WINNIPEG 鈥� Greg McCrae showcased his versatility and value in the Winnipeg Blue Bombers鈥� 24-11 victory over the Calgary Stampeders on Friday.
The second-year running back/receiver recorded a 68-yard catch-and-run touchdown and returned a missed Rene Paredes' field goal 102 yards to help set up a Bombers鈥� field goal.
鈥淟ike I鈥檝e been telling you guys for a while now, Greg McCrae is a dog, man,鈥� Bombers quarterback Zach Collaros told reporters.
鈥淗e can play running back. He鈥檚 starting at one of the most important positions in our offence (slotback) and he played running back at school. To be able to do that is pretty amazing. And then stick him out there after (returner Janarion Grant) went down. Not surprised at that return one bit.鈥�
McCrae finished with two catches for 73 yards and also had three carries for seven yards.
鈥淚 believe I鈥檓 a very versatile player,鈥� said McCrae, who admitted to being tired after his long return. 鈥淚 believe the coaches believe that, too.
鈥淚鈥檓 just grateful and blessed that they see me that way and allow me to go out there and perform at a high level like this.鈥�
McCrae wasn鈥檛 the only Bomber to come up with some big plays at key times.
With the game tied 11-11 late in the third quarter, Winnipeg defensive back Demerio Houston intercepted Calgary quarterback Jake Maier to register his third pick of the season.
Collaros then engineered a seven-play, 54-yard drive capped by Rasheed Bailey鈥檚 touchdown with 1:37 remaining in the third to give the team its first lead of the game.
Winnipeg then capitalized on Paredes鈥檚 missed 47-yard field goal attempt early in the fourth. McCrae鈥檚 102-yard return led to Sergio Castillo鈥檚 17-yard field goal and a 21-11 lead.
Castillo was also good on field goals from 47 and 12 yards out, keeping him a perfect 11-for-11 this season. It extended his active streak to 21 consecutive field goals from last Sept. 16.
The victory in front of 30,561 fans at IG Field bumped up Winnipeg鈥檚 record to 4-1. Calgary fell to 1-3.
Collaros completed 20 of his 28 pass attempts for 231 yards with two touchdowns.
Maier was 14-of-25 passing for 122 yards with one interception.
鈥淵ou can鈥檛 win with 122 yards passing. It鈥檚 just not going to work,鈥� Calgary head coach Dave Dickenson said. 鈥淎nd then we鈥檝e got to find ways to push the ball down field, but that takes protection as well as seeing and design and winning one-on-one matchups.
"They鈥檝e got a good defence, I鈥檒l give them credit, but we have to be better. We have to be more explosive. Can鈥檛 win with that production passing the ball.鈥�
Jamieson Sheahan added a punt single for Winnipeg.
Calgary got a touchdown off a three-yard run by Dedrick Mills, who finished with 14 carries for 97 yards. He had seven carries for 74 yards in the first quarter.
鈥�(The Bombers) changed some things up on their defence and tried to box us in and stuff like that, so the holes weren鈥檛 really opening up anymore,鈥� Mills said of the fall-off in the second half.
Paredes made one field goal from 30 yards. Winnipeg conceded a single on a punt by Cody Grace.
鈥淲e played a pretty decent first half,鈥� Maier said. 鈥淪econd half, we came out and they made a few plays that gave them a lot of momentum.
鈥淢e turning the ball over in that situation wasn鈥檛 great, so I鈥檓 always going to put it on my shoulders and take responsibility for what happens to us as an offence. That鈥檚 always how it鈥檚 going to be 鈥� good, bad or ugly. First half was very competitive, the second half wasn鈥檛. It鈥檚 on us offensively.鈥�
Paredes put the first points on the board with his 30-yarder 4:09 into the first quarter.
Mills notched his three-yard TD run at 11:42 to go up 10-0, but Winnipeg got a point as time expired when Sheahan鈥檚 punt hit the goal line pylon for a single.
The Bombers then gave the visitors a point by conceding a punt single four minutes into the second quarter for the 11-1 score.
The energy in the stadium improved after Castillo connected on his 47-yarder at 11:40, then McCrae got behind coverage and scored his touchdown with a minute and a half to go in the half.
After both teams traded punts and couldn鈥檛 find the red zone, Houston intercepted Maier.
Winnipeg ensured its victory with a 15-play, 99-yard drive that used up almost 10 minutes on the clock and ended with Castillo鈥檚 12-yarder at 13:03.
0-FOR-7
The Stampeders have now lost their last seven games in Winnipeg. Calgary鈥檚 last win at IG Field 鈥� a 29-10 victory 鈥� was on July 7, 2017.
UP NEXT
The Bombers travel to Ottawa to take on the Redblacks in a July 15 afternoon game. The Stampeders are in Saskatchewan to face the Roughriders the same night.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published July 7, 2023.
Judy Owen, The Canadian Press
Note to readers: This is a corrected version of the story. The previous version said Janarion Grant made the 102-yard missed field goal return.
