Notebook

Hey there, time traveller!
This article was published 13/09/2011 (5421 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

WINNIPEG Blue Bombers head coach Paul LaPolice says he doesn’t know if quarterback Buck Pierce will start against the Montreal Alouettes on Sunday.

Asked point blank on Monday if Pierce will start against Montreal, LaPolice responded: “I don’t know; that is the answer. We’ll see how he is the next couple days.”

LaPolice then said he was guardedly optimistic that Pierce would play. “I think so, but I haven’t even seen Buck today… He was just kind of limping around after the game so I just kind of want to make sure. He got hit in the stomach — or whatever — so we’ll see how he is.”

Pierce put on a flak jacket at half-time of the BombersSSRq 45-23 loss to the Saskatchewan Roughriders in Sunday’s Banjo Bowl and at various points during the game was favouring his left ribs and his left knee.

Asked whether his team would pursue another quarterback if Pierce is unable to go on Sunday, LaPolice was noncommittal. “I don’t want to speculate until I know what’s going on. But right now, I know we have four (quarterbacks) here.”

Pierce has been backed up for most of this season by Alex Brink, followed by Justin Goltz and Brandon Summers on the depth chart.

Pierce threw five interceptions on Sunday — a career-high — and has engineered just one touchdown drive in his last two games.

LaPolice was asked if he would also consider sitting Pierce for his performance, rather than just his injuries. “I think you’d do that with any position on the field,” said LaPolice. “But you have to evaluate things (in) a quarterback situation. Is it always the quarterback not being effective or do the people around him have to play better?

“There was a point in that game where Buck went 7-7 in passing. He took us on a…100-yard drive. He did some very good things…

SDLqBut he’s got to do a better job. He forced throws that were uncharacteristic of him. And certainly he has to be better and we have to coach him better. And he will be better.”

LaPolice was countenancing no excuses, flatly denying that a string of hard hits on Pierce in the first half had taken a physical toll that affected the quarterback’s subsequent performance. “I think it’s more a fact of bad decisions or not a great understanding of what we’re doing,” said LaPolice. “I take the understanding under my envelope and the not seeing things is under his envelope.”

“è “è “è

THE injury prognosis for Bombers starting middle linebacker Joe Lobendahn is not good.

Lobendahn, who had to be carted off on Sunday after he injured his knee in the first half, was still being examined on Monday but LaPolice sounded pessimistic. “Joe Lobendahn doesn’t look good. It’s a knee. We’ll see where it’s at but it doesn’t look good.”

LaPolice was asked if the injury could be season-ending. “I don’t want to speculate, but it doesn’t look good.”

LaPolice said the club is considering moving weak-side linebacker Marcellus Bowman to the middle to replace Lobendahn and then presumably move either Merrill Johnson or Dustin Doe in to replace Bowman.

“è “è “è

THE Bombers defence had gaping flaws on Sunday — the pass rush was mostly ineffective and, for the second week in a row, a talented Saskatchewan receiving corps made what had been the most feared secondary in the CFL look very average.

At the same time, six Bombers turnovers had the defence on its heels almost all game. Consider: Saskatchewan started seven drives inside Winnipeg territory.

“è “è “è

BOMBERS defensive back Jonathan Hefney bruised his quadricep and had to leave Sunday’s game in the third quarter.

LaPolice suggested he might give Hefney a few days off from practice this week, but Hefney had no doubt that he will play in Montreal on Sunday.

“I’ll be alright,” Hefney said Sunday night. “I went to Tennessee so I’m tough.”

“è “è “è

ONE of the few bright spots for the Bombers on Sunday was place kicker Justin Palardy, who went 3-3 on field goals, including 3-pointers from 45 and 46 yards.

Palardy has been money in recent games, nailing 11 of his last 12 field-goal attempts over the last four games.

“è “è “è

SDLqIT’S frustrating. We know we have a good team and we lost two games to a team who we had a chance to bury when everything was going wrong for them. We gave them life and now we’re the ones who look like we’re on the way down. We just have to respond and have a good week of practice.SDRq

— Bombers safety Ian Logan

“è “è “è

SDLqWE’RE mad as hell. We wanted to win that game and everyone is really frustrated. But we need to play better. We need to be accountable to each other, communicate better and respond. Whether we have injuries or not, we have to find a way to go.SDRq

— LaPolice