CFL Insights: The anatomy of a comeback

TORONTO — When the Als took a 40-28 lead over the Bombers with 1:40 left in Week 6, some fans headed towards the gates at Winnipeg’s Investors Group Field. Of course, in many football stadiums across North American, a two-score deficit that late in the contest spells the end.

But there’s a reason we often hear ‘no lead is safe’ in the Canadian Football League and last week, the Winnipeg Blue Bombers took that saying to heart.

“That’s one of the things we should learn from this,” Head Coach Mike O’Shea said following one of the most dramatic comebacks in recent memory. “One of the many.”

The Alouettes appeared to have the game wrapped up when they rushed for six more points to take a 12-point lead. That’s the last time the Als’ offence would take the field however, as the Bombers quickly answered with a touchdown, recovered an onside kick and then scored with no time on the clock.

“The CFL is fantastic in that way,” O’Shea would add of the improbable comeback. “It’s hard to watch football when they’re walking off the field with lots of time left on the clock. This game is perfect because of that – the ability to score two touchdowns in 1:40. It’s a phenomenal game.”

From a statistical standpoint, Winnipeg’s late comeback was one of the most stunning in CFL history because it combined three key elements: the Bombers trailed by 10 or more points; it happened entirely in the final 3:00 of the game; and finally, it was completed on the game’s final offensive play.

The closest parallel to last week’s comeback dates back to Oct. 17, 1999 when the Bombers also defeated Montreal after trailing by 10 and cutting the deficit to a single score with just 0:59 left. In that game, Winnipeg won 32-29 on Deland McCullough’s final-play one-yard touchdown run.

Finally, the victory was the fifth since 2005 that resulted from a touchdown on the game’s final play. Andrew Harris’ one-yard rumble puts him in elusive territory, joining Milt Stegall, Dahrran Diedrick, Nic Grigsby and Dava Stala as players to accomplish such a feat since then.

Here are the specific comebacks in CFL history over the 25 years since 1992 where clubs trailed by 10 or more points late and won: