Blue will face a different Als team

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This article was published 17/09/2015 (3966 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

THE two teams have faced each other once this season, but the Montreal Alouettes team the Winnipeg Blue Bombers will face Sunday in Montreal is a very different team than the one the Bombers beat at home 25-23 in Week 3.

For starters, the Als have fired head coach Tom Higgins and replaced him with GM Jim Popp. Then earlier this month, taking advantage of a bye week, they fired offensive co-ordinator Turk Schonert and replaced him with former Als QB great, Anthony Calvillo, to work with Ryan Dinwiddie.

If that isn’t enough for the Bombers to deal with this week, there’s also the mystery of who will be the Als’ QB. Rakeem Cato, who’s been the starter for most of 2015, has been dealing with a “personal matter” for more than a week and was absent again Wednesday as the Als returned to practice.

Jonathon Crompton, who was the Als’ opening-day starter but immediately got hurt in Week 1, took the first-team reps Wednesday, although Popp said afterward the Cato situation is “day-to-day” and he is expected back today.

So where does that leave the Bombers as they prepare to face an opponent in a game with potentially major playoff implications?

“It’s not that big of a deal,” insisted middle linebacker Sam Hurl. “When it comes down to defence, it’s more of a read-and-react thing anyway. They’re not going to completely change their offence overnight.

“And as a defence, you can watch film and you can absorb all the keys you can get, but at the end of the day you have to read what’s happening in front of you on the field and react.”

Given all the uncertainty at QB for Montreal, Bombers head coach Mike O’Shea says he’s preparing his defence to face any and all of Cato, Crompton and third-stringer Tanner Marsh.

“You have to. You could see all three possibly,” O’Shea said Wednesday.

Winnipeg, Montreal and B.C. all have four wins and if the season were to end today, only one of those three teams would make the playoffs. The Bombers have played one more game than the other two, making this weekend’s visit to Montreal even more urgent.

WAITING ON NICK: With Nick Moore injured and his status uncertain for this weekend — O’Shea says the club will know more today — Justin Veltung was getting the first-team reps in place of Moore at practice Wednesday.

Veltung has quietly won the battle to be the first import receiver into the lineup when injuries arise, a point driven home Wednesday when the club announced it had cut import receiver Jhomo Gordon.

Veltung said he’s grateful for the opportunities he’s getting this season, but took no joy in seeing Gordon let go.

“It’s sad to see him leave — he was my roommate,” said Veltung. “But in this business, we’ve all been cut. He’ll bounce back.”

Gordon had all kinds of speed and in training camp was touted as a potential starting wide receiver. But he played in just two games, recording three catches for 15 yards.

EXTRA POINT: OL Selvish Capers practised at right tackle with the second-team offence.

paul.wiecek@freepress.mb.ca