This new segment is meant to be a hard hitting, unbiased look at the game.

For those concerned about the word ‘bomb’ and its connotations with geopolitical events, the ‘bomb’ part comes from the Winnipeg Blue Bombers’ name. Contrary to the belief of some, the name ‘Bombers,’ has nothing to do with actual bombs.

Rather, the name was first used by Winnipeg Tribune reporter Vince Leah in 1936 who was referencing boxer Joe Louis known as the “Brown Bomber” for his heavy punches. Similarly, this segment is mean to be heavy hitting.

Quick Game Recap:

Winnipeg should have ran away with the game! In the first quarter, aided by a couple of interceptions, Winnipeg scored two touchdowns. They led after the first quarter 14-0. That should have been lights out! They should have rocked Toronto like BC did the week prior (with BC beating Toronto 44-3). On the eighth play of the game, Rose intercepted McLeod Bethel-Thompson and scored a touchdown! Man, did Rose need that after a subpar beginning to the season.

McLeod Bethel-Thompson would be intercepted again in the first quarter by Nick Taylor. That led to a Winnipeg drive where Drew Wolitarsky caught a pass from Zach Collaros and scored another touchdown.

But things started to turn around for Toronto.

With about 15 seconds remaining in the first half, Winnipeg thought they had time for two plays. Being in field goal range already, they took a shot down field to the end zone. However, that pass was intercepted by Toronto’s Peters. Winnipeg would end the half with no points from that possession.

In the second half of the game Toronto would keep feeding the ball to Andrew Harris. Fired up to play against his old team Harris would rush for 111 yards. He seemed unstoppable at times. Prior to the game I guessed he would rush for 112 yards. Not far off.

Early in the third quarter was a call that Bomber fans, including myself, hated. A pass by McLeod Bethel -Thompson to the end zone intended for Banks, looked to be intercepted by Rose. I’ve seen many replays and think that this was a huge missed call. To me, it is an interception and down by contact. In fact, there seems to be a lot of strange calls this season and the ‘eye in the sky,’ seems pretty much useless. That is why I would love to see the CFL take fans into the command center like the XFL does on reviews and challenges. That way we could hear the reasoning for the call. But alas, the CFL somehow does not know that would be great for the game.

Here is the play. You decide.

Craziest Play Of The Game:

Despite the play and call above, there was a even crazier play than that one!

In the third quarter with 3:41 on the clock, Toronto is threatening to score. Toronto quarterback Bethel-Thompson throws a pass to Banks. It is almost caught but Banks lost control when hit by Rose. Adam Bighill gets in on the action and deflects the ball. Malcolm Thompson, for the Bombers, catches the ball, runs for a few yards, sees he will be tackled, and laterals to Nick Taylor who runs for 42 yards! He is then pushed out of bounds by Toronto quarterback Bethel-Thompson.

Did you get all that? If not, you can pick that play up at the 4:51 mark in this video showing the highlights between the Winnipeg Blue Bombers and the Toronto Argonauts.

Yet the series ended in only a field goal. Come on Winnipeg! You have to make teams pay dearly when they turn over the ball!

Truth Bombs:

*Winnipeg needs to start putting majors on the board! Too many drives are ending in field goals. You will not keep winning games like that. You have to help yourself out and not rely on the other team’s blunders.

*Winnipeg does not win this game without its stellar defence. The game does not even get close to a tie if the defence does not play great! This is unfortunately becoming a reoccurring theme.

*Winnipeg’s run game is terrible. There I said it. I’ve heard it all, “The offence takes time to gel. We have some injuries.” Guess what? Too bad. We are heading into Week 5 and the run game is hiding and cannot be found. That’s what Banks should have done when GM Pinball Clemons had to come to the field (more on that in a bit). Winnipeg only rushed for 60 yards on 14 carries. People will say we should have kept Harris, or Augustine needs more touches. Look. Harris is gone and Winnipeg has yet to give more touches to Augustine. However Winnipeg better figure it out quickly. With this dismal rushing game, Winnipeg will not keep winning unless the defence keeps creating turnovers.

*Winnipeg took too many undisciplined penalties that help Toronto gain more field position. There was a pass interference call with 31 seconds left on the clock, in the game, to put the ball on Winnipeg’s 2 yard line. (I think Winnipeg should have challenged that. What are they saving a challenge for at that point? Coach, you do not need to even hear from your other coaches. A challenge flag at that time is automatic.)

*Winnipeg gets beaten badly by BC if they play the same way this Saturday. If Winnipeg wants to go 1-0 (a mantra the Bombers have adopted to make sure they focus in on each week) in Week 5 they better get it together. BC is looking great! Week 5 is going to really reveal who this Bomber team is at this point in the season.

*Toronto snatched defeat from the jaws of victory when Bede missed the point after which would have sent the game to overtime. Toronto had all the momentum. Toronto was able to move the ball down field. During the game I tweeted, “Wasn’t McBeth a tragedy?” If you are a Toronto player, or fan, this game was a tragedy on and off the field.

*The ball should have never been on the foot of Bede at the end of the game. I thought Toronto was going to go for 2 at the end of the game and hand it off to Harris. (It looked to me that McLeod Bethel-Thompson was signaling for 2 to the sidelines after that touchdown.) If Toronto goes for 2, I think Harris scores, Toronto goes up by 1, and wins the game. Toronto, why do you want to go to overtime with this Bomber’s defence? Did you not watch the 2021 Grey Cup?

*Toronto has tons of personnel issues. “Dinwiddie told the press about last night’s incident. “Maybe some guys gotta go home”. Regardless of how talented they are. For what it’s worth, Brandon Banks apologized to the team afterward for his blowup. But one has to wonder if he is on thin ice with his new teammates.” With the eruption Banks caused on the sideline, resulting in Toronto’s GM coming down to the field, I think he might find himself ‘Bankrupt.’ (Toronto has not even bothered to put a picture of Banks on their website with him in a Toronto jersey). Maybe the Argos thought Hamilton was in town and their teammates were Hamilton fans and that’s why they were fighting.

What did I get right? What did I get wrong? Let me know in the comments.

Written by a Bomber fan, for the Bomber fans