Winnipeg Blue Bombers @ Ottawa redblacks: June 13, 2016 game thread

[Will]

Winnipeg wraps up their pre-season tomorrow in the nation's capital. I think this game is on television.

[jerrym]

Winnipeg is leaving some veterans out of the game.

The Winnipeg Blue Bombers are leaving a number of veteran players home as they travel to Ottawa for their final exhibition game against the RedBlacks on Monday.
The Bombers announced their roster for their final tuneup and defensive linemen Jamaal Westerman, Keith Shologan, Euclid Cummings and Jake Thomas are among the players who won’t make the trip.
The Blue Bombers’ defence also won’t include Sam Hurl, Jesse Briggs, Kyle Knox, Donald Celiscar, Shayne Gauthier, and Johnny Patrick.
The Bombers intend on using all four quarterbacks against the RedBlacks but are expected to give Drew Willy more playing time after he attempted just six passes in the first pre-season game.
“Drew’s going to have to play an expanded role in this game. That’s for sure.” said head coach Mike O’Shea. “Matt (Nichols) is going to get more snaps in this game.”
But the head coach also still needs to make a decision on his third string quarterback between Dominique Davis and Bryan Bennett.
“It just means with Dom (Davis) and Bryan (Bennett) they’ve got to make good on their opportunity.” said O’Shea.
A total of 60 players are listed on their roster but the lineup also doesn’t include Weston Dressler who’s still nursing an injury. Travis Bond, Aundrey Walker, Jeff Keeping, Justin Veltung, Addison Richards, Alex Vitt, and Pascal Lochard also won’t play.
Sergio Castillo and Billy Pavlopoulos will handle the kicking duties with newcomer Justin Medlock sitting out.

http://globalnews.ca/news/2757049/wi...e-season-game/

[jerrym]

HC Rick Campbell talks about the game Monday.

http://www.ottawaredblacks.com/2016/...he-fans-again/

[jerrym]

Drew Willy will play half the game as a tune-up for the regular season.

He’s been given the keys to a new muscle car and, as much as Winnipeg Blue Bombers quarterback Drew Willy must be itching to let the thing loose, he understands fully and completely how this works.
Canadian Football League preseason games are more often about finding rhythm and timing – all while working in vanilla schemes – and getting ready for when it all is for real. It often means a high-powered beast comes out of second gear only for a moment and teases everyone, including the man behind the wheel, at the possibilities.
And so as much as winning last week’s exhibition debut against the Montreal Alouettes got River City buzzing, and a win Monday in Ottawa in the final dress rehearsal would only enhance that vibe in advance of the regular-season opener, it’s about a methodical build to November. ...

Thus the question that was put to Willy Sunday afternoon in Ottawa at the team’s hotel: with those kinds of restrictions in place in the preseason, how does a quarterback really know he and the offence are ready for prime time?
“I don’t know if you ever know if you’re ready,” began Willy. “We’ve gotten off to good starts the past couple of years in the opening game, but it’s a long season, a marathon, and really you want to be playing your best football at the end. You’d like to get off to a hot start and keep the consistency going.
“For myself, it’s just getting more and more reps, not necessarily even game reps. There’s different situations I need to be put in, whether it’s game or practice.”
Willy will start Monday’s game against the REDBLACKS and figures to play at least a half. Matt Nichols will also see his time at the controls increase, meaning Dominique Davis and Bryan Bennett might get limited snaps behind centre. That’s part of the delicate balance coaches must deal with in preseason – using games to evaluate personnel while at the same time getting their starters the work they need to be ready when the curtain lifts.
Willy said he’s got a grip on Paul LaPolice’s playbook and that there are no play calls that would have him momentarily racking his brain. But there’s also a second component to being a quarterback at the controls of a new attack.
“… To be able to coach it and teach it is the big thing,” said Willy. “If there’s guys in the huddle that are young and they’re looking at you and saying, ‘How do I run this route? Or how do I do this?’ and with a certain amount of play clock time, I’ve got a lot to think about. That’s where you know that you really get it, you’re able to teach it or tell a guy in the huddle exactly how you want it done within a certain time limit.
“It’s getting to the point where I can relate it exactly how Coach LaPo and Coach Buck Pierce want it and be able to teach it to the other guys.”
Now, as much as Bomber Nation cringes whenever Willy goes down in a heap, the club’s QB1 said his job is to get rid of the ball quickly. And with flashes the offence has shown, he believes the engine will soon be purring.

http://www.bluebombers.com/2016/06/1...ke-wpg-at-ott/

[Will]

I didn't watch much of the game, the redblacks won 18-14 and from the sounds of it some of Bomber nation on Twitter is concerned about their first-string offense because they didn't show much. The redblacks' promising RB William Powell was also injured.

