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![\"Winnipeg](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/116206d5b7b0143c7a3e6a9cfee24fa5856c8c5a19df6b2b2ff16392f0ecb974.jpg\")
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\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tWinnipeg Blue Bombers quarterback Zach Collaros (8) throws the ball during first half CFL action against the Montreal Alouettes in Montreal on Thursday, Aug. 21, 2025. THE CANADIAN PRESS\/Christopher Katsarov<\/p>\n
\u201cWhen guys go down, another guy\u2019s going to come in, make the most of the opportunity, and honour your brother that has fallen. And I think that\u2019s exactly what we did.\u201d<\/p>\n
Oliveira, the CFL\u2019s reigning Most Outstanding Player, also scored a pivotal touchdown with 8:28 left in the fourth quarter to give Winnipeg (6-4) a 23-13 lead.<\/p>\n
He finished with 137 rushing yards and added 73 through the air on nine receptions \u2014 and nine targets \u2014 on a dominant night.<\/p>\n
\u201cSpecial with the football in his hands,\u201d Bombers quarterback Zach Collaros said. \u201cBeing able to almost run that out was huge for us.\u201d<\/p>\n
Collaros was an efficient 27-of-31 passing for 263 yards and one touchdown for the Bombers, who won their second in a row after a walk-off victory over the Ottawa Redblacks last week.<\/p>\n
Demski caught a touchdown pass before exiting with an injury in the second quarter, then Sterns left the game after a hard hit just before halftime. The Bombers didn\u2019t have an update for either player after the game.<\/p>\n
The double-whammy forced Winnipeg to field short-yardage QB Chris Streveler as a receiver in the second half \u2014 and Montreal still didn\u2019t have an answer as Oliveira repeatedly carried the Bombers to first downs.<\/p>\n
\u201cHe had a great game tonight, and obviously we didn\u2019t do enough to stop him,\u201d Alouettes head coach Jason Maas said. \u201cHe made a lot of plays, even running the ball and catching the ball. We\u2019ll have to look at that and address that.\u201d<\/p>\n
The injury-plagued Alouettes, meanwhile, lost their fourth game in a row and fell to 1-6 without franchise quarterback Davis Alexander.<\/p>\n
In his first CFL start, fourth-string QB James Morgan finished with 198 passing yards on 18-for-33 completions, one TD and two interceptions for Montreal (5-6), which started a different player behind centre for the third consecutive game.<\/p>\n
Morgan, a 28-year-old from Green Bay, Wisc., often sprayed passes wide and behind receivers in his second CFL appearance.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s a challenge for us, but that\u2019s part of football,\u201d Morgan said of Montreal\u2019s record without Alexander. \u201cI don\u2019t think that anybody here is looking at it as demoralizing. It\u2019s tough, this has been a tough stretch for us, but tough times make hard people.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cThere\u2019s obviously gonna be a lot of stuff that I\u2019m gonna have to improve at. That\u2019s for sure,\u201d he added.<\/p>\n
Alexander Hollins caught a game-high 132 yards on five receptions, while Tyler Snead caught Montreal\u2019s only TD before 20,310 at Molson Stadium.<\/p>\n
Alouettes third-string QB Caleb Evans suffered a season-ending knee injury in last week\u2019s 36-18 loss to the B.C. Lions and joined Alexander (hamstring) and backup McLeod Bethel-Thompson (elbow) on the six-game injured list.<\/p>\n
Montreal was also down top receivers Austin Mack and Tyson Philpot, safety Marc-Antoine Dequoy, returner James Letcher Jr., defensive back Dionte Ruffin, offensive lineman Justin Lawrence and defensive lineman Mustafa Johnson.<\/p>\n