In game where the Bombers beat the Lions pillar to post by a score of 50-14, there are many, many candidates for the Game Ball! If I wanted to be lazy I could just sound like Oprah, “You get a Game Ball, and you get a Game Ball, and you get a Game Ball,” and hand everyone a Game Ball! The really funny thing is that if I did that it would be totally warranted.
All the talk leading into the game was how the BC Lions have the best defense in the league and how they do not give up touchdowns. I guess the Bombers heard that chatter and got tired of it as their first two drives had long bomb strikes and quick touchdowns!
You could likely pick any player from the Bombers offence and give them a Game Ball without much of an argument from me. It also seemed like the Bombers “Dark Side” defense had heard enough about the Lions defense being the best, as they too came to play!
About the only thing not working for the Bombers was their return game. And I do not see McCrea getting much better at that position. The Bombers are certainly are missing Grant, their star returner. Look for the Bombers to keep improving that position – they are not a team to stand pat.
Game Ball
I have to be honest, I am very tempted to give the Game Ball to Kenny Lawler who had 7 receptions on 8 targets for a massive 200 yards!
Yet, when you look at that you have to consider Zach Collaros who threw the passes to get Lawler that many yards and Zach himself went 19/27 for 369 yards! However, then you have to consider the Bombers offensive line who gave Collaros so much protection that he could have not only sat back their and made a sandwich, but also eat it! Consider this, Zach Collaros is on pace for 5,000 yards, 36 touchdowns, and has a touchdown to interception ratio of 16:4. This from on offence line that has been criticized and some though they were getting too old.
Yet I can hear the Bombers’ defense saying, “Hey don’t forget about us!” The Bombers held the Lions to 14 points! Think about this, right now there are only 3 teams in the league with a positive point differential!
Before the game vs. the Bombers the Lions point differential “Diff” was 88!
Yet I have to give the Game Ball out to the Bombers the Bombers’ coaching staff for a second time in a row. Their game plan not only put the Lions on notice but put Bomber fans on notice. I was at the game an I can guarantee you nobody thought the Bombers would come out with Zach Collaros slinging in the first series – resulting in a touchdown. Even if there were a very small handful of fans or Lions that thought Zach would come out slinging in his first series…absolutely nobody thought he would do the same in the second series!
For making a statement on the first series and making sure your players did not take their foot of the gas, Bomber coaches, you get my Game Ball!
If you disagree with my choice, check out the highlight reel and let me know who you would give a Game Ball to.
Jock
It would be far too easy to give the Jock to Dane Evans who went 12/21 with 113 yards and 2 interceptions. But I am not going there. I will be fair in my assessment. Winnipeg was coming off a bye week, and BC had played the Sunday previous, and BC was not starting their star quarterback Vernon Adams (who could have played as he was on the depth chart and did suit up in the second half after Evan got injured). Now I will not say that a loss was inevitable, no player of coach would subscribe to that. But it was going to be a tough game for BC considering the schedule and considering that they embarrassed Winnipeg in Week 3 at IG Field winning 30-6!
So everyone knew this would be a tough game for BC. Yet BC was completely flat! Their only bright spot might be where the Bombers themselves are struggling…returns! Terry Williams has 6 returns for 195 yards!
The Jock has to go to the Lions coaching staff for having their team so ill prepared that they not only let the Bombers put up 50, but they themselves only put up 14! Like I said it was going to be a tough game for the Lions but they should have never let the spread be that much.
Do you agree or disagree with my choices? Let me know in the comments section wherever you are reading this.
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