Winnipeg Blue Bombers quarterback Matt Nichols throws against the Ottawa Redblacks during the first half of CFL action in Winnipeg, on Sept. 22, 2017.John Woods/The Canadian Press
Matt Nichols threw for 319 yards and two touchdowns on a rainy night as the Winnipeg Blue Bombers defeated the Ottawa Redblacks 29-9 on Friday.
It was Winnipeg's fifth straight victory at Investors Group Field this season, boosting its overall record to 9-3. That keeps the Bombers in second place in the CFL West Division, three points behind Calgary.
Nichols completed 23-of-34 pass attempts with one interception in front of an announced crowd of 26,588.
The East Division-leading Redblacks (5-8-1) produced their lowest point total of their season with third-string quarterback Ryan Lindley at the helm.
Suiting up in place of injured backup Drew Tate and injured starter Trevor Harris, Lindley was 16-of-36 for 151 yards with no TDs and one pick.
Andrew Harris sprinted 24 yards for Winnipeg's first touchdown late in the second quarter. He had 11 carries for 83 yards and 49 yards receiving.
Timothy Flanders, now lining up as a Winnipeg slotback instead of running back, caught a four-yard pass then barrelled his way through defenders into the end zone for a touchdown. Darvin Adams added a 75-yard catch-and-run for another major.
Harris and Adams' touchdowns came off Ottawa turnovers.
Justin Medlock booted field goals of 27, 36 and 25 yards for Winnipeg. One of his converts was fumbled and another was good.
William Powell scored Ottawa's lone TD on an 11-yard run with five minutes left in the game, the first time in the game the Redblacks made it into the red zone. He finished with 14 carries for 107 yards.
Ottawa kicker Brett Maher had punt singles of 65 and 70 yards and added another single when he went wide left on a 46-yard field-goal attempt.
The start of the game was delayed 20 minutes because of stormy weather.
Winnipeg led 3-1 after the first quarter and 16-2 at the half.
Medlock put the Bombers on the scoreboard with a 27-yard field goal at 9:52. The drive had Adams catching a pass in the back of the end zone, but the TD was called off because of an illegal block penalty on Winnipeg.
Bombers defensive end Jackson Jeffcoat forced Powell to fumble and recovered the ball, leading to Harris's fifth rushing TD of the season at 12:59 of the second.
Winnipeg had 283 yards of net offence in the first half compared to Ottawa's 128.
Bombers receiver Weston Dressler left the game in the second quarter with an upper-body injury.
A 22-yard run by Harris helped set up Flanders' TD at 6:36 of the third. The convert attempt was fumbled, giving the Bombers a 22-2 lead.
The Redblacks added one more point with Maher's missed field-goal attempt with three minutes left in the third quarter.
Ottawa finally drove deep to Winnipeg's 25-yard line three minutes in the fourth quarter, but Lindley fumbled and the ball was recovered by Bombers defensive back/linebacker Maurice Leggett.
Winnipeg took over at its own 23 and Nichols quickly hit Adams with a long bomb he turned into his sixth TD of the season at 4:20.
After Powell's TD, Ottawa recovered an onside kick, but Lindley was intercepted by Leggett.