{"id":795793,"date":"2026-07-11T21:31:17","date_gmt":"2026-07-11T21:31:17","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/795793\/"},"modified":"2026-07-11T21:31:17","modified_gmt":"2026-07-11T21:31:17","slug":"game-recap-wpg-30-tor-21","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/795793\/","title":{"rendered":"Game Recap | Wpg 30 Tor 21"},"content":{"rendered":"

The Winnipeg Blue Bombers are rediscovering their mojo again and it\u2019s coming courtesy a familiar cast of characters and with a sprinkling of some new\/old faces, too.<\/p>\n

The Blue Bombers won their second straight on a steamy Friday night at Princess Auto Stadium in a 30-21 win over the Toronto Argonauts in a game chock-full of explosive plays \u2014 and also some messy moments \u2014 that nonetheless showcased some encouraging signs through five games and six weeks of the Canadian Football League season.<\/p>\n

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Winnipeg is now 3-2 with their last two W\u2019s coming with quarterbacks not named Zach Collaros at the controls \u2014 last week it was rookie Taylor Elgersma coming off the bench to play a key role in a road win in Hamilton and tonight it was Dru Brown making a triumphant return to the Blue Bombers with a superb performance of his own.<\/p>\n

In fact, get this: just 17 days after being acquired from the Ottawa RedBlacks in a trade for a first-round draft pick and a conditional second rounder, Brown completed 25-of-31 for 339 yards with a TD strike to Tim White and one interception.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt feels good. I\u2019m happy to be somewhere that I really enjoy and my family loves with guys that believe in me,\u201d said Brown post-game. \u201cSo, it\u2019s hard to kind of put into words, but I\u2019m glad I could do my part tonight and execute the plays.<\/p>\n

\u201cEspecially on a short week (of practice), the guys up front, Brady (Oliveira) in the backfield, the guys catching the ball got to the right spots. I can\u2019t do any of that without the help of the other 11 so I\u2019m grateful to have guys that prepare hard and take care of themselves and then go out there and compete their tail off.\u201d<\/p>\n

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The win was Brown\u2019s first as a Blue Bomber at home \u2014 although it was technically the Argos home game after they opted to play their dates lost due to the World Cup here and in Regina \u2014 and running out of the tunnel in front of 32,134, just shy of a sellout, made for an emotional moment after being demoted in Ottawa and then traded.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt was special,\u201d said Brown. \u201cI can\u2019t really express\u2026 I feel like I say it all the time, but I really love it here, my family loves it here, and the support that I\u2019ve gotten from everyone in the building and in the community means a lot to me.\u201d<\/p>\n

There were a ton of layers that made up the club\u2019s third win of the season and here are some thoughts from our view in the press box\u2026<\/p>\n

A TIME FOR REDEMPTION\/A MOMENT FOR HEROES<\/p>\n

The Blue Bombers were leading 22-14 with just over 10 minutes remaining and potentially about to put a stranglehold on the game when Trey Vaval fumbled a punt which was recovered by the Argos at the Winnipeg 33-yard line.<\/p>\n

What happened next over the next three plays was ultimately massive in the victory. First, Winnipeg\u2019s defence forced two incompletions by the Argos and as Lirim Hajrullahu connected on a 40-yard field goal the Blue Bombers called a time out thinking they had too many men on the field, blowing the play dead.<\/p>\n

Hajrullahu then missed on his second try, with Vaval weaving more magic with a 129-yard missed field goal return touchdown which smashed his own club record of 128 yards, set last year in Ottawa.<\/p>\n

TREY VAVAL HAS A SHORT MEMORY.#ForTheW<\/a> pic.twitter.com\/2thFfO0gne<\/a><\/p>\n

\u2014 Winnipeg Blue Bombers (@Wpg_BlueBombers) July 11, 2026<\/a><\/p>\n

Asked what was going through his mind after the muffed return, Vaval was succinct.<\/p>\n

\u201cHonestly, it was, F\u2014 man, I put my team in that position,\u201d he said. \u201cI\u2019ve got to get better. I\u2019ve got to go back and fix my eyes because I was looking at the field and not at the ball. I was just trying to do too much for my team at that point.<\/p>\n

\u201cThat happened and it made me take a step back, breathe, and relax and get my mind right for the rest of the game.\u201d<\/p>\n

INSTANT TAKEAWAYS<\/p>\n

-Brown has now eclipsed the 300-yard passing mark in his last four starts against the Argos, including his days in Ottawa.<\/p>\n

-Toronto\u2019s Chad Kelly finished 24-of-36 for 320 yards and two TD strikes to Makai Polk, but the Blue Bombers also sacked him three times \u2014 twice by Willie Jefferson and a third by Redha Kramdi.<\/p>\n

Jefferson now has three sacks in five games, already matching his total from last year.<\/p>\n

FOR HIS SECOND OF THE NIGHT.#ForTheW<\/a> pic.twitter.com\/08rK2o6txI<\/a><\/p>\n

\u2014 Winnipeg Blue Bombers (@Wpg_BlueBombers) July 11, 2026<\/a><\/p>\n

\u201cWillie could have no sacks right now and he\u2019d still be the most dominant defensive lineman in the league,\u2019 said head coach Mike O\u2019Shea. \u201cHe\u2019s always been that special; I just people spend too much time staring at his stat line.<\/p>\n

\u201cHe\u2019s always impacted the game; he\u2019s always been that guy. So, there\u2019s numbers now to it. I don\u2019t really care about the numbers. He is making a mess back there (in the opposition backfield). Whether it adds up to a sack or not, offences need to account for him and every single game he is creating havoc whether that adds up to a stat or not.\u201d<\/p>\n

-Nic Demski finished with six catches for 82 yards and moved past Perry Tuttle for 11th place on the Blue Bombers all-time receiving yardage list. He\u2019s now at 6,595 yards as a Blue Bomber.<\/p>\n

-The Blue Bombers did leave some points on the field, with Pokey Wilson fumbling at the Argo four-yard line after a 49-yard gain on the first possession but rebounded to finish with 10 receptions for 133 yards, including three second-down conversions.<\/p>\n

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There were some wacky ones on this night, but Vaval\u2019s magic came at a critical moment. It was his fifth kick return touchdown for the Blue Bombers \u2014 twice now on missed field goals, twice on kickoffs and once on a punt \u2014 in just 22 games here in Winnipeg.<\/p>\n

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The Blue Bombers still made their share of mistakes \u2014 two lost fumbles and an interception \u2014 but Brown\u2019s statline jumps out on a night where it was uncertain what kind of role he could have this quickly after the trade with Ottawa.<\/p>\n

Brown completed 81 percent of his passes \u2014 25-of-31- for a tidy 339 yards as the ball came out of his hands quickly save for the one throw that was picked.<\/p>\n

ALRIGHT TIM WHITE !!!<\/p>\n

We snatch the first TD of the night!!!!#ForTheW<\/a> pic.twitter.com\/sY3nm8P6XP<\/a><\/p>\n

\u2014 Winnipeg Blue Bombers (@Wpg_BlueBombers) July 11, 2026<\/a><\/p>\n

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The Blue Bombers are back on the road next weekend with a trip to Ottawa and a date with the RedBlacks on Sunday, July 19th with a scheduled start time of 6 p.m. CDT.<\/p>\n