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The Winnipeg Blue Bombers 2019 home debut offered up some positive glimpses, provided some spectacular moments, and in the end, left those in the house gnawing on their fingernails to the final whistle.
That’s a lot to munch on in an opening paragraph, but the bottom line after a 28-21 win over the Edmonton Eskimos on a sweaty Thursday night in front of 25,336 at IG Field is this: The Bombers are 2-0 to open a season for the first time since 2014 and – early-season warts and all – are the only unbeaten squad in the Canadian Football League’s always-competitive West Division.
“Total team effort,” began quarterback Matt Nichols. “Roller-coaster of a game. Knew it would be. Knew it would come down to the end. We feel like we probably could have won a little easier and they feel like they had a lot of chances to come out with a win and that’s what happens with two good football teams.
“It was a good game, a tough game, and we just found a way to come out on top.”
Nichols threw for three touchdowns – two of them absolutely spectacular efforts by Lucky Whitehead, the third to Andrew Harris – but it was the defence whose fingerprints are all over this victory.
The Bombers yielded 440 offence, but also limited the Eskimos to seven field goals. They were also on the field to twice defend late Edmonton attempts to tie the game inside the final two minutes after Eskimos head coach Jason Maas opted to kick a field goal on first down at the Bombers 26-yard line to pull the visitors to within a TD with 2:13 left.
The defence subsequently forced two turnovers on downs, the second after Andrew Harris fumbled with 61 seconds left. Harris put two on the ground Thursday, a rarity which occurs about as often as Haley’s Comet.
Asked about this mistakes afterward, Harris was succinct: “Horse—t, simple and plain,” he said. “I’ve got to be better. I mean, I can’t let my team down in that situation. I’m thankful our defence held it down for us and was able to close it out for us, but I need to be better.”
There was so much else Thursday for Bombers fans to get amped up about that will surely gloss over the Harris gaffes.
- Lucky Whitehead scored the first two TDs of his career – a 75-yard bomb in the first quarter and a 41-yard score in the third that was simply sensational. He finished the night with seven catches for 155 yards.
“That was a great, a breakout for me,” said Whitehead. “Just to show my speed… it was just overall a great game.
“It was definitely fun… that feeling when everyone is in the end zone with you. The first one was great. Coach, the players knew and Matt called it out and told the O-linemen right before the play all I need was five steps on a hitch and it’s a touchdown.” - The defence buckled down defending their territory, limiting Sean Whyte to field goals from 30, 20, 10, 45, 31, 37 and 33 yards. The Eskimos made two trips to the red zone and settled for the short threes. The Bombers forced three turnovers on downs and also sacked Trevor Harris once.
Winnipeg has surrendered just one offensive touchdown in its first two games – a Mike Reilly to Lemar Durant score in their season-opening win over the B.C. Lions.
“Every win is different,” said Nichols. “I felt like as an offence we played great in the first and third quarters and then we had some opportunities, especially late in the game with six minutes left, where we had our opportunities to take it over. They did a good job of getting us off the field, but as an offence we let a couple good opportunities slip.
“Our defence played unbelievable tonight allowing no touchdowns which obviously was the big difference in the game. On offence, converting again in the score zone was huge for us. “
THE BIG STAT:
155: On a night in which the Bomber defence was at its bend-but-don’t-break best, the offence got two sensational huge plays by Lucky Whitehead that were difference makers. The first-year CFLer finished with seven catches totalling 155 yards.
FYI:
Winnipegger Brady Oliveira had to be carted off the field in the first half after suffering a leg injury. Head coach Mike O’Shea had no update on the injury in his post-game address… The Bombers inactive player was OL Jamar McGloster.
NUMBERS GAME:
10: Total tackles by Brandon Alexander, including eight in the first half. Just FYI, the club record is 14, set by Ian Wild in a game against Montreal in 2014.
36:20: The time of possession for the Eskimos, almost 13 minutes more than Winnipeg’s 23:40.
6:1: Matt Nichols touchdown-to-interception ratio through the first two games.
NEXT:
The Bombers are in Ottawa on Friday, July 5th for the start of a heavy dose of East Division opponents. Winnipeg will play five straight against the East, with next week’s trek to the nation’s capital followed by back-to-back home dates – against the Toronto Argonauts on July 12th and then the REDBLACKS on July 19th – before visits to both Hamilton and Toronto.
