The Winnipeg Blue Bombers are on a 6-1 roll going into the CFL West Final on Sunday afternoon in Calgary.
The Stampeders suffered three of their four losses on the season in October — including a hard fought 29-21 defeat at the hands of the Bombers at Investors Group Field — before clinching first place in the West with an impressive 26-9 victory over the BC Lions in the CFL regular season finale. So the table is set for what should be an epic battle this weekend.
You can catch the broadcast on 680 CJOB starting at 1 p.m. with the pregame show with Bob Irving and Doug Brown. And below, you’ll find all kinds of interesting data from bluebombers.com Director of Digital Content Ed Tait, with his weekly digest of information every Blue and Gold fan should know going into the 3:30 p.m. kickoff.
5 THINGS YOU SHOULD KNOW
- It’s been 17 years since the Bombers and Stampeders last met in a playoff game, dating back to Calgary’s 27-19 win in the 2001 Grey Cup. The last non-Grey Cup playoff game between Winnipeg and Calgary was the 1982 West Semi-Final in Winnipeg, a 24-3 Bombers win.
Winnipeg and Calgary last met in a West Final in 1965, a best-of-three series won by the Bombers 2-1. Winnipeg then lost to Hamilton in the ’65 Grey Cup, dubbed the Wind Bowl because of blustery conditions. - The Bombers got huge news from sick bay earlier in the week when linebacker Adam Bighill — the West Division nominee for the CFL’s Most Outstanding Defensive Player Award — was on the field and practising. Bighill missed the last few minutes of last Sunday’s West Semi-Final win over Saskatchewan, but declared himself good to go on Wednesday.
The status of fellow linebacker Jovan Santos-Knox, who was injured in the regular-season finale in Edmonton and did not dress last week, likely won’t be known right up until game day. - Sunday’s West Final will be a battle of the CFL’s two most-prolific offences and the top two stingiest defences.
Winnipeg led the league in points, averaging 30.6 per game, with Calgary second at 29 even. And defensively, the Stamps were ranked first after surrendering a league-low average of 20.2 points per game, with the Bombers second at 23.3. - These two clubs also take the ball away and protect it like no other: Winnipeg and Calgary finished tied for first with 49 forced turnovers. The Bombers and Stamps also finished tied for first with a +13 turnover ratio.
- The winner of the West Final will advance to the 106th Grey Cup in Edmonton on Sunday, Nov. 25, with a 5 p.m. Winnipeg start. A Bombers win would send them to the championship for the first time since 2011 and also give them a shot at ending the longest Grey Cup drought in franchise history, dating back to 1990.
A Calgary win would send them to the Grey Cup for the third straight year. The Stamps lost last year’s championship to Toronto and the 2016 game to Ottawa.
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FYI: Fans wishing to renew their season tickets, or to get on board for 2019 should call 204-784-7448 or visit the Bombers website.
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