The Winnipeg Blue Bombers defeated the Toronto Argonauts by a score of 40-31 in front of 32,343 fans at Princess Auto Stadium on Friday night. Below are my thoughts on the game.
Have a day, Trey
When a team is without its starting quarterback, it’s up to someone else on the roster to step up. Rookie returner Trey Vaval did exactly that on Friday night, scoring a kickoff return touchdown and a punt return touchdown.
The Minnesota State product didn’t wait long to notch his first score, returning Lirim Hajrullahu’s kickoff 93 yards for a touchdown midway through the first quarter.
ARE YOU KIDDING ME WHAT A RESPONSE BY THE BOMBERS! 🤯#CFLGameDay
🗓️: Argonauts vs. @Wpg_BlueBombers LIVE NOW
🇨🇦: TSN
🌎: CFL+ pic.twitter.com/r6Pc2X1n0H— CFL (@CFL) August 2, 2025
The runback was emblematic of Vaval’s skill set — he’s fast, physical, and adept at finding vertical seams. The space he found between linebacker Ryder Varga and fullback Brandon Calver was tiny but Vaval exploited it and kept his footing, showing impressive balance.
Veteran linebacker Jonathan Jones — who dressed for his first career game with the Blue Bombers after helping the Argonauts win a Grey Cup last year — made a key block alongside defensive lineman Devin Adams.
The score came at the perfect time as it immediately followed a pick-six from Toronto linebacker Cameron Judge, which came on a tipped pass from Chris Streveler.
Vaval wasn’t done there, however, as he scored on a 97-yard punt near the end of the second quarter.
RULE A, DON’T MESS WITH TREY#ForTheW pic.twitter.com/GrkuVAwOJh
— Winnipeg Blue Bombers (@Wpg_BlueBombers) August 2, 2025
After making his way past the two lead defenders, who were well-blocked, Vaval outflanked Da’Marcus Johnson and Ryder Varga, then deked Isaac Darkangelo to break contain. He then hit the gas up the sidelines to outrun Toronto’s defenders to the end zone, dodging a diving Brandon Calver in the process.
Vaval has teased big returns at times this year and seemed destined to finally break one. Unfortunately for him, he also lost two fumbles over his first six games, both of which proved costly. After his two-score performance against the Argonauts, it seems fair to say the rookie has made up for his previous mistakes.
“It feels amazing. Nothing compares to that, getting to that end zone,” said Vaval. “The guys in front of me that are blocking, that’s all it is, really. I’m blessed. I’m happy. I couldn’t be more thankful.”
The speedster will enter the CFL record books as he became the 17th player in league history to score two kick return touchdowns in the same game. He is only the second member of the Blue Bombers to accomplish the feat alongside Janarion Grant, who played in Friday night’s game as a member of the Argonauts.
When asked if he feels he’s done enough to earn the permanent job as Winnipeg’s returner — remember, Peyton Logan remains on the injured list — Vaval took the high road.
“I’m just going out there to do what I can for my teammates,” he said. “If I’m out there playing, I’m out there playing. If not and the coaches don’t put me out there, that’s their decision. I’m gonna put 110 percent out there with what I’m doing, so whatever I can do for my team, it don’t matter if I’m on the bench giving them water or if I’m on that field.”
Secondary shuffle
The Blue Bombers shuffled their secondary after another poor performance last week, which many of the team’s veterans struggled to explain.
Field-side cornerback Marquise Bridges was demoted to the practice roster, Jamal Parker was moved from safety to field-side cornerback, Redha Kramdi was moved from strong-side linebacker to safety, and Michael Griffin II was moved to strong-side linebacker.
There was some chatter this offseason that Kramdi could be moved from strong-side linebacker to safety, so it was interesting to see it finally happen. Safeties in the CFL are generally Canadian, but this marked only the fourth start for a homegrown player at the position for the Blue Bombers since the start of the 2023 season.
Griffin II has played consistently on passing downs since joining the team last year but hasn’t previously started a game for Winnipeg.
The results were slightly better than last week but not nearly good enough.
