By: Mike Still (@mikestill94)
Feature photo: Des Catellier tries to evade Calgary’s Boston Rowe. Photo by David Moll.
This article originally appeared on gobisons.ca by the same author. You can view it here.
Starting off strong is always critical, especially against an undefeated Calgary team that had only given up one opening drive score (week three against Saskatchewan) all season. Manitoba was in a position to put points on the board in their first possession against the Dinos last weekend, before a fumble at the host’s 37-yard line resulted in a 68-yard touchdown the other way.
It was the first of 22 straight points put on the board by the Canada West’s top team, a total that the Bisons were unable to match.
“For sure it was a traumatic moment, you could visibly see it and feel it,” said Dobie about the fumble recovery for a score.
“And after that when Calgary started doing some things and we were struggling, you could feel some frustration growing. Did it effect us? Yes it did.”
The Bisons played admirably in the second half, despite being down by as many as 33. They put 15 straight points on the board to close the contest, getting rushing touchdowns of 17 and 24 yards from Jamel Lyles and Victor St. Pierre-Laviolette, respectively. The former finished with 147 yards and now leads the conference with 545 total, despite missing a game against Alberta earlier in the season.
Defensive tackle Jeremie Drouin also had his best game of the year with four tackles and a sack, as he continues to step up with Cole Adamson injured. As a whole, Manitoba’s front four rotation — which also included Kent Hicks, Braiden Watson, Brock Gowanlock, Derek Dufault, Chris Larsen and Samson Abbott — limited starting Calgary running back Robinson Rodrigues to 70 yards.
“We’ve really improved against the run greatly from last year,” Dobie said. “And I think that’s where you’re seeing the best results from that group.”
The defensive unit will need to be just as strong this week on the road against the 3-3 Saskatchewan Huskies — a team that beat the Bisons in a 48-46 offensive showcase at Investors Group Field back in week two. Naturally, Dobie is focusing on the here and now, instead of what happened well over a month ago.
“I don’t know if we can take too much from [week two] to be honest with you,” he said.
“They’ve really grown their team and are just doing it bigger and better. I think the big thing is going into Saskatchewan. That’s a hard place for anybody to win and they obviously are very self-motivated because of everything that everybody puts into University of Saskatchewan football there.”
Additionally, the stakes have been upped for this contest after Regina forfeited all three of their wins due to an ineligible player a few weeks back. One of those victories was against the Bisons, which has vaulted them into a three-way tie for second in the conference alongside UBC and the Huskies, and the chance for a home playoff game with two contests remaining.
“We need to win the game by three points. They know it and we know it,” Dobie said. “We’ve got Saskatchewan and UBC and they’ve got us and Regina. Everybody is kind of in a position now where it’s down to two games and here we go.”