Bombers top B.C. Lions 34-10 to earn playoff spot

Dru Brown saved the Winnipeg Blue Bombers’ season.

They were a trainwreck for the opening 40-plus minutes in Vancouver on Friday night before Brown provided the ultimate spark, accounting for 31 consecutive points in a 34-10 victory over the B.C. Lions to clinch a playoff berth.

The Lions — who had nothing to play for and rested a long list of key starters — somehow led 10-3 late in the third quarter when Bombers quarterback Zach Collaros was forced to leave the game. Lions defensive tackle Nathan Cherry was flagged for roughing the passer after driving Collaros into the turf, and the 38-year-old pivot was ruled out shortly thereafter.

And then Brown’s brilliance began.

Fresh off the bench, he fired a 46-yard strike to rookie receiver Dorian Singer. A few plays later, he hit Singer again, this time for a 30-yard touchdown to tie the game at 10-10 with a minute and a half remaining in the third.

Brown went a perfect 11-for-11 for 185 yards and two touchdowns in just over a quarter of action. Across five drives at the helm, the Bombers were nearly flawless, scoring four touchdowns and a field goal to close out the contest in convincing fashion.

Collaros didn’t have his best stuff, going 9-for-20 for 105 yards and an interception.

“Personally, just watching the game, I felt like we were going to the right places with the ball. We were just maybe in some situations down and distance wise that you’re kind of behind the chains or you don’t make a play here and there,” said Brown on the CJOB post-game show.

“I kind of figured it was just a matter of time until we got going. I know it looks like I came in there and there was (improvement), but at the end of the day, everyone just started executing… I would give credit to the rest of the guys.”

A loss would have eliminated the Bombers (9-9), leaving them on the outside looking in for the playoffs for the first time since 2015. Instead of cleaning out their lockers this afternoon, they can put their feet up and wait to find out who they’ll face next Saturday.

If the Saskatchewan Roughriders (9-8) lose to the Edmonton Elks (13-4) on Saturday (2 p.m. CT kickoff), the Bombers will finish third and return to Vancouver next week to face the Lions in the Western semifinal.

If the Riders win, Winnipeg will finish fourth and cross over to face the Toronto Argonauts (9-9) in the Eastern semifinal.

Friday’s result eliminated the Calgary Stampeders (9-9), while the Lions (10-8) had already secured the West’s No. 2 seed.

The extent of Collaros’s latest injury is unknown. But if he’s healthy and ready to go next week, do the Bombers turn back to him or stick with the hot hand in Brown?

“I just think we’re going to enjoy this and figure out where we land in the next couple days,” said head coach Mike O’Shea.

The regular-season finale was do-or-die for the Bombers, yet you might have thought they were the ones playing second- and third-stringers based on how they started.

Winnipeg committed three turnovers in the first half, with Trey Vaval muffing a punt, short-yardage quarterback Bryce Perkins getting stuffed on third-and-one, and Collaros underthrowing a pass to the end zone that was picked off.

Meanwhile, the Lions came out swinging, with backup quarterback Kaidon Salter connecting with rookie receiver Nate DeMontagnac for a 36-yard touchdown on just the third play of the game.

Making his second career start, Salter went 12-for-21 for 177 yards, one touchdown and one interception. Chris Oladokun, a two-time Super Bowl champion with the Kansas City Chiefs making his CFL debut, took over in the fourth quarter and threw for 48 yards and an interception.

Bombers cornerback Major Williams came away with both INTs.

The Bombers opened the fourth quarter in style, with running back Brady Oliveira breaking loose for a career-long 63-yard touchdown run to put Winnipeg ahead 17-10.

Brown then found Demski for a six-yard score before Oliveira capped things off with a four-yard TD run.

Oliveira finished with a season-high 149 rushing yards and two touchdowns on 15 carries.

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