O’Shea can’t explain start

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This article was published 10/08/2015 (3952 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

The Winnipeg Blue Bombers lost 38-8 to the Hamilton Tiger-Cats Sunday: here’s a collection of quotes from both sides:

Bombers head coach Mike O’Shea on QB Drew Willy and the injury to his right knee:

“It’s the usual, we have to wait and see what the doctor says. It’s too early to tell. We’ll fly back tonight. I’m sure he’ll see the doctor and we’ll get a better understanding of the term of his injury.”

O’Shea on his team’s level of experience:

“I don’t consider them a young team right now. Once they play a game, to me, they’re not a rookie. These guys have worked hard to develop a trust, and they’ll stick together. Obviously, they stuck together enough to come out in the second half and put forth a good effort. Not good enough, obviously, but I am pleased with they way they came out of the dressing room in the second half.”

O’Shea on his team’s poor start:

“I’m going to have to look at the film to figure out how to explain it. I don’t know how to explain that start. Seven-and-a-half minutes, down 21 points, lack of focus on special teams, tipped ball for interception… That stuff happens. We talked on the sidelines right after… Adversity hits. Let’s control that next play, let’s be dominant on that next play, and it didn’t work out that way.”

O’Shea on containing the loss as just one game:

“I don’t really know another way to do it. I don’t think it serves any purpose to have negativity compound on the players. We’ve got to play a good opponent (the Toronto Argonauts in five days, and we’ve got to find a way to beat them. So, if these guys, if they don’t stick their chests out, and lift their chins up, and figure out a way to get better, it’s going to be a tough one next game, too. It’s tough enough as it is. There’s not time to just dwell on this. It was bad. The first seven-and-a-half minutes were not good at all. But we can’t wallow in it.”

O’Shea on his offensive line’s protection:

We gave up five or six sacks. I can’t say that it’s based solely on the protection. Once again, offensive football, 12-man football, special teams, you have to look at every phase. Route depth, timing, understanding of the offensive line call, the backs’ play, the Bombers’ play. There’s a lot of factors that go into protecting the quarterback, and in executing the offence, and that’s what we do when we look at film, we look at every aspect and figure out where we need to get better.”

O’Shea on whether he thinks his team is still growing:

I do, because of the second half, I see some growth. Not quick enough growth to change the outcome, after the first seven-and-a-half minutes, after the first couple of things that happened, a couple of bad plays against us, right? You’d like that growth if it’s continuing on as quickly as we need to, then the outcome would be different. Once again, the way we came out in the second half tells me that our guys respond for their teammates. It’s gotta be quicker.”

Bombers O-lineman Dominic Picard:

“It’s football 101 — you turn the ball over and bad things happen. We showed character in the second half… was proud of that. It’s always tough. It’s not something you want to see, man. We’ve got to get better. We’ve got a short week and a great challenge coming up at our house.”

Picard on the poor start:

“I got no answers for you guys. I got nothing to say, really.”

Ticats Justin Hickman on his team’s perfect record at Tim Hortons Field:

“It’s like no other. At first it was just something you talk about, but I really think it is starting to turn into something.”

Ti-cats coach Kent Austin:

“I think that is probably more of a reflection of the second half. We didn’t play well offensively in the second half. We came out with two turnovers back to back. The defence dug in and played well but we just have to learn if we are to grow as a football team, that a lull here or there is going to happen, but we just can’t come out flat for an entire half.

“The first half we started fast and we got some plays that sort of snowballed on Winnipeg a little bit. Those things will happen. They are a quality football team but our effort was there. We just have to clean up a few things and make sure we focus on the areas we need to improve.”

gary.lawless@freepress.mb.ca

Twitter: @garylawless