GAME 7 | TORONTO ARGONAUTS (1-4) vs WINNIPEG BLUE BOMBERS (3-3)

THE 4-1-1

Kickoff: 7:30 p.m., Friday; Investors Group Field
TV: TSN, RDS, ESPN+
Radio: CJOB
Vegas line: The Bombers are favoured by 10 points.
Streaks: Toronto: 2L: Winnipeg: 1W
Home/Road: The Bombers are 1-1 at home; Toronto is 0-2 on the road.
Series (since 1961): Toronto leads with a record of 60-56-2. The Bombers are 37-22 vs. Toronto in Winnipeg over that span.
Recent history: The two clubs split their season series last year, but Winnipeg is 4-1 in the last four meetings, including last week’s 38-20 victory in Toronto.

3 STORYLINES

1. ALL 33, ALL THE TIME?

Andrew Harris was busy last week, lugging the ball 27 times – like the 161 yards he accumulated, a career-high – as the Bombers O-line controlled the line of scrimmage by pounding the ball 32 times in total for 184 yards along the ground. The Bombers lead the CFL with an average of 173 yards rushing and, until teams counter, expect them to continue with that run-vs-pass ratio.

So naturally, the theory is the Bombers should continue to feed No. 33 until somebody puts up a roadblock in front of him. After all, he has 409 yards on 52 carries – a tidy 7.9-yard average – in the last three games. It makes sense, even if those gaudy numbers are not sustainable in the long term.

What pounding the ball successfully along the ground does do is effectively open the playbook, as offensive coordinator Paul LaPolice explained earlier this week.

“What I tell the linemen every week is if we get seven yards, if we get 10 yards, we’ll keep running the ball and that’s what’s happened in the last couple of weeks,” he said.  If we get first downs and first downs running the ball it gives me the freedom to take a pass, convert on second down and run the ball again. Hats off to them (the O-line, O-line coach Marty Costello and RB coach Kevin Bourgoin) and certainly Andrew for putting us in those situations.”

A consistent ground game, as also evidenced last year, gives the Bombers attack balance, too. And that’s not lost on Matt Nichols.

“When we’re rushing for 150 yards a game it takes a lot of pressure off the passing game,” said Nichols. “It helps out the passing game. I feel like we do a good job of helping each other out… when we can string together first downs through the passing game, it gets him (Harris) more carries and vice-versa. That’s the main thing for us – we preach getting as many plays as possible. We’ve got a lot of guys who can do dynamic things with the football, but they can’t all touch it if we’re not stringing together first downs.”

2. AN EMERGING DEFENCE, PERHAPS?

The Bombers surrendered 20 points last week, but both the Argos touchdowns came with the defence watching from the sidelines after fumbles on a kick return and on offence were returned for scores.

But there’s a temptation in these parts to be cynical about the defensive dozen until their body of work grows further and can seal the deal in a tight game.

Some numbers that represent progress for the Bombers defence:

• They have surrendered just six plays 30-yards or longer – the dreaded explosion plays – third-fewest in the league and with the Bombers having played one more game than every other team.
• They are yielding 6.9 yards per pass completion, second-lowest in the league to Calgary (6.0).
• Their run defence is third best in the league (76.3 yards per game).
• And the Bombers are averaging 317 yards of offence per game, second-fewest to Calgary.

“It’s about consistency,” said CFL tackle leader Adam Bighill. “In our three wins we’ve had three great defensive efforts. Those correlate really well, as long as we’re all helping each other out with the offence in time of possession and special teams in terms of field position.

“Every week we’re growing. Last week was our best defensive effort collectively. We played a really good game. But now it’s about doing it again and again.”

3. IT’S GO TIME

The Bombers haven’t won consecutively through the first third of the season and not since last September 22-30^th, or a span of 11 games. Interestingly, only the Stampeders, Hamilton and Saskatchewan have managed to win back-to-back games this year.

All of this is to suggest it’s time for the Bombers to get on a bit of a roll here after winning two of their last three, knowing that they’ll enjoy the bye next week and then have Hamilton and Ottawa visiting after that. Consider also that in the final half of the season, seven of the nine games will be against West Division rivals.

