Even Steven

Hey there, time traveller!
This article was published 25/07/2010 (5551 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Turns out, the Winnipeg Blue Bombers aren’t a one-trick pony after all — even if he’s called Buck.

Because if there’s one thing the local 12 can take from a 47-21 victory over the Edmonton Eskimos at Canad Inns Stadium on a sun-baked Saturday evening, it’s that their fortunes don’t necessarily rest entirely on Buck Pierce’s shoulders. Or his knees, for that matter.

No, understudy Steven Jyles wasn’t perfect, but the 27-year-old pivot was more than adequate in relief of the injured Pierce in his first start for the Bombers.

Talk about a relief appearance.

Sure, Jyles got some help, notably a 16-0 cushion — the first time all season the Bombers didn’t hit the snooze button after the opening kickoff.

But Jyles never once looked rattled or uncertain, and at no time was that more evident than when he bolted from the pocket early in the second quarter, sprinted right towards the sidelines and pulled up to hit a wide open Terence Jeffers-Harris for a 10-yard gain.

It would have been a key first down — except for the fact that Jeffers-Harris found some open space and, boom, gone for a 46-yard TD. Just like that, it was 23-0 Bombers.

Sure, Jyles threw two picks, and the Bombers almost frittered away their commanding lead in the third quarter.

None of that matters. In fact, instead of fretting over Pierce’s health — both now and in the future — Saturday’s lopsided win suggests the Bombers have an insurance marker that wears No. 3.

If anything, Jyles displayed the same skills that had made Pierce look so irreplaceable — nimble of foot, taking what the Esks defence allowed and looking decisive in the pocket.

The final numbers don’t lie: 14-of-22 for 267 yards, along with 63 crucial yards on the ground, including two rushing touchdowns.

True, it’s only one start. But how long has it been since the Bombers have employed a single quarterback who gives them a chance to win, much less two? That would be Khari Jones and Kevin Glenn, circa 2004.

That’s right: The Bombers just may have themselves a bullpen after all these years. If so, that’s a major development in Bomberville. Or has everybody forgotten the 2007 Grey Cup already?

Suddenly, there are options. For example, imagine if Jyles had struggled against the winless Eskimos and the Bombers had fallen to 1-3. The pressure to start Pierce on a wonky knee next week in Calgary would have been immense.

Worse, if Pierce isn’t set to return any time soon, the burden might have been overwhelming.

So much for ifs.

Now a 2-2 Bombers squad, having levelled the Eskimos, will have no reason to rush Pierce back. The margin of error expands. Confidence rises.

There’s nothing like an insurance policy for peace of mind, right?

So maybe in retrospect, the loss of Pierce was a blessing in disguise for the Bombers. Or at least tentative proof that the Bombers are a lot less fragile than many thought, given Pierce’s uneven medical history and Jyles’ inexperience as a starter.

Where the Buck stops, Jyles starts.

randy.turner@freepress.mb.ca

Randy Turner
Reporter

Randy Turner spent much of his journalistic career on the road. A lot of roads. Dirt roads, snow-packed roads, U.S. interstates and foreign highways. In other words, he got a lot of kilometres on the odometer, if you know what we mean.

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