Blue Bombers 33 – Tiger-Cats 25 | A Gray Cup that lives up to expectations

The Canadian Football League is often criticized for many reasons, but there is one thing that cannot be faulted: Gray Cup games rarely leave us hungry.

Miguel bujold
Press

Magical stories are not uncommon in the world of sports. But there are sometimes teams that are too strong to be the victim in a Hollywood scenario. For example, the Winnipeg Blue Bombers, who spoiled the party by beating the home side in overtime, 33-25, on Sunday night.

When the Tiger-Cats’ championship hopes sank after Jeremiah Masoli’s last pass was intercepted in overtime, the crowd at Tim Hortons Field in Hamilton looked in shock. People were in disbelief and didn’t seem to realize it had just ended.

All the elements were in place for an unforgettable evening in Hamilton. The Ticates led, 22-10, in the third quarter of a defensive game, and their 22-year scarcity without a crown looked like it was finally about to end. Everything collapsed.

Season MVP Zach Collaros took matters into his own hands for the Blue Bombers from that point on and led his team to a second straight title. Both times, Collaros beat his former team in the final, adding to the pain for the Tiger-Cats and their supporters.

After a first half marked by defensive play, Collaros had yet thrown two interceptions to Kameron Kelly in the third quarter. The defensive back read the game very well and everything indicated that it was not the night for Collaros and the Bombers. But when the game hangs in the balance, in the fourth quarter and overtime, the Bombers quarterback was as methodical as he was phlegmatic.

The Tiger-Cats still had a chance to tie the game in overtime, but some superb collective play from the Bombers’ defense ended the game. Masoli’s pass went into the hands of cornerback Deatrick Nichols, but before the ball hit the ground, defensive back Winston Rose lifted it by diving to make his play, then the ball finally landed in the hands. linebacker Kyrie Wilson. Beautiful.

That the champions have achieved their victory with such a beautiful defensive play is representative of their season and their team. When all of its players were in uniform, the Blue Bombers’ defense was dominant in 2021. And while quarterback fighters Willie Jefferson and Jackson Jeffcoat were relatively low-key, Sunday night the unit had two interceptions (Alden Darby a carried the other) and three sacks (two from Steven Richardson and one from Jake Thomas).

One of Richardson’s sacks actually got quarterback Dane Evans out of the game midway through the second quarter. Evans appeared to hurt his neck and was replaced by Masoli. Head coach Orlando Steinauer had picked Evans to start the final after he was perfect (16 for 16) in relief at Masoli against the Toronto Argonauts in the East Division final the week before.

If Jefferson and Jeffcoat had a fairly quiet game, Adam Bighill, he made his presence felt on several occasions. Named CFL Defensive Player of the Year, the linebacker ended his night with five tackles and played with the toughness that characterizes his game.

Better opposition than in 2019

Collaros, Bighill and Stanley Bryant, who became the first in tour history to be named three-time best offensive lineman, all made the honor roll at the annual CFL gala. That’s not to mention Mike O’Shea, who was named Coach of the Year for the first time in his career. There isn’t much of a weakness in this team, and the Tiger-Cats saw it in the most important game of the season for the second time in a row.

But unlike what we saw when they thawed 33-12 in 2019, the Tiger-Cats fought well. We even thought they were going to win for a good part of the evening. When they were leading by 12 points, but also when Masoli led them to the Bombers’ 5-yard line with about 20 seconds left in the fourth quarter and the score was 25-22 in favor of the latter. The Tiger-Cats finally had to settle for a field goal, which forced overtime to be held.

Oddly enough, at 24-22, Tim White conceded a single to the Blue Bombers by landing the knee with the ball in his end zone following a kick. The wind surely convinced the Tiger-Cats to concede the singles in order to make sure they start their last series in regulation time at their line of 35, while keeping as much time as possible. Would the Tiger-Cats have won the game 25-24 with Michael Domagala fielding in the dying seconds? We’ll never know.

As is often the case in the CFL playoffs, the wind was a factor throughout the game. O’Shea and the Bombers wisely chose to have him on their backs in the fourth quarter, and the strategy paid off.

What future for the CFL?

The Blue Bombers thus became the first to win back-to-back titles since the 2009 and 2010 Alouettes. Sunday’s final was probably the most exciting since the Birds made a spectacular comeback in their 28-27 victory over the Saskatchewan Roughriders in 2009.

Over the weekend, rumors began to circulate about the two drivers competing on Sunday night. Steinauer would have accepted an offer to become the defensive coordinator of the University of Washington, he who is a native of this state (Seattle). As for O’Shea, the Edmonton Elks are said to be prepared to give him the dual duties of head coach and general manager.

The offseason is shaping up to be more interesting than usual in the CFL. The employment contract will expire in February, and several teams will have to find solutions to improve their earnings, including the Alouettes, the Toronto Argonauts and the Ottawa Rouge et Noir. A Western league …

Then there is the threat of the new American leagues (XFL and USFL), which is looming on the horizon. There is a huge difference between the current outlook of these circuits and their previous failures: sports betting. And at the end of the day, it’s the CFL that could suffer with an exodus of talent.

But for now, the CFL can congratulate itself on its Sunday night. The match lived up to expectations, especially after the intermission. Speaking of intermission, Canadian band Arkells’ halftime show wasn’t bad, either.