Winnipeg @ Ottawa preview
TD Place Stadium
Last Meeting ( Oct 5, 2018 ) Winnipeg 40, Ottawa 32
The Winnipeg Blue Bombers look to remain the only unbeaten team in the West Division when they visit the Ottawa Redblacks on Friday. The Blue Bombers knocked off the BC Lions 33-23 before holding off the Edmonton Eskimos 28-21 to set the early pace in the division and can take sole possession of first place by taking down the Redblacks in the nation's capital for the fourth consecutive time.
"We know we're a good football team and we can win tough games," Winnipeg quarterback Matt Nichols told reporters. "It's holding ourselves to a higher standard … and then the sky's the limit for us." Ottawa has been one of the most pleasant surprises of the young CFL season following back-to-back victories over the Calgary Stampeders (32-28) and Saskatchewan Roughriders (44-41). The Redblacks were thought to be in rebuilding mode after losing their top quarterback, running back and wide receiver to free agency, but first-year starter Dominique Davis, who spent three years in Winnipeg, and the rest of the offence have hit the ground running as they aim for their first 3-0 start since entering the league in 2014. "We've been training together all offseason and the chemistry has been there," Davis told reporters. "We just made a promise to each other that we're not going to let each other down."
TV: 7:30 p.m. ET, TSN, RDS
ABOUT THE BLUE BOMBERS (2-0): Lucky Whitehead had a home debut to remember as the speedster caught seven passes for 155 yards and a pair of touchdowns against Edmonton. Running back Brady Oliveira, who played high school football in Winnipeg, will be out for a large chunk of the season after he was carted off the field with an ankle injury and will be replaced by Johnny Augustine on the depth chart. Winnipeg traded defensive end Patrick Choudja to the Calgary Stampeders in exchange for the negotiation list rights for an undisclosed player with 2019 first-round pick Jonathan Kongo nearing a return following a torn ACL injury in his final collegiate game with the University of Tennessee.
ABOUT THE REDBLACKS (2-0): Davis completed 30-of-39 passes for a career-high 354 yards and three touchdowns in the Week 2 win against Saskatchewan to earn one of the CFL Top Performers of the Week honours. Defensive end Danny Mason is expected to miss the remainder of the season after suffering a knee injury against the Roughriders. Lewis Ward made all six of his field goal attempts to extend his streak of consecutive makes to 57 in a row, which is the longest run in professional football.
EXTRA POINTS
1. Winnipeg has won four of the last five meetings with Ottawa.
2. Nichols has thrown six touchdown passes in two games after finishing with 18 in 14 contests last season.
3. The Redblacks lead the league in offensive plays per game (85.5).
PREDICTION: Blue Bombers 32, Reblacks 30