Winnipeg @ Ottawa preview

Last Meeting ( Nov 4, 2016 ) Winnipeg 33, Ottawa 20

The Winnipeg Blue Bombers look to ride the momentum gained from one of the most miraculous comebacks in recent memory when they face the Ottawa Redblacks on the road Friday. The Blue Bombers scored two touchdowns in the final 44 seconds of the fourth quarter, including the game-winning score as time expired, to stun the Montreal Alouettes and hope to keep pace in an ultra-competitive West Division by notching back-to-back victories for the first time in 2017.

"It's a group that refuses to give up and I can't be more proud of our guys," Winnipeg quarterback Matt Nichols told reporters. "When it comes down to playoff seeding that might be one of the games to look back on that made all the difference." Ottawa is coming off a bye week and hopes to have made the proper adjustments to combat a disappointing start to the season. The defending Grey Cup champions have dropped four games by a combined 10 points, including a 27-24 setback to the Toronto Argonauts in Week 5, and look to turn their fortunes around by taking advantage of a Winnipeg defence, which ranks second-last in points allowed (35.8), yards allowed (418.6) and passing yards allowed (358.2) per game. "It was good to step away for a few days and hit the reset button," Ottawa coach Rick Campbell told reporters. "Everything is still in front of us and there's a whole lot of football left to be played."

TV: 7 p.m. ET, TSN, RDS

ABOUT THE BLUE BOMBERS (3-2): Nichols threw for 358 yards and two touchdowns while Andrew Harris continued his stellar play as he accounted for 134 yards and two rushing touchdowns, including the game-winning 1-yard run against Montreal. Wide receiver Weston Dressler, who leads the team in receiving yards (342) missed practice this week with a lower-body injury suffered against the Alouettes and is doubtful for Friday's clash. Defensive back Maurice Leggett, who is one of the leaders of the secondary, is expected to return to the lineup after missing the last two games with a lower-body injury.

ABOUT THE REDBLACKS (1-4-1): Offensive lineman Jake Silas could be in line to make his first start of 2017 after suffering a shoulder injury late last season and linebacker Ron Omara is inching closer to a return after practicing for the first time Monday. Trevor Harris hopes to bounce back from a pedestrian outing by his lofty standards as he was limited to 184 passing yards in the loss to Toronto to finish with fewer than 200 yards for the first time this season. Ottawa signed dynamic punt returner/wide receiver Quincy McDuffie, who led the league in kickoff return average (27.7) with Winnipeg in 2016, to a two-year deal after he was released by the Dallas Cowboys.

EXTRA POINTS

1. Ottawa has won four of the last five meetings with Winnipeg.

2. Blue Bombers WR Clarence Denmark has caught 10 touchdown passes in his last 15 games.

3. Harris leads the CFL in touchdown passes with 12.

PREDICTION: Redblacks 31, Blue Bombers 27