Protection — sometimes

Hey there, time traveller!
This article was published 17/10/2011 (5161 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

IT’S been a tale of two offensive lines the past few weeks for the Winnipeg Blue Bombers.

Two weeks ago, the five men that comprise the line took the blame on themselves for a last-second loss to the Montreal Alouettes in which they failed — twice — to push the game-winning touchdown in from the one-yard line in the dying seconds.

But then last week, they had what was, by unanimous acclaim, their best game of the season, completely owning the Hamilton Tiger-Cats’ defensive line as running back Chris Garrett scampered for 131 yards through gaping holes and no one in a Ticats uniform was able to get a pass rush going.

So it was a bit surprising — but also typical of a Bombers team that has developed a split personality in recent months — to see the Edmonton Eskimos’ defensive line so completely own the line of scrimmage in a 24-10 Eskimos win Saturday night.

The Eskimos sacked Bombers QB Buck Pierce five times and hurried him too many other times to mention as the offensive line leaked like a strainer.

“They didn’t do anything we really weren’t expecting,” said offensive lineman Brendan LaBatte. “They did a good job of holding stuff off until right before the snap of the ball, in terms of movement and bouncing guys around. There was a lot of communicating out there trying to get everyone on the right page.

“I don’t know — it was just one of the those games where we couldn’t get any rhythm,”

Denmark felt rotten

BOMBERS slotback Clarence Denmark, the team’s most potent receiver in recent weeks, vows he will play this weekend against the Montreal Alouettes.

Denmark was levelled in the first quarter by Edmonton linebacker Rod Davis, coughing up the ball momentarily and sparking a video review that went Winnipeg’s way when officials ruled Denmark had crumpled on top of the ball to regain possession.

Denmark returned for a few offensive series after the hit, but never was quite right after that, and he didn’t return for the second half.

“I wasn’t feeling too good, so I just decided to sit in the second half,” he said after the game.

Bombers head coach Paul LaPolice said Denmark suffered a shoulder injury and would be checked out today, but he didn’t seem overly alarmed by the situation.

Denmark said he’s not certain if it was the Davis hit when he got hurt — “I really don’t know where I hurt it” — but he is certain about one thing:

Asked if he will play against the Alouettes this Saturday at Canad Inns Stadium, Denmark was unequivocal: “Yes, for sure.”

Renaud in LaPo’s sights

LAPOLICE offered this on Sunday about punter Mike Renaud, whose 22-yard punt (and 10-yard illegal punt penalty) gave the Eskimos excellent field position at the Winnipeg 29-yard line late in the third quarter, which eventually led to an Edmonton touchdown:

“You can’t put your defence in a situation where you put them on such a short field there. That was a frustrating thing. He had a couple good kicks, but you can’t make kicks like that.”

Will LaPolice bring in backup punter Jamie Boreham to face the Montreal Alouettes next weekend?

“I’ll look at the film and make decisions as the week goes on.”