Mike O’Shea summed up perfectly the Grey Cup rematch between his Winnipeg Blue Bombers and Toronto Argonauts at IG Field Friday night.
In his usual post-game press conference, the Bombers head coach noted the importance of picking up a critical two points from a 31-21 victory over last year’s champs but lamented some of the ways in which they were earned. O’Shea pointed out a particularly rough start but took solace in how his team bounced back down the stretch, regaining a lead in the fourth quarter that they wouldn’t relinquish.
The win keeps the Bombers atop the West Division, at 11-4, tied with the B.C. Lions, who improved to same record with a victory over the Saskatchewan Roughriders later that night. That sets up what will be an exciting Week 18 matchup between the Bombers and Lions at BC Place Friday, with the winner clinching the season series and likely the division.
THE CANADIAN PRESS/Fred Greenslade
Winnipeg Blue Bombers quarterback Dakota Prukop scores the game-winning touchdown against the Toronto Argonauts during second half CFL action in Winnipeg, Friday.
The Argonauts, who treated the game like a preseason tilt, sitting several key players and making some questionable in-game decisions, dropped to a CFL-leading 12-2 record with the loss. The defeat also snapped a six-game win streak for a Toronto club that had wrapped up the East two weeks ago.
Let’s take a deeper look into Friday’s game in the latest edition of 5 Takeaways.
1) It was written about all week how the Argonauts were going to dress a watered-down lineup, beginning when news broke on Tuesday that starting QB and one of the league’s frontrunners for most outstanding player, Chad Kelly, was getting the night off.
Later in the week, more players would be ruled out, including three defensive all-stars from 2022 in DL Shawn Oakman, LB Wynton McManis and CB Jamal Peters. While it made for disappointing news for fans hoping for a best-against-best competition, it was hard to blame the Argos for wanting to rest players, especially seeing as it was a meaningless game for them in the standings.
That said, I can’t imagine many in the Argos locker room were thrilled when head coach Ryan Dinwiddie pulled No. 2 pivot Cameron Dukes for a cold third-stringer Bryan Scott while up two points in the fourth quarter. Scott came in for two series – a pair of two-and-outs, including four incomplete passes – and was pulled for Dukes after the Bombers scored twice to take a 28-21 lead.
To be fair, Dinwiddie had said before kickoff that he planned to play Scott late in the game. But you’d think that since his team was leading and Dukes was making his first start and playing well, he might want to give his No. 2 the opportunity to earn the win against a formidable Bombers team. It’s not like there wasn’t ample time to get Scott some reps, with Argos having four more meaningless regular-season games.
2) There was plenty to like about the Bombers offence. They put up 443 net yards and scored 31 points against a physical Argos defence that hasn’t given up much this year.
Zach Collaros finished 22-for-33 passing for 258 yards, had a game-opening touchdown drive that was capped off with a short pass to RB Brady Oliveira and threw for one interception. Oliveira’s score came on one of his two receptions, but he was most dangerous on the ground, racking up a career-high 169 yards on 25 carries. Dalton Schoen, who leads the CFL with 1,136 receiving yards, had a game-high 101 yards through the air on six catches.
But there was also plenty left to be desired from Winnipeg’s attack. That included a lack of accuracy by Collaros, who missed his target on a few occasions, as well as a lack of finish, settling for six field goals on the night.
Had it not been for the Argos pulling Dukes for Scott, the Bombers might not have had the chance or time to mount a comeback, which was completed with a QB sneak TD by Dakota Prukop. Winnipeg won’t have that luxury this week and will need to execute much better against a stingy Lions defence if they hope to leave with another victory.
3) It was a rough start for the Bombers defence. Troubles tackling and some shoddy coverage had Dukes looking like the next coming of Doug Flutie, with the Argos taking a 14-7 lead after the first quarter.
Things didn’t get much better in the second frame, with Toronto possessing a 17-13 edge at halftime. But some key adjustments at the break allowed the defence to settle down in the second half, with the Bombers allowing just four points in the final two quarters.
The Bombers defence is at its best when they’re able to force turnovers. No better example of that than in the fourth quarter, where the defence was able to create a pair of takeaways that ultimately sealed the game.
The first was a fumble forced by DE Willie Jefferson and recovered by HB Deatrick Nichols that led to a Castillo field goal. What followed was a turnover on downs deep in Toronto territory that led to another kick by Castillo, putting the Bombers up two scores, 31-21, with fewer than two minutes remaining.
THE CANADIAN PRESS/Fred Greenslade
Toronto Argonauts Dejon Brissett is tackled by Winnipeg Blue Bombers Evan Holm and Winston Rose during the first half.
CB Demerio Houston suffered an injury and didn’t return to the game, putting his status for this week in question. Winston Rose moved over to Houston’s spot at boundary corner, with Jamal Parker taking over for Rose on the field side. If Houston can’t play against the Lions, the Bombers also have Abu Daramy-Swaray, who has started games this season, on the practice roster.
4) Friday offered another reminder of the importance of having a consistent kicker and why the Bombers moved on from Marc Liegghio and went out and signed Castillo.
Castillo finished the night six-for-seven on field goals, his lone miss a 52-yarder in the third quarter that bounced off the right upright. He had already made field goals from 26 and 33 yards before the miss and was a perfect four-for-four after it.
Castillo was particularly clutch near the end of the third quarter and into the fourth. He connected on a 49-yard field goal with seconds remaining in the third, cutting into Toronto’s lead, 18-16, and then nailed a 48-yarder a few minutes later to again keep the game in reach, down 21-19.
Once Prukop put the Bombers up for good with his fourth-quarter TD, Castillo added some insurance with a pair of field goals from 41 and 32 yards, respectively. Castillo is 36-for-40 on field goals this season, for a success rate of 90 per cent, with half of his misses coming from beyond 50 yards.
5) This was a game that was supposed to determine which team was the best in the CFL, and while the Bombers earned the win, Toronto did enough to earn the title.
The Argos are a solid team, with depth up and down their lineup. The offence is packed with weapons, including a punishing running back in A.J. Ouellette and a receiver group that battles just as hard for yards and will only be better with Kelly under centre. The defence is also stacked, playing a punishing game and one that makes the opponent earn every yard.
The Bombers have been far too inconsistent this year to suggest they’re better than the Argos, even if being in the West leads to tougher games. In the event Winnipeg is able to punch its ticket to a fourth straight Grey Cup, if Toronto is there again, too, the Bombers will surely be viewed as underdogs.
Twitter: @jeffkhamilton
Jeff Hamilton
Multimedia producer
After a slew of injuries playing hockey that included breaks to the wrist, arm, and collar bone; a tear of the medial collateral ligament in both knees; as well as a collapsed lung, Jeff figured it was a good idea to take his interest in sports off the ice and in to the classroom.