[Jayahre]

I didn't watch much of the game, the redblacks won 18-14 and from the sounds of it some of Bomber nation on Twitter is concerned about their first-string offense because they didn't show much. The redblacks' promising RB William Powell was also injured.

The first half was all Burris and Trevor Harris passing for close to 300 yards. The Bombers first stringers led by Willy being totally shut down by Ottawa. Willy was sacked more times than pass completions
The score could have been much higher for Ottawa but the final score doesn't mean much at all.
The second half was a typical pre-season game with all the backups getting a chance to play with very little offense, lots of confusion and penalties.

[R.J]

I didn't watch much of the game, the redblacks won 18-14 and from the sounds of it some of Bomber nation on Twitter is concerned about their first-string offense because they didn't show much. The redblacks' promising RB William Powell was also injured.

The Bombers first team offense was absolutely terrible and as many people anticipated; their offensive line is still their weak link. I really don't understand how Walters & Co. didn't try to improve it this off season (Jeff Keeping isn't really going to be much help IMO).

[doubleblue]

The Bombers first team offense was absolutely terrible and as many people anticipated; their offensive line is still their weak link. I really don't understand how Walters & Co. didn't try to improve it this off season (Jeff Keeping isn't really going to be much help IMO).

I agree everything on offense starts with the offensive line. I would say Winnipeg is going to have to go with more than one import up front. Either Ottawa is going to have one whale of a pass rush or some of the Winnipeg OL are not up to it. LT Stanley Bryant is ok, Suuk Chungh is a good young Canadian Guard. But after that they look very ordinary to me. Nuefield has never panned out IMO and Goossen has been slow developing. I think the fact they signed Keeping and drafted Couture probably verified that, with maybe the thought Goossen could play Right Guard. But Keeping is out for a while so it back to the drawing board.

[Scooter McCray]

I hope Ottawa RB William Powell isn't out for too long. I was looking forward to watching him play a full season. Good candidate to be the league rushing leader. Combine that with one of the best passing attacks, and Ottawa's offence likely gets better this year.

[jerrym]

Game summary:

