GAME #5 | WINNIPEG BLUE BOMBERS (4-0) at B.C. LIONS (3-0)
THE 4-1-1
Kickoff: Saturday, 6 p.m. CT, B.C. Place, Vancouver, B.C.
TV: TSN; ESPNEWS
Radio: 680 CJOB
Home/Road: The Blue Bombers are 2-0 on the road so far this season, courtesy a Week 2 win in Ottawa and last Monday’s victory in Toronto. B.C. is 2-0 at home after thumping both Edmonton and Toronto in downtown Vancouver.
BetRegal.ca odds: The Lions are favoured by 3.5 points. For more of Bet Regals numbers on this game, click here.
Streaks: Winnipeg: 4W; B.C.: 3W.
Notable: The Blue Bombers lead the CFL in turnover margin at +7.
The QBs
- B.C. will start second-year Canadian Nathan Rourke. He is 4-1 in his career but has yet to start against Winnipeg. He did make two brief appearances against the Blue Bombers last year, completing 8-of-12 passes for 86 yards with one interception.
- Winnipeg lines up Zach Collaros behind centre. He is 50-34 in his career and now a remarkable 21-2 in his games as a starter in Winnipeg, including playoffs and two Grey Cup victories.
The Coaches
Winnipeg: Mike O’Shea: 71-55. O’Shea’s 71 wins as a Blue Bombers head coach ranks third on the club’s all-time list, behind only Bud Grant (102) and Cal Murphy (86). Winnipeg is 11-5 vs. B.C. under O’Shea’s watch.
B.C.: Lions head coach Rick Campbell is 52-71-2 in his career, including a 5-9 record in games against the Blue Bombers.
Blue Roster Shuffle
The Bombers depth chart features just one change from last week. Coming aboard is DE L.B. Mack III, off is LB Kyrie Wilson, who has been moved to the six game injured list. Malik Clements is listed as his replacement on the depth chart.
“Regardless of size, he’s one of the fastest players on the field,” said O’Shea of Wilson. “So, when you take speed off the board it’s always tough to replace – those guys don’t come around very often.
“But it doesn’t mean you can’t have guys in the right position and doing the right things. That’s why you have as many players as you have in the building because they’re going to step up and make plays for their teammates and for Kyrie, too.”
Winnipeg’s six game injured list now includes four starters in Wilson, safety Brandon Alexander, centre Michael Couture and slotback Nic Demski – five if you include dime back Mercy Maston – along with LB Jesse Briggs, DB Noah Hallett, QB Dakota Prukop and OL Drew Richmond.
BLUE BOMBER SPOTLIGHT: DB Nick Taylor
Taylor picked off his third pass of the season in Monday’s win over Toronto, which already is a career high for the veteran DB.
We’ve told you of Taylor’s unique background before – he played college basketball, not football – and the Blue Bombers love his athleticism, his experience and the energy he brings.
“He’s a smart player. He’s a good veteran,” said O’Shea. “He communicates extremely well with the guys around him. He puts himself in good spots. And Nick is really fast and is really quick to the ball. He’s made some great plays.”
FYI
In Monday’s win over Toronto, Zach Collaros had a consecutive completions streak of 14, the longest so far in the CFL season.
THE ROURKE EFFECT
- Canadian QBs Nathan Rourke and Edmonton’s Tre Ford have dominated much of the conversation early in the ’22 season. Interestingly, the last Canadian to start at QB for the Blue Bombers was Geoff Crain in 1953. Pete Petrow also started five games for the club in 1950.
- This from the crack CFL stats crew: with Rourke at QB, BC has driven for a TD 16 times in 39 possessions for astounding conversion 41% rate. That compares to the league-wide rate of 14% – with 64 0ffensive TDs on 443 possessions (heading into this week’s action).
- Winnipeg’s ‘Dark Side’ defence has allowed just three touchdowns this season. Against Toronto on Monday, they had a run of 47 consecutive possessions by an opponent without a TD end.
The Bombers have forced 17 two-and-outs and lead the CFL allowing just 15.8 points per game. B.C.’s defence meanwhile, is ranked #1 in yards per game allowed (244).
“He tries to get the ball out fast to his receivers and going through his progressions… that’s one of the tasks that we have to get after as a defensive line,” said Willie Jefferson. “We aren’t going to have a lot of opportunities to get to him, put hands on him and put him on the ground. The opportunities that we do, we’ve got to take advantage of them.
“We watched him get his opportunities last year with this offence and then this year being the starter, being the guy and have opportunities to make plays with his legs and throwing… we want to show him a good time here in B.C. We came all the way over here for that.”
MILESTONE WATCH
- LB Adam Bighill needs five more tackles to pass former Blue Bombers LB Greg Battle and move into eighth place on the CFL’s all-time list. Bighill is at 762, Battle retired with 766 career tackles.
- Greg Ellingson’s consecutive games with at least one reception now stands at 74. He has 8,220 career receiving yards and needs just 37 more to move past three players into 40th spot on the CFL’s all-time list.
QUOTABLE
“If I were to just put my fan hat on, it’s very exciting for the CFL. It’s exciting for young Canadian football players to know they can play any position on the field. But (Saturday) I’m not going to have my fan hat on.” – Blue Bombers head coach Mike O’Shea on facing Lions QB Nathan Rourke.
