Buck used as tackling dummy

Bombers QB absorbs big hits, much criticism

By: Paul Wiecek Posted: 1:00 AM CDT Monday, Sep. 12, 2011

Battered and bruised, Winnipeg Blue Bombers quarterback Buck Pierce did in his team's locker room after the game on Sunday what he did for four quarters on the field during it -- took it squarely on the chin.

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Hey there, time traveller!
This article was published 12/09/2011 (5476 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Battered and bruised, Winnipeg Blue Bombers quarterback Buck Pierce did in his team’s locker room after the game on Sunday what he did for four quarters on the field during it — took it squarely on the chin.

“One mistake is too many and I had way too many today. I take a lot of credit for what happened this afternoon,” Pierce said Sunday afternoon at Canad Inns Stadium after throwing five interceptions in a 45-23 loss to the Saskatchewan Roughriders in the Banjo Bowl.

Pierce said after the game that it was the most interceptions that he had thrown in a single game at any level of his football career — and it was also three more than he had thrown in his previous 158 attempts across six games coming into Sunday.

“I think I just wasn’t seeing things clearly and I was trying to force the ball down the field a bit. And against a zone team, that’s tough.”

Part of the reason Pierce might not have been seeing things clearly was perhaps the abuse he sustained, particularly in the first quarter. Pierce sustained a devestating hit 11 minutes into the game when Saskatchewan safety Craig Butler stormed in all alone and levelled Pierce, popping his helmet off and bringing back memories of a similarly hellacious hit the Bomber QB took in Week 1 against Hamilton.

Bombers head coach Paul LaPolice said a Bombers receiver did not hear an audible called at the line of scrimmage on the play and failed to pick up the block on Butler.

It was one of two first-half sacks of Pierce, who also took a hard hit on a scramble in the opening quarter and appeared to be favouring both his left ribs and his left knee after yet another hit in the second quarter.

Pierce’s performance on Sunday appeared to turn on the injury or injuries. He’d actually started the game unusually sharp, engineering a seven-play, 100-yard drive in the first quarter that was the longest drive of the Bombers season, as Winnipeg took a 10-0 first quarter lead on what was an uncharacteristically quick start by the Bombers offence.

But what looked to be a well-oiled machine to start the game quickly sputtered as Pierce, who clearly appeared to be in pain and labouring from the second quarter on, misfired again and again and the Bombers lost the turnover battle — something they have dominated all season long — 6-1.

It all begged the question after the game — Did the Bombers offensive line do enough to protect their quarterback? “They’re doing fine. I think everyone made their fair share of mistakes (today). That wasn’t the reason, by any means, why the turnout was what it was. I put that on myself.”

Pierce — who was clearly still in physical distress even as he answered questions after the game — was asked if there was any doubt in his mind that he would start next week. “As of right now, I don’t know anything. I just know that I’m sore.”

paul.wiecek@freepress.mb.ca

YouTube video: Buck Pierce