WINNIPEG – No Zach Collaros? No Brady Oliveira? No problem for the Winnipeg Blue Bombers as they secured a 34-20 season-opening win over the BC Lions on Thursday at Princess Auto Stadium.
With Collaros serving his one-game suspension and reigning Most Outstanding Player and Canadian Oliveira ruled out after the first offensive drive of the game, Winnipeg still managed to pour on 34 points and 438 total yards en route to a commanding victory.
It was a next-man-up mentality in Winnipeg, with Chris Streveler and rookie Matthew Peterson stepping in for the established stars and leading a balanced attack that BC never found an answer to.
The Blue and Gold’s defence also played a big role as they bottled up Nathan Rourke, who earned an honour roll nod in Week 1, and forced three turnovers.
CFL.ca brings you three key stats from the Bombers’ win over the Lions.
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3 – CHRIS STREVELER TOUCHDOWNS
American quarterback Streveler built up a resume of short-yardage dominance in 2024 as his 10 rushing touchdowns tied for the league lead. As the backup to veteran Collaros, the Bombers have not demanded much from the 30-year-old in the passing game. However, on Thursday, it was his day. Streveler found an easy connection with Nic Demski – whom he hit in the end zone twice – and added another touchdown pass to Keric Wheatfall, tallying 246 passing yards on his 15 completions. The Bombers used the whole field to stretch BC’s defence thin, and a fired-up Streveler was up to the task the entire game save for his blemish interception in the second quarter.
It was not the follow-up Rourke wanted after his stellar Week 1 outing, as the BC pivot completed just 12 of his 27 attempts – his lowest completion percentage (44 per cent) since his first game back with the Lions in Week 11 of 2024 (32 per cent) and only the third contest of his CFL career where he dipped under 50 per cent.
130 – MATTHEW PETERSON RUSHING YARDS
When Winnipeg acquired fourth-round rookie Peterson in a late-April trade with the Hamilton Tiger-Cats, it was not with this type of performance in mind. After Oliveira was ruled out, Peterson was thrust into the spotlight of the Blue Bombers’ ground-centred attack and the rookie out of the University of Alberta delivered to the tune of 130 yards on 23 touches – the most by any back in a game so far this season.
The Bombers’ offensive line was creating big gaps that made it easy on Peterson, starting early by opening a hole for Oliveira on his second and final touch of the game – a 43-yard gash up the hash.
2 – MARQUISE BRIDGES INTERCEPTIONS
The Bombers’ defence played – as a whole – stingy from kickoff, but Marquise Bridges’ two picks deserve the highlight. Bridges’ first play to flip the field came early, punctuating the Bombers’ perfect start on offence with a momentum-grabbing play on defence. The 28-year-old defensive back was in excellent coverage all game and he was rewarded for it when Jeremiah Masoli – who came in for a shaken-up Rourke – had a miscommunication with his intended receiver in the late stages of the fourth quarter, airmailing a toss right into Bridges’ waiting arms to secure the win.
Michael Chris-Ike forced the other turnover, a fumble on Stanley Berryhill’s punt return. Linebacker Tony Jones led Winnipeg with nine tackles, and though it was a quiet night on the stat sheet, it was a showcase for All-CFLer Willie Jefferson who was stalking Rourke in the backfield from BC’s first drive.