The safest play and the smartest play are often the same thing.

Paul LaPolice is wise to this conclusion, which is why the Winnipeg head coach will go with Alex Brink as his starting quarterback when the Blue Bombers take on the Edmonton Eskimos in the long-awaited home opener at Canad Inns Stadium Thursday night.

The Bombers, holders of a conspicuous 0-4 record, are back on the practice field this morning, and with Buck Pierce out with a foot injury, it's expected Brink will be under centre guiding the first-team offence, with Joey Elliott and Justin Goltz once again serving as the backup band.

It's the safe decision. It's also the smart one.

Following the 25-22 loss to the Toronto Argonauts last Wednesday, where Brink completed just nine passes on 34 attempts for 185 yards and two interceptions, LaPolice indicated he wanted to review the game film and think things over before naming his starter versus the Eskimos. Not a shocking course of action from the coach; he's never been one to make any bold proclamations without careful consideration.

The reality is, though, that this decision was made not over this weekend, but during the Argos game itself, the moment he chose to stick with Brink through a miserable second half (3-of-18 for 54 yards) and keep Elliott on the bench.

Good thing Rogers Centre was open that night; hate to see what things might have looked like if the roof caved in. If LaPolice didn't contemplate a change then -- as he watched the Brink-led offence go two-and-out 11 times -- he certainly isn't going to make one now.

These are uncomfortable times for LaPolice. His team hasn't been able to put together four quarters of football this season, and this recent inconsistent play has been an unwanted continuation of how the Bombers left the 2011 campaign. The club has just three wins in their last 14 regular-season games, and LaPolice's record as a head coach is a less-than-flattering 14-26 in his two-plus years in Winnipeg.

With those disappointing results starting to percolate within an increasingly agitated Blue and Gold support base, calling Brink's number again is the safest and smartest move the coach can make.

The reasons are twofold. The coaching staff needs to get a good look at Brink and see what he can or can't do in a full 60-minute game. If the Washington State product showed anything in his fourth career CFL start, it's that No. 1 quarterback duties come with a whole new level of expectation, a pressure you just don't see when you come in late in a game to mop up the mess made by the previous guy.

Think the Argos were tough? Going up against an Edmonton defence that just handled the defending Grey Cup champs at BC Place Friday night is another stiff task for him.

The second reason, and this one is essential to keeping the hot seat unplugged in the coach's office, is that LaPolice can't immediately turn to Elliott without risk of multiplying his current problem. While it's true Elliott threw for 193 yards against the Eskimos in the fourth quarter two games ago (the outcome was sealed by the time he took the field), if the Purdue pivot gets the tap on the shoulder and struggles like Brink four days ago, then what direction does the coach go the next time out?

Steven Jyles is not walking through that door, people.

All this adds up to why Brink gets the start against Edmonton (3-1), with a very short leash if things go sour.

That's the safe and smart play for LaPolice this week.

And he knows it, too.

adam.wazny@freepress.mb.ca Twitter: @wazoowazny

Republished from the Winnipeg Free Press print edition July 22, 2012 B2