It’s been a staple of the Winnipeg Blue Bombers offensive script for eons now, even earlier than Brady Oliveira morphed into the Canadian Soccer League’s main rusher and battering ram this season.
These Blue Bombers have performed their model of bully ball soccer – CJOB’s Derek Taylor refers to it as ‘Smashy-smashy’, which additionally matches – since 2016 when Andrew Harris got here again residence in free company. It’s by no means been sophisticated and dealing behind the membership’s mammoth offensive line, the membership has lengthy relied on them to bulldoze defences and chew up yardage.
So, given the depth chart the Blue Bombers launched Friday on the eve of the Western Closing with no Dalton Schoen and with fellow receivers Nic Demski, Rasheed Bailey and Greg McCrae all listed as ‘GTD’ – Sport Time Choice – the assault could also be leaning much more on the smashy-smashy facet of their assault.
“We take delight that if push involves shove and we’ve bought to place it on our again then we’re very able to doing it,” Oliveira advised media at a press convention Friday. “This group and this unit takes delight in that, realizing that we will get the job carried out, we will shut out video games within the fourth quarter and if it’s a good recreation we will nonetheless get the job carried out on the bottom and win soccer video games for this membership.”
“It’s thrilling. It makes it lots simpler for myself when I’ve an offensive line like we do and receivers which might be keen to go in there and get their nostril soiled. I take a look at guys throughout the league and this receiver group, what we ask them to do and them entering into there and digging out linebackers, digging out defensive ends and so they’re keen to do it and so they do an important job of it, it makes my job lots simpler.
“We’re excited, man. It’s going to be a superb take a look at tomorrow.”
Requested if he thought B.C.’s defence may make stopping the bottom recreation their high precedence, Oliveira added: “I might assume so. You gotta carry your finest. That’s all I’ve to say. You’ve bought to carry your finest.”
Undoubtedly the lack of Schoen – the membership’s main receiver with 72 receptions for 1,233 yards and 10 touchdowns – and probably Demski, one other 1K producer, will put a highlight on Kenny Lawler, Drew Wolitarsky, Brendan O’Leary-Orange in addition to Bailey and McCrae in the event that they get the inexperienced mild.
And it’s not like Zach Collaros gained’t nonetheless air it out with that crew, however the floor recreation that includes Oliveira & Co. all the time figures to be a focus whatever the harm state of affairs. Think about that within the Blue Bombers’ Western Closing win over the Lions a yr in the past Oliveira rushed 20 instances for 130 yards whereas pulling in one other 4 passes for 37 yards. Per week later within the Gray Cup loss to Toronto, he lugged the ball 15 instances for 82 yards.
“Taking a look at final season for myself, I believe I performed my finest soccer within the postseason,” Oliveira stated. “Even taking a look at this season, as a working again it’s so instinctive. You undergo the weeks of the season, you get into mid-season type and because the finish of the season comes you ought to be enjoying at your finest and enjoying at a really excessive stage. You’ve been working at your craft all year long and now you’re primed up, you’re able to go.”
“That’s precisely how I really feel proper now. I really feel like each single week I’ve been getting higher and higher and I’m peaking on the proper time and I’m going to indicate it tomorrow.”
The Blue Bombers had 81 speeding yards of their first assembly with B.C. this yr again in June, a 30-6 beatdown by the Lions. Of their subsequent two video games – each Winnipeg wins, the membership racked up 129 and 127 yards alongside the bottom.
In any case, Blue Bombers offensive coordinator Buck Pierce has lengthy had a superb really feel of discovering no matter cracks there is perhaps in a defence en path to a win.
“We’ve stated it for quite a lot of years with this offence and Buck’s bought an important really feel for this – no matter it’s going to absorb this recreation is the place we’re going to pivot to,” stated head coach Mike O’Shea. “So, if it’s working the ball, that’s tremendous. If it’s not, then that’s tremendous.
“We’re going to determine it out and Buck will put the gamers in the most effective place attainable for us to win the sport and no matter that appears like on the finish, nobody’s going to be involved about that so long as we’re working in the direction of a victory.”
Extra on the Blue Bombers vs. Lions Western Closing matchup with eight matters for dialogue on this week’s PLAYBOOK…
1. THE ‘GTD’ DESIGNATION:
The Blue Bombers can have up till half-hour earlier than kickoff to determine on the standing of Demski, Bailey and McCrae. And if they will’t go, they may then pull one of many receivers into the lineup, with that group together with Markeith Ambles, Jeremy Murphy, Ravi Alston, or Ronnie Blackmon.
Schoen, for what it’s price, has been out for the reason that win over B.C. in Vancouver final month, missed the final two video games of the common season and hasn’t been on the follow discipline. The Blue Bombers’ final two practices of this week have been closed to the media, however Demski and Bailey have been on the market working, though not in gear within the session on Wednesday.
Requested what occurs between now and Saturday with the GTD guys, O’Shea stated this:
“Work out. Relaxation. Come right here tomorrow, work out and see how they do. We’re not in a rush to wake them up, put it that method. We’re not getting them off the bed at 5 within the morning. The best way it’s written, we’re allowed as much as half an hour earlier than recreation time… whether or not it takes that lengthy, I don’t know but.”
2. NO SCHOEN IMPACT:
Talked about above, however additional to the Blue Bombers not having their dynamic receiver – in his seven profession video games towards the Lions, together with final yr’s West Closing, he has seven touchdowns.
“Dalton is clearly an enormous a part of what we’ve carried out the final two seasons so it’s by no means simple going into (a recreation) with out him,” stated Collaros. “I’m unsure about Nic and Rasheed but, clearly, however Dalton is a pivotal half in what do. A particular participant, a particular teammate, a particular particular person, like I all the time speak about. Anytime you lose any person like that, it’s robust.”
