5 Storylines

Hey there, time traveller!
This article was published 07/10/2011 (5093 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

It’s the Blue Bombers and Tiger-Cats at Ivor Wynne Stadium tonight. Here are five things to keep an eye on:

1. Goodwill punting

Just how serious the Bombers were in replacing punter Mike Renaud with Jamie Boreham will come to light after the game. If Renaud, who won the punting competition at practice this past week, does well in Hamilton, he’ll continue to be the guy moving forward. If he doesn’t respond, then we’ll see just how serious the Bombers are in replacing a guy who they thought so highly of before the season.

Bombers head coach Paul LaPolice said Renaud got the nod based on his performance in practice and the fact Boreham had just a few days of work with his new team.

But he also said the punting situation will be reviewed again after the game and that he expects Renaud to get better at placing his kicks and his hang-time.

“He’s got to put it where it’s supposed to be, not in the middle of the field,” said LaPolice. “And not take singles when we’re trying to back them up.”

Renaud said he was never nervous this week about losing his job. “In this line of work stuff happens — you have to dig deep and prove it to yourself but also everyone else. And I guess that’s what this week was.”

2. Bucking the trend

The starting quarterback is back starting for the Bombers, after taking a week away to rest some bruised ribs. Is a game off enough time to allow those ribs to heal? Doubtful.

Buck Pierce is 200-of-309 for 2,680 yards and 12 touchdowns. But he’s thrown 13 picks, with many of those coming in the last four games.

This drop in performance (outside of the win in Montreal, where he was excellent) suggests he might be wearing down.

The popular assumption — in these pages and elsewhere — is that the Bombers require No. 4 to be in the huddle to have a chance to win. Pierce has lost three of his last four starts, though, so that theory may not be as absolute as first determined.

Outside of Renaud, Pierce is the guy everyone will be watching tonight.

3. Take two

Bombers running back Chris Garrett had just a handful of yards through the first three quarters of the loss to Montreal last week. He salvaged his second career start with a strong fourth, scoring a touchdown on an impressive run, and gave himself another chance to start this week.

So which Garrett is the true Garrett?

The coaching staff likes the way he runs and management thinks he can be an elite back in the CFL, but he’ll have to find another level. Garrett needs to find more distance than the 76 yards he put up last week and help take some of the pressure off his quarterback’s tender torso.

4. Keep it clean

A common theme through this latest Bombers swoon: Composure, or lack thereof. Pass interference penalties are starting to add up and simple things like lining up offside or being nailed for illegal procedure are becoming more frequent. The Bombers lead the CFL in penalties (143) and have surrendered the most yards against (1,285) due to those infractions. Giving opponents extra chances and handcuffing your own offence — especially late in the season — is a sign of immaturity. Winnipeg needs to grow up in this area.

5. Five and out

Is the pressure starting to get to the young Bombers? How much do they miss Joe Lobendahn in the middle of the defence? Which Kevin Glenn shows up tonight? Why was Dave Stala so quiet this week? Tina LaPolice: Same question.

adam.wazny@freepress.mb.ca Twitter: @wazoowazny

Winnipeg kick coverage vs. Hamilton’s return game

The struggles in the Blue and Gold return department are well-documented: The ineffective Tim Brown is out as the main guy, replaced by Jovon Johnson, Clarence Denmark and Deon Beasley in an effort to find some positive yardage.

No such issues for the Ticats. Marcus Thigpen (1,243 combined return yards) is one of the premier return men in the game, and is joined by Chris Williams and Terry Grant — two newcomers who are equally as concerning for coverage units.

As dangerous as that group is, it’s Thigpen who keeps the Bombers up at night.

“He’s fast, might be the fastest guy we go against,” special teams captain Pierre-Luc Labbe said. “You see it on film. He doesn’t have any blocks but he’s able to turn the corner and get yards.

“You add those other guys in, and Hamilton is a tough matchup. We’ll have to be very disciplined in our lanes and not allow them to find a seam.”

Thigpen is the only player in the CFL to return a missed field goal for a touchdown this season, a 118-yard return against Calgary two weeks ago.