Winnipeg Free Press

Winnipeg Free Press (Newspaper) - July 26, 2015, Winnipeg, Manitoba C M Y K PAGE B2 THE FIFTH QUARTER B 2 WINNIPEG FREE PRESS, SUNDAY, JULY 26, 2015 winnipegfreepress. com THREE PHASES VANCOUVER - Ronnie Pfeffer nailed his third field goal of the night with 46 seconds left in the fourth quarter as the Toronto Argonauts stormed back from an early 21- 0 deficit to stun the B. C. Lions 30- 27 Friday night. The rookie kicker's 29- yard attempt capped an impressive comeback led by quarterback Trevor Harris, who threw two touchdown passes to go along with two interceptions for the Argonauts ( 3- 1). Harris also scored on a two- yard TD run. Andrew Harris ran in two scores and added another through the air in the game's first 15 minutes 40 seconds for the Lions ( 2- 2) as B. C. built an early 21- 0 lead before Toronto started its comeback. Travis Lulay finished with one touchdown pass against one interception. With the score tied 21- 21 in the fourth quarter and the Lions' offence stuck in neutral, Richie Leone nailed a 39- yard field goal with just over six minutes remaining for the home side's first points since early in the second. But Trevor Harris drove his team back the other way and hooked up with Natey Adjei with 3: 31 to play to give the Argonauts their first lead at 27- 24 after Pfeffer failed to connect on a 32- yard convert attempt. Shaq Murray- Lawrence returned the ensuing kickoff to Toronto's 35- yard line, but B. C. could only attempt another field goal, which Leone nailed from 42 yards out to tie the score 27- 27 with 2: 22 on the clock before Pfeffer booted the winning points. Down 21- 7 at the half, the Argonauts cut the Lions' lead to 11 on Pfeffer's 33- yard field goal early in the third quarter. B. C. turned the ball over on downs on Toronto's side of half late in the quarter and Trevor Harris drove his team down the field before scoring on a two- yard plunge that with a two- point convert pass to Kevin Elliott made the score 21- 18. Pfeffer then nailed a 44- yard field goal early in the fourth quarter to tie the score. The Lions were coming off backto- back wins over the Saskatchewan Roughriders and jumped out to a 21- 0 lead largely on the back of Andrew Harris. After an interception by Cord Parks set the Lions up at their own territory, Andrew Harris touched the ball five times on a nine- play, 73- yard scoring drive that culminated with his 10- yard TD run. Trevor Harris was picked off for a second consecutive drive to start the game on Toronto's next possession to give the Lions the ball at midfield. Lulay completed passes to A. C. Leonard and Austin Collie before lofting a ball up for Andrew Harris, who out ran Argonauts linebacker Cory Greenwood into the end zone. Andrew Harris then made a nice spin move on B. C.' s next drive to score from seven yards out for his third TD to cap off a six- play, 48- yard drive to make the score 21- 0 after Leone's third extra point of the night. Coming off a bye week and needing to spark his team, Trevor Harris hooked up with wide- open Elliott on a 54- yard touchdown pass with about 10 minutes left in the second quarter to cut the deficit to 21- 7 before both defences locked things down for the rest of the half. - The Canadian Press ARGONAUTS 30 LIONS 27 By Joshua Clipperton Pfeffer field goal fantastic Friday finish �� OFFENCE Yuck. Really... Y- U- C- K. Even before the injury to Drew Willy the Bombers were struggling to move the ball against the Eskimos' vaunted defence. After he left the numbers were worse. Winnipeg finished with just 234 yards in net offence, gave up four sacks and saw Brian Brohm picked off twice. If there was a bright spot - and who are we kidding here - running back Cameron Marshall did rumble for 55 yards on seven carries. But those are lipstick- on- apig numbers in a 32- 3 shellacking. �� DEFENCE This had the markings of a messy defensive slugfest early - it was 4- 3 Eskimos midway through the third quarter - when the wheels came off for everybody, including the Bomber defence. Rookie QB James Franklin fired three TDs, while RB Shakir Bell, who had been kept in check, had a 69- yard scamper late in the fourth. Jamaal Westerman and Nate Collins registered sacks, but no one escapes the blame in a game like this. �� SPECIAL TEAMS Lirim Hajrullahu's game started much the same way his last one ended - with his first field- goal attempt from 42 yards out going wide and falling short. He did hit a 10- yarder to give the Bombers a brief lead and was solid in the punting department with a 46.7- yard average on 13 kicks. The Bombers were also burned for a long punt return by Kendial Lawrence that set up the game's first TD, and took five penalties for 70 yards. This crew had better get back to the drawing board ASAP. THE HERO: Franklin, the young pivot from Missouri, sparked the Esks with three of his five completions going for TDs. Edmonton, unlike the Bombers, will have a quarterback debate brewing this week for all the right reasons. He's dynamic, makes plays with his feet and his arm, and will be breathing down Matt Nichols' neck. THE GOAT: Too easy to point the fingers of blame at Brohm, given his icky numbers in relief of Willy. This mess was everyone's fault and that's what is most disconcerting for Bomber Nation: if the problems were confined to one area, they could be fixed. But they were across the map. CRITICAL NUMBERS 8 - As in consecutive losses for the Bombers in Edmonton, dating back to July 20, 2006 and the Milt Stegall 100- yard last- play miracle TD. Winnipeg's futility in Edmonton goes even further, as they are winless in their last nine in the Alberta capital, including a 39- 39 tie in 2007. 