Passing grade for Jyles

Hey there, time traveller!
This article was published 26/07/2010 (5551 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

So Steven Jyles walks into the Winnipeg Blue Bombers huddle for the first time Saturday night — not for some drill, not late in a game in garbage time, but as the team’s starting quarterback — and there are 11 sets of eyes staring back at him.

Yes, these can be the critical moments for any pivot, particularly one making just his second career start and first in two seasons. In those instants his teammates are quickly evaluating his demeanour, his tone and his ability to take control. And it’s here — before the ball is even snapped — when a player can get a feel about whether the next three hours are going to be all about hope or despair.

"Let me tell you, when Steven came into the huddle he was poised," said veteran Bombers receiver Terrence Edwards. "You can tell when somebody is wide-eyed or nervous, but he was really poised. He had command of the huddle and he had everybody’s attention."

And over the course of the next three hours in Saturday night’s convincing 47-21 victory over the Edmonton Eskimos, the 27-year-old Louisianan not only helped the Bombers snap a two-game losing skid, but breathed life into his own career.

A backup with three CFL organizations — the Eskimos, Saskatchewan Roughriders and now the Blue and Gold — Jyles made some mistakes while subbing for the injured Buck Pierce, but threw for a touchdown and ran for two more in picking up his first win.

"The whole week I prepared harder, I studied more film because I didn’t want to let the guys down," said Jyles afterward. "We needed to get back to .500. We lost our starting quarterback and they had to depend on me. Like I told them earlier, there’s no excuses for me. I’m going to go out and give you my all, prepare my hardest and it will pay off when the game comes."

It helped that the Bombers defence attacked Eskimo pivot Ricky Ray from the first snap, picking up three sacks in the first three possessions, and scored a touchdown of their own when defensive tackle Moton Hopkins plucked a wounded duck from the air — courtesy a well-time hit on Ray by Odell Willis — and returned it 36 yards for a TD.

But Jyles generated 330 yards offence himself — 267 through the air, 63 along the ground — and hooked up with Terence Jeffers-Harris for a 46-yard score while looking completely comfortable in an offence he has trained in for a couple of years.

"He’s been in this offence longer than anybody in this locker-room," said Edwards. "We weren’t worried because he knows this offence as well as Coach LaPo does.

"Nobody in this room doubted him. We’ve been watching him since training camp and seen what he can do. One thing about him, he’s very knowledgeable about this offence. He’s crafty, he can make plays with his legs and I think he played a great game.

"I have said this from Day 1: this is the best group of quarterbacks, top to bottom, that I’ve been around," Edwards added. "Nobody was panicking when Buck went down. Buck is our starting quarterback and that’s not doubted. But, believe me, we knew Jyles could get the job done."

Bombers head coach Paul LaPolice said Sunday that no decision on this weekend’s starter in Calgary against the Stampeders has been made yet, but Jyles’ handiwork certainly must have the organization less stressed about rushing Pierce back from his strained knee.

Winnipeg Free Press | Newsletter

Mike McIntyre | On Sports

Thursdays

Keep up to date on sports with Mike McIntyre's weekly newsletter.

Sign up for Mike McIntyre | On Sports

Sign Up

I agree to the Terms and Conditions, Cookie and Privacy Policies, and CASL agreement.

"We’ll keep evaluating as we go along and see how Buck is this week and if he’s ready to go, he’ll play," LaPolice said. "And if not, we’ll continue to play with Steven. We’re pleased with how Steven played. There’s a lot of room for improvement but he put us in position to win.

"These guys all want to have a chance to contribute and that’s what he did last night. He did a good job. I was very proud of how he played. Obviously, we had two interceptions and he’s got to see things better, but he put us position to win the game. He made some nice throws, some big-time throws and that’s all you can ask when you get the opportunity to step up and make plays."

ed.tait@freepress.mb.ca