Next Game
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ARGONAUTS.CA STAFF
The Bombers enter the early season battle with the Boatmen with a lot in common with their East Division foes. The Bombers have the same record, a new offence, a new head coach and a new philosophy, and like the Argos, are stills searching for their identity.
Coming off a decisive win over the reigning Grey Cup champion Calgary Stampeders in Week 2, the blue and gold fell flat last week in Hamilton and are looking to bounce back against a Toronto team that has defeated itself as much as it has surrendered to its opponents in the last two weeks of the CFL schedule.
Although his numbers rank last among starting quarterbacks, Stefan LeFors has proven to head coach Mike Kelly and the rest of the Bombers coaching staff that he is the number one pivot in Winnipeg; that he possesses the talent to lead a team into the playoffs. One could credit that to the experience that LeFors gained in 2007 under the guidance of Kelly in Edmonton. He started at QB down the stretch for the Eskimos in place of injured starter Ricky Ray in 2007 and despite falling short of the playoffs, the young quarterback established himself as a capable candidate to one day be a starting pivot in the CFL.
As most young quarterbacks tend to do, LeFors has leaned on veterans in his offence such as Terrence Edwards, Fred Reid and a budding young star that has emerged in the Bomber backfield by the name of Lavarus Giles, who has filled in admirably for Reid when the situation has called for it.
The Bombers will be looking to find some consistency offensively as they are currently averaging 286.3 yards of total offence. However, if there is one thing that Kelly and his staff have proven so far, it is that resiliency on offence is not much of a concern. After their loss to Edmonton in their season opener, the Bombers bounced back against the Stamps in Week 2, putting up 42 points (28 by the offence).
Defensively, the Bombers seem to have found their ace in the form of LB Siddeeq Shabazz who has done nothing but produce since coming over from the Eskimos in the off-season. Shabazz currently trails only fellow Bomber Barrin Simpson for the lead league in defensive tackles with 18 and in the first three weeks of the season and has already picked off two passes that he has returned for touchdowns.
Players to watch
QB Stefon LeFors
RB Fred Reid
RB Lavarus Giles
DB Siddeeq Shabazz
LB Barrin Simpson
LB Ike Charleton
Story Lines
– Can the Bomber defence continue to force turnovers at key times?
– Can LeFors take the Bomber offence by the horns and put up large numbers against a young and inexperienced Argos defence?