The Winnipeg Blue Bombers defeated the Saskatchewan Roughriders by a score of 26-21 in front of a sold-out crowd of 32,343 at Princess Auto Stadium in the 20th annual Banjo Bowl on Saturday afternoon. Below are my thoughts on the game.
The hit
Saskatchewan defensive tackle Miles Brown, who was already public enemy No. 1 in Bomberland following his headshot on Zach Collaros last week, was flagged for roughing the passer late in the third quarter for a low hit on Chris Streveler.
Brown immediately penetrated Winnipeg’s offensive line and either lost his footing or was knocked over as he approached Streveler, who was dropping back for a surprise pass on second-and-two. The contact appeared to be at or just above the quarterback’s knee.
The feedback I’ve seen on Twitter/X has been pretty predictable. Fans from Saskatchewan believe the hit was clean and Brown deserves a written apology from every fan, official, and reporter who has ever attended a CFL game, while fans from Winnipeg seem to think Brown should be banned from playing, watching, or thinking about football ever again.
The truth is obviously somewhere in the middle. It would have been difficult for Brown to avoid Streveler’s leg and the hit was arguably above the knee, which is permitted under the CFL’s rules. However, it’s hard to ignore the fact that he’s now knocked three different quarterbacks out this season. He rolled up on Dru Brown in Ottawa, took a headshot on Collaros last week, and collapsed into Streveler this week.
The dual-threat quarterback was incensed at the play and began screaming at Brown across the line of scrimmage while hopping on his uninjured right leg. Backup offensive lineman Micah Vanterpool was flagged for objectionable conduct after the play, presumably for yelling at Brown and/or his teammates.
Winnipeg head coach Mike O’Shea didn’t offer many thoughts on the hit, though he believed contact was made to Streveler’s knee. He didn’t officially update the quarterback’s status, though he was spotted on crutches in the locker room.
“I love all our guys, I don’t want to see anybody hurt. I don’t want to see anybody hurt as a result of a penalty, especially,” he said. “I have no thoughts on (Brown.) All my thoughts are with Chris Streveler and how he’s feeling. I would never waste time with (commenting on an opposing player). He’s not on our team.”
Collaros didn’t comment on the hit but reiterated how much respect he has for Streveler.
“He’s just an unbelievable teammate, unbelievable person, unreal in our room — just a guy that loves this game and loves his teammates,” he said. “Anytime you see a guy go down, it hurts not being able to come back in — especially a guy I spend so much time with being in that quarterback room, so I feel for him. I hope for the best, obviously, but he’s just an amazing competitor.”
Offensive lineman Kendall Randolph, who appeared to be the blocker working against Brown on the play, was asked for his version of how the play unfolded but he said he’d need to watch the film to be sure.
“They were definitely trying to shoot the gap and we’ve just got to be physical up front,” he said. “I hate that that happened. It’s a physical game, you’ve just gotta be consistent.”
Left guard Liam Dobson didn’t see anything on the play, nor did veteran right guard Patrick Neufeld, who’s faced Brown several times since the defender entered the CFL in 2022.
“I don’t think he’s a dirty player. I hope he’s not a dirty player,” said Neufeld. “I think he plays hard, he plays physical. If you hit the quarterback in the head, that’s gonna be a penalty. On that play (when Streveler got injured), I have no idea. It’s up to the refs.”
“I don’t think (Saskatchewan’s a dirty team). I think they just play hard, they play physical, they play fast. They’re coached well, they’re coached to rally to the ball, they’re coached to play to the whistle. Sometimes when you play hard like that it may come off as dirty but I don’t think they’re too dirty of a team,” said receiver Nic Demski.
“The two plays everybody’s thinking about, it’s unfortunate. Sometimes that’s football, things happen at the wrong time and they’re magnified. I think they’re a good team, I think they play hard. I can’t really make an opinion on (the Streveler hit) until I see the film but I’ve got a lot of respect for those guys over there.”
Though the Brown hit was arguably clean, the Riders had at least two plays that weren’t.
Near the midway point of the first quarter, middle linebacker Jameer Thurman pushed Brady Oliveira from behind well after the play was over, drawing a penalty for objectionable conduct. Early in the second quarter, defensive end Habakkuk Baldonado ripped Oliveira to the ground by his neck and was charged with illegal contact on a receiver. Winnipeg offensive tackle Eric Lofton also took to social media after the game to accuse Baldonado of spitting on him.
It’s not uncommon for extracurricular activity to take place in a rivalry game as heated as the Banjo Bowl, though the flags cost Saskatchewan as the team took five penalties for 49 yards, while Winnipeg took only three for 25.
“I always tell the guys, you’re going to be the most sore after these two weeks,” said Neufeld. “It’s like a playoff game — you just find that extra gear to hit someone as hard as you can and run that extra yard that much faster. When you play these games, you know you’re going to be sore afterwards and I think we’ll definitely be sore.”
Bring the noise
Simply put: the Banjo Bowl is stupidly loud. I’ve been lucky enough to attend all 20 Banjo Bowls and it seems to get louder and louder with each passing year, though that might be because I’m getting older and older.
