The Canadian Press
Shane Jones
EDMONTON–The Winnipeg Blue Bombers are one step closer to securing a home playoff date after a well-balanced performance.
Matt Nichols had a pair of touchdown passes as the Bombers won their third-straight game–hanging on to defeat the Edmonton Eskimos 28-19 on Saturday night.
Winnipeg (10-3) has now won eight of its last nine games.
“It was a great game, our defence came out and played very well,” said Winnipeg receiver Darvin Adams.
“It was different guys and different times stepping up and making plays,” he noted.
“We want to win 1-0, as long as we get one more point and get the win.”
The Eskimos (7-6) now have lost six-straight games after a 7-0 start to the season.
“The second half, I thought we turned the tide,” said head coach Jason Maas.
“You take away that big play at the end and it felt like we were going to go right down the field and score.
“Disappointing. A disappointing loss as a team,” he added.
There was no scoring in the first quarter, although the Bombers threatened twice, with kicker Justin Medlock missing on a pair of field-goal attempts that were run back out of the end zone.
The Bombers finally got the game’s first point six minutes into the second quarter as Medlock missed a third field goal from 33 yards out, but this time got the rouge to make it 1-0.
Edmonton also had kicking woes in the second quarter as a 51-yard field-goal attempt by Swayze Waters hit the uprights.
Winnipeg finally put things together with 13 seconds left in the first half when Nichols hit Clarence Denmark for a six-yard touchdown pass.
The Eskimos woke up early in the third quarter as Calvin McCarty made a nice one-handed grab for an unconverted five-yard TD to go ahead 8-6.
The Bombers padded their lead with a two-yard TD run by Andrew Harris just past the midmark of the third frame.
Edmonton responded with a 31-yard field goal to make it 15-9 heading into the fourth.
Winnipeg came right back with a 13-yard TD pass from Nichols to Adams (the convert kick missed).
The Eskimos settled for a 42-yard field goal by Waters on their next possession, but then closed to within two points midway through the final frame on a 21-yard TD pass from Mike Reilly to Derel Walker.
Edmonton’s hopes of completing the comeback were dashed, however, when Reilly was picked off with 2:34 to go by Chris Randle, who ran it back 37 yards for the major.
“I haven’t had a pick-six this year so that was a pretty big play,” Randle said.