The unit’s tackling was suspect early-on, then Nick Arbuckle completed his first midrange pass in the second quarter when he hit Dejon Brissett near the sideline for 23 yards. The quarterback connected on his first deep shot moments before halftime when Damonte Coxie got behind Terrell Bonds for 58 yards.
Early in the third quarter, Hergy Mayala was left uncovered in the flat for a 19-yard gain. Seven plays later, Coxie was left wide open on a crossing route and waltzed into the end zone for a 12-yard score.
Coxie is one of the CFL’s best receivers and easily Toronto’s most dangerous weapon. It’s worth noting that his first touchdown occurred moments after Jamal Parker left the game due to injury, which forced Trey Vaval into the game at field-side cornerback, but leaving a player of his calibre alone in the red zone is simply unacceptable.
Midway through the third quarter, Arbuckle threw a high pass to Coxie in the end zone and boundary cornerback Terrell Bonds panicked as the ball arrived, yanking the receiver around the neck for an obvious pass interference penalty. Winnipeg’s goal-line defence bailed him out as they slammed the door on back-to-back running plays, leading to a nine-yard field goal from Lirim Hajrullahu.
Bonds was much better at the end of the third quarter, maintaining perfect position on another deep shot to Coxie. This time, the receiver was forced to fight through the coverage but ended up being called for offensive pass interference, which was declined.
It was then that the Argonauts adjusted to get Coxie one-on-one with Vaval. Midway through the fourth quarter, Coxie muscled in a 14-yard catch, then caught a 56-yard bomb for a touchdown on the following play. He finished the game with nine receptions for 187 yards and two scores.
It was hard to assess Winnipeg’s secondary on Toronto’s last two possessions as three passes were knocked down at the line of scrimmage (more on that in a moment).
“I thought we improved for the most part, especially that first half. Those first 15 plays, those killed us the last three games,” said Evan Holm. “We tackled better for the most part. Coming out in the second half, we just have the same mentality we had coming out to start the game.”
“I think I did a good job with communication,” said Kramdi. “I made sure everyone was where they’re supposed to be at, made sure I was clear. It was my first game (at safety), so I played with more depth and kept everything me.”
“I think we were smarter, we executed better. There were still a couple of hiccups, like in every game, but it’s gonna be the same routine (this week). We’re gonna enjoy our win tonight and tomorrow we’re gonna go out there and just correct what we’ve gotta correct.”
Kramdi had never played safety before Friday’s game. He was a strong-side linebacker throughout his collegiate career at the Université de Montréal, outside of one game he played a boundary cornerback. Strong-side linebacker and safety are virtually interchangeable in many CFL defences, but Kramdi indicated that’s not the case in Jordan Younger’s scheme, which he called “really niche.”
The Blue Bombers will likely be forced to juggle their secondary again next week as Parker didn’t return to the game, watching most of the second half from the sideline in street clothes. It’ll be interesting to see if Trey Vaval is elevated to a starting role, Marquise Bridges is promoted from the practice roster, or if Dexter Lawson Jr. is moved from the practice roster to the active roster just one week after rejoining the team.
The Strevolution
Chris Streveler’s stat line from Friday night was far from great as he completed 17-of-21 pass attempts for 173 yards and three interceptions.
The first two picks weren’t the quarterback’s fault as the first, which was returned for a touchdown by Cameron Judge, was tipped by Anthony Lanier II at the line of scrimmage. The second was batted by halfback Mark Milton before landing in the arms of cornerback Benjie Franklin.
The third, however, was unforgivable. Deep in Toronto territory and nursing a six-point lead late in the fourth quarter, Streveler tested cornerback Tarvarus McFadden with a high pass intended for Jerreth Sterns. The throw was fine but the decision was awful as McFadden is eight inches taller than Sterns. McFadden made a nice play to intercept the ball, snuffing out Winnipeg’s chance of taking a two-score lead.
“I was just trying to close it out (with a touchdown),” said Streveler. “I appreciate the coaches trusting me there. I’ve gotta be better with the football — that’s on me.”
If Zach Collaros remains out long-term, Streveler will have to be better moving forward.
Pass rush
Playing against the Toronto Argonauts appears to bring out the best in defensive lineman James Vaughters.
