Underdogs

Hey there, time traveller!
This article was published 30/09/2011 (5114 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

They’ve lost three out of their last four games and head into tonight’s tilt against the two-time defending Grey Cup champion Montreal Alouettes without their starting quarterback, their starting running back, their backup running back or their starting defensive tackle.

It is no small wonder then that the Vegas bookmakers have the Winnipeg Blue Bombers pegged as six-point underdogs, despite the fact the Bombers are at home, lead the Als by two points in the East Division standings and will play — for the fifth time in a row — before a raucous sellout crowd.

In a season in which the Bombers have been underestimated over and over again, the question heading into tonight is whether all the doom and gloom hovering over the club this week is yet another example of the critics selling this team short — as they did when the Bombers stunned Montreal at home just two weeks ago — or just plain old-fashioned realism, born of injuries to starting QB Buck Pierce (ribs), starting tailback Fred Reid (knee) and starting defensive tackle Doug Brown (shoulder) and an ugly 25-24 loss to the cellar-dwelling Toronto Argonauts last week.

“This has been going on all year. From the beginning of the year, nobody ever gave us a chance. So this is nothing new to us,” Bombers defensive end Odell Willis offered Thursday, barely an hour after the club announced that for the first time this season, someone other than Pierce will start at quarterback for the Bombers.

With Pierce continuing to nurse sore ribs, the Bombers left him off today’s game-day roster and will dress instead Alex Brink as their starter, followed by backup Justin Goltz and, for the first time this season, rookie pivot Brandon Summers.

“It was coach (Paul) LaPolice’s decision and it was felt it was best to get me healthy down the stretch. And obviously I’m good with that,” Pierce said Thursday after his team went through a light 45-minute practice at Canad Inns Stadium.

Pierce was asked if he was disappointed by the decision. “Of course. But it’s a decision I think will better us in the long term. And the main thing is this will get me healthy as soon as possible and put this behind us and just move forward and go from there.”

Pierce practised with the Bombers first-team offence on Wednesday and was effective, but LaPolice said it wasn’t enough.

“Buck just still had soreness and I think it was more sore than it was the previous time we played Montreal,” LaPolice said at his weekly pre-game news conference. “So when I heard that after talking with him (on Wednesday), it made the decision easy.”

The news that Pierce will not dress at all came just one day after LaPolice suggested the only two quarterback scenarios he was considering for Friday’s game would have seen Pierce dress as either the starter or the third-string designated clipboard holder.

Brink said he learned late Wednesday afternoon that he would get just his second start in two seasons as the Bombers backup QB. “It’s just another day in the life of a backup quarterback I guess, right?” Brink told a mob of reporters Thursday afternoon. “I’ve said it all year with you guys, you have to stay prepared. My preparation has been the same it’s been every week this year. I feel ready for the opportunity.”

Brink, who came on in relief of Pierce during the loss to the Argonauts, left the game early himself after he dislocated his left shoulder. Brink said the shoulder was reset the same night and has not caused him problems or discomfort since.

Winnipeg Free Press | Newsletter

Mike McIntyre | On Sports

Thursdays

Keep up to date on sports with Mike McIntyre's weekly newsletter.

Sign up for Mike McIntyre | On Sports

Sign Up

I agree to the Terms and Conditions, Cookie and Privacy Policies, and CASL agreement.

“It feels fine now. I had a good week of practice with it. I feel real comfortable going into a game with it. There’s no issues.”

Brink has made relief or short-yardage appearances in all but one of Winnipeg’s 12 regular-season games this season and slotback Terrence Edwards was quick to point out Thursday that it was Brink who was the architect of a thrilling fourth-quarter comeback over the B.C. Lions in Week 5, hooking up with Edwards for the game-winning touchdown.

“He understands when it’s crunch time. And when he needs a play, he trusts me and I trust him and he looks for me,” said Edwards. “He’s one of my best friends on the team.”

paul.wiecek@freepress.mb.ca

more bomber coverage c2-3