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By: Tim Campbell Posted: 1:00 AM CDT Saturday, Sep. 27, 2014

BROHM READY TO GO

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Hey there, time traveller!
This article was published 27/09/2014 (4084 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

BROHM READY TO GO

Bombers backup quarterback Brian Brohm has had an interesting week. It began with him taking first-team reps, but with starter Drew Willy’s improving health, he has reverted to his regular role.

Brohm said Friday, however, he’s as ready as ever.

“For my development, getting more first-team reps, any time you can get that definitely helps,” he said. “I definitely feel very prepared if I have to go in this week. I felt prepared weeks prior, but even more so this week with the extra reps.”

He said he’s learned something from the B.C. game, when he relieved Willy and went six-for-13 for 33 passing yards in the eventual 26-9 loss.

“Any time you get in there in live action and play, you’re going to take something away from it,” he said. “It was good to get out there to get that feeling, get those reps, get that experience. If I do get to play down the stretch I think it will pay dividends.”

The ever-shifting pocket, Brohm said, was a big thing about game action that isn’t easily practised.

“There are a lot of little things,” he said. “The thing I’d like to work on is feeling the pocket, movement in the pocket. That’s something hard to work on unless you’re actually playing in live action.”

SPARKING THE OFFENCE

The Bombers’ struggles for consistency on offence have to be as big a concern as Drew Willy’s health.

— In their last game, against B.C., the team bumbled to a season-low 144 net yards of offence, the fourth-lowest total in one game by any team this season.

— The Bombers net offence has averaged 294 yards per game. It’s been all over the map this season, from 451 yards in the Sept. 13 low-water mark, which followed a 388-yard game against Saskatchewan.

— Winnipeg has the second-most turnovers so far in the CFL season, 30, and is minus-eight in that department. Only Toronto is worse at minus-9.

HERE’S JOHNNY

Bombers defensive back Johnny Sears returns to a starting role tonight after missing eight games. He played the first four, was injured, and though he’s been healthy and ready for a number of weeks, hasn’t been able to crack the staring lineup until this week.

“It’s an emotional roller-coaster. I always want to be on the field,” Sears said. “But you just have to bring the situation to a positive light. I’ve had more time to watch with more of a coach’s eyes, get more time with the coaches, seeing what they’re seeing, why we’re running certain things and why we’re doing something to counter-act what the offence is doing.

“So in a way it kind of helped me evolve as a football player.”

Sears said he contemplated speaking to head coach Mike O’Shea about his predicament but decided patience was the best course.

“It ran through my mind, of course,” he said.

“But I had to make sure I wasn’t doing anything to jeopardize the team. You don’t want to step on anyone’s toes. I don’t want to be that guy who can be considered a cancer to the team because of something I was doing.

“I just wanted to make sure I can show the team I can be a team guy, if they had any thoughts about my attitude or if I was a hard-headed or one of the guys to go against the team. The one thing is to win and I wanted to be sure I could display that.”

HICKMAN, CAT-STYLE

The Tiger-Cats have a significant addition this week.

Defensive tackle Justin Hickman has been activated. He was with the Indianapolis Colts for the last two seasons but unable to play because of a foot injury.

“I’m ready to hit somebody,” Hickman said Friday.

His last CFL game was for the Tiger-Cats, here in the 2011 Eastern final.

“Eager to play some football. Sick of training and lifting and all that other stuff that goes into the preparation,” he said. “I wasn’t going to end on an injury. No way.”

HICKMAN, BOMBER-STYLE

The Bombers have activated their own Hickman. Greg, a 23-year-old defensive tackle from Tampa, Fla., was signed a week ago. He’s no relation to Hamilton’s Justin.

Coach Mike O’Shea said Friday Hickman will be able to spell Bryant Turner when required.

“He practised hard,” O’Shea said of Hickman. “He’s a big body, moves well, took in well the information on the system and he was not making mistakes. And he has a motor.”