There’s nothing quite like a tilt against your fiercest Prairie rival to get the juices flowing.
While Friday’s battle with the Saskatchewan Roughriders might not have the same hype around it as the Labour Day Classic or Banjo Bowl, there’s plenty on the line at Mosaic Stadium in what will be the first of three meetings.
While the Blue Bombers are feeling better about their lot in life after winning consecutive games after an 0-4 start, the Roughriders are 4-1 but coming off their first loss of the season — something new head coach Corey Mace said was a welcome development when he spoke to reporters after falling to the B.C. Lions.
MIKE DEAL / FREE PRESS FILES Winnipeg Blue Bombers’ offensive lineman Eric Lofton should have plenty of motivation as he faces his former teammates on the Saskatchewan Roughriders for the first time as a member of the Blue Bombers.
“We’re obviously not happy with the losses that we’ve had, so we’ve tried to learn from those as much as we can. This is a great opportunity this week to kind of break that threshold,” said Blue Bombers guard Paddy Neufeld. “(A record of) 3-4 looks a lot better than 2-5. It’s a big week for us in that regard. (A win) would get us back one game out of second place and right back in the mix of it.”
Returning home to Saskatchewan is always special for Neufeld, but fellow offensive lineman Eric Lofton figures to have plenty of motivation as he faces his former teammates for the first time as a member of the Blue Bombers.
“We honestly haven’t spoken about that much, but obviously we’re going to be picking his brain about things he understands (about) those guys,” said Neufeld, while recognizing the Roughriders have a new coaching staff in place than the one he played for last season. “We’ve played a lot of football, it’s about executing in that crowd noise.”
Blue Bombers quarterback Zach Collaros understands some of the challenges the folks in Green and White will present.
“I feel like they’re that way all of the time on the defensive side and it starts with their front four,” said Collaros. “They rotate guys over there, too. (Anthony) Lanier is an unbelievable football player, Micah (Johnson) is having a heck of a season. They do a great job of getting after the passer. They’re relentless, they’re super athletic on the back end, (Jameer Thurman) in the middle there, is a really good football player, so we’re going to have our work cut out for us in a really fun environment to play in.”
The Blue Bombers are unlikely to be facing former teammate Jermarcus Hardrick, the offensive tackle who signed a big ticket deal in Saskatchewan as a free agent.
Hardrick was carted off the field of Saturday’s loss with a lower-body injury that looked serious.
NO LAMBEAU LEAP FOR DEMSKI: When Blue Bombers receiver Nic Demski caught the go-ahead touchdown late in the fourth quarter of Friday’s game, he let his momentum carry him right into the stands in the south end zone at Princess Auto Stadium. But instead of going for a modified Lambeau Leap, Demski took the stairs before celebrating with fans.
“I’m going to give him a hard time. I remember two years ago, I jumped into the stands,” said Blue Bombers running back Brady Oliveira. “Ever since I’ve known Demski playing for the Bombers, he takes the stairs. He doesn’t like to leap. I’m going to get on him about that because I know he can jump. Maybe he was tired. I don’t know.
THE CANADIAN PRESS FILES/John Woods Winnipeg Blue Bombers’ Nic Demski runs for a first down as Calgary Stampeders’ Malcolm Thompson hangs on, Friday.
“Good to see Demski getting back to himself as well and getting involved in plays and making plays. The guy’s a playmaker and still valuable to this football team. Seeing him get back out there and doing his thing was good to see.”
Demski finished Friday’s game with seven catches for 60 yards with a touchdown reception and a two-point conversion.
BLUE NOTES: Oliveira and Demski were among the players who took maintenance days on Monday. They were joined on the sidelines by offensive tackle Stanley Bryant, defensive back Brian Cole and defensive end DE Lucky Ogbevoen. Defensive end TyJuan Garbutt was working with the first-team defence on Monday and he’s eligible to come off the six-game injured list this week.
X: WiebesWorld
Ken Wiebe
Sports reporter
Ken Wiebe is a sports reporter for the Free Press, with an emphasis on the Winnipeg Jets. He has covered hockey and provided analysis in this market since 2000 for the Winnipeg Sun, The Athletic, Sportsnet.ca and TSN. Ken was a summer intern at the Free Press in 1999 and returned to the Free Press in a full-time capacity in September of 2023. Read more about Ken.
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