Tiger-Cats look to beat Bombers for 2nd time this season

The Hamilton Tiger-Cats will look to defeat the Winnipeg Blue Bombers for the second time on the young season when the teams square off Sunday night in Hamilton, Ontario.

The Blue Bombers (1-2) only can hope Bo Levi Mitchell is a bit rusty after Hamilton’s bye. The veteran has completed 34 of 42 passes for 572 yards with eight touchdowns and zero interceptions over his last two games, including a 287-yard, three-score effort in Hamilton’s 37-27 win at Winnipeg on June 11.

Mitchell’s five-touchdown performance in a 41-27 win over the BC Lions on June 19 helped the Tiger-Cats (2-1) head into their bye with some momentum.

“That’s huge,” Mitchell said. “It was really important. We always talk about having a hot start to the year, but we never play at home early in the year. I was disappointed in us not getting the job done in front of our fans in Week 1, but really proud of us coming out and playing that way (versus the Lions). It’s how we always need to play for them.”

Tiger-Cats star receiver Kenny Lawler has yet to find the end zone in three games against his former team. The two-time Grey Cup champion had two catches for 17 yards in last month’s encounter with the Blue Bombers.

Hamilton will face a tall task in slowing down Zach Collaros, who threw for 421 yards in the first meeting with the Tiger-Cats.

Winnipeg, however, limps into Sunday’s encounter on a two-game losing skid. The Blue Bombers dropped a mistake-filled 23-18 decision to the Edmonton Elks last week.

“This one’s extremely important,” receiver Nic Demski said of Sunday’s game, per the Winnipeg Free Press. “We’ve got to get back into a groove and get back into the win column.”

Tim White has reeled in two touchdown passes this season, and he admitted he’d be pretty amped if he scored against the team with which he spent his first five CFL campaigns.

“When I score, I’ll be pretty turnt up,” White said, per the Winnipeg Free Press. “It’ll definitely be an exciting time. I’m just ready to step out there with the team.”

–Field Level Media