15
WINNIPEG — Quarterback Ryan Dinwiddie threw a 35-yard touchdown pass to Romby Bryant with 12 seconds left to give the Blue Bombers their first win of the season with a 32-28 victory over the Calgary Stampeders Thursday night.
The win in front of 26,882 screaming fans at Canad Inns Stadium gave the Bombers a 1-4 record. Calgary goes to 3-2.
Dinwiddie, making his first CFL regular-season start, completed 24 of 39 pass attempts for 450 yards, one TD and no interceptions. He also ran six times for 26 yards.
Dinwiddie's first pro start was last year's Grey Cup loss to Saskatchewan. He got the start this week instead of Kevin Glenn when head coach Doug Berry tried to shake up his troops to get in the win column.
Blue Bombers quarterback Ryan Dinwiddie celebrates after throwing the winning touchdown against the Calgary Stampeders. (Fred Greenslade/Reuters)
Related Articles
Related Information
It almost looked as though the Bombers would be denied the win after Stampeder Jermaine Copeland caught a six-yard TD pass from Henry Burris with 48 seconds left for their first lead of the game.
Burris was 31-of-44 for 386 yards, three TDs and one interception.
It was the second time in the fourth quarter that Calgary put a scare into the Bombers.
Calgary receiver Nik Lewis notched his second TD of the night at 7:21 of the fourth quarter to tie the game 21-21. Bomber kicker Alexis Serna then missed his third field of the game, but the 55-yard single gave his team the 22-21 edge.
He soon had a chance to redeem himself after Winnipeg defensive back Kelly Malveaux intercepted Burris on Calgary's next possession.
Serna lined up and booted a 45-yard field goal for the 25-21 lead with 2:46 left in the game. Serna was good on five field goals and had three singles.
Burris then marched his team down the field in an 11-play, 75-yard drive that ended with Copeland's TD at 14:12.
Calgary's troubles started on the first play of the game, when Burris completed a pass to Ken-Yon Rambo, but Winnipeg defensive back Jovon Johnson stripped out the ball and recovered the fumble.
Winnipeg took over at Calgary's 42-yard line, but the turnover only resulted in a single point when Serna went wide left on a 40-yard field goal attempt.
On Winnipeg's next possession, Serna went wide right on a 39-yard attempt and the first quarter ended 2-0.
On his third field-goal attempt 15 seconds into the second quarter, Serna was finally good from 24 yards.
Bombers fullback Graeme Bell scored a TD on a one-yard run at 3:55 of the second quarter.
Winnipeg stretched the lead to 12-0 on Bell's TD that was aided by two Calgary penalties and 64 yards receiving by Bryant.
The Stampeders finally got on the board when Lewis stretched out and banged the ball against the pilon and on the goal line after a 13-yard catch at 6:28.
Blue Bomber Burke Dales' punt single, a 30-yard field goal by Serna and 45-yarder by Calgary's Sandro DeAngelis ended the first half with Winnipeg ahead 15-11.
DeAngelis had one field goal and Serna a pair for the third-quarter scoring that kept the Bombers ahead 21-14.
