Cauz: Nichols sparks remarkable Banjo Bowl outcome

Every week in the CFL something unpredictable will happen — it’s what makes this game so much fun. This week the obvious one for most was Edmonton finally beating Calgary after going 0-12 in its last dozen attempts. But for me, I was more fascinated with that god awful game known as the Banjo Bowl. Aesthetically it was a disaster with five turnovers, 18 punts and some sloppy special teams play. On many possessions watching the Beer Snake was a far better alternative from what we saw on the field. However, the outcome of this game was remarkable when you consider the following four things:

1. The winning team’s quarterback, Matt Nichols, had been on the roster for less than two weeks.

2. The winning team’s leading rusher, Chevon Walker was released by Ottawa at the beginning of the month.

3. In the first quarter alone, Matt Nichols was the victim of two ugly turnovers, neither of which was his fault. The first being a lost fumble, the result of John Chick blowing past the offensive line and blindsiding Nichols. Than a couple series’ later a slightly behind the back pass hits Darvin Adams who then promptly bobbles the ball right into the hands of Jeff Knox Jr. In the middle of those mistakes the winning team has a punt blocked.

4. After the best play of the afternoon for the winning team, a 64-yard completion to Nick Moore, Nichols will lose his second fumble of the game.

Despite all of that the Winnipeg Blue Bombers go on to win 22-7.

2015 has not been a good year for Nichols, Walker or the Blue Bombers. With the return of Mike Reilly and the emergence of James Franklin as someone who rates somewhere in between an interesting starter and a more than capable backup it was an inevitable numbers game for Nichols. Despite going 5-2 as a starter he was never a difference maker in Edmonton, rarely being the reason the Eskimos won. I have always thought of him as a Western version of Jonathan Crompton.

Then there is Chevon Walker, who went from getting nearly 20 touches a game for the first month of the season with the REDBLACKS to being phased out of the offence and used just on returns to his eventual release from the team.

Finally we have the Blue Bombers, who started the year with a healthy Drew Willy, a healthy Paris Cotton and a 30-26 win over Saskatchewan. They were hoping to be the team that started 5-1 in 2014. But then injuries and inconsistency took over and Nichols is already the fourth quarterback to start for the Bombers this season. They’re going through quarterbacks like Hamilton goes through running backs. Calgary and Hamilton are leading their respective divisions for many reasons but at the top of the list is stability at quarterback. So what you had on Saturday was a bunch of players unwanted by other teams trying to prove they belong in the CFL.

Of course, at this point I should write 700 words about how glorious both Nichols and Walker looked, but that would be pushing a narrative that doesn’t exist. Chevon Walker’s 47 total yard night was mostly unremarkable. His longest run was just 11 yards but it was the kind of run that reminds you how good he can be as he eluded several Roughrider defenders with a set of nifty cuts turning a 2nd and 10 draw play into a first down.

As for Nichols, he was fairly steady on the day and he seemed to help breath some life into Nick Moore, who finished with his first 100 yard game of the season. Nichols’ one touchdown pass was more about Julian Feoli-Gudino’s individual brilliance (and some veteran downfield blocking from Clarence Denmark) as it was anything that Nichols did.

All that said, here’s hoping these two players can find a successful home in Winnipeg. How could you not be happy for Winnipeg? After beating the BC Lions 23-13 at the end of the July, the Blue Bombers went 0-for-August, getting outscored by 83 — more than 20 points per game — during their miserable four game losing streak. Hell, they were the team that gave Saskatchewan its first win of the season. No one wants to be the team that loses to the 0-9 franchise . Again, this game is certainly not going to win any beauty contests but when you dig a little bit deeper there were some interesting story lines going on.

One quick coaching thoughts that has very little to do with coaching before I wrap up. If you missed the 836 shots TSN showed of John Hufnagel looking absolutely miserable as he was getting drenched from the rain, then I must command you to seek out the video. The funniest moment of Week 12 has to go to the image of Hufnagel wearing a raggedly white towel over his head trying to protect him from the monsoon of rain. He had that same look on his face as Tom Hanks in ‘Cast Away’ when he lost Wilson.