With playoffs on the way, it’s time to give Harris more touches
Bombers want to get back to smashmouth style after tough stretch,
Andrew Harris is having a season for the ages and the Winnipeg Blue Bombers need to re-establish the run game.
This isn’t about personal accolades or the pursuit of 1,000 yards of rushing and receiving, it’s about utilizing one of the most versatile weapons in the CFL.
As the Blue Bombers get set to host the B.C. Lions in their final home game of the regular season on Saturday, the ability to get Harris more involved in the offence will be one of the many storylines to watch.
Harris has given quarterback Matt Nichols a run for his money when it comes to the Blue Bombers’ most outstanding player candidate this season, but was held to only 32 yards rushing on nine carries last week in the 29-28 loss to the Toronto Argonauts.
Of course, the Blue Bombers were limited to 10 offensive possessions last week and that was a factor in the lighter workload.
But Harris has reached doubledigits in carries only once during the past four weeks.
His ability to catch the ball out of the backfield is another weapon in the Blue Bombers’ offence, yet he was limited to two catches for four yards last week.
With snow on the ground and the calendar about to flip, the importance of getting Harris going early cannot be overstated.
“He’s a guy that gets better the more he gets to touch the ball,” Nichols said.
Harris always enjoys facing his former team, but his focus this week is on helping the Blue Bombers try to lock down second place in the West Division, which would give them home-field advantage in the first round of the playoffs.
If Harris can be more involved in the offence, so be it.
“This is a huge game for this club and this city to secure (second place),” said Harris, who has 173 carries for 903 yards and six rushing majors and 98 catches for 820 yards and one touchdown reception this season.
“You want to play the full season in a smashmouth style. As we go forward, as the weather turns, gets colder, windier, and the conditions get wet, you need to be able to contribute in the run game a lot more.
“It’s a full team effort and we’ve all got to contribute in a good way to make sure that happens.”
This isn’t about just riding Harris, either.
Running the football is critical at this time of year as teams prepare for the playoffs.
“Especially on the Prairies, where it’s windy and gets cold and you never know what the weather is going to be like, it’s kind of our moment to take over a football game,” said Blue Bombers offensive lineman Patrick Neufeld, who is waiting to find out if he’ll replace Travis Bond at left guard or if he’ll remain as the sixth man this week.
“We like to say the offence is going to lean on us and we want to carry that burden, for everyone to know that we’re going to lead the way and run the ball and protect Matt (Nichols).”
The Blue Bombers lead the CFL in scoring and rushing yards per game, but the offence hasn’t been clicking on all cylinders during the past three weeks, resulting in two losses and one win over that stretch. That win came against the Lions, though the offence was limited in that game as well. Finishing the season strong is the only thing the Blue Bombers are focusing on this week — they’re not worried about who they might be playing in two weeks when the playoffs arrive.
“As a player, you focus on what you have to do to help the team. Whatever your role is, what your job is on each play,” said Blue Bombers receiver Weston Dressler.
“The coaching staff and those guys can figure all of that other stuff out. Players in this lockerroom trust what they’re doing and we’re going to do what they tell us to do.”
The Lions, meanwhile, have dropped five consecutive games and eight of the past nine. They’re reeling, but they’ve made six changes to the 46-man roster this week, which means there are plenty of players auditioning for jobs and plenty of incentive, despite not jockeying for position in the standings the way the Blue Bombers are.
“We know their tendencies and whatnot, but you’ve got to expect the unexpected,” said Bombers linebacker Jovan Santos-Knox. “We don’t know what they’re going to throw at us, so we’ve got to be ready for anything.”