Added O’Shea, when requested what Schoen’s absence means: “It means teammates can have his again, they’ll play effectively and it means all the assistance he’s given guys since he’s not been enjoying, they’ll be keen to place out on the sector and present him how excited they’re to play for him.”
Collaros did work for lengthy stretches with O’Leary-Orange at Wednesday’s follow and that work, coupled with the time put in all season might be large on Saturday.
“It’s discovering time to get the additional reps and speak by the totally different seems to be with the fellows… it’s instances like this when that pays off,” Collaros stated.
3. PARKER STARTS/ROSE SITS:
To not be misplaced with all the eye on the receiving corps is the membership’s resolution to start out Jamal Parker at nook, with Winston Rose not dressing this week. Parker did begin within the common season this yr, however started this season on the injured listing. He has began the final three video games and was mammoth within the October win over B.C.
“We’ve bought good gamers. Park (Parker) is simply approaching and approaching sturdy,” stated O’Shea. “It’s not a simple resolution by any means.
“(Parker) is a fiery, robust competitor who’s all the time wanting to stay his nostril in there. As soon as once more, these are all the time robust – there’s such tremendous margins when it’s a must to decide like that. Winston’s an excellent soccer participant. I simply assume at this level it appeared like Park was approaching more durable.”
Requested if the choice led to a tricky dialog with Rose, O’Shea added: “Belief me, he doesn’t make it robust. He’s a professional. He’s blissful for different individuals’s alternatives, too. I’m not saying he doesn’t need his, however he’ll do all the pieces he can to ensure the fellows play effectively.”
4. DON’T GO THERE YET:
The Blue Bombers have an opportunity to make franchise historical past with a win, which means they’d be advancing to the Gray Cup for the fourth straight season.
Adam Bighill when requested by Paul Friesen of The Solar if that resonates in any respect: “It is going to after we get there.”
And the comply with up: On condition that historical past, does that probably imply something? “It is going to after we do it.”
The Blue Bombers have superior to the 2019, 2021 and 2022 Gray Cups, matching the run the staff constructed from 1957-59, with wins in ’58 and ’59.
“Yeah, let’s be the primary staff to do it,” stated Oliveira on the opportunity of 4 appearances in a row. “Clearly we’ve bought a giant take a look at (Saturday) however I belief each particular person on this locker room to go on the market and do their half, give it their finest effort and honour our teammates and go get the job carried out to make it 4 straight Gray Cup appearances.”
5. MORE ON THE V.A. FACTOR:
Lions QB Vernon Adams, Jr. has been the subject of dialog in Bomberland all week following a daily season by which he led the league in passing and after his sensational work of their win over Calgary in final week’s Western Semi-Closing when he set a membership file with 413 yards passing whereas throwing for 2 TDs and working for 3 extra.
“Watching B.C. vs Calgary final week and seeing how he was in a position to get exterior the pocket and lengthen performs together with his legs and scramble round and run up and down the sector and get his staff first downs, it does get me excited, the line of defense excited as a result of that’s not the kind of defence that we wish to placed on the sector for him,” stated defensive finish Willie Jefferson. “We’re not going to go on the market and permit him to run round and scramble round and try to discover open receivers down the sector or scramble round and get first downs together with his legs. We’re going to attempt our greatest to make him really feel our stress and get him on the bottom early and infrequently.”
6. AND, OH, BY THE WAY, NO. 8 IS PRETTY DAMN GOOD, TOO:
Right here’s Bighill when requested about Collaros and what he brings to massive video games just like the Western Closing:
“There’s so many phrases you can provide it: moxie, management, preparedness, confidence. I imply, it’s possibly finest described as management. Zach’s going to be in management. He is aware of what he needs to do, he is aware of how he needs to assault, he is aware of what he’s searching for and that’s confidence. From the quantity of labor he places in, the quantity of labor our offence places in collectively understanding one another, enjoying for one another… that’s why I all the time put my chips on our offence, I all the time put my chips on Zach, as a result of I do know what he’s able to.”
7. PLAYING ON REMEMBRANCE DAY:
The CFL moved the semi-finals and division finals to Saturdays this yr – subsequent week’s Gray Cup will stay on Sunday – however that call additionally means the 2 divisional finals shall be performed on Remembrance Day.
“To be completely sincere, if I had my say we most likely wouldn’t be enjoying on Remembrance Day,” stated O’Shea, who wore a RCAF ball hat to his media session. “However I don’t make the schedule, so I’ll do my half tomorrow morning, for certain.”
Bighill additionally weighed in on the subject with this excellent big-picture perspective.
“I’ve bought some household and pals which were within the army. We perceive the extent of sacrifice that’s gone into everybody’s freedom. There’s a much bigger world exterior of soccer and all of the battles we speak about within the soccer world are actually nothing in comparison with a number of the battles that basically go on and the lives which were misplaced. It’s a unique form of factor that may weigh on you and also you’ve bought to consider. On the finish of the day, we’ve bought to play for one another and keep in mind what we’re on the market doing.”
8. FYI:
Nonetheless some tickets accessible for followers desirous to be there for the Western Closing. Listed here are some particulars for these diehards who shall be within the constructing:
- The tailgate space opens at 2 p.m., with $5 beer and $3.50 sizzling canine or smooth drinks earlier than the sport begins.
- Followers also can watch the Japanese Closing on the largest cell viewing display screen in North America, beginning at 2 p.m.
- The tailgate space may even characteristic hearth pits (climate allowing) and the heated Coors Gentle tent. The realm may even stay open till the top of the third quarter.
