Game Day HQ | Blue Bombers vs. Alouettes

It’s an October Canadian Football League game with some serious preseason vibes.

Oh sure, let’s make this clear from the top: the 90 players who take the field for the Winnipeg Blue Bombers and Montreal Alouettes this afternoon at Princess Auto Stadium will be in all-in mode.

It will still be a pedal-to-the-metal, no-holds barred battle royale — the game is too vicious to play it any other way — but with the chase for the Grey Cup officially beginning next week with the opening round of the playoffs, well, it’s also understandable if the focus can be on two things at once — the here and now and next week.

Tony Jones

That’s certainly captured in the Blue Bombers depth chart for today as Winnipeg has made nine — count ’em — nine changes for this one, including choosing to rest eight starters quarterback Zach Collaros, running back Brady Oliveira, left tackle Stanley Bryant, receiver Pokey Wilson, defensive ends Willie Jefferson and James Vaughters, dime back Redha Kramdi, and return specialist Trey Vaval.

FYI, the Blue Bombers still don’t officially know whether they will be on the road for the Western Semi-Final or to Montreal for the Eastern Semi-Final heading into the last day of the regular season.

The Calgary Stampeders knocked off the Edmonton Elks 20-10 Friday to improve to improve to 11-7 but a Blue Bomber win today coupled with the Saskatchewan Roughriders knocking off the B.C. Lions later tonight would leave Winnipeg and the Leos tied at 10-8.

In that situation, the Blue Bombers would finish third, but the most likely scenario would have Winnipeg facing Montreal next Saturday as a crossover team.

The Alouettes, meanwhile, were officially locked into second place in the East Division Friday night, courtesy the Hamilton Tiger-Cats decisive 35-15 victory over the Ottawa Redblacks that secured first place for the Tabbies.

ICYMI, here’s our Game Preview from yesterday:

Game Preview | Montreal at Winnipeg

And follow along here as we present a collection of notes/quotes/anecdotes to help get Blue Bombers fans up to speed for today’s matchup with the Alouettes in this week’s GAME DAY HQ…

THE QB ROTATION

Terry Wilson

Chris Streveler is listed as the starter for the Blue Bombers, but head coach Mike O’Shea said Terry Wilson will get some work. Chase Artopoeus is listed as the third pivot.

It’s been an interesting season for Wilson, who has seen the veteran Streveler get the call from the bullpen for four starts in place of Collaros and also finish up when QB1 has been injured.

Wilson has not thrown a single pass this season.

“It’s been up and down. Everybody wishes they were on the field and being able to contribute with the team,” said Wilson Friday. “I just take it one day at a time and come here and try to get better. I’m just grateful to be around the guys every day. They put a lot into this game and we’re all working towards one goal, so it’s a contagious attitude. I’m learning. I’m having fun.

“It’s being patient and relying on things I can control. It’s taking it a day at a time and relying on my process and really trying to grow as a quarterback so that when I do have an opportunity to step out on the field, I’m ready to go.

“I’ll be ready to go it the coaches call my number. I’m relying on my technique and trusting what I see on the field, and I’ll just try to cut it loose.”

CJOB’s Derek Taylor then asked Wilson how he would describe his style.

“I’m a game manager,” he said. “Rely on my God-given ability and if the pocket is collapsing, I can get out of the pocket and be able to extend the play. Overall, it’s just managing the game, getting the ball to receivers and being versatile. Whatever I can do to help the team, I’m all for it.

“You need reps but most importantly you’ve got to make sure your mental is on point — you’ve got to know what you’re doing, first. It’s tough, but at the end of the day all I can do is focus on what I can and if my number is called make sure when I step out on the field I execute at a high level.”

UMMM… WHO ARE SOME OF THESE GUYS?

Cam Echols

Five players will make their Blue Bombers regular-season debuts for the club tonight, including defensive ends Matthew Jaworski, Kydran Jenkins and Kemari Munier-Bailey, guard Ethan Vibert, and receiver Cam Echols.

Echols, who played 12 games and had 31 catches for 363 yards and four touchdowns for the Stampeders last year, is the only player of the group with CFL experience.

“I’m excited. Truly honoured, man,” said Echols, who was added to the Blue Bombers practice roster at the end of August. “It’s been a great five-six weeks, and I’m just thrilled to get my opportunity. Patience is a virtue. Having kids teaches you that. Honestly, I just stayed patient and stayed ready. I just prepared every week like I was a starter, like I wanted to be a starter and whenever my opportunity came I was going to take it and run with it.

“It taught me how to really hone in and it brought me back to the young Cam and how to really study. I’ve had six weeks of hard-fought practices and just studying. You never realize how much you can study until you just sit there and just study.”

Asked on Friday what fans might expect from him today, the 30-year-old Western Kentucky product smiled and said:

“I guess we’ll find out in less than 24 hours, huh? I’m just thrilled and honoured for this opportunity. It’s a packed house, so they’re going to get a show. I was born for this. I was born into this game and, honestly, this is what I do. I play football. I was born to play football. This is what I do.”

INTRODUCING…

Kydran Jenkins

Kydran Jenkins has been a Winnipeg Blue Bomber for all of 19 days, first touching down here in Manitoba back on October 6th as part of the practice roster expansion.

“It’s been nice from the first day I got here,” Jenkins said Friday. “The leaders have been helping me with everything and guiding me — the older guys like Willie (Jefferson) and Vaught (James Vaughters) have been helping me a lot. I really thank those guys and the coaches for bringing me in and allowing me to do my thing.”

Jenkins spent five years with the Purdue Boilermakers, playing in 52 games, with 49 of them starts. Over that run he had 23.5 sacks and 44 tackles for a loss. He came into contact with the Blue Bombers through Senior Director of Player Personnel Jim Jauch.

“I really want to show my pass-rush skills and flash that I can get after the quarterback,” said Jenkins. “I’m going to run to the ball and show my effort on every play.

“My whole family will be watching from Georgia. My mom is so excited. I told my dad. My aunties and uncles… I’m pretty sure everybody in my family will be watching. I’m just so ready to get after it. I want to show them I can ball out and show them I got talent to go do what I do best.”

Also starting at defensive end is Matthew Jaworski, who arrived in Winnipeg at the same time as Jenkins. He played his college ball at Fordham and had 19.5 sacks in his college days while being named a two-time All-Patriot League selection and earned Patriot League Defensive Player of the Year honours in 2024.

NOTABLE

• Alouette starting QB Davis Alexander comes into the game 11-0 in his career as a starter — the best career-opening run in CFL history. He has gone 120 consecutive pass attempts without throwing an interception. If he does indeed start today, this will be his first career start vs. Winnipeg.
• Winnipeg has a streak of double-digit win seasons in jeopardy. The club has had at least 10 wins a year since 2016.
• Jefferson will not suit up today, marking just the second time as a Blue Bomber — and including 112 starts — he’ll be off the roster.