It took a 10 point fourth quarter comeback and overtime, but the 2019 Grey Cup champion Winnipeg Blue Bombers came through on the road in their first foray into the Dream League. Andrew Harris and Chris Streveler ran a run based offense for chunks of the second half and overwhelmed the Gold Miners' run defense, with the Bombers going for 203 yards on the ground as a team.
The big reason they fell behind in the first place, though, was the David Archer to Rod Harris connection. Harris had 10 catches for 222 yards, including two controversial sideline catches that were called incomplete by the field officials but were overturned by the replay booth. One set up a 9 yard Roman Anderson field goal on the final play of the first half to put Sacramento up for the first time in the game, 13-10.
The game got off to a chaotic start, with Matt Nichols being intercepted by Jason Wallace in Sacramento territory on the first drive of the game. This was followed by Marcus Sayles blocking a 47 yard field goal attempt to keep the Miners off the board. Turnovers then became much harder to come by, as the offenses were able to move the ball up and down the field for the most part. Andrew Harris ran for a 44 yard touchdown to open the scoring, and then the teams traded field goals. The offenses would stall out and trade punts twice before Sacramento put up a 94 yard drive to tie the game, with Tony Hargain scoring on a 7 yard pass from David Archer. A few more punts as time wound down in the half led to the Harris catch and Anderson's go-ahead field goal.
Sacramento took the second half kickoff and proceeded to roll down the field on an 85 yard drive which led to a 10 point lead when David Archer snuck the ball in from the 1. The Bombers would follow with a 79 yard drive of their own which died at the Sacramento 2. It was the first appearance of the Streveler package, as he took over early in the drive on a second and three and completed a play action pass for a first down, and then almost closed the gap in the score, but Harris was stopped one yard short on third and three from the four. The field position would still grant the Bombers 3 on the next drive, as they took over in Sacramento territory following a punt. The Miners almost extended their lead to two touchdowns, but faltered at the Winnipeg 15 and settled for 3. With 11 minutes remaining, the defending Grey Cup champions were staring defeat in the face.
Matt Nichols then came up big, hitting Darvin Adams for 37 yards to flip field position, and the Streveler package took over on 3rd and 2 from the Sacramento 17. Deciding that 6 was imperative here, the Bombers went for it and Harris took off through the mass of humanity for 11 yards and a first down, and Streveler did the rest, with a 6 yard bootleg to narrow the gap to 3. Sacramento gained a first down on the next drive, put penalties and a Jackson Jeffcoat sack put them in 3rd and 29, and Winnipeg took over at their 38 with 2:40 to play. They'd milk the clock down, as they got into field goal range early, and went very conservative late, relying on Justin Medlock to tie it, and he did with 10 seconds to go from 47 yards out.
The teams traded field goals on their first possessions in overtime, neither achieving a first down. Winnipeg then went up 6 with Andrew Harris scoring his second touchdown of the game from 35 yards out, but the convert failed, as Harris was swarmed over at the line. It didn't matter, though, as Sacramento committed a personal foul on a 3rd and 1 play that put a first down out of reach on the next play, and the Bombers escaped with a win.
The Bombers are now 1-0 and host the 1995 Baltimore Stallions next week, while Sacramento hosts the 2003 Edmonton Eskimos.
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