It was an item on the Winnipeg Blue Bombers’ to-do list with about the same ho-hum urgency as breathing, fuelling up the car with the tank on empty, and grabbing bread and milk at the supermarket.
Qualify for the Canadian Football League playoffs? Well, sure. Of course.
After all, it’s only been something this bunch has done with regularity over the last few years – now eight seasons and counting after a 55-27 victory over the Edmonton Elks in the annual Orange Shirt Game in front of the third straight capacity crowd of 32,343 on another pristine night at Princess Auto Stadium.
Winnipeg’s seventh straight victory not only improves the club to 9-6 and keeps it atop the West Division, it sends a clear and concise message to the rest of the league that the 0-4 start to the regular season is looking more and more like a blip and not the downward spiral so many had predicted.
And, heck yeah, there’s a very real vibe this bunch is just finding collective mojo again.
“Going 0-4… there was probably lots of outside noise and outsiders thinking, ‘This team ain’t going to make the postseason,’” said running back Brady Oliveira inside a rocking Blue Bombers locker room. “I’ll tell you this, though – the guys in this locker room had faith and we believed.
“We have a vet-heavy locker room that’s able to spread that around thats able to say, ‘Hey, we’ve got the guys to get this done. Just believe. Continue to trust it, continue to embrace these hard times, these trials and tribulations. Just come in every day and continue to work.’ That’s the only way I know how to get over adversity – work – and a lot of guys echoed that message.
“We had belief. We knew that we could get into the postseason and now looking at it, obviously securing a playoff spot is great and all but we’re not done yet. There’s a lot more work to be done and we’re excited about that.”
More on the Blue Bombers playoff-clinching ninth win of the season from our view in the press box…
THE ZACH ATTACK IS BACK:
So, how does a veteran QB who has battled through some ups and downs this season get his game and his numbers right again all the while playing his part in a seven-game win streak?
How about slicing up the Elks defence like a coroner cutting up a cadaver while completing 21-of-26 passes for 432 yards – seven off a career high – and a career-best six touchdowns? Yup, that’ll do it.
Collaros connected with seven different receivers with two of them – Nic Demski (four catches for 117 yards) and Kenny Lawler (8-130) – finding the end zone twice, along with Keric Wheatfall and Oliveira. In the process, his TD-to-interception differential is instantly credible again at 15:14.
“When you’ve got guys making plays the way our guys did all night long you’ll yield those results,” said Collaros afterwards. “Our offensive line did an unbelievable job of protecting all night long. Early in the game we were able to run the ball really well, get into some second-and-manageables, and again guys just made plays all night.”
Including this one…
HE REFUSES TO GO DOWN. #ForTheW pic.twitter.com/rTf93s7aN0
— Winnipeg Blue Bombers (@Wpg_BlueBombers) September 28, 2024
“It’s awesome we got the win,” said Collaros when asked about his six-TD passing night. “It’s awesome we scored a bunch of touchdowns. Brady’s touchdown is something I’ll never forget… seeing it on the jumbotron was just amazing.
“Kenny’s catch looked like a glitch in the matrix from my vantage point, at least. Dalton (Schoen) had one a couple years ago in B.C. that was similar. I threw it and it I was thinking, ‘I don’t think he’s going to get that’ and he just got there with his big claw. The DB looked surprised, too. We were all surprised.
Can we take a moment to appreciate this snag by Kenny Lawler? #ForTheW pic.twitter.com/wObtfpL7cL
— x – Winnipeg Blue Bombers (@Wpg_BlueBombers) September 28, 2024
“We had Pokey (Wilson) breaking tackles and then Nic… it’s always rewarding when you talk through stuff throughout the week, throughout the year, about plays you can hit versus certain looks and Nic Demski is a guy who is always so dialled in with what they’re doing defensively by making the right read and then being able to finish those is cool.”
D-LICIOUS:
The Blue Bombers defence helped backstop the squad to a 34-6 lead at the intermission, including a 62-yard scoop-and-score TD by defensive end TyJuan Garbutt on a McLeod Bethel-Thompson backward pass to Justin Rankin.
THAT’S A SCOOP & SCORE FOR GARBUTT
31 ZIP #ForTheW pic.twitter.com/BO7poYlyWG
— Winnipeg Blue Bombers (@Wpg_BlueBombers) September 28, 2024
Winnipeg finished with three forced turnovers – the Garbutt fumble-TD and twice on downs – and had nine over the two-game set with the Elks.
KEY MOMENT
‘No lead is safe’ is one of the CFL’s mottos and, by and large, it holds true. But the Collaros-to-Wheatfall 61-yard score in the second quarter put the Blue Bombers up 17-0 and with the way the veteran pivot was slinging it, that three-score advantage seemed insurmountable.
AN ABSOLUTE BOMB TO KERIC#ForTheW pic.twitter.com/izbd8d24ZN
— Winnipeg Blue Bombers (@Wpg_BlueBombers) September 28, 2024
KEY STAT: 6
He’s too humble to accept the pats on the back or the fist bumps, but Collaros’ six TDs on the night represented a career high for a guy who now has 197 in his career and now 107 as a Blue Bomber. Get this: the six-TD effort allowed him to move past Tom Clements (102), Kevin Glenn (103) and Jack Jacobs (104) in one night.
NEXT
The Blue Bombers hit the road again next week with a visit to Hamilton to face the Tiger-Cats on Friday, October 4th with a scheduled start of 6 p.m. CDT.