that I made a bad decision, especially on one of them – the guy (Stampeder linebacker Maleki Harris) just made a really good play. I was on my read correctly and I felt like I was on my reads all night. I’m going to continue to trust my eyes and continue to put the ball up and let these guys make plays for me.”
