Edwards counting on Buck

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This article was published 13/06/2011 (5542 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

He was the best part of a bad team in 2010.

And so who more appropriate to ask if this year’s Winnipeg Blue Bombers will be improved than all-star slotback Terrence Edwards.

“I can’t wait to see what we can do,” Edwards said Sunday morning following practice at Canad Inns Stadium. “I think we’re going to be better. We’re a year older. We played with a lot of young guys last year and now they have a year under their belt. They should be better. The whole team should be better.

“Guys like (receivers) Greg Carr and TJ (Terence Jeffers-Harris) have played a whole year now. Same thing on the offensive line with Kelly Butler and Andre Douglas. Those guys are a lot better now than they were the last time they left this field. Experience counts for a lot and now guys like that know what it takes to win in this league.

“And hopefully that’s going to mean we might win some of those close games that we lost all last season.”

Indeed, it bears reminding as the Bombers head into their first pre-season game Thursday in Montreal against the Alouettes that the task facing this 2011 club is not quite as monumental as their 4-14 record in 2010 might suggest.

Nine of those 14 losses last season came by four points or less, suggesting that even a small improvement in the talent level and experience this year could lead to significant gains in the standings in 2011.

“Four points or less is not much of a difference,” said Edwards, “but there was just something that was deterring us from winning. This year, we need to find ways to win those close games.”

Of course, Edwards is not naive and is well aware that everything the Bombers are attempting to build this season is predicated on starting QB Buck Pierce staying healthy, something Pierce has been unable to do for a few seasons now.

“I’m optimistic every year that we will have a chance to win the Grey Cup,” said Edwards. “And this year, the key to our success is Buck. Buck is the key to keep this engine going and I really do believe he’s going to play all 18 games this year.

“And if Buck does that, we have a great chance of getting to the playoffs, reaching our goals and playing in that last game.”

That is a lot of pressure to put on the shoulders of one man, but Pierce is embracing it. “This province and this organization should have high standards,” said Pierce. “Expect to be good and that’s something we will do this year.”

Pierce will have plenty of aerial weapons from which to choose this season. Both Jeffers-Harris and Carr have had outstanding camps and look ready for breakout seasons, Cory Watson had a standout day on Sunday and rookies Perry Floyd, Kito Poblah and Clarence Denmark appear to have the skills and command of their position to make an immediate contribution.

And then there is Edwards.

The 32-year-old returns to the Bombers off the most productive season of his career in which he posted career-highs in TDs (12), yards gained (1,372) and average yards gained (17.6).

Edwards finished second in the CFL in receiving and was an easy selection as Winnipeg’s Most Outstanding Player nomination in a year in which he went over 100 yards receiving five different times.

The fact Edwards did all that on a bad team with a string of different quarterbacks begs the question: What could this man accomplish this season with a healthy starting QB and a deeper, more experience collection of receivers around him?

“There is a lot of talent here this year — a lot of talent,” said Edwards. “I’m really looking forward to seeing it all out on the field.”

paul.wiecek@freepress.mb.ca