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August 13, 2021

Game Preview | Week 2

TORONTO ARGONAUTS (1-0) at WINNIPEG BLUE BOMBERS (1-0)

THE 4-1-1

Kickoff: Tonight, 7:30 p.m., IG Field
Stadium Protocols*A reminder to fans to please come early to help expediate the process of scanning and validating your immunization card. Gates open at 6 p.m.
TV: TSN, RDS, ESPN+, BT Sport 2, Yare
Radio: 680 CJOB
Weather forecast:  Clearing in the morning. Wind becoming northwest 20 km/gusting to 40 early in the afternoon. High of 23.
BetRegal.ca odds: Bombers by 8 points.
Saluting Desiree: Proud Winnipegger and Olympic gold medallist Desiree Scott will be honoured Friday night at IG Field.
Streaks: The Bombers won their season opener last week and, dating back to 2019, are on a five-game winning streak. Toronto exited Calgary last weekend with a solid 23-20 victory over the Stampeders. They have won two straight dating back to their 2019 regular-season finale.
Home/Road: The Bombers were 8-1 at home in 2019; the Argos were 1-8 on the road.
Head to head, 2019: The two clubs split their season series in 2019, with the Bombers winning 48-21 in Winnipeg on July 12 and then the Argos rallying for a 28-27 victory at BMO Field on August 1. In that game the Bombers blew a 20-point first-half lead before McLeod Bethel-Thompson hit S.J. Green for the winning TD with 13 seconds remaining.

The QBs

Wpg: The Bombers will start veteran Zach Collaros. He is 36-32 in his career starts and now 5-0 as a Bomber. He is 7-4 in 11 career starts against Toronto.
Tor: The Argos counter with McLeod Bethel-Thompson. He is 7-15 in his career as a starter and 1-1 vs. the Bombers.

The Coaches

Wpg: Mike O’Shea: 57-52; vs. Tor: 7-5
Tor: Ryan Dinwiddie: 1-0; vs. Wpg: 0-0

Blue Roster Shuffle

The Bombers have made four roster changes since Week 1. Coming aboard are DBs David Rivers and Redha Kramdi, SB Kelvin McKnight and DT Ricky Walker. Off are DT Steven Richardson; LB Jontrell Rocquemore, WR/KR Janarion Grant and DB Josh Johnson. Both Johnson and Grant have been moved to the six-game injured list.

“I’ve got a lot of confidence in those young guys,” said Bombers DE Jackson Jeffcoat on the three CFL rookies in the secondary in DeAundre Alford, Deatrick Nichols and Josh Miller. “They take the time. They are really studying film, they really work hard to make sure they’re ready to go. And they’ve got a group of vets with them that have really taken them under their wing and explained what we expect and what our expectations are for any of the new guys.”

With both Rocquemore and Kyrie Wilson injured the Bombers will start veteran Jesse Briggs at the weak-side linebacker spot. Winnipeg will start eight Canadians, instead of the usual seven, in Briggs, DT Jake Thomas, OL Drew Desjarlais, Michael Couture and Pat Neufeld, receivers Nic Demski and Drew Wolitarsky and RB Brady Oliveira.

“Jesse Briggs, from his rookie season, when they would hand out defensive tests would get 100 percent right on the test and he woudn’t sit there in a group to make sure he got the answers right,” said Bombers head coach Mike O’Shea. “He would just flip to the test, hand it in and it would be all perfect. He always knows what to do, he knows what the guys around him do… he rarely makes mistakes. Besides that, he’s physically gifted, he’s fast, he’s strong, which is why we picked him. He’s a great teammate. Full confidence in Jesse. Always.”

3 Bombers to Watch

#87 Kelvin McKnight, SB: The former Denver Broncos prospect was a standout in camp and drew praise from QB Zach Collaros for his versatility. Lots of speed, great in the open field.

#25 Josh Miller, CB: He’ll make his first CFL start after dressing last week as a reserve defensive back. The Bombers will have three CFL rookies starting in the secondary tonight in Miller, DeAundre Alord and Deatrick Nichols.

#90 Casey Sayles, DT: Sayles picked up his first CFL sack in last week’s win over Hamilton as a rotational player along the D-line. With Richardson down this week, he’ll make his first start.

X Factor

#16, Mike Jones, DB: The Bombers are on their third Dime back/strong-side linebacker since the start of training camp after Mercy Maston was lost for the season with a torn Achilles and Josh Johnson went down in the season-opening win over Hamilton.

Moving Jones to the Dime from the corner is a testament to his growth since last fall, when he made his first start in the regular-season finale and then was solid through the playoffs. He’s a solid cover guy and his move from the corner means Brandon Alexander – who shifted over in Johnson’s absence last week – can shift back to safety.

Quotable

Mike Jones when asked if, at 5-10, 189 if it might be a challenge for him to move from corner to the Dime back spot:

“I’m a big dog. I don’t know what they’re talking about. Five-10? I see me as 6-10. You could add a hundred pounds to that 189. That’s me right there.”

Critical Number: 12-1

The Bombers record at IG Field in the last 13 games. To read more about that dominant homefield stretch, click here.

Notable

Brady Oliveira became just the fifth Canadian running back in Bombers history to rush for 100 yards in a game, joining Andrew Harris, Lorne Benson (1952), Gerry James (1955-60) and Sean Millington (1998).

Said Oliveira earlier in the week:

“Every week you can build on confidence and just stack it up. That’s how you become a great football player. Think of a guy like Andrew Harris – he’s played so many football games and every game you go out there and play you learn from it and get better. That’s why his football IQ is through the roof. That’s my biggest thing, is really wanting to grow my knowledge of the game and every time I go out there I’ll get more comfortable and more confident.”

Milestone Watch

Bombers FB Mike Miller needs three special-teams tackles to tie Jason Arakgi for first place on the CFL’s all-time list at 190.

FYI:

  • Adam Bighill had seven tackles last week and is 10th on the CFL’s all-time list with 682. Kevin Eiben is 9th at 722.
  • Hamilton ran just one play in Winnipeg’s half of the field in the final 30 minutes last week.
  • Toronto’s McLeod Bethel Thompson threw for 354 yards and two TDs last week. He led all CFL passers with nine 300-yard passing efforts in just 13 starts.