Brady Oliveira is able to be within the highlight once more.
The Blue Bombers operating again will make his fourth begin of the season rather than injured Andrew Harris when Winnipeg hosts the B.C. Lions Saturday in a key sport for the house crew.
The 9-1 Bombers have gained seven straight video games and will safe first place within the CFL West Division with a victory over the 4-5 Lions, who’re on a three-game shedding skid.
“With me taking part in earlier within the season, my soccer IQ has grown, my eyes are seeing issues so much higher within the run sport,” Oliveira stated after Friday’s walk-through.
“Guys are excited for me and I’m excited to go on the market and make some performs.”
Harris was positioned on the six-game injured record Friday after he damage a knee within the second quarter of final week’s 26-16 victory over Edmonton. Oliveira went in and rushed 16 instances for 105 yards.
Oliveira additionally began the primary three video games of the season when fellow Winnipeg-born Harris was out with a calf harm. Oliveira has 61 carries for 300 yards however no touchdowns this season.
Head coach Mike O’Shea stated Harris, 34, may at all times be pulled off the six-game record early, however the 24-year-old Oliveria and backup Johnny Augustine are ready replacements.
“Full confidence in Brady and Johnny,” stated O’Shea, whose crew has a bye subsequent week. “They’ve each confirmed once they’ve gotten their alternatives that they’ll deal with the load.”
B.C. head coach Rick Campbell has additionally been impressed by Oliveira.
“He positive seems good when he is available in there,” Campbell stated. “The instances I’ve seen him in there, they don’t appear to overlook a beat.”
Just a few eventualities this weekend aside from a win over the Lions may nonetheless give the Bombers a house sport at IG Subject within the West ultimate Dec. 5.
If B.C. beats Winnipeg and Saskatchewan (5-4) loses to Calgary (5-5) Saturday, the Bombers will nonetheless clinch prime spot. The consequence would even be the identical if B.C. defeats Winnipeg by lower than 21 factors and the Roughriders defeat the Stampeders.
Regardless of that reward proper in entrance of them, the defending Gray Cup-champion Bombers weren’t specializing in the playoff state of affairs.
“I feel it’s essential to win each sport that you simply’re part of and to deal with all of them the identical,” Winnipeg quarterback Zach Collaros stated.
The Bombers haven’t misplaced at house this season (5-0), whereas the Lions have a 3-1 highway document.
Quarterback Michael Reilly stated he treats each sport as a must-win regardless of the place the Lions sit within the standings.
“I don’t notably concern myself with mathematically what we now have to do right here or there,” Reilly stated. “We’ve bought to come back out and play an excellent sport towards a division opponent.
“It’s far too quickly to be panicked about what we now have to do for this week for post-season.”
The highest factor Reilly is worried about for Saturday is getting his offence on a roll after a 39-10 loss to Calgary final week.
He is aware of Winnipeg’s defence, which has allowed a league-low common of 12.6 factors per sport, will make {that a} robust process.
“They persistently carry it each single sport, proper? I feel that’s the largest factor,” Reilly stated.
“Just about each crew that you simply play towards on this league at all times has the flexibility to come back out and have a stellar evening. It’s simply onerous to place collectively each single time that you simply get on the sphere and so they have performed an awesome job of that.”
© 2021 The Canadian Press
