Winnipeg Blue Bombers' Drew Wolitarsky (82) celebrates his touchdown against the B.C. Lions with teammates Nic Demski (10) and Andrew Harris (33) during the second half CFL football action in Vancouver, B.C., on Saturday June 15, 2019. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Ben Nelms
5 Quick Takes on the Bombers season opener win Saturday night in Vancouver against the B.C. Lions:
1. The Bombers opened up their 2019 Canadian Football League season with a 33-23 victory over the Lions. It marks the third straight time the club has opened their season on the road and won, after knocking off Saskatchewan 43-40 in the debut of Mosaic Stadium in 2017 and the Riders 30-26 at old Taylor Field in 2015.
2. The two quarterbacks help deliver a good ol’ fashioned West Division shootout. Matt Nichols threw for three touchdowns – two to Drew Wolitarsky, another to Darvin Adams – and on 21 of 33 passing for 184 yards; B.C.’s Mike Reilly did his thing too, completing 22 of 39 passes for 324 yards and one TD, to Lemar Durant. He was also intercepted twice by Jeff Hecht.
3. If there were any concerns about the Bombers ability to pound the ball behind their new offensive line Andrew Harris & Co. answered that early. His first carry of the game was nine yards and he finished with 148 yards on 16 carries while working behind the line that featured mainstays Stanley Bryant and Jermarcus Hardrick at tackle, with Michael Couture at centre and Cody Speller and Geoff Gray at the guard sp0ts.
4. The Bombers got a spark from Charles Nelson in the kick-return game. He averaged 12.7 yards on three punt returns and 15 yards on four kickoff returns. Justin Medlock also connected on his lone field-goal attempt but the kick-cover unit was burned by Brandon Rutley on a 108-yard kickoff return just after they had taken a 14-6 lead on a Drew Wolitarsky TD.
Winnipeg’s special teams also delivered on a rare play in the third quarter when Marcus Sayles blocked a convert attempt, with the ball then scooped up by Brandon Alexander and lateraled to Chandler Fenner, who returned it.
5. The Bombers now head into their first of three bye weeks this season – the other two come after the Banjo Bowl and in the last week of the regular season – and then face the Edmonton Eskimos in their home opener at IG Field on Thursday, June 27th.
