Last chance for the Blue and Gold

Win and they’re in, lose and they’re done.

It’s that simple for the Winnipeg Blue Bombers in Friday night’s regular-season finale in Vancouver.

The 8-9 Bombers are in do-or-die territory, while the B.C. Lions (10-7) will rest key starters, including star quarterback Nathan Rourke, with second place in the West Division already finalized.

“We just want to give ourselves an opportunity to compete in the post-season,” said running back Brady Oliveira.

“So we have a great opportunity ahead of us. It’s win or go home. And we’re not going home.”

To get you ready for kickoff (9 p.m. CT), here’s the latest edition of 5 Storylines.

Night off for Rourke and company

The Bombers can’t lose to Kaidon Salter twice, can they?

It was late July when the banged-up, one-win Lions arrived in Winnipeg and were forced to turn to Salter for his first career start.

It should have been a cakewalk for the Bombers. Salter was a dynamic athlete, but the rookie’s inexperience and limitations as a passer figured to work in Winnipeg’s favour.

Not so much.

In what became one of the most embarrassing results of the Mike O’Shea era, the Bombers surrendered 377 rushing yards — the most in franchise history — in an inexcusable 35-19 loss.

Salter ran for 160 yards on 10 scrambles while throwing for 96 yards and a touchdown. Running back Zander Horvath averaged 11.2 yards per carry, finishing with 191 yards and three touchdowns.

“We’re up by one point with four minutes to go and had a meltdown,” said defensive co-ordinator Jordan Younger.

“I think we’ve grown a lot since then. With that being said, you’ve still got to understand what your opponent’s good at, what they like to do.”

With the Lions having nothing to play for this week, Rourke has been given the night off in favour of Salter.

Salter played the final two quarters of last week’s 32-13 loss in Calgary, completing six-of-14 passes for 113 yards and an interception. He also rushed for 23 yards on three attempts.

The 23-year-old out of Colorado may be one of several backups getting a chance to shine. Lions head coach Buck Pierce is also resting three starting offensive linemen and the entire starting receiving corps, with the exception of Jermaine Jackson.

Star pass rusher Mathieu Betts will also be in a reserve role.

The Bombers already learned the hard way that they can’t take the Lions lightly, no matter who’s in and who’s out.

“Everybody wants to compete in this league and everybody is playing for jobs and their own reasons,” said receiver Nic Demski.

“The circumstance may be a little different for them, but at the end of the day, they’re still athletes, they’re still competitors and they’ll still want to come out and win.”

Pressure’s on

It’ll be an eventful off-season in Bomberland if the team somehow finds a way to blow this opportunity. The last time the Bombers finished below .500 and missed the playoffs was in 2015.

General manager Kyle Walters and head coach Mike O’Shea signed three-year extensions in the winter, so it’s unlikely either would be replaced.

But what about the roster?

It’s no secret that several veterans — left tackle Stanley Bryant, halfback Deatrick Nichols and linebacker Kyrie Wilson, to name a few — are showing signs of decline. The club has unearthed some impressive young talent over the past two years in returner Trey Vaval, linebacker Jaylen Smith, cornerback Major Williams, defensive lineman Michael Fletcher and receiver Dorian Singer.

Perhaps it’s time to have some tough conversations and open the door to more up-and-comers.

The biggest question is at quarterback, where Zach Collaros remains the starter. The 38-year-old is still one of the better passers in the league, but durability is a concern, and he’s not under contract for 2027. Even if the Bombers want an upgrade at the position, they’ll have to get creative. There aren’t many options on the table.

Then there’s Oliveira. He’s signed through 2028, but he’s itching to win a Grey Cup as a starter. Will he be happy to stay in Winnipeg if the team is headed toward a rebuild?

Regardless of how the season ends, these are all questions that need answers. But a loss this week would make it that much more obvious that change is needed if the Bombers want to return to glory.

Stegall’s touchdown record

Milt Stegall might soon have company.

Lions running back Horvath has 21 touchdowns this season, putting him two away from Stegall’s CFL record of 23 set in 2002.

The second-year CFLer, who played 15 games for the NFL’s Los Angeles Chargers as a fullback before taking his talents north, has established himself as one of the league’s most dangerous weapons this season.

However, his touchdown total is somewhat inflated with the Lions also using him as their short-yardage quarterback.

Stegall’s record-breaking campaign earned him the league’s Most Outstanding Player award. It was one of the greatest seasons in CFL history and remains a point of pride in Bomberland.

No offence to Horvath, but do people really want to see his name etched alongside Stegall’s when a significant number of his touchdowns have come on one-yard plunges?

The Lions have Horvath listed as their backup running back this week, but if they get near the goal line, they might go out of their way to get him the ball.

Zach attack

Outside of two regrettable interceptions in Edmonton, Zach Collaros has been fantastic since returning to the lineup.

For the first time in three years, he’s thrown for more than 300 yards in consecutive games.

Now, if only offensive co-ordinator Tommy Condell could find a way to strike a healthy balance between Collaros’ arm and Oliveira’s ability to gash defences on the ground.

The league’s leading rusher has been held to fewer than 45-yards rushing in each of the past three weeks.

If Collaros is hot, great. But the Bombers can’t keep abandoning the run.

That said, the Lions boast the league’s top-ranked run defence, allowing just 66.1 rushing yards per game. Winnipeg may need Collaros to do the heavy lifting.

Playoff preview?

The Bombers could find themselves back in Vancouver next week.

If Winnipeg wins and the Saskatchewan Roughriders — who face Edmonton on Saturday — lose, the Bombers will finish third and face B.C. in the Western semifinal.

The Riders are resting quarterback Trevor Harris this week and instead handing the reins to Jack Coan.

But if the Bombers and Riders both win, Winnipeg will cross over to face the Toronto Argonauts in the Eastern semifinal.

A loss would eliminate the Bombers and hand the final playoff spot to the Calgary Stampeders (9-9), who are on a bye this week.

Whatever path Winnipeg takes, the road to the Grey Cup will be a long one.

But while the Bombers’ odds will be slim either way, they might be a little better if they can stay in the West. No crossover team has ever qualified for the Grey Cup, let alone won it.

And then there’s this nugget: Lions quarterback Nathan Rourke has never beaten the Bombers.

If Rourke continues to struggle against Winnipeg, and the Bombers find a way to exorcise their demons against Edmonton — a team they’ve lost three close games to this season — perhaps they can shock the country and make a run.

winnipegfreepress.com/taylorallen