Jason Halstead/CFL.ca
WINNIPEG – The 109th Grey Cup may not have been the perfect night for the Winnipeg Blue Bombers, but with the two teams meeting once again, this time in 2023, the Bombers were the team to claim victory this time around.
The Bombers defeated the Toronto Argonauts 31-21 at IG Field on Friday night, handing the Argos just their second loss of the season.
Zach Collaros threw for 258 yards, one touchdown and one interception, while Dalton Schoen led the Bombers in receiving with 101 yards on six receptions and Brady Oliveira led the ground game with 169 yards and a receiving touchdown.
Cameron Dukes threw for 211 yards and a touchdown, while Damonte Coxie tallied 54 yards and A.J. Ouellette combined for 54 yards through the air and on the ground as well as a touchdown in the loss.
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The Bombers started the game out strong in front of their home crowed as they continued to use their strength in Oliveira, who is on pace for 1,190 yards through 14 games, before Collaros found Schoen for 19 yards and a first down at the Toronto five-yard line, before Oliveira hauled in a five-yard reception for a touchdown.
But just as expected, the Argos responded immediately to score on their next drive, despite missing multiple starters including Chad Kelly, as A.J. Ouellette rushed for a big 26 yard play before Dukes found him this time through the air for a 27-yard catch and a touchdown.
After forcing the Bombers to punt, Dukes found Coxie who ran and high stepped while dropping his shoulder to gain 46 yards, getting the ball to the Winnipeg five-yard line, allowing Dukes to draw the defensive line in to take the ball himself five yards for another score.
Before the quarter came to a close, Collaros found Schoen for a big 35-yard play downfield, as Schoen deked out defenders to get to the Winnipeg 40 yard line. But unable to get past the 18-yard line, the Bombers settled for a 26-yard field goal from Sergio Castillo to cut the deficit.
With the Bombers defence trapping the Argos on their own 38-yard line and forcing a punt, the Bombers marched downfield once again. Yet after four consecutive plays of 13-plus yards between Oliveira, Drew Wolitarsky and Kenny Lawler to get to the Toronto 16 yard line, Collaros was sacked for 14 yards forcing another Winnipeg field goal, this time for 33 yards, making it a one point game.
Just as it looked like the Bombers were about to take the lead as they drove down to the Toronto 15-yard line, Tarvarus McFadden forced a fumble recovered by Royce Metchie who returned the ball 35 yards to the Toronto 44-yard line.
After Dukes found DaVaris Daniels for 22 yards, and rushed another 13 himself to get to the Winnipeg 12-yard line, Boris Bede made a 19-yard field goal as the half concluded to extend the Argos lead to four points.
Once the third quarter kicked off both teams took turns standing tall on defence, forcing punts and long range field goals that did not make it keeping the quarter scoreless. Once the Bombers got past midfield just into Toronto territory they became the first to strike in the second half with just 1:37 left on the clock as Castillo nailed a 49-yard attempt to cut the lead to two points.
The extremely close game was cut short as Bede opened up the final frame of action with a 32-yard field goal to extend the lead to five.
With both defences playing tough, they each forced a timely turnover, as Qwantez Stiggers grabbed an interception off of Collaros before Deatrick Nichols recovered the ball off a forced fumble from Deonta McMahon to get Winnipeg the ball right back.
Unable to escape Toronto’s defence, Castillo once again showed his long-range leg putting a 48-yard attempt through the uprights to make it a two-point game with 11:29 to play.
After forcing a two-and-out on the Argos, Oliveira and Dakota Prukop took turns on the ground to complete the first down before the Collaros-Schoen connection came in clutch for a 19-yard reception to the Toronto 17-yard line.
Oliveira put the Bombers in first-and-goal position at the five-yard line, and while his own attempt into the end zone was unsuccessful, Prukop put through his sixth rushing touchdown of the season to give the Bombers the lead with 3:31 to play.
Castillo put three more points on the board to lead by seven with less than two minutes to play as he nailed a 41-yard attempt, putting Dukes on the field one last time with a one-score game on the line. But unable to get downfield, and Castillo drilling one last 32-yard kick through the uprights, the game became out of reach for Toronto.
The Argonauts head home to BMO Field to host the Edmonton Elks on Friday, Oct. 6 at 7:00 p.m. EDT, while the Blue Bombers head to BC Place to take on the BC Lions at 10:00 p.m. EDT on Oct. 6.
