Bombers 5 storylines

By: Paul Wiecek Posted: 1:00 AM CDT Friday, Jul. 11, 2014

MONTREAL -- Today's five storylines:

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MONTREAL -- Today's five storylines:

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Hey there, time traveller!
This article was published 11/07/2014 (4423 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

MONTREAL — Today’s five storylines:

1. Can an improvised Winnipeg Blue Bombers offensive line handle a dominating Montreal Alouettes front four?

Jeff McIntosh / the canadian press files
Als starting quarterback Troy Smith played well in Week 2 after a horrendous showing in Week 1. His development is crucial for Montreal. — Jeff McIntosh / the canadian press files Als starting quarterback Troy Smith played well in Week 2 after a horrendous showing in Week 1. His development is crucial for Montreal.

The Bombers will be without a regular stalwart on the left side of their line here Friday night, as starting left guard Chris Greaves (knee) sits out and Cordaro Howard makes his first CFL start.

It is a delicate thing at the best of times to have to disrupt the continuity of a unit as tightly knit as an offensive line, but it will be a formidable challenge here tonight against a Montreal front four led by CFL sack leader John Bowman that is widely considered to be as good as any in the CFL.

The Als gave up just 70 net yards of offence to the BC Lions in the first half last week and much of the credit for that stifling performance has to go to a front-four scheme, designed by Als defensive co-ordinator Noel Thorpe, that is as confusing as it is relentless.

2. Can the Bombers force Montreal QB Troy Smith to be a quarterback?

Smith is a former Heisman trophy winner and showed promise in a handful of starts in 2013 in relief of an injured Anthony Calvillo.

But he is still very green and it showed in Week 1 as he struggled to get anything going in a 29-8 loss to the Calgary Stampeders that saw the Als only find the end zone on the final play of the game.

Als offensive co-ordinator — and former Bombers QB — Ryan Dinwiddie said Thursday he simplified the playbook for Smith in Week 2 and the results were immediate as the Als rode tailback Brandon Whittaker and the running game to a 24-9 win over the B.C. Lions.

But even with the win in Week 2, Smith comes into tonight’s game against Winnipeg with the second-worst QB efficiency rating in the CFL, suggesting the challenge for the Bombers is to shut down the Montreal running game and force Smith to beat them with the pass.

3. Can Nic Grigsby continue to romp?

While all the attention the first two weeks has been on Bombers QB Drew Willy and Winnipeg’s aerial prolifics, the Bombers running game with tailback Nic Grigsby has been instrumental in setting up that passing attack.

Grigsby romped for 122 yards in a Week 1 win against Toronto, which led Ottawa to key on him in Week 2. The Redblacks did reduce his rushing yards output — Grigsby was held to 62 yards on the ground last week — but he still burned them for three TDs on the ground and his presence helped open up the passing attack.

With a well-regarded Montreal pass rush expected to be coming fast and hard tonight after Willy, the Bombers will want to establish a running game quickly.

4. Can the Bombers continue to dominate in La Belle Province?

For reasons no one seems to fully understand, the dreadful Bombers of the past two seasons thrived whenever they played in Montreal.

Fully one-third of Winnipeg’s nine combined wins over the past two seasons came in Montreal and the Bombers will take an active three-game winning streak into Stade Molson Friday night.

It’s a quirky phenomenon and while both teams say the past has nothing to do with the present, don’t think it’s not been mentioned in both locker-rooms this week.

A side note — If the Bombers win tonight, it will be just the second time a team has won on the road in the CFL this season. Home teams are 7-1 so far in 2014, but history suggests that will level off soon. In 2013, home teams went 38-34, a win clip of just 53 per cent.

5. Just how versatile exactly is Johnny Sears?

Sears will make his first ever start at safety tonight in place of the injured Maurice Leggett, bringing to four the number of positions he has started as a member of the Bombers (he has previously made starts at cornerback, half-back and linebacker).

Next up — Johnny Sears at tackle?

paul.wiecek@freepress.mb.ca

Twitter: @PaulWiecek

BLUE MOVES

MONTREAL — If the Winnipeg Blue Bombers win here Friday night over the Montreal Alouettes, it will be with a roster significantly different from the one they used to win in Weeks 1 and 2 of the 2014 CFL season.

The depth chart the Bombers released Thursday, shortly after the team landed, shows a total of five changes to this week’s roster.

Coming onto the 46-man roster this week is DB Donovan Alexander, LB Kyle Norris, RB Paris Cotton, DL Bryant Turner and WR Romby Bryant.

Going off the 46-man roster this week is S Maurice Leggett, LB Rene Stephan, DL Zach Anderson, OL Chris Greaves and WR Aaron Woods. Leggett, Stephan, Anderson and Greaves are all injured.

With Leggett sitting, Johnny Sears will start at safety this week — backed up by Alexander — while non-import Teague Sherman will start at strong-side linebacker and Turner will return to his customary position at defensive tackle.

On offence, the big change was already reported earlier this week, with Cordaro Howard slotted in to replace Greaves at left guard.

There was also concern wide receiver Aaron Kelly — the second-leading receiver in the CFL — might not play after he came up lame during practice Wednesday. But Bombers head coach Mike O’Shea said Kelly made the trip and is expected to start tonight.

QUICK START

With a win tonight, the Bombers would open the 2014 season at 3-0 — a mark they haven’t achieved to start a season since 2003 and that would equal their total number of wins for all of 2013.

O’Shea cautioned against reading too much into his team’s early success, but did repeat that he thought winning early in the season was important for a franchise that’s experienced so much losing in recent years.

“We’ve won two games. We’ve been successful twice,” said O’Shea. “And it’s important, I thought… that this team tasted winning early, especially for the veteran players that had experienced more than their fair share of losing.”

NOT TALKING

FORMER NFLer and current Alouettes receiver Chad Johnson wasn’t doing interviews Thursday, telling the Winnipeg media that approached his locker: “Not today, boss. I am just relaxing.”

The Bombers secondary isn’t relaxing, however. On the contrary, Bombers cornerback Chris Randle said he’s highly anticipating the opportunity to make a big play against a player with as high a profile.

“Make a play and maybe someone will see it,” said Randle. “It magnifies everything for us and intensified everything for us in practice this week. It had us going.”

ROSTER SHUFFLE

The Alouettes will have a couple of minor changes but will field almost the same roster they used to beat the B.C. Lions last weekend. That will include starting QB Troy Smith, who was a question mark earlier in the week when he missed practice with a sore knee.

“My knee is good. It feels pretty good today,” said Smith said.

There was one big piece of news in Montreal on Thursday, however. Long-time Als GM Jim Popp has signed a three-year contract extension.

— Wiecek