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Burke expects emotion, enthusiasm
Interim head coach Tim Burke expects to learn a little more about his team's character Sunday. (MIKE DEAL / WINNIPEG FREE PRESS ARCHIVES) Photo Store
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Sunday’s Banjo Bowl rematch with the Saskatchewan Roughriders will reveal a lot about this beleaguered 2012 Winnipeg Blue Bombers football team, head coach Tim Burke said Saturday.
"I think it’s going to tell you a lot," Burke told a pre-game news conference at Canad Inns Stadium Saturday morning, "about character and how we handle adversity...I’m looking for an emotional game, high enthusiasm game.
"I’m sure our fans will feed the frenzy. We’re looking for great fan support as well."
A handful of tickets for Sunday’s scheduled noon start were still for sale Saturday afternoon, but the club is anticipating another sellout in the ninth annual renewal of the Banjo Bowl. Kickoff is scheduled for noon and the game is also being broadcast live on TSN and CJOB.
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There were no surprises on the depth chart the Bombers released on Saturday. Right offensive tackle Jordan Taormina, who did not practise all week because of a pinched nerve, is off the roster, while Shannon Boatman — who will be playing his first regular season CFL game since 2010 — is on.
The Riders listed no roster changes of any kind on Saturday.
Burke said he was generally happy with the job his offensive line did last week and he wasn’t anticipating implementing any major changes to protection packages to help out Boatman.
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Bombers QB Joey Elliott agreed his play in a 52-0 loss last week was unacceptable. "I’ve got to play better," said Elliott. "I personally have to play better. And that goes for every person on the offence, every person on the defence, the whole locker-room.
"When you take a loss like we did, the first thing you have to do is take a look at yourself."
Burke said he’s optimistic the offence will play better this week, although that doesn’t seem like a particularly bold prediction when you consider they didn’t register a point last week.
But Burke said there won’t be any major offensive overhaul, describing the changes that have been put into this week’s gameplan as "tweaks."
Those small changes include newly simplified play-calling wristbands for the quarterbacks to wear, which Burke is hopeful will help help Elliott to relay plays in the huddle and get up to the line of scrimmage more quickly.
With the Bombers still changing that kind of minutiae at this point in the season, Burke was asked if some of the relatively simple mistakes the team is still making week after week should not have been resolved long ago.
Burke agreed. "I’m disappointed we’re still making these kinds of mistakes at this point in the season."
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So how epic was Winnipeg’s 52-0 thrashing at the hands of the Saskatchewan Roughriders in Regina last weekend?
According to CFL statistician Steve Daniel, there have been 5,134 games since 1907 and only 12 were decided by a margin greater than 52 points.
What’s more, Winnipeg’s total offensive output of 102 yards was the third lowest output in the last 10 years and the worst offensive performance by a Bombers team since 1995.
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Saskatchewan quarterback Darian Durant says he has no hard feelings towards Bombers linebacker Marcellus Bowman, who knocked him out of last weekend’s game with a high hit to the back of his head and neck area.
"No, not at all. It’s part of the game," Durant said in Winnipeg Saturday during a media availability. "I opened myself up for that, so I put more responsibility on myself for that.
"So nothing against him. He was just playing football. He was trying to take me out and that’s what he’s supposed to do."
Durant is expected to start on Sunday.
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