Better hope Buck stays healthy

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This article was published 17/06/2011 (5538 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

MONTREAL — If you are one of those fans of the Winnipeg Blue Bombers who nervously believe the entire 2011 season is resting on the health of starting quarterback Buck Pierce, you had no compelling reason to change that assessment Thursday night.

In a game that was in large part about staging a live audition for the critical backup role to Pierce this season, Joey Elliott and Alex Brink raised more questions than they answered in a 27-15 loss to the Montreal Alouettes at Percival Molson Stadium.

Elliott — who got the pre-game vote of confidence when head coach Paul LaPolice handed him the start and the entire first-half to show his stuff — put together an effective 39-yard drive on his opening series but struggled mightily just to throw catchable balls after that.

Elliott consistently overthrew open receivers in the flats, while underthrowing receivers on the sidelines. He finished the night 7-of-18 for 84 yards and an interception.

Elliott maintained afterward it looked worse than it was. “I’ve got to do a better job of making some of those throws. And on that (interception), I just have to do a better job of seeing that linebacker dropping…

“You see things like that and you’re going to blame the quarterback… I thought I played alright.”

The one touchdown the Bombers did score with Elliott at the helm was set up by a 64-yard second-quarter run by running back Alex Henderson, who made his case in the battle with fellow import Chris Garrett and Canadian Carl Volny for the backup job to last year’s leading rusher in the CFL, Fred Reid.

Garrett made his case for the same job in one third-quarter drive, throwing a devastating block to spring slotback Perry Floyd on an 33-yard gain and then scoring the touchdown two plays later with a one-yard plunge that tied the score 14-14.

That touchdown came on a 75-yard drive led by Brink, who took over to start the second half. Brink also struggled at times to make accurate throws and finished the night with comparable numbers, going 5-of-12 for 64 yards.

Justin Goltz — an afterthought in the battle for backup QB — got into the game with under three minutes to play and the Als laying back, going 4-of-6 for 31 yards.

“I know we’ve got some different guys out there and everyone’s got to get used to each other,” said LaPolice, “but we’ve got to make some of those throws out there.”

In addition to Floyd, there were several notable performances in the titanic battle going on at the receiver position. Import Clarence Denmark had a pair of nice catches — including a 25-yard gainer from Elliott on the opening drive — while Cory Watson continued a very strong camp, leading all Bombers receivers with four catches for 48 yards.

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Defensively, Bomber fans had perhaps more reason to be reassured. In the key battle at defensive end to see who will replace 2010 CFL sack-leader Phillip Hunt, Remond Willis, Fernand Kashama and Kenny Mainor all made a legitimate case.

Kashama got some penetration early in the game and Willis showed some serious speed in getting loose a couple of times, including once in the second quarter when he destroyed Als QB Ricky Santos. But Mainor had perhaps the strongest game, recovering a fumble and stripping another ball that was ruled dead, but still making a point.

Meanwhile, top Canadian prospect LB Henoc Muamba left the game early with what LaPolice described as a “strained knee.” LaPolice said he had no immediate word on the prognosis for the first overall pick in this year’s draft.

Also injured Thursday night was long-snapper Chris Cvetkovic, who LaPolice said suffered a calf injury.

paul.wiecek@freepress.mb.ca