Bombers look to stymie Stamps’ offence in round two

WINNIPEG — The last time the Winnipeg Blue Bombers and Calgary Stampeders met, a Canada Day showdown in Cowtown, the Stamps emerged as clear winners while the Bombers were faced with tough questions.

Calgary quarterback Bo Levi Mitchell threw for more than 300 yards and a pair of touchdowns, the Stamps collectively ran for more than 200 yards and Winnipeg gave up 30 unanswered points en route to a 36-22 defeat that was never in doubt beyond the second quarter.

Fast forward to Week 5 and questions surround both teams.

The Stamps (1-1-1) are rolling into Investors Group Field on the back of a bye week. It’s been 13 days since Calgary tied the REDBLACKS in Ottawa, and Head Coach Dave Dickenson’s team is somewhat banged up entering Thursday’s showdown in Winnipeg.

Notables on the Calgary injury list are receiver Joe West (foot) and linebacker Taylor Reed (ankle). Though the absences of both will be felt, the Stamps will be boosted by the return of starting centre Pierre Lavertu — a major boost in the eyes of Coach Dickenson.

“Communication in our offence is so vital, and we know we’re going to be in a hostile environment,” Dickenson told Stampeders.com earlier this week. “We got our centre back, (so) we should have better communication and a better process within the huddle — those guys have played a lot together.”

The injury bug has opened up an opportunity for slotback Greg Wilson, a Fordham alumnus who began the year on the Stamps practice roster.

“Joe (West)’s been one of our best receivers, he’s a lot to handle and Winnipeg struggled with him, so we’re going to need production out of that position,” said Dickenson. “Greg (Wilson)’s produced for us in the past, so we feel like we have good depth there.”

Mitchell, the Stamps’ veteran pivot, was clinical against Winnipeg on Canada Day, and with the Bombers’ league-worst defence surrendering an average of 451 yards, there’s a very real possibility he could best his performance from July 1 on Thursday.

Calgary’s offensive spotlight will largely be directed at hulking, 263-pound Jerome Messam. The national running back terrorized the Bombers in Week 2, and with Winnipeg’s defence giving up a league-worst 5.5 yards-per-carry, should be expected to rumble his way up the middle often.

In other Stamps news, fullback Rob Cote will play in his 150th career game on Thursday night. The Calgary native has racked up more than 1,000 receiving yards during a ten-year career spent entirely  with his hometown team.

On the Blue Bombers side of the equation, the wounds from Week 2’s defeat are still evidently fresh, only aided by Winnipeg’s disappointing 1-3 start.

“That was very embarrassing for our defence,” Winnipeg defensive lineman Euclid Cummings told BlueBombers.com. “We don’t want anybody running the ball down our throats; we’re doing everything we can right now to make sure that doesn’t happen again, and we’re going to come out there with the fire blazing.”

The main concern for the Bombers out of last week’s 20-16 loss to the visiting Edmonton Eskimos was an impotent offence. Winnipeg generated just 347 total yards, quarterback Drew Willy was 25-of-38 for one touchdown and two interceptions and feature back Andrew Harris was limited to just 22 yards on nine touches, though he did pick up 88 yards receiving.

“You’ve got to create some first downs on first down, and we didn’t do a real good job,” Bombers offensive coordinator Paul LaPolice said. “Edmonton did a good job with their front four, (but) we need to be more consistent on first down to get more plays and more opportunities.”

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Can Andrew Harris and the Bombers establish the run vs. Calgary? (Johany Jutras/CFL.ca)

Admittedly the Bombers have plenty of issues on the offensive side of the ball, chief among them an inability to break big plays.

“We have to execute, that’s a statement nobody wants to hear but certainly we’d like to create explosive plays,” said LaPolice. “Facing a Calgary team that keep everybody deep, you have to make your plays underneath.”

Chief amongst Winnipeg’s keys will be engaging Andrew Harris on the ground. The Bombers’ hometown running back has been more of a threat in the air than on the ground, where he has averaged just 3.8 yards-per-carry and is yet to find the end zone this season.

With Ryan Smith (lower body) placed on the six-game injured list Wednesday, Thomas Mayo will slide in at slotback for Winnipeg.

By the Numbers

0 — Number of losses Calgary has suffered in four trips to Investors Group Field.
13-0 — The Stamps are seeking their fourteenth-straight win coming off a bye week.
13 — The Bombers have given up 13 sacks in their first four games, second-most in the league.
86.4 — Career kicking percentage of Winnipeg’s Justin Medlock, best all-time in the CFL.

The Skinny

It sounds silly to say in Week 5, but it is do-or-die time for Winnipeg as the Bombers will try to exorcise multiple demons on Thursday night.

Head coach Mike O’Shea is 1-5 against Calgary, Winnipeg is yet to beat the Stamps at home since Investors Group Field opened in 2013 and the Stamps have won 15 of 18 games between the two teams since 2008.

Despite the historic and 2016 statistical edges enjoyed by Calgary in the matchup, don’t be surprised if Winnipeg gives its visitors all they can handle.

The onus is, after all, on the Bombers to put in their best effort of the season in front of the home crowd as they try to claim their stake in the heat of a busy West Division race.

Kickoff is at 8:30 p.m. ET and can be seen live on TSN or followed online via CFL.ca GameTracker.

With files from Stampeders.com/BlueBombers.com

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Most of the fans, along with a clean sweep of the writers, are picking Calgary to win its fourth-straight at Investors Group Field in Winnipeg on Thursday.

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