Johany Jutras/CFL.ca
TORONTO — Matt Nichols has taken his detractors to task over the last 15 games or so. And on Friday night, if things go his way, he may finally silence them completely.
The veteran quarterback leads a surging Bombers club into an early West Division showdown in Week 3, when the Blue and Gold host the Calgary Stampeders on Friday at Investors Group Field.
Skeptics will say the Stampeders have been the West Division’s dominant team over the last decade and especially after a 15-2-1 season in 2016. And it’s true, they’ve also dominated the recent season series with Winnipeg, taking 16 of the last 17 and six in a row dating back to 2015.
But in Winnipeg, there’s a new optimism in the air. The Bombers would like to hope they’re closing the gap. Quickly. Much like they did the last time these teams met when Nichols and co. erased a 30-7 second-half deficit to take the lead inside the last minute.
While the victory didn’t come to fruition, a statement was made by the Bombers that afternoon. And on Friday they can speak even louder.
In this week’s CFL.ca Pick ‘Em Marquee Matchup, we’ll find out where the Blue Bombers stand with the rest of the West in a key Week 3 clash. Who are you taking?
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No team has seen more regular season success than the Stampeders the last couple of seasons, making the visitors the clear choice among the popular majority. That’s justified, especially considering the Stampeders’ 10.4-point average margin of victory over their previous eight visits to Winnipeg.
With that said, the Bombers have been a different football team since Nichols took over under centre. Not only did Winnipeg give Calgary a run for its money last year, the Bombers are off to a strong start in 2017, overcoming a 14-point deficit to defeat the Riders in hostile territory — their largest comeback victory since Oct. 22, 2011.
From the Bombers’ perspective, there’s no better time than in front of a rabid IGF crowd in the home-opener to begin reversing the trend against a division rival.
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Who will win this week’s CFL.ca Pick ‘Em Marquee Matchup? Weigh in below before Friday night’s 8:30 p.m. kickoff.
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