The Corbett Report, June27, 2019

Introduction

Greetings! Welcome back to another season of the Corbett Report. This game marks my 37th consecutive home opener and something like the 20th year of the Corbett report. Sheeeeeshhhhh you’d think I was getting old or something!!! As with every year, there’s unbridled optimism and hope around a new season. Of course there are a few sports fans out there that don’t think their team is a championship team at the start of the season. It’s certainly that way in Bomberland where a 29 year Grey Cup drought has left the best fans in the CFL anxious and desperate for a championship year. Could this be the year? Well, I’ve polished off my crystal ball, called on the spirits for guidance and even checked the astrological signs and I can tell you unequivocally that the final score in the 2019 Grey Game will be: Winnipeg 34 Hamilton 23.

So that’s it. Quite reading, nothing more here to see. Move along now, go watch a baseball game or a cricket match. This CFL season’s over before it barely begins.

What?! you say? They still have to play the games? Okay, okay you get your way. We’ll go through the motions of pretending that there’s a team out there that can stop the Bombers. Besides, what better way to celebrate my last week of work than taking in a Bomber/Eskimo game at IGF.

After all,

I love to be, in my aisle seat
At the Blue Bombers’ home opener in the sun.

Welcome to 2019. Welcome to the Corbett Report.

The Bombers

The Bombers, once a bit of a train wreck from year to year, have become a team of consistency and stability. (Fun fact, that’s an unedited line from the 2018-01 Corbett Report).

On offense, there is of course the perennial all-star Andrew Harris (148 yards rushing in game one against BC), a revamped O-Line that did a great job of keeping Matt Nichols upright in week one, a returning all-star receiver in Chris Matthews and of course at kicker they’re solid with Justin Medlock returning. Unlike last year, the Bombers start the season with their starting QB healthy. Rest assured, however, that with the experience that Streveler gained in 2018 that the Bombers have the best 1-2 QB punch in the league.

On defense, the Bombers did lose some key players to free agency such as Chris Randle and Kevin Fogg however the free agent addition of 2-time CFL All-Star Willie Jefferson should strengthen the Bombers defensive line. With Adam Bighill at linebacker the Bombers defense should be solid group.

Always good on paper, now they just have to play.

The Eskimos

There’s talk in Edmonton on how the toxic atmosphere in the locker room has disappeared. I’m not sure what that means. Surely it doesn’t mean Mike Reilly’s departure to BC has improved the chemistry in the locker room. Jason Mass is still there so that can’t be it. Whatever it is though the Eskimos have come out of the gate on fire with two very convincing wins.

Last week, Trevor Harris completed 25 of 33 passes for 294 yards and 3 TDs. Greg Ellingson caught 9 passes for 174 yards and 2 TDs. Meanwhile the Eskimo defense sacked Mike Reilly 7 (THAT’S RIGHT SEVEN!) times.

Suffice to say that the Eskimos join the Bomber as the early season powerhouses in the West.

Keys to the game

So with all of that said, here are the keys to the game:

For the Bombers to win

• Break up the Harris to Ellingson combo
• Score early and gain some confidence (they haven’t played much football in June so may need some time to get going)
• Keep Nichols upright and open the holes for Andrew (i.e. win the battle in the trenches)

For the Eskimos to win

• Keep the sack attack going
• Home openers always see a pumped-up crowd, scoring early will have the Bomber faithful quieting down
• Hit the big plays

The predictions

It’s week two for the Bombers so the crystal ball is a bit cloudy (well, other than that Grey Cup prediction, that’s money in the bank) but let’s go with:

• Toronto over nobody, ever (64-14 loss last week!), so unfortunately it’ll be Sask over Toronto
• Hamilton over Montreal (Khari Jones doubles as coach and QB???)
• Calgary over BC (BC maybe you should have saved a few bucks for – Oh I dunno, AN O-LINE, rather than spending it all on Mike Reilly)

And of course in our feature game:

Unlike last year the Bombers aren’t starting the season with a rookie at QB. It’ll come down to the Bombers O-Line ability to stop the Eskimos D-Line. I think it’ll be a thing.

Winnipeg 32 Edmonton 16

Corbett Report Stats so far:

CFL overall 5-2
Bomber games 1-0

CHEERS!