Blue down 2 tackles going up against B.C.

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This article was published 12/08/2011 (5202 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

FACED with a gaping hole in the middle of his defensive line heading into Saturday’s contest in Vancouver against the B.C. Lions, Winnipeg Blue Bombers head coach Paul LaPolice is looking on the bright side.

“I’m excited. There’s no other way to feel,” LaPolice said Thursday after the Bombers practised for one final time at Canad Inns Stadium before heading to Vancouver today.

“You don’t worry about those things. And the mantra of this team has been… when someone gets hurt, someone steps up to make a big play.”

Starting defensive tackle Dorion Smith injured his ankle in the first half last week against Edmonton and there’s never been any question that he wouldn’t play this weekend, but it wasn’t until Thursday that LaPolice said with certainty that his other starting defensive tackle, 11-year veteran Doug Brown, will also be missing from the lineup on Saturday.

The Bombers will use a troika of linemen to replace Brown and Smith at tackle, with Bryant Turner and Don Oramasionwu — who both filled in against Edmonton — joined this week by Jason Vega, who is returning from a knee injury and will do time both at end and tackle on Saturday.

It will be the second game in a row that Brown is missing with what the team is describing in vague terms as a “foot injury,” but Brown said he will make the trip to Vancouver anyway.

“(Turner and Oramasionwu) did very well last week and I’d expect more of the same heading into B.C.,” Brown said. “You get different looks from different people and sometimes that can be just as challenging as playing against the same guys for 11 years.

“Guess what? They’re not going to have any tape on the guys we’re sending to B.C. Good luck figuring out how to block.”

Fumbling Floyd gonzo

THE Blue Bombers released wide receiver Perry Floyd and running back Mike McClendon from their practice roster Thursday afternoon.

The dimunitive Floyd raised eyebrows in June with an electrifying training camp and there were high hopes he would provide some depth on offence and make a big contribution to the club’s kick-return game this season.

But a series of fumbles and his import status made Floyd expendable and he was moved to the practice roster last week.

The Bombers released Floyd outright on Thursday afternoon and LaPolice made it clear the player had fallen out of favour.

“He hasn’t played well when he’s had opportunities in the fact he’s fumbled the ball,” said LaPolice. “You can’t be a (designated import) returner if you can’t protect the football.”

— Wiecek