Photo: Bob Butrym/3DownNation. All rights reserved.
The Winnipeg Blue Bombers were defeated by the Hamilton Tiger-Cats on Saturday by a score of 48-31 in front of 22,288 fans at Tim Hortons Field. Below are my thoughts on the game.
What was that?
Saturday’s matchup in Hamilton was one of the most bewildering games in the recent memory of the CFL, which is saying something given the nature of the league.
Winnipeg entered the contest as a 7.5-point favourite, which was perfectly reasonable considering how they’d mowed down their opponents with relative ease this season. 3DownNation‘s contributors unanimously picked the Blue Bombers to win and cover over a Ticats team that played terribly in recent back-to-back losses against Toronto.
It was difficult to imagine Hamilton winning this game, though it never seemed impossible. This is the CFL, after all — anything can happen. It was the manner in which Hamilton won that was truly shocking.
In hindsight, the Blue Bombers might have been due for a letdown. They just secured two emotional victories over a hated rival and have essentially wrapped the West Division. The team is also heading into a bye week, which can sometimes be a distraction. Who doesn’t look forward to a week off? It’s only natural to look ahead to spending time relaxing with family and friends.
There’s no reason for Winnipeg to hit the panic button after Saturday’s loss. This is still the best team in the CFL and they’re still going to host the West Final. However, this loss makes it reasonable to ask questions that would have seemed unfair as recently as a week ago.
If Winnipeg’s loss to Montreal in Week 10 blemished their armour, this loss blasted a three-inch hole into it. They’ll need to spend their bye week mending that hole as well as they can heading into their final four regular season games.
Excellent Evans
Ricky Ray was at Tim Hortons Field to celebrate his induction into the Canadian Football Hall of Fame, yet it appears he wasn’t the best quarterback in the building.
Dane Evans, whose future in the CFL appeared to be in jeopardy as recently as two weeks ago, looked like the second coming of Doug Flutie as he completed 25-of-32 pass attempts for 327 yards and a career-high five touchdowns. For context, Ray did not have a five-touchdown performance over the final eleven years of his CFL career.
Evans showed a sign of things to come in the first quarter as his touchdown pass to Tim White was as nice as any throw all season. If there had been any less speed on the ball, it would have been knocked down or intercepted by a trailing Deatrick Nichols. If there had been any more speed on the ball, it would have been intercepted by Donald Rutledge Jr. or sailed over White’s head depending on its trajectory.
Evans hasn’t had a great season overall but he dominated the Blue Bombers at Tim Hortons Field. Matthew Schiltz appears to be recovering well from his wrist injury but this suddenly looks like Evans’ team once again. Kudos to him.
Dreadful defence
As well as Evans played, Winnipeg’s defence did little to throw him off his game. The front seven generated little to no pressure throughout the contest, while Hamilton fully controlled the line of scrimmage in the run game.
The backbreaker for Winnipeg’s defence came with just under ten minutes remaining in the fourth quarter. The game was still well within reach at 41-31 and the Blue Bombers were firing on all cylinders offensively, scoring two touchdowns in a little under five minutes.
The Ticats then churned out a 14-play, 90-yard drive, converting five times on second down and once on third down. A particularly costly play came with just over five minutes remaining as Evans avoided Adam Bighill on second-and-nine to run just far enough for a first down.
“We just needed another stop, to tell you the truth,” head coach Mike O’Shea told CJOB 680’s Derek Taylor after the game. “I thought we had ’em. We just probably didn’t tackle well enough.”
The drive lasted over eight minutes and eliminated any further possibility of a comeback by Winnipeg. Hamilton finished the game with 424 yards of offence and zero turnovers.
“Kudos to [Hamilton] for being able to come out and punch us in the mouth this week,” said defensive back Brandon Alexander. “Maybe we needed that, to be honest with you.”
The strip
People tend to blame the offensive line whenever a quarterback faces pressure but Malik Carney’s strip-sack of Zach Collaros was a perfect example of why that’s wrong.
The Ticats blitzed six defenders and Winnipeg didn’t have any extra blockers in to help provide protection. It was inevitable that at least one rusher was going to come free and it was up to Collaros to evade them or throw the ball almost instantly.