4- 13 - Winnipeg's record since opening last season 5- 1. 3- 12 - The Bombers record over the last two years when trailing at halftime. EXTRA POINTS Officials had to separate Bombers centre Dominic Picard and Eskimo D- lineman Almondo Sewell before the national anthem. The two were helmet to helmet jawing at each other in what is becoming a recurring theme of amped- up players trying to do the silly turf- war thing... Bombers LB Tony Burnett, making his CFL debut, was injured on a kickoff- cover in the first quarter, but returned in the second... A halftime show featuring Ukrainian dancers was cancelled, apparently due to rain. There was some speculation, however, that the first half was so dull the dancers nodded off in their dressing room and missed their cue. - Ed Tait E DMONTON - The Winnipeg Blue Bombers have some pivotal problems to address. Not only did they exit Saturday night's 32- 3 loss with No. 1 quarterback Drew Willy's right knee wrapped in ice, the work of reliever Brian Brohm was hardly inspiring and head coach Mike O'Shea continues to suggest third- stringer Robert Marve is not healthy enough to go into a game - even though he has dressed for the last two weeks. The Bombers will evaluate Willy's knee again today, making him doubtful for next week's home date with the B. C. Lions. Brohm connected on just 9- of- 19 passes for 71 yards while being intercepted twice. The attack didn't just stall with him at the controls, it screeched to a halt. Now, there's nothing Brohm could say after the game - or will say this week - that will convince Bombers faithful he can not only move the chains but lead the club to victory. But for what it's worth, here's a chunk of what he said in a morose Bombers locker- room: " Sometimes you don't get all the breaks and things were kind of going the wrong way today," he said. " That happens in football. Hopefully that balances out sometimes and you get some breaks going your way. But overall I need a better performance." And if he's called upon to take the first snap behind centre next week? " I'm ready. There's no wavering in my confidence level. Obviously, there's things I need to work on and get better at and I plan on doing that. It's a short week, but I'm going to get in lots of film, get right to work and just try to get better every day. " That's my job, to be ready to go whenever I'm called upon. I feel that I know this offence, I've been in this offence for a year- and- a- half now and I feel like I can go in there and be successful whenever I'm called upon. I have confidence in myself and I need to go out there and show it on the field and show everybody what I'm capable of." And what are those things he needs to work on? " A couple of those balls, accuracy- wise. I've been working on that throughout the year but I need to make a few better throws and that's going to be my focus... seeing the defence well and going where I'm supposed to go with the football. I just need to make those plays, make those throws." O'Shea explained afterward Marve dressed despite not taking a snap all week because Dominique Davis, recently scooped up after being cut by Calgary, doesn't yet have a grasp of the offence. Marve paced up and down the sidelines after Willy's injury and even put his helmet on as if he was going into the game, but spent more time sitting on the trainer's table beside and did not even throw passes on the sidelines. " We talked about this earlier... Robert Marve didn't take snaps all week and that ( possibly inserting him in the game) wasn't the reality we were living in this week," said O'Shea. " He's been dealing with an issue and it sort of got a little worse in Calgary ( in the pre- game warmup). "( Brohm) was dealt a tough hand. Once again, I'll watch the film with the offence and come up with a better opinion. Every person that steps in in that situation is behind the 8- ball because they haven't taken the reps in practice. Whatever happens in this coming week with Drew and the other quarterbacks, if Drew can't take reps in practice, if Drew can't play, then Brian will fare better because he'll get all the snaps." ed. tait@ freepress. mb. ca Twitter: @ WFPEdTait A speedy recovery, Mr. Willy Backup Brohm, alas, just can't make anything happen By Ed Tait JASON FRANSON / THE CANADIAN PRESS Winnipeg Blue Bombers quarterback Brian Brohm was completely ineffective in relief of starter Drew Willy. JASON FRANSON / THE CANADIAN PRESS Winnipeg Blue Bombers fans ran out of things to toot about early in the second half. B_ 02_ Jul- 26- 15_ FP_ 01. indd B2 7/ 26/ 15 12: 09: 05 AM ;