Blue Bombers control game against Montreal in convincing road victory

MONTREAL – Zach Collaros and the Winnipeg Blue Bombers sure know how to bounce back.

The Bombers quarterback found two different receivers for two touchdowns on the night completing 15 of 23 attempts for 193 yards in a 17-3 road win over the Montreal Alouettes on Saturday night.

Dalton Schoen led the Bombers with 93 yards and a touchdown on five receptions while Drew Wolitarsky added 38 yards and a touchdown on three receptions.

Kaion Julien-Grant led the Alouettes – and all receivers – with 129 yards on six receptions including a 69-yard grab in the loss while Austin Mack added 103 yards on six catches for Montreal.

After coming off a loss the previous week, the Bombers started the game with a short drive that didn’t generate much offence, but as they took the momentum of a missed Alouettes field goal Winnipeg drove downfield and Collaros found Drew Wolitarsky in the back corner of the end zone for a 30-yard touchdown that set the tone for the game.

Even when Montreal recovered the ball on their own 31-yard line, their offence couldn’t make a score happen against a Bombers defence including Abu Daramy-Swaray, Alden Darby and Malik Clements that could stop any Als offensive plays.

Once back on the field, Collaros and the Bombers offence stretched each drive with Brady Oliveira leading the charge on the ground on their way to a 10-0 lead at the half, responding to their lack of offence against B.C. the week prior.

Just as the Alouettes found their rhythm offensively and put together a strong drive downfield, Bombers cornerback Brandon Alexander stopped a potential score by picking off Cody Fajardo, and the Bombers used that drive to move downfield in four minutes and score.

Collaros found Schoen in the end zone for a 21-yard score – and Schoen’s second touchdown of the season – as the Bombers led 17-0 to end the third quarter and keep the momentum on their side heading into the final frame.

Fajardo and receiver Austin Mack, who have had a solid connection all season, connected again late in the fourth quarter as a contested catch from Mack in the end zone looked to be a touchdown, but was later ruled an incomplete pass.

The Bombers secondary that had been solid all night continued to shut down any Als attempts as Daramy-Swaray got in-between Mack and the ball, and Montreal settled for a field goal to get on the scoreboard for the first time in the game.

Even with another promising look from Fajardo to Mack near the end of the fourth, the Blue Bombers forced a turnover once again and handed the Alouettes their first loss of the season as Winnipeg controlled the game from start to finish.