Collaros’ initial read was to his left and he didn’t appear to notice the oncoming rusher until it was too late to escape the pocket. Carney made a nice play to wrap the quarterback up with his left arm and reach for the ball with his right, though it appeared Collaros had already lost control of it by that point.
Collaros had a decent game — he completed 23-of-34 pass attempts for 342 yards, two touchdowns, and two interceptions — though there’s no question he was outdueled by his counterpart.
Disappointing debut
Brandon Alexander made his much-anticipated season debut at safety, dressing for his first game since suffering a torn ACL in last year’s Grey Cup. The expectation was that the five-year veteran would help take Winnipeg’s defence to a new level as he is not only a great player but a leader capable of elevating those around him.
Instead, Alexander’s presence wasn’t particularly noticeable with the exception of a big shot he delivered on Steven Dunbar Jr. early in the second quarter. He finished the game with four tackles and took some of the blame for his unit’s disappointing performance.
“There was a lack of communication on our side and I’ll take a lot of the onus on that. Me being first back and seeing the field differently, I wasn’t able to communicate with everybody how I normally do and everything, so I definitely take part of that,” said Alexander.
“It was running pretty fast. I was able to get most of my calls out but I wasn’t perfect today how I normally would be. I’ve just gotta do better on my job, I’ve gotta watch a little more film, be able to make the adjustments that I need to, and be able to make sure that the guys are all on point. The guys weren’t on point and a part of that has to do with me.”
Potpourri
Winston Rose has had an up-and-down year at cornerback but the 54-yard touchdown pass he allowed late in the first half has to be a new low for him.
What do you do when you score your first CFL touchdown?
Kiondre Smith has had a solid rookie season for Hamilton but has no business getting behind opposing defensive backs. He’s a possession receiver — not a burner — yet he blew by Rose and outran the veteran defensive back to the end zone.
Winnipeg has recently experienced a rash of injuries in its secondary, losing boundary cornerback Demerio Houston and field-side halfback Nick Taylor. If this unit is going to be successful with rookies like Evan Holm and Jamal Parker entering the lineup, they need to get better production from their veterans.
Schoen shines (again)
Rookie receiver Dalton Schoen set a new career high with 158 receiving yards on the night, bringing him within a stone’s throw of the 1,000-yard mark on the season. Had Winnipeg gotten the ball back with ten minutes remaining, it’s possible he would have challenged the legendary Milt Stegall for one of his many spots in the club’s record book.
Stegall has three of the club’s top five all-time single-game receiving records with totals of 233, 234, and 254 yards. David Williams’ total of 240 yards might have also been in reach, though the top spot — Alfred Jackson’s 308-yard game from 1994 — will probably stand for the rest of time.
Mental toughness
It was interesting to hear Cody Fajardo and Dane Evans speak out recently regarding how difficult this season has been for them mentally and emotionally. It’s refreshing when athletes speak honestly about their feelings and it’s easy to sympathize with both quarterbacks to at least some extent. We’re all human and there’s a ton of pressure that comes with playing the game’s most important position in two of the league’s most passionate markets.
With that said, there’s also something to be said for mental toughness. Fajardo complained about being booed by his hometown fans, which was a little eyebrow-raising considering Saskatchewan’s offence was horrible for most of Friday’s loss to Edmonton. Fans who dole out their hard-earned money to attend a sporting event are entitled to cheer or boo as they see fit. If a player doesn’t want the crowd to boo, the solution is pretty simple: play better.
The reason I mention this is Blue Bombers’ kicker Marc Liegghio has already been booed plenty of times through his relatively short professional career, particularly in the team’s 20-17 loss to Montreal last month. He has not only never complained about being booed but has gone a perfect ten-for-ten since his tough outing against the Als, including a 55-yard game-winner in the Labour Day Classic.
You don’t get very far in professional football without mental toughness. Liegghio’s shown that in spades and Evans showed that on Saturday with his stellar performance against Winnipeg. Maybe Fajardo can take notes.
