Band-Aid solution? Bombers trade for QB Matt Nichols from Edmonton

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This article was published 02/09/2015 (3891 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

So who is Matt Nichols and is he the band-Aid the Winnipeg Blue Bombers need to stop the bleeding until starting quarterback Drew Willy gets back?

Nichols — who the Bombers acquired from the Edmonton Eskimos Wednesday in exchange for a conditional seventh-round draft pick in 2017 — looks on paper and on film to be much better than Winnipeg’s current options — backups Brian Brohm and Robert Marve.

Nichols went 5-2 as a starter for the Eskimos this season, going 128-for-209 for 1,488 yards and eight touchdowns.

Those eight TD throws Nichols made this season are seven more than Brohm and Marve have been able to muster combined this year and are a big reason the Bombers decided to bring Nichols to town.

So what’s the catch, you ask? Why, if Nichols is so great, did the Eskimos part with him for the CFL equivalent of almost nothing?

You’ll find that reason under the ‘INT’ category on Nichols’ stats line. Nichols has thrown a league-leading 10 interceptions this season — many of them at exceedingly inopportune times. In a sport where QBs are expected to have a 2:1 TD to interception ratio, Nichols’ 8:10 ratio sticks out like a sore thumb.

With injured Eskimos starter Mike Reilly returning to the active roster this week and backup James Franklin — who took over the starting duties in Edmonton from Nichols and was named a player of the week for his play in a win over Toronto — looking like a rock-solid alternative, Nichols became expendable.

The bad news for the Bombers and their moribund offence, which hit rock bottom in a 36-8 loss Saturday to the Calgary Stampeders, is the Nichols deal came too late this week to allow him time to prepare to be a starter for Sunday’s game in Regina against the Saskatchewan Roughriders.

Nichols did not practise with the Bombers Wednesday — and was unavailable for comment — but is expected to be at Investors Group Field this morning.

The Bombers offence generated just 101 passing yards in the loss to Calgary and with the team now just 3-6 this season, this weekend’s game in Regina is almost a must-win, particularly coming as it does against a winless Riders squad.

Bombers head coach Mike O’Shea said he’s already ruled out the possibility of Nichols starting this weekend, but said it’s conceivable Nichols could be available to come in off the bench.

“He could dress on Sunday,” O’Shea said. “He understands CFL defences. If need be, we can teach him some things. He can grasp things very quickly because he’s been in the CFL for a number of years.”

O’Shea said the only statistic he cares about on Nichols’ stat line was the one under wins and losses. “The No. 1 job for any quarterback is winning.

“Whatever statistics other people may choose to focus on, he’s won a bunch of games this year. That’s the starting point, really. We’ll see how quickly he learns the offence and how quickly we feel comfortable trotting him out there.”

paul.wiecek@freepress.mb.ca

Twitter: @PaulWiecek