The 32-year-old recorded his first sack of the season last week and returned a Khalan Laborn fumble 29 yards for a touchdown. On Friday night, the veteran beat second-year right tackle John Bosse for a sack on Toronto’s opening possession, forcing the Argonauts to punt. On the final play of the first quarter, he drew a holding penalty from Bosse as Nick Arbuckle fled the pocket.
It was a pretty good night for Winnipeg’s pass rush overall. Willie Jefferson also recorded a sack along with a whopping four pass knockdowns. The Blue Bombers recorded nine pass knockdowns overall, a testament to how much better they were at closing passing windows and contesting catches.
“Did we tighten up in the back end? Yeah, but I thought we were good in the front end,” said head coach Mike O’Shea. “One phase saving another phase’s ass, so it’s good. That kind of team football is what you want to get to.”
Special errors
Rookie running back Quinton Cooley was promoted to the active roster this week, presumably to beef up Winnipeg’s rushing attack with Chris Streveler under centre. In the end, he didn’t get a single offensive touch.
One of the challenges with getting backup American running backs on the roster is that they generally need to perform additional duties — like returning, for instance. During the preseason, Cooley told me he hadn’t returned kicks since high school.
This was highly evident on Friday night as he was unable to handle the opening kickoff, almost leading to a turnover. In the fourth quarter, he let the ball bounce in front of him — a cardinal sin on kickoffs, as the ball is live — and failed to recover it, giving Toronto possession in Winnipeg territory.
Head coach Mike O’Shea defended the rookie, suggesting he’s perfectly capable of returning kickoffs.
“(Cooley) can do it and we trust him. There’s just a miscommunication on that one. If they’re kicking away from Trey (Vaval) and they’re putting the ball in those areas, we should be getting good field position,” said O’Shea. “We have to clean that part up, but we have complete faith in that guy.”
Veteran linebacker Shayne Gauthier returned a kickoff that went short as the Argonauts kicked away from Vaval, though O’Shea seemed to indicate this was an error. Instead of backing up to return the kickoff, O’Shea said players are instructed move forward and block to help give the returner time to corral the ball.
Winnipeg’s special teams made another key error late in the fourth quarter when Sergio Castillo’s game-sealing 26-yard field goal was negated by an illegal formation penalty. Castillo nailed a 31-yarder on the next play, but it was yet another mistake that allowed the Argonauts to hang around for longer than necessary.
O’Shea took responsibility for the penalty, saying he needed to call a timeout to give his team a chance to correct the formation.
Questionable play call
With just over two minutes left in the game, Chris Streveler was sacked on second-and-four after scrimmaging on Winnipeg’s 49-yard line. A first down wouldn’t have closed out the game but it would have gotten the Blue Bombers that much closer to securing the win.
Instead of running the ball — Brady Oliveira averaged three yards per carry on the night — Streveler was expected to throw the ball after running play-action. It initially appeared as though the play was a read-option — meaning Streveler had the choice to hand the ball off or throw it — but he indicated after the game that it was a called pass.
I’m not sure what offensive coordinator Jason Hogan was thinking on this particular play. A run would have guaranteed that the clock kept running and had a decent chance of securing a first down or putting the Blue Bombers in a position to gamble on third-and-short. Instead, throwing the ball meant risking an interception or an incompletion, the latter of which would have stopped the clock.
Wiping away
Veteran offensive lineman Eric Lofton made his season debut as he started at left tackle in place of the injured Stanley Bryant. When asked about starting on the left side — he was the team’s right tackle all of last season — the blocker gave a colourful answer.
“At first, it’s like going to the bathroom trying to wipe with your opposite hand. But once you get used to it, football is football.”
Chris Streveler was sacked five times, though most of them were coverage sacks. It wasn’t the offensive line’s best effort but the unit was better than the stat line would indicate.
Very Important Person
Rookie defensive lineman Jay Person scored his first career CFL touchdown on Friday night when he scooped and scored after Willie Jefferson stripped Nick Arbuckle of the ball late in the first half from 28 yards out.
WILLIE STRIPS IT FOR SIX#ForTheW pic.twitter.com/azUqgZCL31
— Winnipeg Blue Bombers (@Wpg_BlueBombers) August 2, 2025
The 25-year-old rookie also recorded a pass knockdown, one of nine Winnipeg’s defenders recorded on the night.
