CFL Game #63 Team Notes – Montréal at Winnipeg

[Mr Dee]

CFL.ca

 Winnipeg 4-1 Off a Bye Week: The Blue Bombers come into this game off a bye week, their second of the seasons n. Since 2016, Winnipeg is 4-1 after a bye compared to 0-4 across 2013-2015. 

 Sacks Made Since Week #9: Through Week #9 Winnipeg led the CFL and was #1 with QB 21 Sacks. Since Week #9, here are the CFL rankings with Winnipeg tied for #8 with just 3 Sacks in the-r 4 games.

BC 18, Sask. 13, Calgary, Ottawa 11, Montreal 9, Edmonton 7, Toronto 6, Wpg And Ham. 3

 Winnipeg's TD drive production #2 in CFL: The Bombers are the only CFL team to have scored at least twice on Offence in every game this season to date. They have produced 36 offensive TD drives in 173 chances for a 21% rate - #2 in the CFL.

 Last week vs BC: The Alouettes allowed 7 Sacks last week to the Lions - that is the most by any team in the CFL this season.

 Bombers 1-10 w/o Dressler: In 2018 the Bombers are 5-3 with Weston Dressler in the lineup, and 0-4 when he has not played. Across 2017-18, Dressler has missed 11 games due to injury and the Bombers have gone just 1-10 vs 11-6 .647 when he plays.

 Blocked kick TD: Chip Cox blocked a Ty Long field goal last week which Tevaughn Campbell returned 87 yards for a touchdown. The last time that Montreal had a return TD off a blocked FG was 45 years ago on September 30, 1973 - Junior Ah You blocked a Gerry Organ attempt and Dickie Harris ran the loose ball back 57 yards for a TD.

 Dominating Eastern rivals: In 2018 the Bombers are 4-2 vs East Division clubs and have been outstanding since 2015. Over these last 3 seasons, Winnipeg is a combined 16-6 .727 vs the East and 12-14 .462 vs the West.

 2nd down conversion chances: Over the 4-game losing streak, Winnipeg has had just 10 of their 92 second down conversion situations be in 2nd-&-3 or less (11%). Of those 92 opportunities, 54 of them have been in 2nd-&-long (59% of the total).

 Chip Cox 10 DT: Recorded 10 tackles last week and has 34 in his last 5 games. The 10+ tackle game last week was the 9th time he has reached double figures in a game (career high 13 in 2012). He enters this game with 945 career tackles, just 10 short the #4 spot all-time held by Barrin Simpson (955).

 Turnovers matter: Since 2016, The Bombers are 27-3 when making fewer Turnovers; and 0-14 when making more. Montreal's equivalent numbers are similar at 9-7 .563 with less, and 2-22 .083 with more T/Os.

 Johnny Manziel: Will make his 3rd career start in this week's game having been backup to Antonio Pipkin for the last two weeks. He is 0-2 thus far as a starter with a game-high of 168 passing yards, 0 TDs and 4 interceptions. This game will mark Manziel's first action against as West Division team.

 Matt Nichols: Will play career game #100 and is scheduled to make his 60th regular season start. He is 33-26 overall and more specifically 27-19 in 46 starts for Winnipeg. The current 4-game losing streak he rides is the longest of his career and he has not won since Aug 10/18 vs Hamilton. He has now gone 14 starts without reaching 300 yards passing and with 15 TDs and 13 INTs. Over his last 3 games he has thrown 7 INTs.

 47 straight for Medlock: Since the 2015 move of the 1-point convert kick out to 32 yards, the league-wide % made since then has tracked as follows prior to 2018: 2015: 85% 2016: 91% 2017: 91%. In 2018, CFL kickers are a remarkable 93% and none better than Justin Medlock. He is a perfect 38-of-38 in 2018 and has now made a record 47 in a row from 32 yards.

 Montreal on the road: The Alouettes snapped a 3-game road losing streak in their last game away from Molson Stadium and actually better road (2-4) than home (1-5) this year. That has occurred just once since 1984 - in 2016 at 4-5 vs 3-6 at home.

 Avoiding 3 in a row / 5 in a row: Winnipeg comes into this game having lost their last two at home. They have not had a 3-game home losing streak since the start of 2016. Overall, the Bombers have not lost 5 straight games since an 8-game run near the end of the 2014 season.

 Andrew Harris 11,718 yards: Harris needs 16 yards to reach 1,000 rushing for the 4th time in his career and in 8 years as a regular starter. Of late it has been highs and lows with a 158-yard game vs SSK and two others with a combined 17 carries for 34 yards (CGY, SSK). He has 4 games of 100+ yards but just one in the last 6 contests. Harris ranks #12 all-time with 7,252 yards, and #21 all-time with 11,718 yards from scrimmage. With 25 more yards he can enter the all-time Top 20 in yards gained passing Arland Bruce III (11,742).

 MTL week-to-week starting QB changes: The change back to Johnny Manziel this week will make it 6 times that the Alouettes will be changing their QB starter from the previous game. That is the most in any year since 1999 for Montreal.

 Last 11 meetings: The Bombers are 9-2 vs the Alouettes since July 2013 and have won the last 4 head-to-head meetings. Their 46-point win on Jun 22/18 (56-10) was their 2nd-largest ever over Montreal and they outgained Montreal 588 yards to 128.

 Tony Washington 100: Will play his 100th career game this week, all but none of which has been a start (99 GP, 98 starts).

 Bighill at 100 DT pace: With 70, Adam Bighill is on pace for 100+ defensive stops this year. He would be the first Winnipeg player to reach 100 since Kahlil Bass in 2015 (102).

A CFL.ca simulation currently gives them (Bombers) a 0.77% shot of winning the Grey Cup. - Wpg. Sun

How important are turnovers? Since 2016, the Bombers are 27-3 in games in which they commit fewer turnovers than the opposition and are 0-14 when they commit more. The Alouettes are 9-7 with less and 2-22 with more …Ted Wyman

 

👁‍🗨 so, who throws a lot of short passes?

 

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[Mr Dee]

Ugly stat - 

Securing the football has always been a point of pride for Nichols, who had just eight interceptions in 579 pass attempts last season. By comparison, he’s thrown the same number in just 75 pass attempts the past four weeks – all Winnipeg losses. - Dave Naylor

👁‍🗨 But - I believe Nichols will have a better game tonight..a good game.

The Bombers need it, and the fan base needs it..badly. This past 2 weeks, the bye week, after a loss especially, has opened the door for a lot of negative comments and it flowed on here. It’s almost like some were itching to have their “say”. 

It'll abate tonight, after our win, for a while anyways, but there will be excuses either way, and like a few have said, Nichols is pretty well in a no win situation.

 

[Mr Dee]