Blue try to save a Buck

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This article was published 05/10/2012 (4781 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

The Winnipeg Blue Bombers will be a Buck short on Monday in Montreal after head coach Tim Burke announced quarterback Buck Pierce will not play against the Alouettes on Monday due to a concussion.

“Buck will not be the starting quarterback this week,” Burke said Thursday.

“It’s been determined through the collaboration of data from our medical people that he won’t be suiting up this week. Whether he suits up next week is up to them (medical staff).”

Burke confirmed backup Joey Elliott will be under centre for the Bombers (3-10) against the Alouettes (8-5).

It will be the ninth game Pierce has missed this season of the 13 played by the Bombers so far. He missed eight games earlier this season with an injury to the tendon in his left foot.

Pierce, who was not made available for comment after Thursday’s practice, suffered a concussion during last Saturday’s 29-10 loss to the Toronto Argonauts. Argonauts linebacker Brandon Isaac tackled Pierce with a helmet-to-head hit in the late first quarter. Isaac, whose helmet hit Pierce in the chin cutting him, was fined for the hit by the CFL on Wednesday.

Burke said he hopes Elliott gets better this week from last week. Elliott came into the game against Toronto in relief of Pierce but was intercepted three times. He completed 20 of 30 passes for 173 yards.

“We’ve changed the package a little bit more to suit him as opposed to Buck so hopefully he’ll have a good game for us,” Burke said.

“And I want to clarify something. Buck was quoted as saying that he had a headache when he went into the game, he said it to me the same way he probably said to you guys, he meant he had jaw pain and facial pain,” Burke said. “He was cleared by our doctors to go back in the game because he did not have any symptoms that affected his brain. His jaw obviously did hurt and he had stitches.”

Burke said Pierce used the term “headache” for how he was feeling during the game when what he meant was pain to his face and jaw area.

Pierce left the game in the late first quarter for stitches but returned to play in the game during the second quarter.

After the game, Burke said Pierce developed the “headache,” which is a concussion-related symptom, during the second quarter and was taken out of the game and he did not return in the second half.

Burke wants it to be known the Bombers medical staff did not allow Pierce to be playing in the game when he had a “headache,” which is a concussion-related symptom.

ashley.prest@freepress.mb.ca Twitter: @WFPAshleyPrest