If you’re a CFL fan — and, if you’re reading this, I assume you are — be sure to attend the Banjo Bowl at some point in your life. It doesn’t matter which team you cheer for or if you’re a neutral third party. The atmosphere is simply unmatched. It’s an incredible celebration of everything Canadian football is and should be.
The Labour Day Classic is also a must-attend event, though it has a different vibe. Mosaic Stadium is prettier than Princess Auto Stadium but it’s not as loud. The Banjo Bowl also has the advantage of feeding off the energy from the preceding week. The Labour Day Classic is always dramatic and this year was no different, giving fans in Winnipeg added motivation to scream early and often.
Winnipeg isn’t the most beautiful city in Canada but it’s nice this time of year. It was 20 degrees at kickoff with a sky so blue it looked like a continuation of the crowd. A cool wind was blowing from the south end of the stadium, a reminder that fall is well on its way.
Following this year’s game, the Winnipeg Blue Bombers now hold a 13-7 record all-time in the Banjo Bowl.
Not taking advantage
The Saskatchewan Roughriders lost left guard Zack Fry and centre Peter Godber to injury during last week’s Labour Day Classic, forcing defensive tackle Micah Johnson to switch sides of the ball. Winnipeg was unable to consistently pressure quarterback Trevor Harris even after the injuries, which veteran defensive tackle Jake Thomas told 3DownNation was “not a good look” for his team.
On Saturday, Saskatchewan fielded a patchwork offensive line as Noah Zerr made his first career start at left guard, Logan Ferland moved from guard to centre, and rookie Nick Jones started at right guard. The results were largely the same as Winnipeg’s defence struggled to generate pressure on quarterback Trevor Harris, failing to record a sack.
When asked about his team’s lack of pressure, Winnipeg head coach Mike O’Shea credited the play of Saskatchewan quarterback Trevor Harris, who finished the game with 287 passing yards, two touchdowns, and two interceptions.
“Try and get pressure on Trevor Harris. The ball is out. You can go ahead and time all his throws, you’ll be shocked at how quick it is. Sometimes you want to rush one (defender instead of three or four),” said O’Shea.
“He’s got a tremendous amount of experience, always been a great read, always been a quick read, knows where he wants to go with the ball pre-snap — and it’s not like a negative pre-determining — he sees things very, very well. He gets rid of it — it’s hard, so he makes it very difficult on defences that’s for sure.”
Harris didn’t see significant pressure from Winnipeg’s front until Jamal Woods burst through the line late in the third quarter, though the passer evaded the sack. Willie Jefferson had a quiet game on defence, though he blocked a punt on Saskatchewan’s first offensive possession, leading to a 46-yard field goal from Sergio Castillo.
Built Ford tough
Tyrell Ford made two interceptions on Saturday, without which Winnipeg likely would have lost. He didn’t feel satisfied with the performance, believing he should have been able to secure more takeaways.
“I should have had four — I dropped the one diving backwards and the other one, I should have probably played the ball — but two is good for now,” said Ford. “I think this week they tried to get me involved and I like if I’m the game plan because then I can determine whether or not we win or lose and I win a lot.”
The first pick came on Saskatchewan’s second possession and gave the Blue Bombers a short field for their first touchdown, a two-yard plunge by Chris Streveler. The second came late in the fourth quarter only three plays after Ford chased speedy return specialist Mario Alford out of bounds across the wide side of the field, limiting the return to 23 yards.
Winnipeg was in man coverage and Ford simply leaped over Samuel Emilus to make the pick and secure the victory.
Tyrell Ford with his sixth interception of the season and second of the day to seal the deal late for Winnipeg! #CFLGameDay
📺: @ctv
📱: CFL+ pic.twitter.com/s3edhsWx0Z— CFL (@CFL) September 7, 2024
“Trevor Harris didn’t do a good job looking me off. He was staring it down,” said Ford. The University of Waterloo product agreed that Harris put too much air under the ball, adding, “I’m too fast for that.”
Ford is now tied with Saskatchewan boundary halfback Rolan Milligan Jr. for first in the CFL with six interceptions, though he remains unsatisfied.
“It feels good but I’m also not trying to tie with nobody, so we’ll see,” he said.
Catch of the year
Kenny Lawler has had a relatively quiet season thus far, though he’s played only five games due to a fractured arm he suffered in Winnipeg’s season-opening loss to Montreal.
He and Zach Collaros have struggled to rekindle the chemistry that once made them arguably the best quarterback-receiver combination in the league, though Lawler made what might be the catch of the year on Saturday.
“What a catch by Kenny!”
Lawler moves the chains again to end the third. Another classic finish coming in Winnipeg! #CFLGameDay
📺: @ctv
📱: CFL+ pic.twitter.com/lnRyfM5GHP— CFL (@CFL) September 7, 2024
Collaros rifled the ball behind Lawler with defensive back Rolan Milligan Jr. driving on the route and the veteran receiver was able to contort his body in midair to secure the pass. Collaros described it as a “Kenny Lawler catch.”
