WINNIPEG @ HAMILTON

[Mr Dee]

For your perusal..

Game Day CFL Game Notes

After losing 8 of 9 meetings dating back to 2012, the Blue Bombers have won the last two games against the Ti-Cats. Matt Nichols led Winnipeg to a 38-11 win on Aug 3/16 to sweep the 2016 season series but Zach Collaros was out for both games.

Over the two games, Winnipeg created a 12-2 (+10) edge in Takeaways and won despite being outgained in each contest. Hamilton passed for 702 yards and 4 completions of 30+ yards but threw 5 interceptions in the two games, two by Maurice Leggett and one by Taylor Loffler. Andy Fantuz and Luke Tasker led Hamilton with 14 and 11 catches respectively.

Hamilton has played only one game against Eastern rivals thus far.

Nichols has now led THREE late 4th Quarter game winning drives in 2017 on top of 5 last year and so has engineered 8 in his last 15 starts. Overall in that stretch of 15 starts he has led Winnipeg to a 10-5 record.

Collaros now has a 10-game losing streak as a starter however and the most recent QB to have recorded that was Casey Printers across 2008-09. The CFL record for consecutive starts lost is 13 by Lynn Amedee 1963-64 (EDM).

The Tiger-Cats started well this year with 9 QB Sacks and 33 QB Pressures in their first 4 games. Over the last two contests however they have just one Sack and 8 Pressures on the opposing QB.

Justin Medlock reaches career game #100 this week and through the first 99 has accumulated 1,036 points (#22 all- time). His career totals cover: TOR 174 pts in 21 GP, HAM 559 pts in 54 GP, WPG 303 pts in 24 GP. Justin has averaged 12.6 points per game for Winnipeg, the highest average of any player in club history ahead of Trevor Kennard (9.8 per game).

Last week Hamilton ran the ball just 6 times at Edmonton for a season-low. Their 6 rushing plays matches the lowest by any CFL club since 2008 (Montreal at SSK on Jul 19/08, 5 rushes for 13 yards).

Darvin Adams: Has taken over the Winnipeg receiving lead and has made at least 4 receptions in every game this season. Adams, Bakari Grant (SSK) and Anthony Coombs (TOR) are the only players with 4+ catches in every game in 2017. Adams has been targeted 27 times in the last two games and leads the Bombers with 3 TD grabs and 3 receptions of 30+ yards.

Despite allowing the fewest QB Pressures in the CFL (28), the Bombers Matt Nichols has been sacked 11 times in the last 3 games pushing the total to 16 for the season (tied for #6). Winnipeg has yet to score a TD this season on any drive where they have allowed a QB Sack. Their TD% when NOT allowing a Sack is 25%, tied for 3rd with Edmonton and behind only Calgary (28%) and BC (27%).

The Bombers starting lineup has been the most consistent thus far with only 29 different players having at least one to date. For Winnipeg, 18 of a possible 24 players have made all 6 starts thus far, and 23 players have made at least 4 starts.

The Bombers are 9-3 on the road in their last 12 visits around the CFL compared to a 6-6 home mark since the start of 2016. They have had at least an even or better road than home record in 5 of the last 7 seasons.

Receiver T.J. Thorpe will get his fourth straight start since coming off the practice roster. The 24-year-old has quickly become one of Nichols’ favourite marks, averaging almost nine targets a game and has caught 20 of 26 passes thrown in his direction.

Zach Collaros had his best game of the season last week, throwing for 282 yards, three touchdowns and an interception. Receiver Damarr Aultman had a team high 74 yards and a touchdown in his CFL debut.

The Ticats rank last in the CFL in points and yards allowed per game.

Numbers - 

4 – League leading interceptions for Bombers defensive back T.J. Heath.

5 – Quarterback sacks by Jamaal Westerman, tied for fourth in the league.

487 – Average total yards the Ticats defence has given up through six games this, ranking last in the league heading into Week 8.

