Surging Blue Bombers blast Redblacks

WINNIPEG — Matt Nichols knew rainy weather called for extra concentration handling a slippery football.

The quarterback didn’t have too much of a problem, throwing for 319 yards and two touchdowns as the Winnipeg Blue Bombers defeated the Ottawa Redblacks 29-9 on Friday.

Nichols completed 23-of-34 pass attempts but had one interception, a ball that slipped out of his hand behind him during a throw.

“It’s a little bit of a challenge,” Nichols said of the weather, which delayed the game’s start by 20 minutes and included intermittent downpours throughout the contest.

“You’ve just got to focus in on your fundamentals and make sure you have a good grip on the ball. Obviously, one got away from me a little bit.”

It was Winnipeg’s fifth straight victory at Investors Group Field this season, boosting its record to 9-3 in front of an announced crowd of 26,588. That keeps the Bombers in second place in the CFL West Division, three points behind Calgary.

The East Division-leading Redblacks (5-8-1) produced their lowest point total of their season with third-string quarterback Ryan Lindley at the helm.

Suiting up in place of injured backup Drew Tate and injured starter Trevor Harris, Lindley was 16-of-36 for 151 yards with no TDs and one pick. He wasn’t blaming the wind and the rain. “It’s an even playing field,” Lindley said. “God doesn’t turn the sprinklers off when Winnipeg goes out on offence so we’ve both got to deal with it.

“Obviously, they figured it out. I don’t think that affected us as much as other stuff.” That other stuff was poor play. “It was crap. I didn’t play well,” Lindley, 28, said. Redblacks head coach Rick Campbell said all three phases of his team didn’t step up. As for the team’s quarterback situation, Campbell said he’s optimistic Tate may be ready to play Ottawa’s next game against Saskatchewan, but he’ll know more Monday.