Commonwealth stink bomb

Bombers play like they don't mean it, and take thrashing from the Eskimos

Posted: 1:00 AM CDT Sunday, Oct. 16, 2011

EDMONTON -- The fact of the matter is the final score -- 24-10 for the Edmonton Eskimos -- actually flattered the Winnipeg Blue Bombers in a game in which they were out-hustled from the opening kickoff, out-muscled on the line of scrimmage and overwhelmingly out-played in every aspect of the game.

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Hey there, time traveller!
This article was published 16/10/2011 (5162 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

EDMONTON — The fact of the matter is the final score — 24-10 for the Edmonton Eskimos — actually flattered the Winnipeg Blue Bombers in a game in which they were out-hustled from the opening kickoff, out-muscled on the line of scrimmage and overwhelmingly out-played in every aspect of the game.

So it’s back to the drawing board for the coaching staff of a Bombers club that has now lost five of its last seven games — after starting the season at 7-1 — and has proven maddeningly unable in the past two months to string two good games together, something that is a prerequisite for any designs Winnipeg may have on a championship run this season.

Postmedia
Candace Elliott / POSTMEDIA NEWS
Bombers quarterback Buck Pierce (4) gets hauled down by his jersey Saturday night. He threw three interceptions and no scores, though his receivers seemed to have a case of the dropsies. — Postmedia Candace Elliott / POSTMEDIA NEWS Bombers quarterback Buck Pierce (4) gets hauled down by his jersey Saturday night. He threw three interceptions and no scores, though his receivers seemed to have a case of the dropsies.

“They came to play and we didn’t,” said Bombers running back Chris Garrett, who mustered 89 hard-fought yards on the ground and was perhaps the only part that did work for the Bombers offensively.

“To lose how we lost — I’m speechless, really. I don’t have any words. I sure didn’t expect that to happen.”

Indeed, a week after putting together what was, by universal acclaim, their strongest performance of the season in a road win over Hamilton, the Bombers came out flat at Commonwealth Stadium Saturday night, fell behind early — spotting the Eskimos a touchdown on the opening offensive drive — and never did get any traction on offence.

Winnipeg managed just 70 yards passing in the first half in a performance so anemic it had Bombers defensive end Jason Vega leading the team in receiving yards after two quarters, courtesy of a 19-yard pass Vega caught from backup Alex Brink on a second-and-one razzle-dazzle in the first quarter.

It didn’t get much better in the second half as starting quarterback Buck Pierce finished the night 19-33 for a paltry 143 yards and three interceptions — all the picks coming in the second half as the Bombers proved unable to mount a credible comeback.

The only Bombers scoring was provided on a one-yard touchdown plunge by Brink in the third quarter that gave Winnipeg momentary life at 14-10, and an 11-yard field goal by Justin Palardy in the first quarter.

“I just have to give credit to those guys — they played better than us,” Pierce said. “Consistency — that’s the name of the game, and we didn’t have it tonight. It’s disappointing.”

Pierce, however, was not solely — or even mostly — to blame for this debacle. The Bombers QB was sacked five times, face-masked twice, roughed two more times and hurried too many times to mention.

Oh, and the Bombers receivers dropped at least five catchable balls.

Then there was the punt by embattled Bombers punter Mike Renaud late in the third quarter that gained Winnipeg a grand total of just 12 net yards and gave Edmonton the ball on the Winnipeg 29.

Four plays later, the ball was in the Winnipeg end zone and Edmonton had a 21-10 lead that was more than enough offence against the Bombers on this night.

Winnipeg also lost two key contributors to injury. Slotback Clarence Denmark, who was levelled in the first quarter by Edmonton linebacker Rod Davis, did not return for the second half. Linebacker Clint Kent left the game in the third quarter after taking an awkward hit.

Bombers head coach Paul LaPolice said Denmark hurt his shoulder and Kent banged his head, but neither injury is believed to be serious.

“Offensively, we just didn’t get in a rhythm,” LaPolice said.

“We dropped a couple of balls and we had a couple of (interceptions) we’d like to get back. We have to play all-around better.”

The loss drops Winnipeg’s season record to 9-6. The 9-5 Montreal Alouettes play the Hamilton Tiger-Cats in Montreal today and can take over sole possession of first place in the East Division with a victory.

The Als and Bombers play each other next Saturday at Canad Inns Stadium.

The good news is that even with a Montreal win today, Winnipeg could still take sole possession of first place in the East next weekend because a win over the Alouettes would give the Bombers the season series — and the first tiebreaker — between the two clubs.

paul.wiecek@freepress.mb.ca