FRIESEN: Coaches, front office, not off the hook as Bombers plummet

Breadcrumb Trail Links

Sports Football CFL Winnipeg Blue Bombers Get the latest from Paul Friesen straight to your inbox Sign Up

Published Aug 11, 2025 • Last updated 5 hours ago • 4 minute read

You can save this article by registering for free here. Or sign-in if you have an account.

Bombers vaval Winnipeg Blue Bombers returner Trey Vaval, right, runs the ball as Stampeders defensive back Godfrey Onyeka tries to tackle him during second-half CFL action in Calgary on Thursday, July 3, Vaval took some defensive snaps in Saturday’s 31-17 loss to the Argos. Photo by 2025.THE CANADIAN PRESS/Jeff McIntosh /Winnipeg SunArticle content

The Winnipeg Blue Bombers reach the halfway point of their season this week. But halfway to what?

Advertisement 2

This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below.

THIS CONTENT IS RESERVED FOR SUBSCRIBERS ONLY

Subscribe now to read the latest news in your city and across Canada.

Exclusive columns by Ryan Stelter, Paul Friesen, Ted Wyman, Scott Billeck, Lorrie Goldstein, Warren Kinsella and others. Plus newsletters: Gimme Stelter for your beat on the city, The Exit Row for all your Jets news and On the Rocks for curling.Unlimited online access to Winnipeg Sun and 15 news sites with one account.Winnipeg Sun ePaper, an electronic replica of the print edition to view on any device, share and comment on.Daily puzzles, including the New York Times Crossword.Support local journalism.

SUBSCRIBE TO UNLOCK MORE ARTICLES

Subscribe now to read the latest news in your city and across Canada.

Create an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience.

Access articles from across Canada with one account.Share your thoughts and join the conversation in the comments.Enjoy additional articles per month.Get email updates from your favourite authors.

THIS ARTICLE IS FREE TO READ REGISTER TO UNLOCK.

Create an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience.

Access articles from across Canada with one accountShare your thoughts and join the conversation in the commentsEnjoy additional articles per monthGet email updates from your favourite authorsSign In or Create an Account

Article content

Based on their last five games, four of them losses and one salvaged only by return touchdowns, this team is going nowhere at a pretty good clip.

Article content

At 4-4, the Bombers may not have completely kissed goodbye second place in the CFL West, but they’re puckered up and leaning in, one hand firmly on the door.

When it closes seems just a matter of time.

Die-hards may point out this team was 2-6 at the eight-game mark a year ago.

The thing is, they were at least trending in the right direction at the time, slowly recovering from an 0-4 start and involved in a handful of tight losses.

This year they’ve already had it handed to them on three occasions. Saturday in Calgary wasn’t one of those, at least.

But the last-play, 28-27 defeat still contained more wrong than right.

The Winnipeg Sun’s Daily Headline News

Thanks for signing up!

Article content

Advertisement 3

This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below.

Article content

Most egregious was the vanishing act on offence

After the Stampeders defence got its wakeup call in the form of a 17-zip Winnipeg lead, the Bombers’ attack looked lost.

If it wasn’t for Sergio Castillo’s record-tying, long-bomb field goal and the ensuing single point on the kickoff with a minute to go, Zach Collaros and Co. would have been shut out in the second half.

It was 30 minutes of sheer futility: six possessions, four sacks and five punts. A complete mismatch.

What looked so machine-like in the opening quarter was coughing and sputtering in the final two like someone had poured water in its fuel tank.

Coaches make a big deal about halftime adjustments. I guess Winnipeg’s staff couldn’t find its tool kit.

On what should have been the bright side, the Bombers all but solved their turnover issue, giving the ball away just once. But that one was a killer and completely outside this team’s identity.

Advertisement 4

This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below.

Article content

Third-and-one should be automatic with Chris Streveler keeping the ball. It’s imperative when you’re down on the opposing team’s six-yard line.

That play may as well have been another pick-six going the other way, because it took a potential touchdown off the board in the second quarter and fuelled the game’s already changing momentum.

Meanwhile, the defence didn’t even force one giveaway.

It gave up more than one big play again, though, which has become par for the course. Add three more strikes of 30-plus yards to their list of infractions this season. That’s 18, if you’re scoring at home.

This defence sits dead-last in the average yards it gives up per play, at 7.2. On Saturday Calgary averaged a whopping 8.9.

Advertisement 5

This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below.

Article content

Teams don’t have the ball for long against the Bombers – the Stamps had it for less than 28 minutes – but they don’t have to.

That’s three straight games Winnipeg has given up at least 300 yards through the air.

The Bombers’ biggest pass play on Saturday? To their running back.

Their plummeting air attack is now at the bottom of the three-down heap, averaging 247 yards per game.

If you’re wondering where these issues began, look no further than the front office in the off-season.

That’s when receiver Kenny Lawler was allowed to bolt in free agency, signing a deal with Hamilton that was lucrative, but a deal that was doable for the most profitable team in the league.

How’s Lawler doing in the Hammer? He’s on pace for 1,500 yards and 16 touchdowns, that’s all.

Advertisement 6

This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below.

Article content

That short-armed and shortsighted move was compounded by the injury to Dalton Schoen, who’s at four missed games, and counting. With Schoen coming off a season-ending knee injury, re-signing Lawler was paramount. A no-brainer.

GM Kyle Walters dropped that ball.

We’re not about to let head coach Mike O’Shea off the hook, either, not after his calls in Calgary.

Giving up single points on any kickoff that nears the goal line might have made sense when the Bombers didn’t have a legitimate return threat.

But telling Trey Vaval to let the ball sail over his head into the end zone on Saturday, when he was coming off a two-touchdown performance, is averaging 25 yards per kickoff return and looking more dangerous every game, was a bad idea.

Advertisement 7

This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below.

Article content

That the difference in the game was one point was fitting.

Let your playmakers make plays, coach. Show some faith.

I can’t believe I just typed that line. It sounds like something O’Shea himself would say.

The guy showed incredible faith in Castillo, and was rewarded. Apply that principle to Vaval. You might lose five to 10 yards of field position, at worst. At best, he breaks another one.

The coach thinks his team remains right there, a play or two away, and that was the case in Calgary.

But that was a big one. A chance to stay within striking distance of second place and a home playoff game in the year of the home Grey Cup.

Instead, they’re neck-on-neck with the fourth-place B.C. Lions, the only space between them a game in hand.

That’s only worth as much as you do with it.

So it’s 3-6 Ottawa at home on Thursday. Five days between games, with little time to prepare and less room for error.

Games like this have been gimmes in Winnipeg lately.

It doesn’t feel like that anymore.

paul.friesen@kleinmedia.ca

X: @friesensunmedia

Article content

Share this article in your social network

FRIESEN: Coaches, front office, not off the hook as Bombers plummet

Tags: