The Bombers beat the Lions 24-9 in a game that I called inconsequential, but have since changed my mind. I will get more into that later in the week in my Truth Bombs article.
When you enter a game that has no bearing on the standings it can be hard to be motivated to play the game. However, in the same way that there is no lack of Grey Cup tickets currently on the market, Winnipeg does not lack motivation. Remember that old boring mantra, “We are just trying to go 1-0 this week?”
That mantra has paid off in spades for the Winnipeg Blue Bombers for a long time, including this ‘inconsequential game.’
Game-Ball
There are so many game-balls that could be handed out after this show of dominance!
Dalton Schoen
Dalton Schoen could certainly receive a game-ball! He had two receptions for 84 yards, with the longest reception being 62 yards where he broke so many tackles! He also ended the night with another touchdown which takes him to a league leading 16 touchdowns! Additionally, he leads the league with 1,441 yards. Dalton Schoen is a shoe-in for Rookie of the Year.
"On the forefront of my mind is, how do I do my job to help this team be successful."
Nobody was quite certain if Brady Oliveira was going to make it to 1,000 yards rushing this season. If you would have asked almost anybody in the early stages of the season if Brady would hit that mark they would have laughed in your face. Yet with 9 carries for 72 yards, Brady Oliveira just broke the 1,000 mark with 1,001 yards!
Even if your eyesight was failing you it was impossible not to see that Oliveira was a man on a mission. He was running harder, and faster than I have seen him run all season. Surely he wanted to break that 1,000 yard mark.
“The fact that I was able to accomplish that with my teammates, with my offensive line, is a great honour."
Side note: If you did not notice both Schoen and Oliveira have statistics that are palindromes.
Zach Collaros
Zach had one job to do, just one. Gets some reps. No, his job was not to stay healthy, that was the Offensive Line’s job, and they did a fantastic job at that! Zach went in, threw a couple of passes, got any rust off and that was about it, right? Completely wrong! While he only had one job, Collaros did so much more. In two series he went 4/5 throwing for 68 yards and 2 touchdowns! Zach has a league leading 37 touchdowns. He better be the MOP! If anyone votes for Rourke as the MOP, you are getting a jock!
Bombers’ Defense
could single out every single player on the Bombers defense, but that would take too long. However, this defense had Rourke hearing footsteps! And when any BC Lions quarterback did complete a pass, or hand the ball off, BC was getting tackled hard! There were no easy plays for the Lions, this was a statement game by the Bombers’ defense, and that statement was this, “Do you want to come to Winnipeg in the West Final when it is a little bit colder and the hits hurt a little bit more? Let me make you think that one over!”
While any of those players or group of player could have earned a game-ball, the game ball has to go to special team’s ace, Mike Miller. If you watched the game live you probably noticed Willie Jefferson line up as a receiver, but you likely missed – as I did – who lined up under center! It was Mike Miller who took the snap and snuck the ball in for a touchdown! During another game’s broadcast on Saturday, TSN said that was Miller’s first touchdown, but that is not accurate. In 2017 Miller also scored a touchdown on a fumble recovery.
The Jock
I will cut right to the chase, the jock goes to the BC coaching staff.
As I mentioned earlier Collaros only had one job, and Rourke’s job was similar – get in, get reps, and look like you are ready to go for the playoffs. Well, he got in, got reps, but if Rourke that enters the playoffs like the way he played in Winnipeg the Lions are done!
In my game preview I said “If I am the coach of the BC Lions I am not going to predetermine that. I am going to say that Rourke gets as much playing time as he needs to get it going, and no more.
The last thing the BC Lions want is for Rourke to re-aggravate his injury heading into the Western Semi-Finals. The second last thing that BC wants is for Rourke to head into the playoffs rusty.”
And what did they accomplish for Lucky Whitehead to re-injury his ankle and possibly not play in the playoffs…. BC coach and staff were wrong on that call as well.
Barbara Kuzma
November 5, 2022 at 11:14 pm
And what did they accomplish for Lucky Whitehead to re-injury his ankle and possibly not play in the playoffs…. BC coach and staff were wrong on that call as well.