“(Person is) constantly levelling up right now. Every week, he’s doing more in the weight room, doing more in the meetings, talking a little bit more, doing more in practice,” said Willie Jefferson. “Especially with me and (Vaughters) playing in front of him, he’s trying to do his part to be a part of this (defensive) line and when he gets in the game to make a play, he takes advantage of it.”
Mitchell watch
Winnipeg made the curious decision to start rookie Joey Corcoran at boundary slotback this week while simultaneously demoting Dillon Mitchell to the practice roster. This wasn’t a ratio move, as the Blue Bombers started nine Canadians on Friday night — two more than the required minimum of seven. Apparently, head coach Mike O’Shea thinks Corcoran is a better player than Mitchell.
During this year’s draft process, multiple sources indicated that Corcoran was one of the best interviews of any prospect. The native of Montreal, Que. is smart, humble, hard-working, and a leader. Knowing the type of player the Blue Bombers covet, it’s not a surprise that he ended up in Winnipeg.
With that said, there’s a reason Corcoran wasn’t taken until the fifth round. He’s an average-at-best athlete — he ran a 4.76-second forty-yard dash at the CFL Combine and leapt only 27.5 inches in the vertical jump — and his production declined for two seasons after leading the University of New Hampshire in receiving in 2022.
Corcoran finished the game with two catches for 16 yards, one tackle, and one illegal block penalty. It’s impossible to know if Mitchell would have fared better but he’s a proven returner in the CFL. He likely would have been able to help on offence and special teams.
At this rate, it seems silly that Mitchell is still in Winnipeg. If he’s not good enough to beat out a rookie fifth-round pick, there’s really no reason to keep him around on practice roster.
Welcome back, Jack
Jackson Jeffcoat was in Winnipeg’s locker room after the game. The 34-year-old recorded 146 defensive tackles, 38 sacks, and 13 forced fumbles over six seasons with the Blue Bombers, earning an All-CFL selection 2021.
When asked postgame, Willie Jefferson indicated he was campaigning for Jeffcoat to sign a contract with the team and he only appeared to be half-joking. Though it was only a social trip for Jeffcoat, it’s clear he still has the respect of head coach Mike O’Shea.
“I love Jackson,” he said. “He did a lot for us, he played hard every single down. It was tough to not have him here. It’s nice that he’s decided to pop in and come back.”
Stats fail
The CFL’s statistics were dysfunctional for most of Friday’s game, often displaying the incorrect score, wrong time, or failing to update for long stretches of time.
Simply put, any league that wants to be taken seriously by fans, sponsors, and members of the media needs a reliable, functional stats system. Anything short of that is unacceptable.
Blowing smoke
The air quality in Winnipeg was awful on Friday morning, leading to concerns that the game wouldn’t be able to proceed as scheduled. The CFL recently had to postpone a game in Regina due to smoky conditions, pushing it to the following day after undergoing an almost four-hour delay the night before.
Fortunately, the weather cooperated much better at Princess Auto Stadium as the air quality improved to well beyond the threshold for safety, sitting around a five at opening kickoff. The maximum safe index according to the league’s regulations is seven.
As a rule, there’s no cheering in the press box — however, I will openly admit to cheering emphatically against any and all weather delays at CFL games.
Boo, smoke! Go, wind! Boo, lightning! Go, clear skies!
Next up
The Winnipeg Blue Bombers (4-3) will visit the Calgary Stampeders (5-3) on Saturday, August 9 with kickoff slated for 7:00 p.m. EDT. The Stampeders have already won the season series against Winnipeg after sweeping the home-and-home earlier this year but suffered a 31-11 loss to the Ottawa Redblacks on Thursday night when P.J. Walker started in place of an injured Vernon Adams Jr.
Calgary is clearly a different team without V.A., so all eyes will be on him throughout the upcoming practice week to see if he’s healthy enough to play. If he suits up, expect the Stampeders to be pretty significant favourites. If he doesn’t, that’ll be a nice chance for the Blue Bombers to catch up in the West Division standings.
