Winnipeg Blue Bombers Game Day

October 24

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WINNIPEG FREE PRESS SATURDAY, OCTOBER 24, 2015 HOME GAME PLAYBOOK 3 T he good news? Thanks to losses by B.C. and Montreal last week, the door to the playoffs remains ajar. The bad news? Well, if the Bombers don't win today's 3 p.m. tilt against the Ottawa Redblacks, the window of opportunity to make it to the post-season for the first time since 2011 could close in a hurry. Keeping that window open could hinge on how well — or how poorly — the Bombers start the game. After the opening kickoff last week, they squandered a gift-wrapped opportunity to start the game with a quick score after a fortuitous fumble recovery by kicker Sergio Castillo deep in Ottawa territory. After that, they were outscored 16-0 in a dismal first half that saw the Redblacks roll up over 300 yards of offence while Winnipeg's sputtering offence couldn't muster even 100 total yards. This week will have to be different from the opening whistle. On the defensive side of the ball, the Big Blue will have to shut down Ottawa QB Henry Burris right from the first snap. Last week, Burris and company literally moved the ball at will during a first half in which Smilin' Hank threw for 270 yards. At the same time, the offence will have to move the ball consistently, something they failed to do during the first two quarters in Ottawa. By the time the first half ended, the Redblacks had possessed the ball for 21 1/2 minutes to the Bombers' eight-and-a-half; little wonder they trailed heading into the locker room. To their credit, Winnipeg came alive on both sides of the ball in the second half. Thanks to some key adjustments by defensive coordinator Richie Hall — and more pressure exerted on Burris by the defensive line (led once again by Jamaal Westerman) and some well-timed blitzes — the Bombers held the Redblacks to just three points in the third quarter. Meanwhile, a combination of better protection by the O-line and utilizing more play-action made for improved offensive production. The star of the show was running back Cameron Marshall, who impressed once again, rushing for 48 yards on eight carries, while hauling in seven passes for another 65 yards. The combination of the improved running game and better pass protection — going with more play-action on first down kept the Redblacks' defence off-balance — allowed Bombers quarterback Matt Nichols to stretch the field, resulting in a touchdown strike to wide-out Darvin Adams. By the end of the third quarter, the Bombers were within striking distance, down 19-9. However, while the Bombers deserved high marks for grit — a quality that earned them a last-minute 29-26 victory over B.C. the previous week after being soundly outplayed in the first half — they earned a failing grade for execution. Despite several opportunities to close the gap, an inability to make catches and bad penalties short-circuited another comeback. So too did Nichols' inability to take care of the football as he had the previous three games. The previous three weeks against Calgary, Edmonton and B.C., he hadn't thrown a pick; by the time the final whistle blew in Ottawa, he'd thrown three, with two of them ending up in the hands of former Bombers defensive back Jovon Johnson. By the time Nichols connected with Moore and Denmark for meaningless touchdowns in the game's waning moments — the final score happened with just nine seconds left on the clock — the damage had been done. Once again, a lack of consistency on both sides of the ball short-circuited Winnipeg's chances to win. The result was a disappointing 27-24 loss. To keep their playoff hopes alive, the Blue Bombers will have to harness the focus and consistency they showed against Calgary and Edmonton, and combine it with the resiliency that enabled them to pull out the game in B.C. The ability to focus will be paramount. For whatever reason, the Blue Bombers didn't come ready to play against the Lions and Redblacks. That will have to change this week. Today, the onus will