Bombers bash Riders 22-7 in Banjo Bowl, with defence coming up big

Despite losing 37-19 to Saskatchewan last week, the Winnipeg Blue Bombers seemed to have a decent chance to turn things around in this week's rematch. They did just that Saturday, knocking off the Roughriders 22-7 in the Banjo Bowl, and their defence was a big part of the reason why. A unit that was heavily victimized by 0-9 Saskatchewan last week turned in a great performance this time around, and while they weren't the only part of Winnipeg's win, they were perhaps the most essential.

Last week, the Bombers struggled against both the pass and the run. They only conceded 211 yards through the air, but they let quarterback Brett Smith complete 19 of his 25 passing attempts with one touchdown and no interceptions, a staggering 76 per cent rate. This week, they put Smith under much more pressure, and that led to him completing only 13 of 28 passes (46.4 per cent) for 114 yards and a touchdown with two interceptions. Winnipeg was also much more solid against the run this time around. Last week, the Bombers allowed Riders' running back Jerome Messam to collect 73 rushing yards on 17 carries, Smith to pick up 59 yards on seven carries, and RB Anthony Allen to grab 21 yards on five carries. This week, they held Messam to 41 yards on nine carries, Allen to four on two, and Smith to 53 on four carries. That's a huge defensive improvement, and it's a big part of why Winnipeg came out on top here, especially considering that their offence struggled early and committed plenty of turnovers.

The offence played its own role, though, and new quarterback Matt Nichols in particular seemed to settle in nicely after a rough start. On the day, he finished with 21 completions on 30 attempts (70 per cent) for 283 yards and a touchdown, albeit with one interception. Those aren't the most dazzling numbers we've seen in the CFL this season, but they're an order of magnitude greater than what the Bombers have received from their quarterbacks lately. If Nichols can continue to produe at that kind of level, Winnipeg may have further wins ahead.

This win really was about the defence, though, and that's a refreshing change for the Blue Bombers. On the year, they had allowed 307 points heading into this game, an average of 30.7 points per game. They were much better from both a points standpoint and a yardage standpoint this time around, and that bodes well for them. The pass rush in particular stood out, sacking Smith five times; Maurice Leggett led the way with two sacks, while Jamaal Westerman, Khalil Bass and Bryant Turner each had one apiece. Bass turned in one of the plays of the game later, too, getting his arms up on a rush and intercepting a Smith pass from only feet away, then taking it the distance for a pick-six. It was an incredible defensive effort, and it improved Winnipeg's record to 4-7 and snapped their four-game losing streak. If their defence can continue to play this way, the Bombers could still make some noise this season.