The highly anticipated CFL western semifinal game between Winnipeg Blue Bombers and Edmonton Eskimos was played on Sunday, 12th November and against the prediction made by bettors on betting sites such as 10Bet, the Eskimos piped the Bombers to earn a deserved victory.
In two previous meetings with the Eskimos this season, the Bombers had emerged unscathed. On Sunday, however, they were narrowly outdone 39-32 at home by an Eskimos team who delivered an offensive masterclass to book their place in next Sunday’s West Final at McMahon Stadium against the Calgary Stampeders.
Both teams had gone into the half time tied at 10-10 with little to separate them but a second half defensive capitulation by the Bombers handed the Eskimos the much needed win and a place in the final.
This massive victory will perhaps see Edmonton GM Brock Sunderland receive the credit he is due having masterminded the renaissance of the Eskimos from a team short of confidence in October to one that would competing in a major final on Sunday. Since Sunderland brought C.J. Gable in from Hamilton via trade for the final four contests of the season. The Eskimos have been on a winning streak since culminating in the victory on Sunday. That the Eskimos had the best back on the field on Sunday, a day where Andrew Harris (11-for-77, no TDs) was in the Bomber lineup from start to finish, will perhaps tell a lot about what a reinvention they’ve had.
However, Bombers coach Mike O’Shea will find this defeat to be a hard pill to swallow as he had been made unable to select his best possible line up for perhaps the most important fixture of the season due to ill-timed injuries to key men such as the influential pair linebacker Mo Leggett and receiver Darvin Adams.
Team leader and a key cog in the Bombers team, quarterback Matt Nichols, had been a major doubt in the days preceding the clash but conquered a calf strain, which had laid him off for two weeks, just in time to be fit for the game. Pre-match commentary days before the game had been centered on the whether the quarterback will regain fitness in time to make it into the match day squad.
Coach O’Shea had maintained a tight lip on Nichols availability building up fears that the Bombers may risk going in the Sunday clash with a side incapable of challenging the Eskimos. Nichols however made the team, much delight of fans, and true to type delivered a gutsy performance which made the tie appear closer than it really was.