Centre of attention
It was interesting to see Michael Couture dress as the backup to Chris Kolankowski at centre after returning from a long-term forearm injury. The 28-year-old has been a fixture in the starting lineup for the past four seasons but was relegated to a reserve role against Hamilton, taking a number of snaps at tight end.
It’s worth noting that Kolankowski is under contract for 2023 on a deal that will pay him a little over $80,000. Couture, meanwhile, is a pending free agent who earns close to double that. If Winnipeg is looking to save money along the offensive line next year, it’ll be interesting to see if they choose to roll with Kolankowski at centre.
Walking wounded
Jackson Jeffcoat left Saturday’s game due to injury due to what was reported as a lower-body injury and did not return. The Blue Bombers don’t have much depth at defensive end right now as Thiadric Hansen is injured, Cedric Wilcots II is on the practice roster, and L.B. Mack III was released earlier this month.
Winnipeg would be wise to pursue a trade for a defensive back during their bye week, while Mack would be a solid readdition depending on the severity of Jeffcoat’s injury.
Next up
The Blue Bombers (12-2) are on a bye this upcoming week, giving them a chance to rest their lingering injuries, bumps, and bruises.
The club will host the Saskatchewan Roughriders (6-8) for the final regular season game between the two teams on Friday, Sept. 30, which should be a good game after a ravaging stomach flu put the Riders at a significant disadvantage in the Banjo Bowl.
How will Winnipeg respond to being thoroughly outplayed in a meaningful game for the first time in three years? There’s only one way to find out.
GUADALAJARA, Mexico – Canada’s Marina Stakusic fell 6-4, 6-3 to Poland’s Magdalena Frech in the quarterfinals of the Guadalajara Open tennis tournament on Friday.
The 19-year-old from Mississauga, Ont., won 61 per cent of her first-serve points and broke on just one of her six opportunities.
Stakusic had upset top-seeded Jelena Ostapenko of Latvia 6-3, 5-7, 7-6 (0) on Thursday night to advance.
In the opening round, Stakusic defeated Slovakia’s Anna Karolína Schmiedlová 6-2, 6-4 on Tuesday.
The fifth-seeded Frech won 62 per cent of her first-serve points and converted on three of her nine break point opportunities.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Sept. 13, 2024.
TORONTO – Alejandro Kirk’s long single with the bases loaded provided the Toronto Blue Jays with a walk-off 4-3 win in the 11th inning of their series opener against the St. Louis Cardinals on Friday.
With the Cardinals outfield in, Kirk drove a shot off the base of the left-field wall to give the Blue Jays (70-78) their fourth win in 11 outings and halt the Cardinals’ (74-73) two-game win streak before 30,380 at Rogers Centre.
Kirk enjoyed a two-hit, two-RBI outing.
Erik Swanson (2-2) pitched a perfect 11th inning for the win, while Cardinals reliever Ryan Fernandez (1-5) took the loss.
Blue Jays starter Kevin Gausman enjoyed a seven-inning, 104-pitch outing. He surrendered his two runs on nine hits and two walks and fanned only two Cardinals.
He gave way to reliever Genesis Cabrera, who gave up a one-out homer to Thomas Saggese, his first in 2024, that tied the game in the eighth.
The Cardinals started swiftly with four straight singles to open the game. But they exited the first inning with only two runs on an RBI single to centre from Nolan Arendao and a fielder’s choice from Saggese.
Gausman required 28 pitches to escape the first inning but settled down to allow his teammates to snatch the lead in the fourth.
He also deftly pitched out of threats from the visitors in the fifth, sixth and seventh thanks to some solid defence, including Will Wagner’s diving stop, which led to a double play to end the fifth inning.
George Springer led off with a walk and stole second base. He advanced to third on Nathan Lukes’s single and scored when Vladimir Guerrero Jr. knocked in his 95th run with a double off the left-field wall.
Lukes scored on a sacrifice fly to left field from Spencer Horwitz. Guerrero touched home on Kirk’s two-out single to right.
In the ninth, Guerrero made a critical diving catch on an Arenado grounder to throw out the Cardinals’ infielder, with reliever Tommy Nance covering first. The defensive gem ended the inning with a runner on second base.
