Nothing not to like about Blue’s Poblah

Hey there, time traveller!
This article was published 06/09/2011 (5440 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

HE got open — constantly. He caught everything that was thrown to him. He had that elusive ‘now-you-see-me, now-you-don’t’ quality every time he had the ball. And when he did get cornered, he dropped his shoulder and used every bit of his 6-2, 215-pound frame to punish the defender.

On a day when there was precious little to like if you were a supporter of the Winnipeg Blue Bombers, there was nothing not to like about the performance of rookie wide-receiver Kito Poblah in a 27-7 Bombers loss to the Saskatchewan Roughriders on Sunday in the 2011 renewal of the Labour Day Classic in Regina.

Coming off a knee injury in Week 1 that had sidelined him all season, the first overall pick in the 2011 CFL supplemental draft put together a memorable performance on Sunday in what was his first full game as a professional football player.

On a day when the Bombers mustered just two field goals, a single and 291 yards total offence, Poblah had an eye-catching nine catches for 89 yards and was, by far, the most effective member of the Bombers on the field at Mosaic Stadium.

And then having showed maturity beyond his years on the field, the 23-year-old Montreal native showed it again in the locker-room afterward — deflecting any praise for his own performance by placing it in the context of a deeply disappointing outing by his team.

“It doesn’t matter how many catches I get,” said Poblah, “If we don’t win. It’s a loss. No matter how much I did, we lost. We’re all going to have to play better (this) week.”

The Bombers and Riders play the rematch this Sunday at Canad Inns Stadium in the annual Banjo Bowl and it stands to reason that the Riders coaching staff will be studying film and trying to figure out a way to snuff the only major offensive threat the Bombers had against them on Sunday.

And the Bombers will no doubt be looking at the same film and trying to figure out a way to turn some of those many Poblah catches into what was non-existent for them on Sunday — touchdowns.

“He’s a good football player. We think he’s got a chance to be pretty good,” said Bombers head coach Paul LaPolice. “He’s big and physical, he can catch the ball and he can break tackles.”

The decision to insert Poblah into the Labour Day lineup was not made lightly. Poblah was not due to come off the nine-game injury reserve for another two games and by pulling him off early, the Bombers must now count his salary for the seven games he missed against their salary cap.

But Poblah’s performance made the Bombers brain trust look good. And they also looked prescient when non-import Winnipeg receiver Aaron Hargreaves — who Poblah replaced as a starter — rolled his ankle in the second quarter and did not return. LaPolice said Monday that Hargreaves, as well as previously injured DT Dorian Smith and LB Marcellus Bowman, are all questionable for this Sunday.

The Riders seemed content on Sunday to play zone and leave Poblah — and the rest of the Winnipeg receiving corps — open underneath, leaving Winnipeg QB Buck Pierce to complete 20 of 28 passes but come away with just 209 yards.

Pierce said he likes the threat Poblah poses after he catches the ball. “I’m glad to have Kito back in the lineup,” said Pierce. “He’s a guy who can break tackles and I’m sure we can use him (this) week.”

paul.wiecek@freepress.mb.ca