Bombers down to bare bones at QB

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This article was published 26/09/2011 (5304 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

MIDWAY through the final quarter, Blue Bombers receiver Terrence Edwards looked around the huddle and wondered what was going on.

That confusion should be a popular theme this week.

In a game filled with strange moments — injuries, coaching decisions, and officiating head-scratchers all deserve mention in Winnipeg’s 25-24 loss to the Toronto Argonauts at Rogers Centre Saturday night — the unexpected turned into reality for the Bombers when third-string quarterback Justin Goltz entered the game.

Starter Buck Pierce was already in street clothes with a rib issue and backup Alex Brink had just left the game with a shoulder injury meaning Goltz, the Occidental College product who has spent this season holding the clipboard, now had the game in his hands.

“I really didn’t know what was happening,” Edwards said moments after the Bombers touched down at James Richardson International Airport Sunday morning.

“I thought Justin was just coming in for the short-yard package and the next thing you know, (he) stayed in the game. I kind of was looking around the huddle, like ‘What’s going on here.’ It was strange, but he handled himself very well. It probably wasn’t very easy for him.”

Goltz, who went 3-of-6 for 36 yards (including an 18-yard TD strike to Clarence Denmark on the second pass attempt of his CFL career), came into the game under difficult circumstances.

Not only was the game a sloppy affair that saw five quarterbacks and nine turnovers, he had to operate having little history with the first-team offence and no running back option to lean on.

Both Fred Reid and Carl Volny — the No. 1 and No. 2 running backs — left the game with knee injuries, giving the Bombers a six-receiver set at one point.

“It was unbelievable,” offered Goltz. “I’ve never had anything like that. The defences are obviously aware of that. We haven’t run any run plays with no running back. It was different, man; it was definitely different.

“At the end of things we scored a touchdown and had we not got that offside penalty we’re kicking a field goal to win the game. It was just a wild night.

“A wild night for everybody.”

The hangover from Saturday has Winnipeg (8-4) pointing in the wrong direction thanks to three losses in its last four games and dealing with some grogginess at the quarterback position. Pierce’s status for Friday’s matchup with the Montreal Alouettes (7-5) at Canad Inns Stadium holds some doubt, based on the fact he told the coaching staff his ribs were hindering his performance versus the Argos, while Brink’s situation is equally as fuzzy.

Initial reports had it as a separated left shoulder but on Sunday, he called the injury “a sprain” and said the team doctors wouldn’t let him come back in. He’ll have a better idea on how severe the injury is after a couple of days of treatment, he added.

Goltz and rookie Brandon Summers are the only healthy quarterbacks on the roster right now. Winnipeg is certain to look at some insurance this week, but those wishing on a Cleo Lemon-type fix shouldn’t hold their breath. Earlier this month, the club said they had no interest in the former Argos experiment so any movement on that front would be a drastic change in philosophy and an obvious panic-button move.

If Pierce and Brink can’t go Friday, it will be Goltz vs. the Alouettes.

“I’ll be ready in any circumstances now,” the 24-year-old said. “This stuff that’s been happening — you never know what’s going on.”

The Bombers are back at practice Tuesday.

adam.wazny@freepress.mb.ca

The pain game

After going through the first half of the season relatively unscathed, the Bombers suddenly find themselves with a number of key players dealing with injuries. A look at who was hurting after the Toronto game:

QB Buck Pierce — Aggravated his ribs to the point where he couldn’t move well enough to be effective. Given the nature of the position, not to mention the punishment he takes, this could be a season-long concern.

Backup QB Alex Brink — Separated left shoulder. It’s not his throwing arm, so some good news there. Like Pierce, though, his mobility is paramount to his effectiveness.

RB Fred Reid and RB Carl Volny — Both have knee injuries and both looked serious. The Bombers have Chris Garrett in camp and are expecting to bring in Bloi-Dei Dorzon, a tailback out of Jackson State, for a look this week.

DT Doug Brown — Shoulder. Brown didn’t sound too confident that he’d be in the lineup against Montreal. Donny Oramaisonwu played well Saturday, but losing Brown for an extended period would be disastrous for the defence.

OL Brendon LaBatte — Shoulder/neck. Just like Brown’s absence would impact the D-line, losing LaBatte for any extra time would be devastating for the offensive line.

DL Rodney Fritz — Hamstring. An up-and-comer in the program, the severity of Fritz’s injury wasn’t known Sunday.