be on the defence — i.e., Khalil Bass (12 tackles last week), Westerman (one sack, two tackles) and Demond Washington (10 tackles) — to shut down Burris and his potent receiving core from start to finish, while the offence will have to be productive through all four quarters. Should the Bombers play with the focus and consistency they showed against Calgary and Edmonton — and eliminate the errors and poor execution that nearly cost them the game in B.C. and cost them the game in Ottawa — they have a fighting chance to remain in the playoff hunt by the time the final gun goes off at Investors Group Field. [ vs October 24 at Investors Group Field - 3:00 p.m. Stay Tuned for the Grey Cup T he last 2015 regular- season CFL football game at Investors Group Field takes place this afternoon, but there's more to come when the 103rd Grey Cup Game is played at IGF on Nov. 29. Huddle with the Winnipeg Free Press before the kickoff to get a preview of what's in store on and off the field in a special edition of the Home Game Playbook. [ 2015 Home Game Schedule See www.bluebombers.com or www.ticketmaster.ca for season and single-game ticket information. Playoff Schedule Sunday, Nov. 15 Eastern and Western Semi-Finals Sunday, Nov. 22 Eastern and Western Finals Sunday, Nov. 29 103rd Grey Cup in Winnipeg 5 p.m. Friday, June 19 Hamilton vs Winnipeg 26 15 Thursday, July 2 Hamilton vs Winnipeg 52 26 Friday, July 10 Montreal vs Winnipeg 23 25 Thursday, July 30 B.C. vs Winnipeg 13 23 Friday, Aug. 14 Toronto vs Winnipeg 27 20 Saturday, Aug. 29 Calgary vs Winnipeg 36 8 Saturday, Sept. 12 Saskatchewan vs Winnipeg 7 22 Friday, Sept. 25 Calgary vs Winnipeg 25 23 Saturday, Oct. 3 Edmonton vs Winnipeg 24 23 Saturday, Oct. 24 Ottawa vs Winnipeg 3 p.m. ALIVE Practice Makes Perfect You don't always need a ticket to see the Winnipeg Blue Bombers in action — team practices are open to the public. Occasionally, practices are held on the field beside the Winnipeg Indoor Soccer Complex rather than at Investors Group Field, but you can still bring your Blue Bombers lawn chair and watch from the sidelines. Keep tabs on the location and practice schedule at www.bluebombers.com/media_schedule. [ BOMBERS ARE STILL PLAYOFF CONTENDERS By Todd Lewys for the Winnipeg Free Press THE NEWS FOR THE BLUE BOMBERS ENTERING TODAY'S REMATCH VERSUS THE REDBLACKS IS BOTH GOOD AND BAD. Video Replays Post-game interviews with players and coaches and game recaps are posted on the Blue Bombers website at www. bluebombers.com/video. Bookmark the site for updates, along with just-for-fun videos and other features. [ Pot of (Blue and) Gold Odds are good the final 50/50 draw will have the largest payout of the season following today's game at Investors Group Field. Turns out the winning ticket holder at the Oct. 3 home game was ineligible to participate in accordance with the Winnipeg Football Club's Raffle Licence through Manitoba Liquor & Lotteries. The prize was deemed unclaimed and, as a result, today's 50/50 draw will have a starting pot of $100,000 — with half going to the winning ticket holder and half going to support amateur sport in Manitoba. Last season, the Winnipeg Blue Bombers were able to provide The Winnipeg Rifles Football Club and 10 amateur football clubs and organizations under the Football Manitoba umbrella with more than $200,000 raised through 50/50 ticket sales. The amateur football organizations are already big winners this season, with proceeds standing at more than $440,000. Feeling lucky? Here are this season's payouts by game date: June 19 — $36,695 July 2 — $58,623 July 10 — $46,658 July 30 — $51,748 Aug. 14 — $46, 830 Aug. 29 — $49,163 Sept. 12 — $78,213 Sept. 25 — $41,700 Oct. 3 - $41,108 (unclaimed) Left: Ottawa Redblacks' quarterback Henry Burris, left, scrambles to get away from Winnipeg Blue Bombers' linebacker Khalil Bass during second half CFL action in Ottawa, on Friday, Oct. 16, 2015. Photo by Adrian Wyld, The Canadian Press Below: #7 Demond Washington. Photo by Ken Gigliotti.

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