Bombers QB Nichols on pace for his first 5,000-yard season
‘Ultracompetitive’ leader hasn’t thrown an interception in his last four games
Early last season, with the dogs nipping at his heels following a 1-4 start, Mike O’Shea had an epiphany and decided to change quarterbacks, benching Drew Willy in favour of Matt Nichols.
If the move didn’t save O’Shea’s status as head coach of the Winnipeg Blue Bombers, it certainly reversed the team’s fortunes.
Nichols began his tenure with seven consecutive wins, the Bombers completing the season at 11-7 and making the playoffs in the West Division. They’re no longer after O’Shea’s hide in Winnipeg. So why doesn’t Nichols, now 16-5 as the team’s starter, garner more respect?
“We don’t worry about how much respect he gets anywhere else. He’s got the respect of the entire room to a man, the coaching staff and the entire organization,” O’Shea said on the eve of Thursday night’s game against the Alouettes at Molson Stadium.
“He’s meant a lot to the club, obviously. We’ve gone on quite a tear with him. He’s a fiery leader. He’s ultracompetitive. He’s smart. He’s a pro. These are all good things. All of that rolled into one makes him a leader that people will follow and can learn from.
“He’s been doing well so far.” Ya think?
Nichols has passed for 2,414 yards through eight games while completing 70.4 per cent of his throws. He has 14 touchdowns while being intercepted only four times. Although many of his critics still believe he’s incapable of being a viable starter, he completed 80 per cent of his passes last week, handing Edmonton its first defeat of the season, along with producing 390 yards, tying his career high.
Nichols is on pace for the first 5,000-yard season of his career and hasn’t thrown an interception his last four games. The Bombers (6-2) are on a four-game winning streak and didn’t register a two-and-out against the Eskimos. Indeed, they have just five over that four-game span.
Nichols spent portions of six seasons in Edmonton before being traded to Winnipeg in September 2015, virtually given away, the Eskimos receiving a conditional seventh-round draft choice. The 30-year-old has used criticism to fuel his career.
“I’m a guy that’s always had a chip on my shoulder. That’ll never go away,” said the native of Redding, Calif. “No matter how much people tell me I’m good or bad, I have tunnel vision.
“It comes from where I was brought up, a small town with hard-working people. I took on that mentality,” added the 6-foot2, 215 pounder, signed to a threeyear contract extension last January. “I was overlooked in high school, overlooked coming out of college. It always feels like you’re not trying to prove people wrong, but prove to yourself you can do it. It’s just part of things. Everyone goes through stuff. Everyone has reasons why they play.”
The Bombers were seeking consistency a month ago, having split their opening four games, when they staged a dramatic, comefrom-behind 41-40 victory at home against Montreal — Winnipeg erasing a 12-point deficit with two touchdowns in the game’s final 1:40.
The Bombers haven’t lost since and have found ways to win. This is a team that scores, and relinquishes, a lot of points — but one that clearly isn’t averse to getting involved in shootouts, believing it will prevail.
“Confidence is a huge thing in this business. You take the field and feel like you’re going to win the game,” Nichols said. “I’ve been on teams in the past where you go in hoping you’re going to win or hoping someone makes the play. Everyone goes in on this team expecting to make that play. It’s a big thing to have that mindset.
“This team has learned how to win.”
We don’t worry about how much respect he gets anywhere else. He’s got the respect of the entire room to a man.