WINNIPEG — The Winnipeg Blue Bombers pulled away late for a 33-21 win over the Ottawa REDBLACKS at Princess Auto Stadium on Friday night.
Ottawa remained within striking distance throughout the second half and made it a five-point game with just over four minutes remaining. Winnipeg answered with a methodical touchdown drive, highlighted by Nic Demski’s 33-yard catch through traffic, to seal the victory.
RELATED
» Depth Charts: OTT | WPG
» 3 stats that defined Winnipeg’s Week 11 win over Ottawa
» Game Tracker: REDBLACKS at Blue Bombers by the numbers
» Sign up and watch CFL games on CFL+ in the U.S. and Internationally
Ottawa opened the scoring with a 37-yard field goal by Brett Lauther, but the Blue Bombers took the lead early in the second quarter when Brady Oliveira broke a couple of tackles on a 13-yard catch-and-run before Bryce Perkins finished the drive with a two-yard touchdown run. A catch-and-run by Keelan White helped set up Lauther’s second field goal, cutting Winnipeg’s lead to 7-6.
Zach Collaros briefly left the game after being injured on a sack by Lucas Cormier, but returned after Dru Brown completed a 17-yard pass to Oliveira. Sergio Castillo capped another scoring drive for the home team with a 46-yard field goal.
Oliveira then powered another Winnipeg scoring drive in the second quarter, contributing a 22-yard run and three catches before scoring on a five-yard run. Ottawa answered with a big kickoff return by Kalil Pimpleton and a 12-yard touchdown pass from Jake Maier to Greg Bell, but Pimpleton was stopped short on the two-point conversion attempt. Castillo’s 56-yard field goal as time expired gave Winnipeg a 20-12 lead at halftime.
The two teams traded field goals in the second half as the game remained tight, with neither side able to create much separation as both defences continued to keep the opposing offence out of the end zone.
The REDBLACKS put together an impressive fourth-quarter drive, with Maier showing poise in the pocket and Cade McDonald making a 41-yard catch to move Ottawa to the Winnipeg four-yard line. Maier capped the drive with a well-placed lob to a wide-open Ayden Eberhardt in the end zone, but Ottawa’s ensuing two-point conversion attempt was unsuccessful once more.
Winnipeg responded with a long touchdown drive to put the game out of reach. Demski made the key play, coming down with a contested 33-yard catch at the Ottawa two-yard line despite tight coverage. Short-yardage pivot Bryce Perkins scored on a two-yard run on the following play to seal the win for the Blue Bombers.
Collaros completed 21 of 31 passes for 222 yards, helping Winnipeg sustain several lengthy scoring drives as the team improved to 5-4. Oliveira was also a key piece in the win, rushing 11 times for 74 yards and a touchdown while adding eight catches for 80 yards, while Perkins added two rushing majors.
Jake Maier finished 28-of-44 passing for 314 yards, two touchdowns and an interception, keeping Ottawa within reach into the closing minutes but ultimately being unable to prevent the team’s ninth loss of the season.
SCORING PLAYS
- Brett Lauther 37-yard field goal (5:16, Q1) | OTT 3, WPG 0
- Bryce Perkins two-yard touchdown run (13:30, Q2) | WPG 7, OTT 3
- Brett Lauther 17-yard field goal (9:51, Q2) | WPG 7, OTT 6
- Sergio Castillo 46-yard field goal (4:53, Q2) | WPG 10, OTT 6
- Brady Oliveira five-yard touchdown run (0:43, Q2) | WPG 17, OTT 6
- Jake Maier 12-yard touchdown pass to Greg Bell (0:26, Q2) | WPG 17, OTT 12 (convert failed)
- Sergio Castillo 56-yard field goal (0:00, Q2) | WPG 20, OTT 12
- Sergio Castillo 31-yard field goal (9:00, Q3) | WPG 23, OTT 12
- Brett Lauther 51-yard field goal (2:52, Q3) | WPG 23, OTT 15
- Sergio Castillo 43-yard field goal (11:14, Q4) | WPG 26, OTT 15
- Jake Maier four-yard touchdown pass to Ayden Eberhardt (4:10, Q4) | WPG 26, OTT 21 (convert failed)
- Bryce Perkins two-yard touchdown run (2:29, Q4) | WPG 33, OTT 21
NEXT UP
The Ottawa REDBLACKS now head back east in Week 12 to face the Montreal Alouettes at Percival Molson Memorial Stadium on Thursday, August 20, before heading home for a clash against the BC Lions in Week 13.
Winnipeg also hits the road in Week 12 to face the Edmonton Elks on Friday, August 21, before returning to Princess Auto Stadium to host the Alouettes in Week 13.
