{"id":812415,"date":"2026-07-19T16:02:11","date_gmt":"2026-07-19T16:02:11","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/812415\/"},"modified":"2026-07-19T16:02:11","modified_gmt":"2026-07-19T16:02:11","slug":"game-day-hq-winnipeg-blue-bombers","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/812415\/","title":{"rendered":"Game Day HQ | – Winnipeg Blue Bombers"},"content":{"rendered":"

OTTAWA \u2014 The term \u2018trap game\u2019 came up occasionally in discussion with some members of the Winnipeg Blue Bombers players this week.<\/p>\n

And full disclosure: yours truly was one of the those trotting it out during those conversations as it seemed to fit the narrative.<\/p>\n

After all, the Blue Bombers \u2014 having won two straight to get to 3-2 \u2014 now have some wind at their backs as they arrived in the nation\u2019s capital to face an Ottawa RedBlacks side that is winless at 0-5, has uncertainty at the quarterback position and is truly looking to find some traction under new GM and head coach Ryan Dinwiddie.<\/p>\n

Yet, the more the trap game term bounced around in my noggin \u2014 and the more we brought it up in the locker room \u2014 the less it seemed like a plausible angle. The Blue Bombers have their own story to write, their own issues to tend to through five games.<\/p>\n

So, there\u2019s no sense in fixating on the blemishes of others right now.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe truly just worry about ourselves every single week,\u201d said Brady Oliveira. \u201cThere\u2019s things WE have to work on as a group and as an entire team. We come in here the days after games, win or lose, and we\u2019re critical on our performances and constantly talk about what we have to do to get better.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe respect our opponent, of course. What we can expect is they\u2019re going to be prepared, they\u2019re going to play a physical brand of football and we\u2019re going to get their best. I don\u2019t care what the records are \u2014 we\u2019re lining up across a guy who is getting paid and will make some plays.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe just worry about us in here.\u201d<\/p>\n

Good point, Mr. Oliveira. Consider that the offence ranks last in points scored, while the team is second last in the turnover differential at -4. The defence, while coming on of late, also ranks second last in the league in rushing yards against at 114.2.<\/p>\n

On top of that\u2026<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

\u201cWinless teams are dangerous,\u201d said defensive tackle Jake Ceresna. \u201cThey\u2019re working so much to get that first win and they\u2019re hungry for it. Usually the case is \u2014 and it\u2019s that way with Ottawa \u2014 they lost a close game with Saskatchewan, which are near the top in the West \u2014 and so you\u2019ve got to be prepared because they\u2019re going to be ready. We\u2019ve got to match their energy and physicality in the first quarter and be ready to go.\u201d<\/p>\n

The RedBlacks have now dropped 11-straight dating back to a 34-33 win over the B.C. Lions last September 5. That said. they were down just 16-14 in last week\u2019s loss to Edmonton before the wheels came off completely in a 40-17 setback.<\/p>\n

And the Blue Bombers have seen enough on film to be wary.<\/p>\n

\u201cYou can absolutely turn your season around with a blink of an eye,\u201d said defensive end Willie Jefferson Saturday. \u201cThis would be the best time for an Ottawa team \u2014 against a good team at home, you get your win and strike a fire.<\/p>\n

\u201cFor us. a veteran-led team\u2026 we told the young guys this whole week this team is 0-5 but they do have some great players, some good coaches, and they\u2019re trying to find a way to win. Most of their games have been close until the end and they haven\u2019t been able to find a way to win and finish the game.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe don\u2019t want to be that team that comes in and gives them the chance to find that.\u201d<\/p>\n

More notes and quotes to help get Blue Bombers fans ready for tonight in this week\u2019s edition of GAME DAY HQ\u2026<\/p>\n

MILESTONE WATCH<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

Blue Bombers star running back Brady Oliveira is just 68 yards back of Willard Reaves for third spot on the club\u2019s all-time rushing list. Oliveira is now up to 5,855, while Reaves finished his career at 5,923.<\/p>\n

Charles Roberts tops that list at 9,987 with Leo Lewis second at 8,861.<\/p>\n

\u201cReaves is third all-time? That\u2019s cool,\u201d said Oliveira this week. \u201cWe talked about this a few weeks ago \u2014 I just have tunnel vision on the job at hand this week, the opponent and then after that game you fix the mistakes and then you\u2019re on to the next opponent.<\/p>\n

\u201cI haven\u2019t really had the chance to think about some of this stuff you tell me about. It\u2019s more so when you step away from the game and everything. I have you to remind me of this stuff. It\u2019s pretty cool\u201d<\/p>\n

NOTABLE<\/p>\n

Nic Demski is three receptions away from 450 in his career as a Blue Bomber. He sits fifth on the teams\u2019 all-time list behind Milt Stegall (854), James Murphy (573), Joe Poplawski (549) and Terrence Edwards (469).
\nOne more on Oliveira \u2014 he needs 179 yards from scrimmage to pass Andrew Harris (7,986) for sixth on the Bombers\u2019 all-time list.
\nRookie Major Williams recorded a team-high seven tackles last week. He ranks second on the team in defensive tackles (24) and defensive plays (32), while leading the club with six pass knockdowns.
\nOttawa has won two of the past three meetings at TD Place.
\nJake Maier is 1-7 against Winnipeg and McLeod Bethel-Thompson is 1-5.<\/p>\n

QUOTABLE<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s going to be fun. Basically, he\u2019s playing in a place that opened their arms to you but now you\u2019re the bad guy, in a sense. He\u2019ll just come in and play his game, do what he does best slinging the ball around the field to our guys and hopefully he can break a few hearts this week and it\u2019ll be fun but at the same time bittersweet.<\/p>\n

\u2014 Willie Jefferson on Dru Brown\u2019s return to Ottawa<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"OTTAWA \u2014 The term \u2018trap game\u2019 came up occasionally in discussion with some members of the Winnipeg Blue…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":812416,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[194296],"tags":[49,48,22073],"class_list":["post-812415","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-winnipeg","tag-ca","tag-canada","tag-winnipeg"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/812415","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=812415"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/812415\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/812416"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=812415"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=812415"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=812415"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}