Sleep-deprived Bombers try to move on from tough West semifinal loss to Lions

WINNIPEG – It was a sleep-deprived group of Blue Bombers who cleaned out their lockers Monday.

Quarterback Matt Nichols, who’s a pending free agent, said he had difficulty falling asleep as he relived how the Bombers failed to hold the lead in a crushing 32-31 loss to the B.C. Lions in Sunday’s CFL West Division semifinal.

“I haven’t got much sleep, but it is what it is,” Nichols said. “If it didn’t hurt, I think that means you don’t care enough about it.

“I care an awful lot about that game, about this team. I wish we could have just found a way to win.”

Winnipeg had a 25-12 lead at halftime and 25-19 going into the fourth quarter, but the host Lions went ahead with 1:06 remaining after quarterback Jonathon Jennings ran in a nine-yard touchdown on a broken play.

With 36 seconds left, the Bombers found themselves in a third-down situation with four yards to go. Instead of having Nichols and the offence try to make the gain, head coach Mike O’Shea sent kicker Justin Medlock out to attempt a 61-yard field goal.

With no wind at his back in the BC Place dome, Medlock, who had booted a career-long, team-record 58-yarder at home this season, saw his kick fall short of the end zone.

That call by O’Shea, whose contract is up in the off-season, has been second-guessed by critics, but Nichols backed up his teammates and coaches.

“I’ve seen Justin make that kick before,” Nichols said. “Obviously, there’s the kind of cocky side of you that always wants the ball in those types of things.

“I think if you don’t have that about you, you probably shouldn’t be playing the position…. Like I said after the game as well, it wasn’t just that one play.”

Nichols expects contract talks with the Bombers will soon begin.

“This is my best professional season,” Nichols said. “I love the guys here and we’ll see if we can’t get things worked out.”

Nichols took over Drew Willy’s starting job when the team was 1-4. He led them to an 11-7 record and a playoff appearance for the first time since 2011.

Receiver Weston Dressler, one of the team’s big signings last January, knows changes will be made in the off-season, but he wants Nichols and O’Shea back.

“I’d love to have (Nichols) back here,” Dressler said. “He’s a guy I love playing with. I love playing for him. Just the attitude and the energy that he brings into the huddle, he’s a special competitor and special teammate.”

“Osh was awesome,” Dressler added about O’Shea. “Having just one year with him, I was really impressed with the way he led this team, but also allowed the players in the room to lead the team as well.”

Bombers defensive end Jamaal Westerman, who fell asleep at 3 a.m. but kept waking up to think about the loss to B.C., also referred to the team’s chemistry.

“There may have been disagreements, there may have been arguments, but I think for the most part we respected each other, we played hard for each other,” Westerman said.

“We played a lot of unselfish ball, and that’s from the players and coaching staff.”

Medlock maintained he thought he could have made the 61-yarder, although he noted he should have practised longer attempts so he would have been more prepared. He also used a tee for the first time this year.

Overall, the West Division’s most outstanding special teams player was proud of his season, which included a CFL-record 60 successful field goals out of 68 attempts.

And even though he didn’t connect on the long attempt that might have kept Winnipeg’s season alive, he had the defeat put into perspective.

“I woke up today, I was like, hey, it’s a new day, move on to other things,” Medlock said.

“My wife texted me this morning that somebody lost their kid. So, I mean, things happen. It’s just a game and you move on and you learn from it and try to get better.”