There’s also this: the Bombers had best beware of the counter-punch here from the Argos. They fell victim to the B.C. Lions in this regard recently, crushing the Lions at home, only to build a 17-zip lead a week later in Vancouver before collapsing in a 20-17 setback.

“You try not to get caught up with seeing the same team,” said Weston Dressler. “It’s easy to get lackadaisical with seeing the same pictures over and over in the film room. So, just stay focused in your role and your job each play and execute.

“This is professional football and everyone on the field is getting paid to win games. In this league everyone is good enough that any given day, any team can win. It’s all about who executes better and makes more plays to win the game. It doesn’t really matter what’s happened previously or up that point.”

THE QBS

• Winnipeg’s Matt Nichols 31-22 in his career as a starter; 23-10 since taking over from Drew Willy in July of 2016 and 5-1 lifetime vs. Toronto.
• Toronto’s James Franklin is 3-3 in his six career starts and 0-1 against the Bombers after last week’ game.

ROSTER SHUFFLE

The Bombers are making two changes to their 46-man roster. Coming aboard are SB Kenbrell Thompkins and LB Frederic Plesius, while LB Kyrie Wilson and SB Adarius Bowman are off – Wilson moved to the practice roster and Bowman traded to Montreal.

3 BOMBERS TO WATCH

#94 Jackson Jeffcoat, DE: The second-year Bomber did not register a sack in his first three games, but has now racked up four QB kills in his last three. Jeffcoat tied with Jamaal Westerman for the team lead in sacks with seven last season.

#9 Justin Medlock, K: The Bombers veteran hoofer has hit on 12 of his 14 field-goal attempts for an 85.7 average. His two misses have been from 59 and 42, the latter clanging off the upright.

#8 Chris Randle, CB: The veteran corner returns to his spot in the secondary after missing last week’s win in Toronto. The depth chart now features Randle and Kevin Fogg at the corners, with Brandon Alexander and Marcus Sayles at halfback and Tyneil Cooper as the extra defensive back.

X FACTOR

#2 Kenbrell Thompkins, SB: He’s been impressive since he first arrived, but has spent the first third of the season playing the spectator. His credentials sparkle with NFL games played and production, but now we see if he can shake off the rust and make an impact in a receiving corps where the touches are spread between a group that includes Darvin Adams, Weston Dressler, Nic Demski and Drew Wolitarsky.

CRITICAL NUMBER

0: Offensive touchdowns allowed by the Bombers last week. Both of Toronto’s scores came on fumble recoveries. The Bombers last held an opponent to no TDs in last year’s regular season finale in Calgary – a frigid affair in which the Stamps rested QB Bo Levi Mitchell for the playoffs and started Andrew Buckley.

MISCELLANEOUS

• The Bombers are the last CFL team to enjoy one of their three bye weeks through the first third of the season, but get their first after this game. Winnipeg’s other byes come after the Banjo Bowl in mid-September and in mid-October, after their 16^th game.
• Weston Dressler has caught at least one pass in 118 consecutive games (since August 12, 2010). That is the eighth-longest streak in CFL history (Craig Ellis is seventh at 120). With 68 yards receiving he will move past Tony Gabriel into 18^th spot on the CFL’s all-time list and is seven catches shy of becoming the 13^th player in league history to reach 700 career receptions.
• The Bombers and Calgary Stampeders are tied for first in average field position starts – their own 39-yard line.
• James Franklin is the fifth different Toronto QB to start against the Bombers in the last seven meetings dating back to 2015. The others? Ricky Ray (3), Trevor Harris (1), Dan LeFevour (1) and Logan Kilgore (1).
• Just one CFL team has been able to overcome a turnover-ratio deficit and win a game so far in 2018 – the Eskimos knocked off B.C. 41-22 on June 29^th, despite finishing -1 on the day. Overall, teams with fewer turnovers are 18-1 this season. Last year that number was 55-13.