Brown leads Redblacks past Blue and Gold

Source: Winnipeg Free Press

OTTAWA - When it rains, it pours for the Winnipeg Blue Bombers. Quite literally, in this case.

In what will go down as one of the more unusual endings in CFL history, the Bombers were forced to wait out an hour-long weather delay before returning to the field for one last chance at victory with 2:09 remaining in the fourth quarter. After two failed attempts at the end zone from deep inside enemy territory, the game was pretty much sealed with a quarterback sack on Zach Collaros, confirming a 23-19 victory for the Ottawa Redblacks Thursday night at TD Place.

The game was halted owing to a severe weather delay, which included heavy rain, but more importantly, vicious bouts of lightning. Owing to CFL weather protocol, because the game was past the midway mark of the third quarter, had the weather not cleared up after 60 minutes, the game would have been called and the Redblacks deemed victorious.

Instead, the Collaros-led offence returned to the field facing a first-and-10 at Ottawa's 42. They would get as far as the Redblacks' seven-yard line, but failed pass attempts, including one that was deflected just before Dalton Schoen could reel it in, set up the Collaros sack and a turnover on downs. The Redblacks would surrender a safety, giving Winnipeg one last ditch effort, only for a Hail Mary to go incomplete with no time remaining.

Collaros finished the game 15-for-31 passing for 285 yards and two interceptions. Winnipeg had 309 yards of offence.

While certainly a bizarre and rare conclusion to a game, ending a game with time remaining is not unprecedented. In fact, the only time this has occurred was back in 2019, with the Saskatchewan Roughriders earning a 17-10 win over the Montreal Alouettes, the game being called with 2:41 remaining in the third quarter.

The Bombers drop to 0-2 following a season-opening loss to the Montreal Alouettes. It's the first time since the 2016 campaign the Bombers have started with back-to-back losses.

The Redblacks improved to 1-0 after having the bye in Week 1.

While the Bombers weren't able to pull off the late-game heroics, given the way they were playing for much of the night, they got the result they deserved.

It was another slow start for the Blue and Gold, who trailed 10-0 by the end of the first quarter. Winnipeg's attack moved the ball just 23 yards on four drives, generating two first downs. It wasn't until a Sergio Castillo 45-yard field goal in the second quarter that the visitors finally hit the scoreboard.

Winnipeg would narrow the gap by halftime, trailing 16-10 thanks to a four-yard rushing touchdown by Johnny Augustine late in the second quarter. Augustine, who finished with seven carries for 31 yards, was playing in relief of Brady Oliveira after he suffered a knee injury against the Alouettes.

Dru Brown made his first official start with the Redblacks after being traded from Winnipeg to the nation's capital over the offseason, creating plenty of juicy storylines given the familiarity with his former club.

Brown, who spent three seasons with the Bombers before signing a two-year deal with the Redblacks, played down the hype the day before, wanting to simply earn his new club their first win after having a Week 1 bye.

The 27-year-old looked like someone who had seen a lot of the Bombers defence in recent years, completing 20 of his 33 passes for 238 yards and one touchdown -- a two-yard strike to Jake Hardy that proved to be the game-winning score.

The Redblacks, who had 342 yards of offence, also got a one-yard rushing score from short-yardage QB Dustin Crum, along with a trio of field goals from Lewis Ward.

Ottawa continued to move the ball in the second quarter but offered a reminder of the dangers in settling for field goals rather than touchdowns. Ward added two more three-pointers -- from 31 and 34 yards, respectively -- but found themselves in a tight affair after the Bombers found paydirt just minutes before halftime.

The Bombers trailed the first half in offensive plays (33 to 20), first downs (13 to eight) and yards (218 to 125). No stat summed the first two quarters up better than time of possession, with Ottawa having the ball 20:09 compared to 9:51 for Winnipeg.

After six quarters of ugly football for the Bombers offence to start the season, the league's top attack in 2023 started to look like its old self

On Winnipeg's second drive of the third quarter, Collaros connected with Keric Wheatfall for a 76-yard catch-and-run up the left sideline. Wheatfall was activated from the practice roster earlier in the week, after Kenny Lawler suffered a broken arm against the Alouettes and was

Three plays later, Chris Streveler rushed two yards to the end zone to give the Bombers a 17-16 lead.

That momentum was short-lived, as Collaros was picked off on Winnipeg's next series, giving the Redblacks strong field position at the Bombers' 45. But the defence once again held strong, forcing a critical two-and-out.

Ottawa regained the lead midway through the fourth quarter, going up 22-17 with a two-yard TD from Brown to receiver Justin Hardy. Hardy, who led the Redblacks with seven catches for 111 yards, reeled in a 45-yard catch earlier in the drive.

The Bombers return to Winnipeg to get ready to welcome the B.C. Lions for a Week 3 matchup next Friday.