WINNIPEG — The Winnipeg Blue Bombers will once again try to stop the bleeding when they take on the Edmonton Eskimos on Saturday at Investors Group Field. Despite just a 4-9 record the Bombers continue to hang around the playoff chase as the teams around them continue to struggle as much as they are.
“I’m not going to forecast or speculate on how many wins its going to take,” Bombers head coach Mike O’Shea said.
The Bombers, Lions and Alouettes are all in a fight for the final playoff spot as the season heads into the final stretch run. And this year seven wins might just be enough to make the playoffs for only the third time in the last 15 years. The Alouettes are the latest team to suffer defeat, dropping a 39-17 decision to the Ottawa RedBlacks on Thursday.
“I was a big Ottawa fan last night and won’t be in a couple weeks when we play them” Matt Nichols said. “We feel like it’s a must win every week. You can’t count on other teams to continue losing.”
But the three teams still in the hunt continue to find themselves in the loss column. The Bombers have suffered losses in six of their last seven games. The Als have now lost three of four and the B.C. Lions have dropped three in a row. Even the two win Saskatchewan Roughriders are officially still in the chase.
“We do keep getting help week after week,” Nick Moore said. “But Coach Osh (Mike O’Shea) has stressed that we need to start helping ourselves. I mean, you know, we are starting to get into a situation where we’re putting our backs against the wall.”
“I appreciate the help,” Jamaal Westerman said. “But you know, now we want to be in a place where we don’t need help.”
And that sounded like the message this week from the head coach.
“You know, we got to stop talking about other people helping us and help ourselves,” O’Shea said.
This was supposed to be the Grey Cup or bust season for the Bombers and while many fans have long since given up the dream, a few wins could change that in a hurry.
“The Grey Cup is at home,” Westerman said. “Everyone wants to be in the Grey Cup. No matter where it is. No matter where it’s at. But I mean I think we want to get in the dance and right now we can’t look down to the Grey Cup. We can’t look to the playoffs. We have to look at this team we have in front of you.”
And the team in front of them, the Eskimos, sport the top ranked defense in the league. To try and get things back on track the Bombers are making three changes to their starting roster. Newcomer Kevin Cone will line up at receiver, Selvish Capers will make his debut in the blue and gold at left guard and with Greg Peach injured, Derrell Johnson will get the call at defensive end. Nate Collins and Louie Richardson have also been added to the 46 man roster for this week’s game.
WATCH: Blue Bombers head coach Mike O’Shea holds his daily media briefing on Friday
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