INSIDE THE Xs AND Os

Hey there, time traveller!
This article was published 01/08/2009 (5917 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

VEGAS LINE: Argonauts by 5 1/2 points.

 ARGOS VS. BLUE

 Since 1961 — Winnipeg and Toronto are tied 46-46-2 in the last 48 years; The Bombers are 4-6 in their last 10 vs. the Argos and 1-4 in their last five in Toronto.

 ROSTER UPDATE

 The big change for the Bombers this week sees QB Michael Bishop not only added to the roster, but tapped on the shoulder as the starter over Stefan LeFors. The other changes see RB Yvenson Bernard coming aboard for RB Lavarus Giles and DT Pat MacDonald added for LB Pierre Luc-Labbe (leg).

"I knew at halftime of the game last week that we had to do something. It was time," said head coach Mike Kelly on Friday. "I thought Michael, at this juncture, would provide us with the best opportunity to get going sooner."

 2ND AND UH-OH

 The Bombers second-down conversion rate is a measly 31.5 per cent — by far the lowest in the CFL where the average is 41.4 per cent.

 BACK TO BILLS

 Former Bomber draft pick Cory Mace — traded to Hamilton in the Zeke Moreno deal then sent to Toronto this week as part of the Arland Bruce III package — has re-signed with the NFL’s Buffalo Bills.

 NUMBERS GAME

 The Argos starting receiving corps of Hank Edwards, Tyler Scott, Cory Rodgers and Chad Lucas has a grand total of five catches for 67 yards among them. Strangely, Reggie McNeal — the team’s leading receiver now that Arland Bruce III was traded to Hamilton — is dressing but not starting.

 NO BANDIT? NO PROBLEM

 The Argos will likely be without dominant DT Adriano Belli, aka ‘The Kissing Bandit’, although his status won’t be determined until this morning. Into his place steps Etienne Legare, the second-overall pick in the 2009 Canadian Draft.

 COME AGAIN?

 The Bombers’ Kelly said new returner/receiver Craphonso Thorpe was ‘overwhelmed’ last week in his debut and opted not to have him return kicks. And this week? "Craphonso is still on a learning curve," explained the coach. "His seatbelt is fastened and it goes up and down. We felt that James Johnson did a little bit better job last week of catching it and actually moving forward… so that was a bonus. We’ll see how things go, but I would like to see him get an opportunity to catch a few of those things and see what he can do."

 QUOTABLE

 "He’s been productive everywhere he’s been. Michael Bishop is going to be Michael Bishop and you know what you’re going to get from him. That’s something we need, it’s something this offence has been looking for and hopefully we can come out and perform better than we did in the last two weeks. We have left plays out on the field because of one person not doing exactly what they’re supposed to do. That’s something we’ve been practising — all 12 guys doing what we’re supposed to be doing. People might not see it, but we’re close. It’s one play that stops us and we’re punting."

— Bomber receiver Terrence Edwards.

— Tait