St. Louis starter Erick Fedde faced the minimum night batters in the first three innings thanks to a pair of double plays. He lasted five innings, giving up three runs on six hits and a walk with three strikeouts.
ON DECK
Toronto ace Jose Berrios (15-9) will start the second of the three-game series on Saturday. He has a six-game win streak.
The Cardinals will counter with righty Kyle Gibson (8-6).
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Sept. 13, 2024.
CALGARY – Mired in their first four-game losing skid in 20 years, the Calgary Stampeders are going back to Jake Maier at quarterback on Saturday after he was benched for a game.
It won’t be an easy assignment.
Visiting McMahon Stadium are the Eastern Conference-leading Montreal Alouettes (10-2) who own the CFL’s best record. The Stampeders (4-8) have fallen to last in the Western Conference.
“Six games is plenty of time, but also it is just six games,” said Maier. “We’ve got to be able to get on the right track.”
Calgary is in danger of missing the playoffs for the first time since 2004.
“I do still believe in this team,” said Stampeders’ head coach and general manager Dave Dickenson. “I want to see improvement, though. I want to see guys on a weekly basis elevating their game, and we haven’t been doing that.”
Maier is one of the guys under the microscope. Two weeks ago, the second-year starter threw four interceptions in a 35-20 home loss to the Edmonton Elks.
After his replacement, rookie Logan Bonner, threw five picks in last week’s 37-16 loss to the Elks in Edmonton, the football is back in Maier’s hands.
“Any time you fail or something doesn’t go your way in life, does it stink in the moment? Yeah. But then the days go on and you learn things about yourself and you learn how to prepare a little bit better,” said Maier. “It makes you mentally tougher.”
Dickenson wants to see his quarterback making better decisions with the football.
“Things are going to happen, interceptions will happen, but try to take calculated risks, rather than just putting the ball up there and hoping that we catch it,” said Dickenson.
A former quarterback himself, he knows the importance of that vital position.
“You cannot win without good quarterback play,” Dickenson said. “You’ve got to be able to make some plays — off-schedule plays, move-around plays, plays that break down, plays that aren’t designed perfectly, but somehow you found the right guy, and then those big throws where you’re taking that hit.”
But it’s going to take a team effort, and that includes the club’s receiving corp.
“We always have to band together because we need everything to go right for our receivers to get the ball,” said Nik Lewis, the Stampeders’ receivers coach. “The running back has to pick up the blitz, the o-line has to block, the quarterback has to make the right reads, and then give us a catchable ball.”
Lewis brings a unique perspective to this season’s frustrations as he was a 22-year-old rookie in Calgary in 2004 when the Stamps went 4-14 under coach Matt Dunigan. They turned it around the next season and haven’t missed the playoffs since.”
“Thinking back and just looking at it, there’s just got to be an ultimate belief that you can get it done. Look at Montreal, they were 6-7 last year and they’ve gone 18-2 since then,” said Lewis.
Montreal is also looking to rebound from a 37-23 loss to the B.C. Lions last week. But for head coach Jason Maas, he says his team’s mindset doesn’t change, regardless of what happened the previous week.
“Last year when we went through a four-game losing streak, you couldn’t tell if we were on a four-game winning streak or a four-game losing streak by the way the guys were in the building, the way we prepared, the type of work ethic we have,” said Maas. “All our standards are set, so that’s all we focus on.”
While they may have already clinched a playoff spot, Alouettes’ quarterback Cody Fajardo says this closing stretch remains critical because they want to finish the season strong, just like last year when they won their final five regular-season games before ultimately winning the Grey Cup.
“It doesn’t matter about what you do at the beginning of the year,” said Fajardo. “All that matters is how you end the year and how well you’re playing going into the playoffs so that’s what these games are about.”
The Alouettes’ are kicking off a three-game road stretch, one Fajardo looks forward to.
“You understand what kind of team you have when you play on the road because it’s us versus the world mentality and you can feel everybody against you,” said Fajardo. “Plus, I always tend to find more joy in silencing thousands of people than bringing thousands of people to their feet.”
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Sept. 13, 2024.
