GAME 5 | OTTAWA REDBLACKS (2-2) at WINNIPEG BLUE BOMBERS (4-0)
THE 4-1-1
Kickoff: 7:30 p.m. Friday, IG Field
TV: TSN, RDS, ESPN+
Radio: 680 CJOB
Vegas line: The Bombers are favoured by 10 points.
The forecast: Sunny with a high of 25.
Home/Road: The Bombers are 2-0 at home this year after wins over Edmonton and Toronto. Winnipeg is a solid 18-8 at IG Field since August of 2016 – when Matt Nichols assumed the starting quarterback chores. Ottawa is 1-0 on the road this year, having knocked off Calgary in Week 1.
Recent history: The Bombers are 4-0 to start a season for the first time since 2003 after wins over B.C., Edmonton, Ottawa and Toronto. Ottawa, meanwhile, has dropped two straight after opening the season 2-0, with losses to the Bombers – 29-14 in the capital back on July 5th – and Montreal last weekend.
Series: The Bombers are 46-31-1 all time vs. the Ottawa Rough Riders/Renegades/REDBLACKS.
3 STORYLINES
1. ROLLING, ROLLING, ROLLING
Consider this: the Bombers are looking to go 5-0 to open a campaign for the first time since 1960. Just how long ago was that? John Diefenbaker was Prime Minister, Spartacus was the top-grossing film, Elvis Presley and Chubby Checker were atop the music charts, and Bob Irving was in just his third year covering the Bombers. (Actually, we made last part up – apologies, Knuckles).
The point here is simple – it’s been almost 60 years since the Bombers were off to such a torrid start. And yet, 1960 also offers a word of warning: that year the club cruised to a 10-0 start and finished 14-2, but then lost in the West Final to Edmonton when Hall of Fame quarterback Ken Ploen broke his throwing hand in the first of a two-game total points series.
The Bombers are in the midst of a five-game run against East Division opponents including previous wins over Ottawa and Toronto that concludes after Friday’s game with road games in Hamilton and Toronto. Then things get interesting, with five straight and eight of their last 11 against West Division opponents.
It’s true that you can’t win the Grey Cup in June-July, but teams can take huge steps to securing a coveted home playoff game with a good early-season run.
2. ‘D’ IS FOR ‘DEFENCE’; ‘D’ IS FOR DEPTH
Sometimes forgotten in the Bombers 4-0 start is how they’ve managed to be perfect despite some significant injuries. Adam Bighill, the CFL’s Most Outstanding Defensive Player in 2018, has missed two games. Receiver Chris Matthews has also missed a pair. Starting left guard Pat Neufeld has yet to suit up and now Jesse Briggs – who has filled in so capably in the linebacking corps with Bighill down – could be lost for a while due to injury.
Yet, the Bombers keep rolling and it points to a comment Matt Nichols made earlier in the week about the club’s depth being the best he’s seen since his arrival midway through 2015.
“We’re in good shape, especially considering we’ve missed the defensive player of the year for two games,” said safety Jeff Hecht. “Any time you lose your best defensive asset and you’re still 4-0 it’s a testament to management and the coaches for getting guys ready. It’s also a testament for the young guys being ready and not being overwhelmed by the moment.
“We’ve got some new guys up this week as well and we anticipate them being ready. We tell guys, ‘You’ve got to ride the wave when it comes and sometimes you don’t get to choose when the wave breaks, so get out there and make the best of it.”
3. DD DOWN, JJ UP NEXT
The REDBLACKS aren’t without their injury woes, too, and will be making three changes to their secondary this week. But Ottawa’s biggest lineup adjustment sees starting quarterback Dom Davis take a knee this week – he will still dress – with Jonathon Jennings moving behind centre as the starter.
Both Davis and Jennings have similar skillsets, but Jennings has considerably more experience. He was 22-22 in his four years as a starter with the B.C. Lions, including the 2016 season when he threw for 5,226 yards with 27 TDs against 15 interceptions as the club went 12-6.
Since then, he is 7-13 as a starter with a TD-to-interception ratio of 24:26.
“I would say the only difference is Jonathon might have a bit of a stronger arm than Dominique,” said Bombers cornerback Winston Rose. “But they’re both similar – both are scramblers, good arms.
“We’re focused on us. I would grade our last game on defence a ‘C/C-.’ We gave up some plays that we shouldn’t have, plays where we beat ourselves. Coach always gives us something we need to work on, and this week it’s consistency in everything we do.”
THE QBS
- Winnipeg’s Matt Nichols is 42-26 as a starter in the CFL. The Bombers are 34-15 with Nichols at the controls, dating back to late July of 2016.
- Jonathon Jennings of Ottawa has a career record of 22-22 as a starter – all with B.C. – and is 1-5 in games against the Bombers. He’s 2-5 if you include the Lions win in the 2016 West Semi-final.
3 BOMBERS TO WATCH
#19 Kyrie Wilson, LB: He’s been steady, both at his weak-side spot and since filling in for Bighill in the middle. He ranks third on the club in tackles with 17 (Chandler Fenner has 23; Brandon Alexander 19) and has added an interception and knockdown.
#23 Anthony Gaitor, LB/DB: Not a lot of passes are completed in his neighbourhood. An often overlooked and underrated part of the Bombers defence.
#82: Drew Wolitarsky, WR: Had five catches for 50 yards and a TD the last time the Bombers played Ottawa.
X FACTOR
#5 Willie Jefferson, DE: Was his absolute disruptive-force best the last time these two clubs played, exploding off the edge and flashing his athleticism.
NOTABLE:
The Bombers are making three changes to their 46-man roster this week. Coming aboard are LB Dale Warren, WR/KR Kenny Walker and DB/LB Dondre Wright. Off the roster are WR/KR Charles Nelson and LB Jesse Briggs – both of whom have been moved to the six-game injured list – and LB Nick Temple, who was released. LB Adam Bighill is again listed as the starting middle linebacker, but his status – like last week – will be a game-time decision.
JUICY NUMBER
78.6: The Bombers are an impressive 11 of 14 in the red zone (opponent 20-yard line and in), for a 78.6% success rate. Opposition offences, meanwhile, are just one of five in their visits to Winnipeg’s red zone.
FYI
- Matt Nichols leads the CFL with 10 touchdown passes against just one interception and has the top quarterback efficiency rating at 126.0.
Nichols is 5-1 in his last six starts against Ottawa. - Andrew Harris is off to a torrid start in 2019. He has 378 yards rushing in four games and a juicy 6.5-yards-per-carry average. He eclipsed the 8,000 mark in career rushing yards last week and with eight yards on Friday, would move past Tracy Ham into 11th spot on the CFL’s all-time rushing list.
- The Bombers next win will be the 50th for head coach Mike O’Shea. Only three coaches in club history have more victories: Bud Grant (102), Cal Murphy (86) and Dave Ritchie (52).
- The Bombers have won five straight at home dating back to last year’s Banjo Bowl and are 18-8 in their last 26 games at IG Field.
- Ottawa’s Lewis Ward has hit on a CFL record 61 consecutive field goals and counting. That run includes 20 makes from 40-plus yards.
- The Bombers have surrendered just seven points in the first quarter through the first four games.
