Normally in a game that faced an opening one hour and fourty minute weather delay the Jock could go to the weather. However, Since this game was played on July 1st and scheduled for 6:00pm Manitoba time the weather delay allowed me to continue to host my family and still catch most of the game!
Weather, on any other day you may have got the jock.
In a game where weather was certainly a factor, even after the delay, the Bombers came out on top – as I predicted they would – by a score of 17-3, handing Montreal their first loss of the season. For more than three quarters of the game Winnipeg held Montreal scoreless, and Winnipeg was the first team this season to put up an offensive touchdown vs. Montreal. Anytime Montreal did threaten to score the Bomber’s came up huge with forcing multiple turnovers!
(Here is where the highlight video would normally be inserted but with Twitter restricting access, you will have to click here to see the highlights).
GameBall
As you have seen from the game highlights there are many Bombers that could have received the Game Ball – where ever you are reading this, let me know who and why you would have given someone a Game Ball).
Brady Oliveira is certainly a contender with 20 carries for 120 yards. How about Schoen with 5 catches on 8 targets for 86 yards? Moving to the other side of the ball, on defense there are a number of contenders as well.
Look across the board! The Bomber’s defense was making life tough for Fajardo – he was literally ducking and chucking as Willie Jefferson was bearing down on him. If you simply looked at Fajardo’s statistics compared to Collaros’ statistics you might think that the game had a different outcome.
However, of that 270 yards that Fajardo threw for, 2 plays made up over 110 yards of it. A 69 yard completion to Kaion Julien-Grant, and a 46 yard completion to Austin Mack. Those are still real throws and catches, but chunk plays can skew the stats.
With all of that said I have to give my Game Ball to defender Abu Daramy-Swaray! Not only did he have 6 tackles and one fumble recovery, but he was highlighted in my previous article, and he did not just talk the talk, he walked the walk!
Words are cheap, action means something! For backing up your words, Abu Daramy-Swaray, you get my game ball!
Jock
I know that Bomber fans have a distain for Fajardo and would like to see him get the Jock for throwing and interception straight into the hands of Alexander on the Bombers’ 2 yard line. But it is not that easy of a choice.
While looking to put points on the board, in the third quarter, Stanback fumbled the ball on the Winnipeg 34 yard line. Then in the fourth quarter, Montreal had a pair of fumbles including ones by Mack and Fajardo.
Montreal also had less than 100 yards of rushing – and Stanback only had 8 carries for 42 yards. The next leading rusher for Montreal was Fajardo with 40 yards! That lack of rushing allowed the Bombers’ defense to go right at the defensive line and right at Fajardo, as long as they do not lose contain.
Yet despite all that the Jock is going to the Alouettes’ coaching staff! They simply gave up on the run game too early. In a game where the weather is terrible – pouring down buckets of rain – you have to establish a run game! While Winnipeg rushed for almost 200 yards, Montreal did not even rush for 100 yards.
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