The Winnipeg Blue Bombers keep on rolling and are now on the brink of clinching first place in the West Division.
Brady Oliveira strengthened his case for Most Outstanding Player by rushing for 147 yards as the Bombers beat the Hamilton Tiger-Cats 31-10 Friday night.
It is Winnipeg’s eighth straight win, moving them to 10-6 on the season and their first regular season win in Hamilton since 2017.
The Bombers guaranteed themselves a home playoff game with the victory and will clinch first place in the division if Saskatchewan loses to Edmonton on Saturday
Bombers head coach Mike O’Shea called it a good three-phase win, but gave special credit to his offensive line.
“The O-line I think took over in the second half,” O’Shea told 680 CJOB following the game. “Brady’s running and the O-line just greasing it. Overall, very very pleasing.”
Bombers centre Chris Kolankowski gave all the credit to Oliveira.
“First half, we think we had a little bit that we left out there. Brady was running hard from the get-go so we had to find a way to get him a little more, stay on the double teams a little longer,” Kolankowski said. “Once we did that, it was all Brady. Once we open up that first line of defence, he gets to second level and you know he’s going to fall forward for 8-9 yards.”
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Winnipeg’s defence had another banner night, holding Hamilton QB Bo Levi Mitchell to 217 yards passing, intercepting him twice and sacking him twice.
The Bombers opened the scoring about halfway through the first quarter when Collaros found Kevens Clercius for a 25-yard touchdown pass, the first of Clercius’ CFL career.
“So happy for that guy,” O’Shea said of Clercius. “He comes in as a rookie and we’re asking him to do so many different things and he says whatever you need me to do.”
After Hamilton tied it thanks to a James Butler 18-yard touchdown run, the Bombers took the lead back as the first quarter was expiring on a 22-yard field goal from Sergio Castillo.
In the second quarter, the Bombers extended the lead on a Terry Wilson one-yard touchdown run, set up by a long 55-yard pass from Collaros to Kenny Lawler.
The Ticats would add a field goal as the half was expiring to make it 17-10 Bombers through 30 minutes.
The score would remain that way until late in the third quarter when Oliveira found the endzone from four yards out on a drive where he picked up 48 yards rushing alone.
Wilson would add another rushing touchdown in the fourth quarter to put the game out of reach.
Collaros threw for 201 yards and a touchdown and feels like he’s trending in the right direction at the perfect time
“Momentum is a funny thing, we gotta continue to learn from moments in the game,” Collaros said. “We gotta get back to work tomorrow. Just because we won today doesn’t mean it will translate into next week.”
On the injury front, defensive back Brandon Alexander, receiver Ontaria Wilson, and linebacker Michael Ayers all left the game and did not return.
O’Shea said after the game Wilson will be fine after he was taken out of the game due to a hit to the head.
The Bombers will play their final home game of the regular season on Friday, October 11 when they host the Toronto Argonauts.
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