WINNIPEG — The Calgary Stampeders have been a thorn in the side of the Winnipeg Blue Bombers for quite sometime.
“Ever since I’ve been in the league they’ve just been solid,” Drew Willy said. “You know, they do the right things.”
The Bombers have had next to no success against the Stamps since the 2009 season. Over the last six years the Bombers have just one win in their last 15 meetings and that was a meaningless contest for Winnipeg in the last game of the season in 2014. That includes a 36-22 win over the Bombers on Canada Day and this time the Stamps are coming off a bye week, which will only make them that much tougher.
“I think Calgary’s usually done well coming off bye weeks,” said head coach Mike O’Shea. “They’re going to be well prepared, fresh.”
“I mean they’re coming off a bye week so we’re pretty sure that they’re going to throw some new wrinkles at us,” said Patrick Neufeld. “But I don’t think in a week defenses can change that much.”
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“Two out of three games last year came down to a field goal,” Willy said. “So thought we played pretty well against them last year. Obviously this first game we didn’t do as many good things as we needed to.”
Willy has come under fire for his performances in the first four games of the season, but he’s trying to block out all the criticism and focus his attention on beating the Stamps.
“There’s not more pressure,” said Willy. “I think it’s more on me to ignore stuff. That’s really what it comes down to. Just trying to be more locked in to the things I can control.”
“Once I start hitting these deep balls, everyone will be good with everything, so it’s really what it comes down to.”
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Willy will have a new receiver in the starting lineup with Ryan Smith out with an injury. Receiver Thomas Mayo will check back into the lineup. Mayo’s only other game this season was also against the Stampeders where he had an impressive debut for the Bombers with five catches for 78 yards.
“It’s definitely fun to be back out there again,” Mayo said. “I made a couple mental errors but I cleaned up everything, ready to go.”
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Mayo is one of three changes to the club’s 46-man roster. Defensive end Trent Corney is back on the active roster after he missed two games with an injury. Quincy McDuffie also returns to his role as the returner after a one game hiatus. Shayon Green and Seydou Junior Haidara were both moved to the practice roster. Smith was placed on the six-game injured list but can be removed early when he’s ready to return from injury.
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