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JEFF MCINTOSH \/ THE CANADIAN PRESS<\/p>\n
Calgary Stampeders quarterback Vernon Adams Jr. lived up to his \u201cBig play V.A.\u201d nickname by making the biggest throws of the night.<\/p>\n<\/p>\n
The Stampeders\u2019 offence was stuck in the stable for the entire first quarter. On their opening drive of the second, Adams Jr. found Jones on a 78-yard shot for a touchdown with Bombers\u2019 newly acquired defensive back Dexter Lawson Jr. in coverage.<\/p>\n
Jones beat Lawson Jr. on a simple post route, and safety Jake Kelly couldn\u2019t get over to help in time, as Jones caught the pass and broke both tackle attempts before waltzing into the end zone.<\/p>\n
Two drives later, with Calgary at Winnipeg\u2019s 15-yard line, Jones ran a beautiful double move on Terrell Bonds and was all alone in the end zone when Adams Jr. found him.<\/p>\n
Bonds was injured on the play and needed help off the field. He did not return to the game, and Trey Vaval replaced him.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s just them finding a way to convert on second down,\u201d said Willie Jefferson, who had one defensive tackle and two knockdowns. \u201cAs a defence, we were getting to him, making him move around, getting him off his spot\u2026 but then we just got to get off the field on second down. We had a couple of opportunities to get off the field on second down, and they just made some good plays.\u201d<\/p>\n
Meanwhile, Collaros, who missed Week 9 with a neck injury, completed 21 of 26 passes for 214 yards and one touchdown.<\/p>\n
The Bombers\u2019 star quarterback was dialled in early on, as Winnipeg\u2019s offence left the field with points on three of its first four drives. The opening series ended with a 48-yard field goal by Castillo, who also connected from 53 and 37 on this night.<\/p>\n
After a one-yard plunge by Chris Streveler extended the Bombers\u2019 lead to 10-0, Collaros began to heat up.<\/p>\n
He found Brady Oliveira on a perfectly placed seed up the left hash for a 42-yard gain, then two plays later threw a strike into the teeth of the Stampeders\u2019 blitz, finding Jerreth Sterns for a 23-yard touchdown to cap a seven-play, 68-yard drive that took up less than two minutes, thanks to a big return by Trey Vaval.<\/p>\n
Interceptions have been a big knock on Collaros this season, but he certainly reigned in the risk level of his throws on this night.<\/p>\n
\u00a0<\/p>\n
BRADY\u2019S DAY<\/p>\n
The Bombers weren\u2019t going to let Brady Oliveira be scripted out of this one.<\/p>\n
There have been questions about the reigning Most Outstanding Player\u2019s usage in the first half of the season. It\u2019s been difficult for the Bombers to run the ball as much as they would like while trying to pull themselves out of large deficits.<\/p>\n
On this day, Oliveira was the focal point of the offence early and often.<\/p>\n
At halftime, the visitors had run 31 plays. Their bell cow running back touched the ball on 15 of them \u2014 eight rushes, seven receptions \u2014 for 146 total scrimmage yards.<\/p>\n
Oliveria finished with 12 carries for 68 yards and was Winnipeg\u2019s leading receiver on the night, hauling in nine passes for 100 yards.<\/p>\n
Collaros said it wasn\u2019t in the Bombers\u2019 game plan to throw to Oliveria that much, but it certainly worked, as the club scored 23 points in the first half.<\/p>\n
\u201cPersonally, I felt good throughout the game,\u201d said Oliveria. \u201cI thought, as an offence, we were moving the ball well, and unfortunately, we got to play an entire four quarters.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe need to finish games out,\u201d he added. \u201cWe started fast in the first half, and I think we kind of slowed down a little bit, and I\u2019m not sure why that exactly happened. I think, obviously, watch your tape on the plane tonight, flying back to Winnipeg, and then maybe get a better understanding. Right now, it\u2019s hard when you try to stay in the game and try not to think about that. You\u2019re just trying to stay in the moment, forget about the past, be present \u2014 when the ball comes your way, you need to make a play.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u00a0<\/p>\n
OFFENCE GOES SILENT<\/p>\n
It was tracking to be a marvellous day for Winnipeg\u2019s offence.<\/p>\n
