Matthews to watch Lawler play in his spot again

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This article was published 18/07/2019 (2243 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Chris Matthews might be healthy, but he won’t be suiting up for the Winnipeg Blue Bombers Friday at IG Field when they host the Ottawa Redblacks.

The 6-5 receiver told the media on Wednesday he’s ready to play this week as he’s recovered from a finger injury he suffered in a Bombers win against the Redblacks in Week 4.

But it turns out the Bombers have other plans, as Matthews still finds himself on the injured list. Kenny Lawler took the first-team reps on Thursday and will play for the second straight week.

Blue Bombers head coach Mike O’Shea was asked if Matthews should be classified as a healthy scratch.

“I think that’s the way you want to word it,” O’Shea told the media after Thursday’s walk-through practice at IG Field.

“I’m thinking there’s always a variety of reasons why you set the roster the way you do. I know for a fact that we’ve got a lot of depth and a lot of talent and guys who are working. I also believe that Chris Matthews is gonna be a big part of why we win games further on down the season. One roster move, in one week, doesn’t tell a lot, really.”

With Matthews out again, it gives Lawler an opportunity to redeem himself. In last week’s 48-21 win over the Toronto Argonauts, Lawler made a stellar 38-yard catch in the opening quarter. Lawler thought he was touched and that the play was dead. He got up to celebrate and dropped the ball, but it turns out the play was still alive and the Argos pounced on the fumble.

“It was a hell of a catch,” O’Shea said. “The fact is he’s just got to learn that he wasn’t down and you never assume that you are. We have the same thing happen on defence where they don’t touch a guy down. You just assume he’s down. It just so happened that you had Ian Wild cause a fumble on that play. But if you separate the play and look at the catch he made, it was a hell of a good catch.”

Even with the error, one Lawler referred to as a “rookie mistake,” the team still believes he’s the guy to fill in for their star receiver.

“It’s definitely a confidence boost that I can be the next man up,” said Lawler, who has three receptions for 57 yards in two games this season. “The coaches have trust in me and I just got to go out there and continue to build their trust.”

Matthews won’t be the only playmaker without a helmet on tonight, as the Bombers placed kick-returner Charles Nelson on the six-game injured list with an undisclosed injury on Thursday. While speedster Lucky Whitehead has been the talk of the town, Nelson has also showcased he’s a dynamic returner.

Nelson, who had two kick-return touchdowns in college for the Oregon Ducks, nearly took a punt 75 yards to the house in the first quarter of the Toronto game before he was tackled at the five-yard line. He’ll be replaced by rookie Kenneth Walker, who will be making his CFL debut. Walker played four seasons for the UCLA Bruins, where he was also a track star. The 25-year-old Walker hopes to showcase his speed now that he has an opportunity.

O’Shea said Walker might be the fastest player on the Bombers.

“There would be a bunch of guys that would want to race him if you brought that up, because guys are very competitive. But I’m telling you, he’s pretty fast,” the coach said.

Walker said not seeing any action in the first four games hasn’t been frustrating at all, as it’s allowed him to understand the game better. He wouldn’t confirm he’s the fastest player on the team, but he hopes when he steps on the field he can show more than just his speed.

“I’ve got a lot more in the tank, and I think you’ll see,” Walker said.

taylor.allen@freepress.mb.ca

Twitter: @TaylorAllen31

Taylor Allen
Reporter

Taylor Allen is a sports reporter for the Winnipeg Free Press. Taylor was the Vince Leah intern in the Free Press newsroom twice while earning his joint communications degree/diploma at the University of Winnipeg and Red River College Polytechnic. He signed on full-time in 2019 and mainly covers the Blue Bombers, curling, and basketball. Read more about Taylor.

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