Bombers QB Marve-less in second CFL start

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This article was published 29/08/2015 (3879 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

There were no chants of Marve-Toba. No one was heard describing any play as Marve-lous.

Indeed, the much-anticipated second CFL start for Bombers quarterback Robert Marve had no happy ending.

Instead, the end was abrupt; the tipping point coming late in the game when the 26-year former Mr. Florida Football got pulled midway through the fourth quarter in a 36-8 loss to the Calgary Stampeders Saturday night at Investors Group Field.

“It was a frustrating day at work,” Marve said after the game. “Obviously getting the loss, and how it went down was frustrating.”

Marve struggled for the better part of the game, both in the air and on the ground. His passing was far from efficient. He completed 12 of his 20 throws for 94 yards and no touchdowns. Twice he was intercepted, one of which was returned for a touchdown. The other resulted in a two-play touchdown drive by the Calgary offence, giving the visitors an early 6-0 lead.

“We never got in rhythm today,” said Marve. “There was no rhythm within our offence today. It’s hard to score points, it’s hard to keep everything rolling. We got to do a better job of that.”

Marve said he didn’t get as tired compared to his first start two weeks ago in a 27-20 home loss to Toronto in Week 8, nor did he feel the game was as fast. The communication was better, Marve said, and there was nothing Calgary, the defending Grey Cup Champions, did on defence that was any bit surprising.

The result, however, was much the same. With the loss the Bombers are 3-6 on the year; losers in their last three games and four of their last five.

“Obviously we need to kind of look in the mirror and see what’s going on because we can’t have the same results consistently,” said Marve. “We got to change it up some.

“We’re coming up on Sask (and) we need a win bad. We got to get going. I keep saying that but we’ve got to get going. There’s nine games left so we’re halfway. That’s how we have to think about it.”

Whether Marve will be the man to lead the Blue and Gold as they start the second half of the season is unknown. Brian Brohm, who replaced Marve, didn’t exactly make his case for another start, completing just one of five passes for seven yards. But Bombers head coach Mike O’Shea could not, or at least would not give a definitive answer on who his No.1 pivot would be when his team takes the field at Mosaic Stadium in Regina Sunday for the annual Labour Day Classic against the Roughriders.

“We’ll have to see,” said O’Shea. “We’ll look at the film and see, offensively, all 12 guys on every single play, see what exactly happened; make a determination from there and then we’ll see how the practice week goes.”

“I’m not really worried about it to be honest with you,” said Marve, asked if he felt he’d done enough to earn a third consecutive start. “It’s whatever coach O’Shea thinks is best for the team.

“That’s what the coaches are there for. They’ve been in this league for 10 or 15 years, or longer. They can make that decision. Either way, I’ll be fine. Either way, I’ll be OK.

“I hope I play. I like playing. But we need explosive plays. We need to get some rhythm on offence either way.”

jeff.hamilton@freepress.mb.ca

Twitter: @jeffkhamilton

Jeff Hamilton
Multimedia producer

Jeff Hamilton is a sports and investigative reporter. Jeff joined the Free Press newsroom in April 2015, and has been covering the local sports scene since graduating from Carleton University’s journalism program in 2012. Read more about Jeff.

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