Blue get offensive
Even remember who's on point-after unit
By PAUL FRIESEN -- Winnipeg Sun
REGINA -- The view from the press box, on a day every lunatic in Saskatchewan seems to have come out of the woodwork to give a long-haired kicker from Manitoba a piece of their mind. If every team had a Troy Westwood, think we'd see a few more packed stadiums across the CFL?
NAME OF THE GAME: I've said it before, and I'll say it again: there is nothing like Labour Day in Regina. You can't go anywhere -- cabs, hotels, restaurants -- without hearing somebody talk about "the game." Of course, Taylor Field is oversold again... This northwest breeze is wicked, topping out at 50 clicks. And I thought the shooters at McNally's pub were stiff... 'Riders are about to punch in the game's first major, but quarterback Henry Burris coughs up the ball on the one, and Doug Brown recovers for the Bombers. Is it me, or have the Bombers dodged four or five of those bullets this season? ... Who's that hauling down a pass, one-handed, going the other way -- Milt Stegall? Does he still play for Winnipeg?
GO CRAZY REGINA: Second quarter now, and the fans are going crazy as Westwood lines up for a 38-yarder. What's this, holder Jamie Stoddard drops the snap? Everybody together, now, say fun-da-men-tals ... Later, it's Westwood wide on a 46-yarder -- after a low snap, we should point out -- and it's 3-1 'Riders... Bomber quarterback Kevin Glenn overthrows Robert Gordon and is intercepted by Santino Hall, but the 'Riders can't move the ball. It's half-time, and the Bombers have now gone more than 12 quarters -- 176 minutes, 52 seconds, to be exact -- without scoring an offensive touchdown. Hey, look at the bright side: their 116 total yards is 115 more than they had in the first half last week.
CHARLES IN CHECK: The other first-half stat that jumps out at you is the 14 yards rushing by Charles Roberts. The 'Rider defence is gunning for the little guy... If the Bombers hope to stand any chance, they'll need to do something with the wind in the third. Breaks like the one receiver Derrick Smith just got, having a fumble bounce right back to him, won't hurt... Roberts finds 13 yards, and a few plays later it's Stegall over the middle for the 22-yard touchdown, ending the drought. Let's see if the Bombers even remember who's on the point-after unit. They do, and it's 8-3... Punter Jon Ryan's towering boot pins the 'Riders on their own three. No cheers for the hometown boy, though. Out here, the jersey colour overrides the birth certificate, every time.
RIGGED BANJO: Fourth quarter now, 10-3 Bombers, and there's a guy with a real banjo about a dozen rows down. Don't know about you, but I wouldn't bring a $500 instrument into this nuthouse. Then again, he's probably rigged it so he can drink out of it... The 'Riders offence is moving now. There's Elfrid Payton, just missing yet another sack, but it doesn't matter, as Burris throws a pass right at Stephen Fisher, who takes the interception 59 yards. That leads to a shower of beer cups from the loonies in the stands. Five plays later, Kamau Peterson hauls in a tipped pass from Glenn, and it's 17-3 Bombers.
TOUGH ON D: The Bomber defence is playing tougher than the baron of beef at this afternoon's buffet. Only thing left to decide now: the fights in the stands. Some loogin just threw what looks like a golf ball onto the field. Of course, there's the mandatory streaker... To say this Bomber win is big is like saying a 'Rider Prider likes his barley sandwiches. If a Bomber fan wanted hope, he has it now. The defence isn't anything like it was a few weeks back, and the offence has rediscovered the end zone. There's still a ton of work to do, but this team's in third place, for now, giving some pluck to next week's Banjo Bowl.