The play extended Winnipeg’s drive, which ended on the following play when Collaros found Lawler in the end zone for a six-yard score.
Collaros finished the game completing 24-of-31 pass attempts for 231 yards, one touchdown, and zero interceptions. His two favourite targets on the day were Lawler, who caught six passes for 64 yards, and Brady Oliveira, who made six catches for 60 yards.
Getting undressed
Saskatchewan receiver Kian Schaffer-Baker fooled Winnipeg safety Brandon Alexander with a double move near the start of the third quarter to get wide open near midfield. Trevor Harris hit the native of Guelph, Ont. 29 yards downfield and he took it another 52 yards after the catch, making Alexander look silly with a stiff arm and absorbing a hit from Tyrell Ford before Deatrick Nichols finally made the tackle.
Kian Schaffer-Baker breaks out for an enormous gain to start the third!#CFLGameDay
📺: @CTV
📱: CFL+ pic.twitter.com/Glvf7Bvg3h— CFL (@CFL) September 7, 2024
Winnipeg rushed four on the play as Saskatchewan only needed three yards for a first down, giving them one fewer player in coverage than they had for most of the game. Though it’s impossible to say without knowing the play call, Alexander appeared isolated on Schaffer-Baker, a mismatch of which Harris took full advantage.
Sick bay
Veteran offensive lineman Patrick Neufeld left Saturday’s game in the second quarter, though he left the field under his own steam and returned before halftime. It was nice to see the three-time CFL all-star get back on the field quickly as he missed Winnipeg’s last four games due to a knee injury.
Veteran receiver Drew Wolitarsky, who also recently missed three games due to injury, went down late in the second quarter but returned in the second half. He left the game again in the fourth quarter, finishing the day with three catches for 29 yards.
Passing Bud
Mike O’Shea is now the winningest head coach in team history after recording his 103rd career victory at the helm. Not one to talk about himself or his own accomplishments, O’Shea begrudgingly addressed the milestone postgame.
“There’s just so many people that have been here for the huge chunk of it that make it very easy every single day to not only be successful but to just come to work every single day. My wife’s standing right there — my family’s been there for all of it — the 60-something losses that they feel, too,” said O’Shea.
“It is what it is. Over time, these numbers just add up but I don’t think we’re a numbers-based team — we’re a process-based team. We’ve got a room, a whole basement full of people that are all-in on the process and the outcomes — they just happen.”
Broadcast views
The Banjo Bowl was the first CFL game to be aired on CTV since 1987, opening it up to a larger audience on television. The annual rivalry game always boasts one of the best ratings of the season but it’ll be interesting to see how the change from cable television to broadcast television impacts this year’s numbers.
Stay tuned to 3DownNation as my colleague Justin Dunk will exclusively report the television ratings from Saturday this week. Though the first hour of the game overlapped with the final hour of the early afternoon matchup between Toronto and Ottawa, that game was a blowout in favour of the Redblacks. It seems safe to assume everyone except diehard fans of either team flipped over to the Banjo Bowl as soon as it started.
Blink
The Blue Bombers added Charles Roberts to the Ring of Honour at Princess Auto Stadium during halftime on Saturday, making him the 16th individual to be inducted since 2016.
Brady Oliveira wore a No. 1 jersey during warmup to honour the Canadian Football Hall of Fame running back, who he grew up idolizing in Winnipeg. He proudly displayed the signed jersey from his locker room postgame, though he’d yet to speak with Roberts. They met moments later in the tunnel outside the locker room, embracing one another with a hug moments before this photo was taken.
It seems safe to say there will never be another Blink. His club records might one day be broken but the person who surpasses him certainly won’t be a five-foot-six, 175-pound guy who smokes cigarettes.
Updated standings
Entering this week, the B.C. Lions had by far the toughest remaining strength of schedule (.559) in the West Division compared to Winnipeg (.457), Edmonton (.449), Saskatchewan (.449), and Calgary (.446). B.C.’s strength of schedule has since eased up considerably after knocking off the 10-win Alouettes on Friday night by a score of 37-23.
The Blue Bombers and Lions now have matching 7-6 records, though Winnipeg is in first place by virtue of the season series. Both teams have three-point leads on Saskatchewan and six-point leads on Edmonton and Calgary, though any team could still finish first.
Next up
The Blue Bombers (7-6) are heading into their second of three bye weeks this season, which will serve as a much-needed opportunity to get some players back from injured reserve. After the break, the team will visit the Edmonton Elks (4-8) for the first half of a home-and-home on Saturday, Sept. 21.
O’Shea preached hard work when Winnipeg entered its first bye week at the start of August and the message hasn’t changed.
“They can’t stop (working). Nobody can afford to stop (working). It’s way harder to get in shape than it is to stay in shape,” said O’Shea. “The West (Division) is going to be grinding all the way through.”
As of the publishing of this article, the Elks lead the Calgary Stampeders by a score of 17-6 at Commonwealth Stadium. The team has won four of its last five games under interim head coach Jarious Jackson, giving them a legitimate opportunity to make the postseason after starting the season 0-7.
