Bombers bash Lions in season opener, lose Oliveira to injury – Winnipeg

Unlike 2024, the Winnipeg Blue Bombers wasted little time in getting their first win of the season.

Backup quarterback Chris Streveler tossed three touchdowns and the Bombers defence gave Lions quarterback Nathan Rourke all sorts of problems as the Bombers picked up a 34-20 in front of a sold-out crowd at Princess Auto Stadium.

The Bombers move to 1-0 on the season after beginning the 2024 campaign 0-4.

Streveler stepped up in place of Zach Collaros, who served his one-game suspension for failing to respond to a request for a drug test, throwing two touchdowns to Nic Demski and another one to Keric Wheatfall.

Wheatfall led the Bombers in receiving with 127 yards on five catches.

But on the injury front, last season’s CFL Most Outstanding Player Brady Oliveira left the game with an upper-body injury after just two carries and did not return.

In his place, rookie running back Matthew Peterson came in and made a great first impression, running for 130 yards on 22 carries, including a 38-yard touchdown.

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Rourke was held to 249 yards passing for the Lions on just 12 completions and left the game in the fourth quarter.

The Bombers also ruined the head coaching debut for their former offensive co-ordinator Buck Pierce, who took the head job with the Lions in the offseason.

Next up for the Bombers is a rematch with the Lions on Saturday, June 21 with kickoff just after 6 p.m.

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