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![\"RUTH](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/4389067_web1_260709-Bomb-Dru-Brown-1a-.jpg\")
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RUTH BONNEVILLE \/ FREE PRESS FILES<\/p>\n
Dru Brown threw for 339 yards \u2014 250 of them in the first half \u2014 with one touchdown and one interception.<\/p>\n<\/p>\n
Was he facing the worst defence in the league? Perhaps. But that shouldn\u2019t overshadow Brown\u2019s performance. Despite having limited time to reacclimate to Winnipeg and Tommy Condell\u2019s playbook, he threw for 339 yards \u2014 250 of them in the first half \u2014 with one touchdown and one interception.<\/p>\n
The Bombers traded for him for moments like this and the 29-year-old delivered. It would\u2019ve been unrealistic to expect rookie Canadian Taylor Elgersma to put up similar numbers.<\/p>\n
\u201cI think (Brown) made it look easier than it really is,\u201d said head coach Mike O\u2019Shea.<\/p>\n
\u201cHe works his ass off. This isn\u2019t luck. This isn\u2019t, \u2018Oh, he\u2019s been in the system.\u2019 This is a guy who puts in a tremendous amount of time.\u201d<\/p>\n
Brown needed only one outing to pick up his first win. The Redblacks are still searching for theirs after five games.<\/p>\n
If starter Zach Collaros (neck) is once again held out Sunday, Brown will have the ultimate opportunity to stick it to Ottawa \u2014 and more specifically, head coach\/general manager Ryan Dinwiddie, who questioned his arm talent and referred to him as a \u201cdistraction\u201d after hand-selecting Jake Maier to take over under centre.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s over and done with now. Obviously got a lot of relationships over there with some of the players and love those guys. But we each have different issues, different situations,\u201d said Brown.<\/p>\n
\u201cI wish them the best. But I\u2019m focused on what we\u2019ve got going on over here and excited to roll forward with it.\u201d<\/p>\n
VIVA LA VAVAL<\/p>\n
Trey Vaval was not a happy camper.<\/p>\n
Trailing 22-14 with 10 minutes remaining, the Argonauts punted the ball back to the Bombers, only for Vaval to completely misplay it. Toronto recovered to set up shop at Winnipeg\u2019s 20-yard line.<\/p>\n
Vaval has been lights out all season, but his first major gaffe came at the worst possible time, and he knew it.<\/p>\n
\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t THE CANADIAN PRESS FILES<\/p>\n Winnipeg Blue Bombers\u2019 Trey Vaval has the longest missed field-goal return in franchise history at 129 yards. <\/p>\n<\/p>\n \u201cI was beating myself up. I came to the sideline, and I was really down on myself,\u201d Vaval admitted.<\/p>\n Just over a minute later, he made one of the finest plays of his young career.<\/p>\n Argos kicker Lirim Hajrullahu botched a 40-yard field-goal attempt, and Vaval returned it 129 yards for a touchdown to give Winnipeg a 29-14 lead.<\/p>\n It was the longest missed field-goal return in franchise history. Vaval, of course, already owned the previous record with a 128-yarder against Ottawa last season.<\/p>\n If the defence hadn\u2019t stood tall and forced Toronto to settle for a field-goal attempt, Vaval never would\u2019ve had his shot at redemption.<\/p>\n \u201cYou love the return. It\u2019s well executed,\u201d said O\u2019Shea. \u201cBut I like the defence\u2019s resolve to take the field after some adversity and step up and they held them pretty good.\u201d<\/p>\n WILLIE\u2019S WORLD<\/p>\n Willie Jefferson had just three sacks in 17 games in 2025.<\/p>\n With two quarterback takedowns on Friday, the 35-year-old defensive end has already matched last season\u2019s total.<\/p>\n You have to go back to the club\u2019s regular-season finale in 2023 to find the last time he recorded a multi-sack game.<\/p>\n \t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t JOHN WOODS \/ THE CANADIAN PRESS<\/p>\n Toronto Argonauts quarterback Chad Kelly escapes the tackle by Winnipeg Blue Bombers\u2019 Willie Jefferson. Jefferson had two quarterback takedowns during Friday\u2019s game. <\/p>\n<\/p>\n Perhaps he found the fountain of youth, or maybe having Jake Ceresna alongside him has opened things up. Either way, the future Hall of Famer is looking like his old self again.<\/p>\n \u201cWillie can have no sacks and he\u2019d still be the most dominant defensive lineman in the league,\u201d said O\u2019Shea.<\/p>\n \u201cHe\u2019s always been that special. I just think people spend too much time staring at the stat line.\u201d<\/p>\n The entire defence deserves praise for limiting Toronto to 21 points \u2014 16.5 below its per-game average.<\/p>\n TOO MANY TURNOVERS<\/p>\n You don\u2019t often win football games when you commit three turnovers.<\/p>\n The Bombers defied the odds, doing just that despite losing the turnover battle 3-1.<\/p>\n Their lone takeaway came when safety Redha Kramdi strip-sacked Kelly and linebacker Tony Jones recovered the loose ball.<\/p>\n Along with Brown\u2019s interception and Vaval\u2019s fumble, receiver Ontaria Wilson also coughed up the ball on the game\u2019s opening drive.<\/p>\n Friday marked just the second time this season a CFL team won despite committing more turnovers than its opponent.<\/p>\n The Bombers now own a minus-four turnover differential on the year.<\/p>\n LATE-GAME SHENANIGANS<\/p>\n He may be a rookie, but Bombers cornerback Major Williams has already mastered the art of getting under an opponent\u2019s skin.<\/p>\n Argos receiver Damonte Coxie was tackled by Williams after catching an 11-yard pass with six minutes remaining.<\/p>\n Apparently unimpressed that Williams held onto his ankle for an extra second or two after the whistle, Coxie lightly slapped the side of the defender\u2019s helmet.<\/p>\n He was flagged for 25 yards and disqualified for unnecessary roughness.<\/p>\n Coxie taunted the 32,144 fans in attendance as he exited the field of play and made his way down the tunnel.<\/p>\n \u201cIt was just two competitors, two great players going at it\u2026 I feel like in that situation, he just lost his cool,\u201d said Williams.<\/p>\n \u201cHe put his hands on me a couple times after the play, and they were losing the game. It wasn\u2019t his night. When things happen like that, those are the kind of actions that you get from ballplayers.\u201d<\/p>\n winnipegfreepress.com\/taylorallen<\/p>\n \t\t\t\t Taylor Allen Taylor Allen is a sports reporter for the Winnipeg Free Press. Taylor was the Vince Leah intern in the Free Press newsroom twice while earning his joint communications degree\/diploma at the University of Winnipeg and Red River College Polytechnic. He signed on full-time in 2019 and mainly covers the Blue Bombers, curling, and basketball. Read more about Taylor<\/a>.<\/p>\n Every piece of reporting Taylor 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
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