It’s been 29 years since the Blue Bombers brought the Grey Cup back to Winnipeg, and they will get another shot on Sunday in the 107th running of the CFL’s title game.
Winnipeg heads to McMahon Stadium in Calgary to take on the East Division champion Hamilton Tiger-Cats in what will be the first time these two franchises have faced each other in the Grey Cup since 1984.
The Blue Bombers won that ’84 final and captured two more championships in ’88 and ’90, but have drawn blanks in five Grey Cup appearances ever since. The last one was in 2011 when they lost to the B.C. Lions in Vancouver.
Sunday will feature a matchup between two clubs with the longest current championship drought in the CFL as Hamilton hasn’t won the league title since 1999.
Winnipeg’s offence is now led by Zach Collaros, who has been through a roller coaster year of injuries and trades. He’s found success so far in the blue and gold, including a touchdown pass in the West Division Final win over his former club, the Saskatchewan Roughriders.
These Blue Bombers have shown good promise over the last few years although were never able to materialize a Grey Cup victory.
Now that they’re back in the title game, here are three reasons why Winnipeg will be victorious and give the Manitoba capital its 11th Grey Cup win.
1. The Collaros effect
About that roller coaster year…
The 31-year-old re-signed in Saskatchewan earlier in the season after the Roughriders were unsuccessful in luring any big-name free agents.
His year with the Riders didn’t last long as early in the first quarter of their season opener against the Tiger-Cats, he was hit in the head by linebacker Simoni Lawrence while sliding on a scramble. Lawrence received a two-game suspension and Sunday will be the first time the two former teammates face each other since the incident.
After being placed on the six-game injured list by Saskatchewan, Collaros was then dealt to the Toronto Argonauts at the end of July following the emergence of Cody Fajardo with the Riders.
He never played a down in Toronto and the Argos traded him to the Blue Bombers during the CFL trade deadline on Oct. 9. Winnipeg’s quarterback situation was in rough shape at the time after starter Matt Nichols was on the shelf following season-ending shoulder surgery in September and backup Chris Streveler was struggling.
Collaros was solid in his first start with the Bombers, helping guide them into the post-season where they’ve since earned wins over Calgary and Saskatchewan.
He’s a quarterback that’s struggled with consistency and injuries over the last few seasons. Collaros will also be out for revenge after losing in his only previous Grey Cup start while a member of the Ticats in 2014. He threw for 342 yards and a touchdown in that Grey Cup, but it still wasn’t enough to beat the Stampeders.
[relatedlinks]
2. Can’t bet against Harris
Hamilton may have kept Andrew Harris quiet in both meetings between the Tiger-Cats and Blue Bombers this season – both Hamilton wins – but don’t bet against him in big situations.
Take the 2011 Grey Cup as an example. Despite not being widely used that season until the championship, Harris broke off for 65 yards on 10 carries and one touchdown to help the Lions beat Winnipeg.
The 32-year-old Winnipeg native sat out two games this year with a suspension after testing positive for an anabolic steroid. Yet, he still led the CFL in rushing for a third straight season with 1,380 yards.
Hamilton’s defence kept Harris out of the end zone this season while finishing the year with the third-best rush defence by allowing just 1,710 yards.
One thing working for Harris ahead of the big game is the Ticats are prone to giving up big runs with 14 plays of 20-plus yards, which was the second most in the league.
3. The Bombers D
Winnipeg added to an already impressive defence in the off-season by signing defensive lineman Willie Jefferson.
He hasn’t disappointed with the Blue Bombers and helped them become an even tougher opponent to face. The 28-year-old was third in the CFL with 12 sacks this season and led the league with six forced fumbles.
Winnipeg’s defence also boasts the likes of linebacker Adam Bighill, the 2018 CFL most outstanding defensive player, and defensive end Jackson Jeffcoat.
Defensive back Chandler Fenner led the way with 79 tackles – tied for eighth in the CFL – while Winston Rose had the most interceptions with nine.
Overall as a defence unit, the Blue Bombers had 24 interceptions – second in the CFL – and 48 sacks.
A good example of their dominance was in the West semifinal against Calgary, when they limited star quarterback Bo Levi Mitchell to just 12 completions on 28 attempts while picking him off three times.
