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WINNIPEG — The Winnipeg Blue Bombers dispatched the Ottawa REDBLACKS 25-16 on Friday night to grab their first win of the season. Hard running on offence and forced turnovers on defence powered the Bombers to a vital victory at home in a game where both teams were left with their backup quarterbacks.
REDBLACKS pivot Dru Brown exited the game in the second half after sustaining a hit to his head late in the first half, while Chris Strelever started for Winnipeg in place of the injured Zach Collaros. Strelever and running-back Brady Oliveira carried the load on offence for Winnipeg in the win, while Ottawa’s Ryquell Armstead tried his best to provide an answer when his team had the football.
Here are CFL.ca’s three key stats from the Blue Bombers win over the REDBLACKS.
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212 – WINNIPEG RUSHING YARDS
On a night neither team pushed the play through the air, Oliveira and Strelever dominated the ground game, combining for 208 of Winnipeg’s 212 rushing yards against the REDBLACKS.
After briefly exiting the game in the second half, Oliveira returned to the field when his team needed him to close out the game. The REDBLACKS had no answer for his strong running, and when Strelever kept the ball himself, he wasn’t afraid to put his body on the line, like he did for Winnipeg’s first and only touchdown of the game.
3 – OTTAWA TURNOVERS
Even though both teams found it difficult at times to create momentum on offence, Winnipeg’s defence came up big with a trio of important turnovers to stop the REDBLACKS in their tracks.
Right before halftime it was Evan Holm who recovered the football after Ryquell Armstead bobbled a lateral pass, not allowing Ottawa to put any points up in the second quarter.
With Dustin Crum in at quarterback after the break, the Bombers were relentless with their pressure on Ottawa’s backup. Willie Jefferson was the first to benefit, coming up with a strip sack early in the third frame. Not long after, Winnipeg’s Terrell Bonds snuck up on receiver Dominique Rhymes to pick off Crum and unsettle the visitor’s on offence one more time as the Bombers looked to close out the game.
6 – CASTILLO FIELD GOALS
Sergio Castillo nailed a field goal on Winnipeg’s first drive, and their last on a busy night for the Blue Bombers kicker.
Castillo made all six of his attempted kicks and was called on from 53 yards twice, as well as 49 yards. It wasn’t always straightforward for Castillo, but he was reliable as ever on a night when his team relied on him with Collaros on the shelf.