WINNIPEG – One moment Drew Brown was worried, the next he was excited to lead Winnipeg Blue Bombers to victory on Friday.
The reserve quarterback replaced the injured star Zack Colaros and moved the Blue Bombers down the field to set up a 25-yard flight by Mark Lieggio with six seconds left to win at the start of the season with 19-17 over the Ottawa Redblex.
“Every time you win such a victory, it’s exciting,” Brown said. “But I’m just happy that the boys trust me in this situation.”
Colaros was hit as he ran for the first down and stood up slowly. He was removed from the game by an injury observer with less than two minutes left.
“I just saw him (Colaros) on the ground and you immediately feel terrible in that situation,” said Brown, who is in his second season with the team.
“But I just tried to get over it and get free, because the team needs me. And that’s why I’m in this place. “
Bomber head coach Mike O’Shea said an injury observer at the Toronto Command Center pulled Colaros for three games. Then there was no point in bringing him back.
“Until then, I think we were in the scoring range,” O’Shea said. “I think we were at the moment working on the clock more than anything.”
Collaros, who completed 18 of 26 attempts to pass for 188 yards and one touchdown, has had upheavals in the past.
The victory gave Blue Bombers 10 consecutive victories on IG Field.
RCMP staff took the Gray Cup to the field before the start, putting the unveiling of the Bombers’ 2021 Gray Cup banner to loud applause from the announced crowd of 26,002.
Jeremiah Masoli made his Redblacks debut after signing with Ottawa (0-1) in February after his release from the Hamilton Tiger-Cats. He was 24 for 34 on 380 yards with one TD and one interception.
“I love this band here,” Masoli said. “These boys fought hard to the end. We lost, we failed, but you could see our resilience on the field for sure. “
It was the first meeting between the bombers and the Redskins since Paul LaPolis, who left his position as offensive coordinator of the bombers after the team’s victory in the Gray Cup in 2019, took over as head coach in Ottawa.
“We moved the ball well, but we got injured with some penalties to keep us supported and prevented us from getting goals from the field,” said LaPolis.
Shaquille Johnson had a TD reception for Ottawa. Lewis Ward scored field goals of 17, 39 and 43 yards and was good in one conversion. Winnipeg (1-0) also allowed a single.
Winnipeg received touchdowns from receiver Greg Ellingson and reserve quarterback Dakota Prukop. Liège also scored a goal of 20 yards and one converted.
The match was a draw 7-7 after the first quarter. Ottawa led 11-10 at halftime and 14-10 after third.
“I think there are a lot of other things we’re going to look at,” O’Shea said. “It is certainly a positive thing, but it will not be the focal point. The focus will be on how we put ourselves in this position.
The interrupted game helped create the first touchdown in the game.
Colaros was under pressure and escaped, then shoveled pass to running back Brady Oliveria for a 24-yard win to Ottawa’s three-yard line. After losing two yards on Oliveira’s run, Colaros contacted Ellingson for a five-yard TD at 8:44.
The Red Blacks responded with Johnson, who stood behind the cover and caught a 20-yard pass in the final zone at 10:47 p.m.
The teams exchanged goals from the field in the second quarter, leaving the match 10-10 at 4:25. Ottawa went ahead when the bombers allowed a single with a punt at 11:19.
The Reds missed opportunities to score points in the first half. Receiver Jaelon Acklin dismissed what could have been a TD pass until the defense was able to hold off several potential interceptions.
Ward’s 39-yard goal at 9:34 of the third led to 14-10.
With 2:44 left over to the third quarter, Justin Hardy’s long corn bomb was fired by bomber defender Nick Taylor. Turnover did not give points.
After a downturn in Ottawa, Winnipeg dropped the ball down Prukop’s one-yard touchdown pitch. Liedgio’s point was then wide to give the scorers a 16-14 lead at 8:50 a.m. in the fourth quarter.
The Red and Blacks regained the lead with 3:30 left after Ward’s 43-yard field.
This report from The Canadian Press was first published on June 10, 2022.
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