Late-arriving Watson still expected to play tonight

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This article was published 24/10/2013 (4698 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

TORONTO — Cory Watson dropped the ball again.

The Winnipeg Blue Bombers slotback, who dropped an easy touchdown pass in a loss to the Toronto Argonauts Saturday at Investors Group Field, forgot to bring his wallet to the airport in Winnipeg Wednesday morning. As a result, he was denied boarding on his team’s flight to Toronto, where the Argos host the Bombers tonight.

Bombers head coach Tim Burke told reporters here shortly after the arrival of the rest of his team Wednesday afternoon that Watson would take a later flight in Winnipeg Wednesday and is still expected to play for the Bombers against the Argos at Rogers Centre tonight.

But Watson will also be a little lighter in that elusive wallet of his.

“He’ll be fined for it,” said Burke. “He’s had this problem before.”

Burke said the rest of his team was present and accounted for in Toronto on Wednesday afternoon. And that included receiver Jade Etienne, who wasn’t expected to play this week but was spotted on the ground Wednesday and is now expected to replace non-import Akeem Foster in tonight’s lineup.

The Bombers are 3-13 and officially out of playoff contention, while the Argos are 10-6 and can clinch first place in the East with a win over Winnipeg.

Burke was asked if Watson’s forgetfulness is perhaps part of a more deep-seated lack of focus among his team as they play out the last two games of what’s been a very disappointing season.

“No… I think (the mood of the team) is the same as it’s been every week,” said Burke. “I think we had a good practice yesterday, guys are focused, their spirits are up and all that.”

Burke was asked what he’d like to get out of his team’s visit here this week.

“A win,” Burke replied. “I want us to play hard and play with effort and passion and get better and eliminate turnovers.”

The Bombers turned over the ball five times against the Argos last weekend and are a league-worst -25 in the turnover ratio department coming into this week.

Earlier Wednesday, Argos QB Ricky Ray was asked what he was expecting this week from a Bombers defence that held the Argos to just 256 yards of offence last weekend.

“They’ve got some veteran guys back there who have played in this defence for awhile and so they know what they’re doing. They really limited a lot of our big plays,” said Ray. “For the most part they made it pretty difficult on us all (game).”

The Argos are expected to have tailback Chad Kackert, who missed last week’s game with a shoulder injury, back in the lineup tonight.

paul.wiecek@freepress.mb.ca Twitter: @PaulWiecek