Bombers hand Esks first loss
Winnipeg wins fourth straight
Matt Nichols ran in one touchdown and threw for another as the Winnipeg Blue Bombers won their fourth straight game and handed the Edmonton Eskimos their first loss of the season with a 33-26 victory Thursday.
Nichols threw a season-high 390 yards as he completed 32-of-40 pass attempts with no interceptions. It was Winnipeg’s (6-2) second win against a CFL West Division opponent.
Andrew Harris rushed 11 times for 105 yards and had eight receptions for 120 yards in front of 30,554 fans at Investors Group Field that gave their team a standing ovation as time wound down.
Quarterback Mike Reilly was 20of-33 for 356 yards with two TDs and one interception for Edmonton (71)
Winnipeg led 27-17 after the third quarter, but the Eskimos started to squeeze the score.
Bombers kicker Justin Medlock missed a 51-yard field-goal attempt early in the fourth quarter that Edmonton ran out.
A 72-yard catch-and-run by Cory Watson then helped set up a oneyard TD plunge by Reilly at 8:48. After Hugh O’Neill went wide on convert attempt, the Bombers were only up 30-23.
Medlock got another chance and booted a 33-yarder with 1:22 left.
Bombers linebacker Maurice Leggett then intercepted Reilly, but Winnipeg was called for illegal contact and it was wiped out. A challenge was unsuccessful.
The Eskimos got deep into Winnipeg territory, but the drive ended with O’Neill’s 16-yard field goal with 14 seconds left and the score 33-26.
Bombers receiver Darvin Adams sealed the win when he grabbed Edmonton’s onside kick two seconds later.
Winnipeg also got TDs off a quarterback sneak by backup Dan LeFevour, while Adams caught a 25yarder just inside the goal line after an Edmonton turnover.
Medlock also hit field goals from 22, 24 and 15 yards and was good on three converts.
Kenny Stafford hauled in a 40yard TD catch for the Eskimos and Duke Williams hung on to a 33-yard pass while falling backwards in the end zone.
O’Neill missed a 40-yard fieldgoal attempt, but connected on one from 31 and made a pair of converts.
Winnipeg led 3-0 after the first quarter and 17-3 at halftime, the fewest points Edmonton has scored in the first half this season.
On the game’s opening drive, the Bombers used some big runs by Harris and Nichols to get to Edmonton’s six-yard line, but a direct snap to Harris and his toss back to Adams was nixed for a loss. The drive ended with Medlock’s 22yarder at 6:02.
After O’Neill went wide left early in the second quarter, Harris fumbled the ball on Winnipeg’s next possession. Kevin Ladler forced the play and recovered the ball. The Eskimos took over at their own 21yard line, but ended up punting.
Nichols marched the offence 66 yards in six plays on the way to LeFevour’s TD that gave the Bombers a 10-0 lead at 8:32 of the second quarter. Medlock had to boot a 42-yard convert following a Winnipeg holding penalty.
Williams whipped his arms up and caught a 31-yard bomb from Reilly, setting up O’Neill’s 31-yard field goal at 12:27.
Reilly was intercepted by Chris Randle late in the second half, with the turnover leading to Adams’ 25yard TD reception with nine seconds left in the first half.