After a back and forth tug-a-war between Winnipeg and Calgary, the Blue Bombers came out on top 18-16 on Sunday night.

Both teams traded points back and forth as the game never felt out of reach for either team. Despite the Blue Bombers missing the first extra point, it was Calgary’s missed field goal at the end of the game that ultimately decided the outcome. The return of Andrew Harris overshadowed another strong performance by Calgary Stampeders rookie quarterback Jake Maier.

First Quarter

It wasn’t an explosive quarter for Calgary, but fans got to see Jake Maier pick up from where he left off in last week’s game against Montreal. The Stampeders didn’t have any explosive plays in the quarter, but Maier managed to go 7-7 for 49 yards in the first quarter. Their best drive was the opening drive for Calgary where they went down the field to score three points to take an early 3-0 lead.

The rest of the quarter was owned by Winnipeg where the offense exploded with big plays through the air and on the ground. Andrew Harris rushed for 37 yards on five carries including a 20-yard run and a one-yard touchdown to give the Blue Bombers a 6-3 lead. Zach Collaros was also perfect in the quarter completing five of five passes for 94 yards including a 50-yard pass to Rasheed Bailey.

Second Quarter

The second quarter was a whole different story with Calgary taking control of the quarter. Outside of a fumble by Josh Huff on a 41-yard catch, the Stampeders had a near-perfect quarter. Maier was perfect though finishing the half going 16 of 16 for 148 yards showing poise and confidence in his throws. Ka’Deem Carey got the lone touchdown in the quarter with a 17-yard rushing touchdown to put them up 13-9 at the half.

Harris had a much quieter quarter rushing for just eight yards on the ground. The offense for Winnipeg had a tougher time moving the ball down the field with two dropped passes on second down. Their defense struggled to slow down Calgary with the defensive line not being able to get pressure on Maier.

Third Quarter

The third quarter wasn’t as explosive offensively as the first two quarters were as the defenses stepped up to the plate. Winnipeg had the biggest play of the quarter after Collaros connected with Kenny Lawler on a 33-yard completion that was originally ruled a touchdown before being told he was down by contact. That completion led to a 42-yard field goal by Marc Liegghio to pull the Blue Bombers within one point.

Calgary’s offense was relatively quiet for the most part with small completion here and there, but no notable big plays. Maier came back to Earth throwing five incompletions including an almost interception in the quarter. While the defense was able to hold Winnipeg out of the end zone, they continued to struggle to get pressure on Collaros.

Fourth Quarter

The fourth quarter belonged to the kickers where the offenses weren’t able to get into the end zone. Winnipeg started things out with a 37-yard field to take a 15-13 lead. After the Stampeders were able to recreate “The Philly Special”, the team drove down the field to regain the lead with a 33-yard field goal of their own.

The Blue Bombers once again got the ball back and drove down the field. Their first field goal attempt from 35 yards out was no good but got a break by a time count penalty that gave them a second chance. The second field goal attempt from 45 yards went right down the middle to give them an 18-16 lead.

Maier was able to get Calgary down the field on the final drive of the game. Two key elements played a role in making the final field goal tougher for the Stampeders. A missed roughing the passer call and a key drop by Markeith Ambles resulted in Paredes attempting a career-long 52-yard field. He would come up just short to secure the win for Winnipeg.

Final Analysis

Despite a tough loss for the last-place Calgary team, fans should be encouraged by what they saw from their rookie quarterback. Maier once again put up another strong performance showing that he’s capable of starting in the CFL. It might be too soon to call for a quarterback controversy between Maier and Bo Levi Mitchell, but the Stampeders might have their quarterback of the future on their roster.

The return of Andrew Harris was huge for the Blue Bombers after rushing for 81 yards and a touchdown. Winnipeg’s more balanced offensive attack gave the Stampeders a tough time defensively. Calgary’s defensive line wasn’t able to get much pressure on Collaros until the fourth quarter.

Looking into the standings, the win for the Blue Bombers put them tied for first in the west division with Saskatchewan with a 3-1 record and six points. Calgary’s early season struggles continue as they fell to 1-3 on the season and remain last in the standings with only two points.

Week five will feature not only rivalries, but tiebreakers potentially being broken. Saskatchewan and Winnipeg will battle for first place in the west on Sunday night while Calgary and Edmonton face off Monday afternoon to get out of the cellar of the division.

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