 

[Noeller]

Gaaaaame Daaaaaaaayyyyyyyy!! 

Got some Bombers fan buddies out for a party this weekend. Round of golf this afternoon and then home to watch the Bombers stomp the Cats. 

Let's doooo thisssssss!! 

[David Lee Sloth]

Go Blue! 

[17to85]

40 minutes ago, Noeller said:

Gaaaaame Daaaaaaaayyyyyyyy!! 

Got some Bombers fan buddies out for a party this weekend. Round of golf this afternoon and then home to watch the Bombers stomp the Cats. 

Let's doooo thisssssss!! 

[Blueandgold]

I'm terrified of this being a trap game. Bombers will have to be at their best to pull this one out.

[TheSource]

The good news:

- Based on stats to date, Hamilton's D gives up more points and yards than the Bomber D, which says something. Nichols should be able to put up big numbers if you don't take into account things that may have changed this week.

- Collaros is not yet on a roll, so it is the best possible time for the Bomber D to keep him in check. Bomber D always seems to have trouble with Collaros who has put up some big number in a hurry in years past. Kent Austin is a better offensive mind than LaPo, but LapPo's team just has more momentum at this point.

 

The bad news:

- Hamilton is like a wounded animal and they may be more dangerous than expected this game. Conditions such as what have been going on with that team this week can lead to them having a really big game. Lets hope it is not gonna happen this week.

- Players are have been let go in Hamilton this week, so you know they will be playing for their jobs this week. Don't think the Bomber "ole last minute try" will be enough in this one - they need to play solid all 4 quarters. You can't out-plug a team that is already as desperate as Hamilton. Not sure Bombers are going into this one anywhere close to as hungry as Hamilton is.

- They got rid of Reinbold, which means the defensive schemes may actually be competent this week. Unfortunately, Bombers will not have the "free sqaure" that everyone else has had up to this point. With a competent defensive game plan, Bombers may find it unusually tough to move the ball against an otherwise very talented Hamilton team.

 

[Zontar]

Absolutely no idea what HAM will show. Mood is reportedly light and upbeat.  Whether that's a reflection of being back home after a bad road trip or the coaching changes who knows but its better than fighting.

If I was WPG I would pound Harris very early and very often to test that interior. EDM ran over a very good HAM front seven last week. And there are changes there again this week.

[SpeedFlex27]

44 minutes ago, Blueandgold said:

I'm terrified of this being a trap game. Bombers will have to be at their best to pull this one out.

Yeah, my thoughts exactly. I've never liked playing in Hamilton. We'll lose if we walk in there thinking the Ti Cats will be pushovers. 

[SpeedFlex27]

1 hour ago, 17to85 said:

Looking forward to reading your comments around 8 pm...

[rebusrankin]

Don Unamba is starting for the cats. Wow.

[Tracker]

I'm expecting the Bombers to break out and rain footballs all over the Cats. That said, the Big Blue need to separate themselves quickly from the Tabbies- if Hamilton is still in the game at half time, anything can happen.

[Rod Black]

Personally, the Bombers are gonna eviserate and gut those Cats. Hammy hasn't any continuity from last week, a poor record in so many stat departments. "Not a chance" is the description of the home opportunity for a win. Nichols is probably gonna pass for over 5 hunert yards. Harris and Flanders will get over 150 yards combined rushing. Medlock will get 4 right down main street. Int's by Heath, Mo, and Walker.  6 sacks I'd bet. 

Nothing to worry about friends. We could just mail this one in.  

I wish I had more cliche's. 

Edited August 12, 2017 by Rod Black

[Tracker]

Just now, Rod Black said:

Personally, the Bombers are gonna eviserate and gut those Cats. Hammy hasn't any continuity from last week, a poor record in so many stat departments. "Not a chance" is the description of the home opportunity for a win. Nichols is probably gonna pass for over 5 hunert yards. Harris and Flanders will get over 150 yards combined rushing. Medlock will get 4 right down main street. Int's by Heath, Mo, and Walker.  6 sacks I'd bet. 

