Five takeaways from Bombers romp over Eskimos

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This article was published 17/08/2017 (2443 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

With a combined record of 12-2 heading into Thursday night’s tilt at Investors Group Field between the Winnipeg Blue Bombers and Edmonton Eskimos, the game was expected to bring its share of fireworks.

It would deliver on that promise, with the Bombers ending the Eskimos’ winning streak at seven games, while also improving to 6-2 — two points back of Edmonton for top spot in a competitive West Division. Though each team struggled at times in the game, both stayed resilient throughout, with Winnipeg edging out a 33-26 win to extend their run to four straight victories.

The Bombers will look to continue their stellar play of late when they travel to Montreal next week for a date with the Alouettes at Percival Molson Memorial Stadium Thursday night. But before we move ahead, let’s take a look back at five takeaways from the Bombers’ win over the Eskimos.

WATCH HARRIS GO

It would be a gross injustice if we didn’t open this instalment of five takeaways with the play of running back Andrew Harris. The Winnipeg native eclipsed the 100-yard rushing mark for the first time in 2017 a week ago, when he scampered for 107 yards in a win over the Hamilton Tiger-Cats.

Against Edmonton, he collected 105 yards rushing, while adding another 120 on eight receptions for a whopping 225 total yards. Not only was it the most yards Harris has recorded in a single game over his nine-year CFL career, it was also the first time he’s eclipsed 100 yards in both rushing and receiving in the same game. Harris is just the ninth player to record 100 yards in both categories dating back to 1995, and the first since Avon Cobourne did so in 2010 with the Montreal Alouettes.

Since arriving in Winnipeg, Harris has been the heart and soul of the offence. But he’s taken that to a whole new level this year — with 495 rushing yards and 459 yards receiving through eight games, Harris is on pace to reach 1,114 rushing yards and 1,033 yards receiving.

No one in CFL history has recorded 1,000 yards in the air and on the ground in the same season.

He’s also on pace for 113 receptions, which would be a new CFL record for most catches by a running back in single season, currently set by Craig Ellis in 1995, with 102.

Harris has always been someone to keep an eye on each week, but with the chance to rewrite history, he’s become must-see TV.

NICHOLS MAKING HAY

Matt Nichols prides himself on playing with a chip on his shoulder, fuelled by his many critics and their belief he lacks the tools to be viable No. 1 quarterback in the league.

But the argument against him developing into an elite quarterback in the CFL is getting more difficult to make with each week. Nichols completed 80 per cent of his passes Thursday, finishing the night 32-for-40 passing for 390 yards and one touchdown. He also scored on a one-yard run against an Eskimos defence that ranked first against the pass heading into the weekend.

The passing yards tied a career-high for Nichols — he threw for the same in last year’s West Division semifinal loss to the B.C. Lions — and he is on pace to hit the 5,000-yard passing mark for the first time in his career.

But as impressive as Nichols’ numbers have been, it can be argued his ability to make smart decisions is what stands out most.

Nichols hasn’t thrown an interception in his last four games and it’s been during that stretch of wins he’s proven he can sustain meaningful drives. The Bombers didn’t register a single two-and-out against Edmonton and have just five in their last four games.

Also key to their success has been the ability to take advantage of turnovers. With a touchdown to Darvin Adams following a Chris Randle interception just before halftime, the Bombers lead the league in points scored on turnovers, with 75.

DEFENCE FINDING ITS WAY

When the whistle blew to mark the end of the second quarter, the Bombers retreated to the locker room with a commanding 17-3 lead. It’s the fewest points the Eskimos’ prolific offence, led by veteran quarterback Mike Reilly, has scored in the first half this year.

Reilly, the early candidate for the CFL’s most outstanding player award, had just six completions by halftime and only 101 passing yards. His interception to Randle was just his fifth of the season.

The final stats, however, won’t provide the proof for what was another good night for the defence. Reilly finished the game with 365 passing yards — his fifth straight outing with more than 300 — after opening the second half with back-to-back touchdown drives. Edmonton also added 88 rushing yards.

For years, the Bombers’ defence has preached a focus on limiting the number of explosion plays they allow — throws or runs that go for at least 30 yards. But it was those very situations that haunted them on this night, and ultimately why it stayed such a close game to the end.

Both touchdowns — a 40-yard strike to Kenny Stafford and a 33-yarder to Duke Williams — early in the third quarter were prime examples of this undoing. Stafford outmuscled Roc Carmichael, who struggled throughout the night after weeks of his play trending upwards, on the first score, while some bad luck — and bad hands by a pair of Bombers defenders — led to Williams’ touchdown. Cory Watson would later take the ball 72 yards downfield to set up a one-yard TD run by Reilly in the fourth quarter.

But the defence rallied from those early touchdowns in the second half to force consecutive two-and-outs late in the third quarter and early into the fourth. Even though Reilly went without a sack against, he was rushed from the pocket a number of times and had four passes knocked down.

It was a gritty effort by the defence and a building block heading into next week’s match in Montreal.

MEDLOCK UP TO NEW TRICKS

It’s become old hat by now to see Justin Medlock sail field goal attempt after field goal attempt directly through the uprights. He did miss one on Thursday — a 51-yarder early in the fourth — but still finished the night four-for-five.

Medlock has 16 field goals in his last three games and with 28 in eight games is on place to beat the CFL record of 60 he set last season. He also remains perfect on one-point converts since joining the Bombers, hitting all 65 he’s attempted.

But though fans are used to seeing such accuracy from Medlock on field goal kicks, what stood out against the Eskimos was a pair of punts — the Bombers were forced to punt just twice, for the second time in as many weeks — from the kicker. Medlock has been working on a variety of different punts, studying different ways to throw off his opponent.

The two against the Eskimos are said to be called “boomerang” kicks, where Medlock positions the ball in a sideways position so that when it contacts his foot it spins awkwardly in the air. The objective of these kicks are two-fold: to create trouble for the returner when catching the ball, or if it hits the ground first, there’s a higher likelihood of a bounce either out of bounds or off the returner’s body, making it a live ball.

On both occasions against the Eskimos, it was the latter that happened, with each kick resulting in live ball after touching a part of the returner. For a kicker that has heard a fair share of criticism over his punting, Medlock may have found a solution for his critics. It should be interesting to see what he comes up with next.

ESKS ARE THE REAL DEAL

Even in defeat, the Eskimos deserve a lot of respect after this one. After all, despite being ravaged by injuries all season — Edmonton has a whopping 16 guys on the six-game injured list, and another four on the one-game — they are still atop the West and the CFL at 7-1.

Though it can’t be qualified, it’s hard to believe any other team in the CFL would be able to survive what the Eskimos have been through.

Among their many walking wounded, Edmonton is without two of their best receivers in Adarius Bowman and Brandon Zylstra; starting running back John White and backup Travon Van; all-star linebacker J.C. Sherritt; two of their starting defensive lineman, including arguably the best interior tackle in the league in Almondo Sewell; and starting kicker Sean Whyte.

The Eskimos have proven it doesn’t matter who they put in the job, they can still get it done. It’s the kind of depth that wins championships and if Edmonton ever does get fully healthy this season — four more players were unable to finish Thursday’s game — they’re going to be a tough team to beat in pursuit of a Grey Cup.

jeff.hamilton@freepress.mb.ca

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.

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