The Corbett Report, July 30, 2026

Introduction

There’s a reason that football games are played approximately a week apart.  I know what you’ve heard, it’s to allow players to heal and recharge.  That, however, is a falsehood.  The actual reason there’s approximately a week between games is for the FANS!  We need a week to recover and regroup from the emotional exhaustion that comes with attending a football game.  As an example, let’s run through the last week.

• Friday, July 24 – Bombers lose 52-30 at home to the Calgary Stampeders
• Saturday, July 25 – Denial: Wake up in Winnipeg . . . that really didn’t just happen, did it?
• Sunday, July 26 – Anger: GRRRRRRRRR . . . why didn’t they run Brady in the last 3 minutes?
• Monday, July 27 – Bargaining: Email the league, can’t we get that missed field goal return overturned?
• Tuesday, July 28 – Depression: Sigh . . . Stay in bed and watch reruns of the 1984 Grey Cup
• Wednesday, July 29 – Acceptance: Well, I guess we really are just a 4-3 team
• Thursday, July 30 – Rejuvenation: What’s next on the schedule?
• Friday, July 31 – GAME DAY: Bombers vs. Lions!

WAIT A MINUTE

There’s only 6 days between games this week.  It’s Thursday, July 30^th and it IS Game Day!  Let’s hope the Bombers got the memo.

Welcome to week 8, welcome to the Corbett Report.

Standings

Team	GP	W	L	T	Pts	Pts for	Pts Against
West
Edmonton	7	6	1	0	12	203	172
Saskatchewan	6	4	2	0	8	204	169
Winnipeg	7	4	3	0	8	185	208
Calgary	7	3	4	0	4	278	244
BC	6	1	5	0	2	152	182
East
Montreal	7	6	1	0	12	239	204
Hamilton	7	3	4	0	6	167	190
Toronto	7	3	4	0	6	220	219
Ottawa	6	0	6	0	0	153	213

Big game this week as Sask visits Edmonton in a rematch of last week’s battle of the top two teams in the West.  A victory by the Elks and they’ll move 6 pts up on the Riders.
Bombers

To say last week’s game against the Stamps was an embarrassment would be an understatement.  The Bombers found every which way to lose including:

• Throwing 4 interceptions
• Giving up a missed field goal return for a TD
• Missing tackles (Jalen Philpot’s 69-yard catch and run TD comes to mind)
• 7 penalties for 75 yards

Despite all that could go wrong, the Bombers were within 12 points with less than 2 minutes to go.  Still, as in earlier games this year, you just didn’t get a warm and fuzzy feeling that the Bombers could come back.

This week there’s been lots of discussion about team identity.  There’s been discussions about whether the Bomber OC is using Brady properly, about whether Dru Brown is the answer and about whether the Bombers Defence is up to the challenge of playing against an elite QB such as Vernon Adams.  It’s been painful to watch as this Bomber team seems to find a different way to struggle each game, but one thing is for sure, the Bombers can’t give the ball away 6 times as they did last week (4 INTs and 2 turnover on downs) and expect to win games.  Clean that up and then they can start talking about an “Identity”.

Cal Murphy tribute

Tonight marks the induction of Bomber head coach and general manager Cal Murphy into the Ring of Honour.  Cal served as Bomber GM from 1983-1996. During that period he was also the head coach from 1983 – 1986 and again from 1993-1996.  His accomplishments are many but none as memorable as the 1984 Grey Cup game that saw the Bombers overcome a 17-3 deficit to defeat the Ti-Cats 47-17.  A stature in his honour has been present outside gate 3 since the new stadium was built and his name on the Ring of Honour is long overdue.   

Lions

2026 was supposed to be the Lions’ year.  Nathan Rourke was supposed to lead them to the promised land (well at least a Grey Cup).  How’s that working out for them? Well, Rourke is injured.  His replacement, Chase Brice, in his first start, threw for 4 interceptions. In his second game he managed to complete just 14 of 25 passes (56%) before giving way to third string QB Kaidon Salter.  It didn’t help though, as the Lions managed just 12 points in a 26-12 loss to the Argos.  How bad have the Lions been on Offence?? Consider this: they’ve scored fewer points than the Redblacks.  Doesn’t that just say it all?

Salter gets the start for the Lions tonight.  If the Bombers defence can’t come up big in this one, then it may be time to make some serious changes.

Keys to the game

For the Bombers to win

• Better utilization of Brady Oliveira
• Pressure the Lions QB (who is making his first CFL start)
• DON’T THROW 4 INTERCEPTIONS

For the Lions to win

• Lead the game after the first quarter
• Stop the Bombers’ run game
• Win the turnover battle

The predictions

Record so far this year: 17-13 (Bomber games 4 – 3).  4-0 last week

This week look for:

• Montreal to keep it rolling against the hapless Redblacks
• Calgary to take advantage of BLM’s absence from the Ti-Cats line up and get another road win
• Edmonton to keep gaining momentum with another victory over the Riders

And

If there’s such a thing as a “must win” game in July in the CFL, then this is it for the Bombers.  Look for the Bombers to come out angry, play a much cleaner game than last week and win this one for Cal.

Bombers 32 Lions 15

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