Nothing to worry about friends. We could just mail this one in.  

I wish I had more cliche's. 

You're just not trying hard enough.

[wbbfan]

8 minutes ago, tracker said:

I'm expecting the Bombers to break out and rain footballs all over the Cats. That said, the Big Blue need to separate themselves quickly from the Tabbies- if Hamilton is still in the game at half time, anything can happen.

This SHOULD be a statement game for us on all sides of the ball. But ive got this admiral ackbarr feeling pretty bad. 

 

2 minutes ago, tracker said:

You're just not trying hard enough.

Yeah its game day, gotta leave it all on the field. 

[Tracker]

Just now, wbbfan said:

This SHOULD be a statement game for us on all sides of the ball. But ive got this admiral ackbarr feeling pretty bad. 

 

Yeah its game day, gotta leave it all on the field. 

You're not giving 100%.  Sorry, 110%.

Edited August 12, 2017 by tracker

[wbbfan]

11 minutes ago, tracker said:

You're not giving 100%.  Sorry, 110%.

Im sorry, Id just like to thank you, and god for helping me to get better. Im just gonna go out there, do my best and the rest will take care of it self. 

[Mark F]

23 minutes ago, Rod Black said:

I wish I had more cliche's. 

http://www.sportscliche.com/

They gave it everything they had to make up the list of cliches. They left nothing on the keyboard.

 

Edited August 12, 2017 by Mark F

[SpeedFlex27]

2 minutes ago, wbbfan said:

Im sorry, Id just like to thank you, and god for helping me to get better. Im just gonna go out there, do my best and the rest will take care of it self. 

As long as you handle it internally. 

[wbbfan]

2 minutes ago, Mark F said:

http://www.sportscliche.com/

 

Thats gold!

He has a few good football videos like this. 

[Rod Black]

5 minutes ago, wbbfan said:

Im sorry, Id just like to thank you, and god for helping me to get better. Im just gonna go out there, do my best and the rest will take care of it self. 

At da beginning, it's zeero to zeero. Bof teams are equal. Ax god for hep, and he'll guide me. 

[kelownabomberfan]

I just have that old Rocky Butler feeling today.  It really comes down to coaching, and making sure the guys aren't mentally letting up because Hammy is winless. 

[kelownabomberfan]

28 minutes ago, Rod Black said:

Personally, the Bombers are gonna eviserate and gut those Cats. Hammy hasn't any continuity from last week, a poor record in so many stat departments. "Not a chance" is the description of the home opportunity for a win. Nichols is probably gonna pass for over 5 hunert yards. Harris and Flanders will get over 150 yards combined rushing. Medlock will get 4 right down main street. Int's by Heath, Mo, and Walker.  6 sacks I'd bet. 

Nothing to worry about friends. We could just mail this one in.  

I wish I had more cliche's. 

Backs against the  wall on this one.  Just gotta cycle the puck down low, use the boards, focus on what we do best, crash and bang their defense in the corners, because when you put pucks to the net good things happen.  Sorry, couldn't think of any football clichés that weren't already used.

[Mr Dee]

I would really like the Bombers to de-stripe the Ticats today. Hamilton can just look to another team  for their first win.

It would put us in a much better position.

[wbbfan]

5 minutes ago, kelownabomberfan said:

I just have that old Rocky Butler feeling today.  It really comes down to coaching, and making sure the guys aren't mentally letting up because Hammy is winless. 

Just the name makes me nauseous.

5 minutes ago, Rod Black said:

At da beginning, it's zeero to zeero. Bof teams are equal. Ax god for hep, and he'll guide me. 

Hey, the offensive linemen are the biggest guys on the field, they’re bigger than everybody else, and that’s what makes them the biggest guys on the field.  

[SpeedFlex27]

Hello, I'm Captain Obvious & I say that the team that scores the most points will win.