The first half featured seven possessions, five of which ended in points. They were also stuffed on a third-and-short deep in Calgary\u2019s territory in the second quarter, which could\u2019ve produced more points.<\/p>\n
Then the second half came.<\/p>\n
Winnipeg\u2019s drive results after halftime were as follows: punt, punt, punt, punt, punt, field goal.<\/p>\n
After registering 241 yards of net offence in the first half, the Bombers netted 62 yards in the second half as the game slipped away.<\/p>\n
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t JEFF MCINTOSH \/ THE CANADIAN PRESS<\/p>\n Winnipeg Blue Bombers quarterback Zach Collaros (8) completed 21 of 26 passes for 214 yards and one touchdown.<\/p>\n<\/p>\n \u201cJust reflecting on it right now, too many second-and-longs,\u201d said Collaros. \u201cDon\u2019t want to take anything away from (Calgary), obviously, but we have to be better. Our defence, holding that team to 28 points, we should win that football game \u2014 especially, (special) teams did a great job, too. So we have to carry our weight.\u201d<\/p>\n \u00a0<\/p>\n KEY EXPLOSIVES<\/p>\n The big plays allowed by the Bombers\u2019 defence will continue to be notable until they shore things up.<\/p>\n The Stampeders, who combined for seven explosive plays in the first two meetings between these clubs, had three on this night \u2014 all from the arm of Adams Jr.<\/p>\n And it could\u2019ve been more.<\/p>\n Before the Stampeders\u2019 second touchdown, Adams Jr. tested the Bombers\u2019 defence with Kelly on the field again, as he heaved a 40-yard pass intended for Dominique Rhymes. Kelly panicked and pushed Rhymes just as the ball was arriving, and was called for pass interference.<\/p>\n Adams Jr. also found Clark Barnes on a 39-yard gain in the third quarter \u2014 which led to a 14-yard field goal from Paredes \u2014 and Jalen Philpot on a sensational 48-yard connection up the left sideline later in the third frame, which led to a 31-yard make by Paredes, who went four-for-five on kicks.<\/p>\n The Bombers have harped on improving communication to shore up their recurring issues on the backend. However, the Stampeders were simply the better team in the biggest moments on this night.<\/p>\n \u201cSometimes, the call is made by the coach, and you need to execute. And then when you recognize where you need to be, you need to be there and make the play when it comes your way,\u201d said Kramdi.<\/p>\n \u201cAnd sometimes the person and the play call offensively is just a good call against what we\u2019re doing. I think we talked a lot about communication and all that good stuff, but sometimes it\u2019s just the call is good for what we\u2019re in, and they made a play, and we didn\u2019t. It\u2019s as simple as that.\u201d<\/p>\n \u00a0<\/p>\n POINT-AFTER<\/p>\n In what was a precarious situation, Vaval allowed two kickoffs to sail over his head and into the end zone in the first half, conceding a pair of singles to the Stampeders.<\/p>\n Those points proved huge in a one-point affair. O\u2019Shea said the rookie returner was instructed to let the kicks go.<\/p>\n \u201cYou\u2019re trading a point for 40 yards,\u201d he said. \u201cHe\u2019s gonna catch it at the five (yard line).\u201d<\/p>\n \u00a0<\/p>\n joshua.frey-sam@freepress.mb.ca<\/p>\n X: @jfreysam<\/p>\n \t\t\t\t Joshua Frey-Sam Josh Frey-Sam reports on sports and business at the Free Press. Josh got his start at the paper in 2022, just weeks after graduating from the Creative Communications program at Red River College. He reports primarily on amateur teams and athletes in sports. Read more about Josh<\/a>.<\/p>\n Every piece of reporting Josh produces is reviewed by an editing team before it is posted online or published in print \u2014 part of the Free Press\u2018s tradition, since 1872, of producing reliable independent journalism. Read more about Free Press\u2019s history and mandate<\/a>, and learn how our newsroom operates<\/a>.<\/p>\n Our newsroom depends on a growing audience of readers to power our journalism. If you are not a paid reader, please consider becoming a subscriber<\/a>.<\/p>\n Our newsroom depends on its audience of readers to power our journalism. Thank you for your support.<\/p>\n \t\t
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