Winnipeg's offense finally looked like the version everybody drew up in the offseason. After weeks of close calls and self-inflicted wounds, the Blue Bombers put together a complete performance against Montreal, and the locker room made sure everyone knew exactly what that felt like.
Running back Brady Oliveira didn't hold back when asked how the win compared to what he expected out of this group heading into the year. "This is exactly what I envisioned from the offseason, you know, when we made all the signings, the guys that we brought in, the coaches that we brought in," Oliveira said. "I felt like this is what we've always been capable of, and unfortunately we just haven't showed enough of it this season, but we showed it tonight."
Collaros Turns 38, Plays Like He's 28
Zach Collaros celebrated a birthday and then went out and torched Montreal's defense, spreading the ball around to seven different receivers with catches. Oliveira couldn't stop raving about his quarterback's night. "Fine wine, baby," Oliveira said. "You know, he just celebrated a birthday yesterday and he went out there and had a huge performance, man. I tell him every single week... lead us, man, and we're all going to be with you."
Head coach Mike O'Shea was just as complimentary, pointing to Collaros's leadership as much as his arm. "He's just tough as nails and he commands the huddle. He's fiery," O'Shea said. "The way he talks to his guys and the affirmation that, hey, you will win and I will deliver." O'Shea added bluntly: "He's really good. I just think his leadership is invaluable to our club... in this building, this is the guy we want."
Collaros, for his part, stayed businesslike about the whole thing. "We always play that way," he said when asked if the game meant more, brushing off suggestions that his aggressive running and Patrick Neufeld's physical edge on the offensive line signaled something extra. "We should win at home."
Balance on Offense, Discipline on Defense
The numbers backed up the eye test — eight guys with targets, seven with catches, Oliveira over 100 yards on the ground, and Ontaria Wilson finding the end zone twice. O'Shea credited his staff for the balance. "I thought Tommy called an excellent game and got everybody involved," O'Shea said, calling Wilson's ripped-away sideline reception a summary of his whole night: "I thought his desire to take that ball, to win that play summed up his night. He deserves all the yards and scores."
Collaros pointed to Montreal's scheme forcing checkdowns and praised his receivers for buying time with blocks on the edge. "Montreal does a good job. They try to make you dunk it down, check it down. And we did that pretty well tonight," he said. "Credit to them for blocking on the edge because they were giving us the looks for it."
Defensively, Winnipeg was without several regular communicators, and O'Shea singled out the reserves who stepped up. "You're missing Reda and Dietrich and Griff and Ethan Ball. These are all guys that communicate and are very versatile," O'Shea said. "I thought JY and James and Richie and Jake did a hell of a job... for our young guys to remain focused and communicate and be right a lot, I thought is certainly a credit to how they prepared."
The Blocked Punt and the Little Things
A blocked punt at Montreal's own one-yard line early in the game swung momentum, and O'Shea gave credit to a veteran's instincts and a lot of unseen work. "Tanner's a terrific vet and he plays with good low base and pad level," O'Shea said. "It could have been somebody else, you know, messed up and somebody else was free... to get your punter to stick around and do work with guys on technical stuff on how to block a punt is pretty cool."
"Huge, huge. Our special teams has been great all season long," Collaros said. "Anytime you can have a momentum swing like that... is massive. Mike Miller coaches those guys up each and every week."
Eyes Already on the Banjo Bowl
With the win in hand, Winnipeg's focus shifts almost immediately to the annual home-and-home with Saskatchewan — a series Oliveira treats like a holiday. "These are the games that I have marked on my calendar every year," Oliveira said. "Going to a hostile environment, it's going to be loud... and then we get to come back here and play in the best game of the year, the Banjo Bowl."
O'Shea, careful as ever not to get too comfortable, made clear one good week doesn't erase the ones before it. "It's no good to have one. You know, you got to have more," he said. "They'll certainly enjoy this one tonight." For a Winnipeg team that's been telling reporters for weeks it was close, this was the night the details finally lined up — and now they've got a rivalry week to prove it wasn't a one-off.
Watch the Full Videos
Winnipeg Blue Bombers: Brady Oliveira | August 28
Winnipeg Blue Bombers: Coach O'Shea | August 28
Winnipeg Blue Bombers: Zach Collaros | August 28