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Winnipeg Blue Bombers quarterback Alex Brink. (MARK BLINCH / REUTERS)

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   • Buck 'goes long' for Winnipeg

The Winnipeg Blue Bombers made it official: Alex Brink will remain as the starting quarterback when the club hosts the Edmonton Eskimos at Canad Inns Stadium Thursday.

Brink confirmed that he would be making his fifth career and second straight start to reporters after practice Sunday. His head coach, Paul LaPolice, explained the decision this way:

"I watched the game, I watched our game against Edmonton that Alex played, and as I looked and evaluated, there are some things he did well," he said. "There is certainly a lot of room for improvement. One stat hit me: I looked at the previous week and (Hamilton QB) Henry Burris -- who just last night went 27-of-30 passing (against Montreal) -- he played the Toronto Argonauts the week before and he only completed 12 passes out of (27 attempts).

"(Burris) only threw for 181 yards. Alex threw for 185 yards."

That's was only part of the story in that game. Burris also threw three touchdown passes and the Tiger-Cats won the game 36-27.

Regardless, the coach added Brink has to be a lot better than he was in the 25-22 loss to the Argos last Wednesday to avoid further discussion about his playing status. Brink went 9-of-34 for 185 yards and tossed two interceptions in Toronto, and admitted the Argos game stuck with him for a couple days afterwards.

Sunday, though, he was already turning the page.

"It’s a huge point in our season," he said. "We’re excited to come home, play in front of our fans and go out and get a win. Anytime you play a tough game, it’s a battle, you don’t come out on the winning end, it stings for a day or two. But yeah, everything is back to normal, we’re excited to get back to work."

Brink and the Bombers will have some help on offence this week, as third-year slotback Cory Watson returned to practice after missing the first four games with a hamstring injury. Watson says the focus is on his cardio the next couple practices, but feels he should be ready when the club kicks off the home portion to the 2012 schedule Thursday night.

Speaking of injuries in Bomberland, the long list reads something like this:

- Right tackle Andre Douglas (hip) was set and ready to go for practice Sunday, but he rolled an ankle and is now in the 'we’ll see' category, LaPolice said. Linebacker Dustin Doe also limped off the field after turning an ankle at the end of practice.

- Receivers Chris Matthews (shoulder) and Terrence Edwards (leg) have good and bad news: The good news is the club expects Matthews to play this week (he didn’t practice Sunday); the bad news is that Edwards' situation remains unclear.

- Running back Chad Simpson (foot) did not practice Sunday. The club expects him to be ready Thursday, though. Anthony Woodson (shoulder) is also a possibility to return this week.

- Linebacker Marcellus Bowman, who hasn’t played all year because of a lower body injury, participated in some of the drills Sunday. His status remains questionable.

- Defensive tackle Bryant Turner was on the sidelines Sunday, though is expected to play against the Eskimos. LaPolice didn’t know what the injury to Turner was when asked by reporters after the workout.

- Defensive tackle Brandon Collier (shoulder) was a spectator, as well. In a related move, the club signed defensive tackle JT Gilmore (6-foot-4, 295-pounds) to the practice roster Sunday.

- Finally, defensive backs Brandon Stewart, Alex Suber and Ian Logan all watched Sunday. They appear to be unlikely to play Thursday, though a definitive decision won’t be made until later this week.

The Bombers also released running back Bloi-Dei Dorzon from the practice roster. Dorzon had 108 yards on 24 carries in three games this season.