Get sharp and stay healthy: the primary objectives of the first preseason game of 2016 for the Ottawa Redblacks.
Assessment: mixed results on the first, not good on the latter as the Redblacks downed the Winnipeg Blue Bombers 18-14 before an announced crowd of 17,947 at TD Place stadium.
The injury bug the Redblacks largely avoided in 2015 bit hard on the first series of the first preseason game of 2016. Tailback William Powell, a revelation on the team’s drive to the Grey Cup game last November, made just two carries before he was helped off the field with an injured left leg, and he was on crutches before half-time.
Next man up was Travon Van, and he staked his claim to a prime-time role with a mix of nifty footwork and flat-out speed, running seven times for 38 yards and adding two catches for 10 yards.
Then there was the case of Ronnie Pfeffer, who only made one kickoff before he limped into the locker room at halftime. Kicker Chris Milo did extra duty, but there’s virtually no doubt the Redblacks will be trying to find another hoofer, and maybe it’s a good thing that the first round of CFL training-camp cuts is due by midnight Tuesday.
Keep in mind that the Redblacks went through a half-dozen punters last season because of inefficiency, roster-ratio issues and injuries, including a broken ankle for Pfeffer.
“Dave (Wright), our trainer, is going to be a little bit busier than we wanted him to be,” Redblacks head coach Rick Campbell said, “but he’ll look at these guys tonight and then again in the morning and then we’ll have a better idea of where we’re at. I thought Milo stepped in and did a good job doing all three (punts, field goals and kickoffs).”
As for quarterback Henry Burris, the league’s most outstanding player in 2015 looked as if he hadn’t lost anything off his form, the starting receivers made some nifty catches, but also dropped some passes and racked up penalties, and the first-unit defence was in fine form, twice stopping two third-down gambles and putting more than enough pressure on Drew Willy to make Bombers head coach Mike O’Shea fear for the health of his starting QB.
The offensive output included a touchdown catch by Brad Sinopoli, three field goals by Milo and a punt single and a two-point convert on a pass from Burris to Ernest Jackson, all in the first half.
“I think (Burris) is in a good place,” Campbell said. “I’ll sit down with Marcel (Desjardins, general manager) and we’ll look at the roster because, one, we are going to have to move on from some people to get down to the 65-man roster, and then we’ll see the health of people.
“Don’t be surprised if we leave some people home (for Friday’s road game against the Hamilton Tiger-Cats), put it that way, because it’s a quick turnaround to make guys play two football games in four days.”
Trevor Harris, the quarterback signed as a free agent to be Burris’s backup this year and successor in 2016, played just one series with the first-team offence and couldn’t generate much with the second-stringers in the third quarter.
Danny O’Brien was behind centre for three series in the fourth quarter, throwing one interception. Brock Jensen finished up with one series, most crucially pushing forward just far enough on a third-down gamble to help the Redblacks run down the clock.
The Bombers, who have played both of their prep games and will open up against the Montreal Alouettes on June 24, received two field goals and a single by Sergio Castillo and a touchdown catch by Quincy McDuffie in the fourth quarter.
There was one odd moment in the second quarter. Van appeared to tip-toe along the sideline on his way to the end-zone, but he was ruled out of bounds by an official at the Bombers’ five-yard line.
Campbell threw a challenge flag, but head referee Tim Kroeker informed him that the play was effectively when Van was ruled out of bounds, and that call couldn’t be challenged.
“I had to make something up, I did,” Campbell said after the game. “I had to make something up because they were going to give me a delay-of-game penalty.”
Fortunately for the Redblacks, Burris connected with Sinopoli on a seven-yard scoring throw two plays later.

http://ottawacitizen.com/sports/foot...-bombers-18-14

[jerrym]

Quite a contrast in the description of Trevor Harris's performance between the Ottawa Citizen's report and the Redblack's own summary of the game.

Trevor Harris, the quarterback signed as a free agent to be Burris’s backup this year and successor in 2016, played just one series with the first-team offence and couldn’t generate much with the second-stringers in the third quarter.

http://ottawacitizen.com/sports/foot...-bombers-18-14

Harris provided a change of pace and some big plays downfield, piling up 107 yards on 7-of-12 passing.

http://www.ottawaredblacks.com/2016/...-vs-bombers-2/

[jerrym]

Video game highlights: The injury to RB William Powell, who was later on crutches, could be the biggest play of the year for the Redblacks, considering how outstanding he was last year.

http://www.ottawaredblacks.com/2016/...8-winnipeg-14/

[OV Argo]

Video game highlights: The injury to RB William Powell, who was later on crutches, could be the biggest play of the year for the Redblacks, considering how outstanding he was last year.

http://www.ottawaredblacks.com/2016/...8-winnipeg-14/

I wouldn't go that far - Powell was better than a string of mediocre RBs the RedBlacks had employed; he was impressive IMO but he wasn't exactly Leon McQuay in terms of a dangerous, explosive big play RB, and hardly a key cog in an offence that is all about passing = he can easily be replaced IMO (that new guy Van at RB looked good), but hopefully his injury is not that bad and he can return sooner than later.

[OV Argo]

I agree everything on offense starts with the offensive line. I would say Winnipeg is going to have to go with more than one import up front. Either Ottawa is going to have one whale of a pass rush or some of the Winnipeg OL are not up to it. LT Stanley Bryant is ok, Suuk Chungh is a good young Canadian Guard. But after that they look very ordinary to me. Nuefield has never panned out IMO and Goossen has been slow developing. I think the fact they signed Keeping and drafted Couture probably verified that, with maybe the thought Goossen could play Right Guard. But Keeping is out for a while so it back to the drawing board.

The Bombers have tried a string of mediocre import O-linemen at OT for some time; Bryant may be solid, but Neufeld is probably as good as some of the import OTs they have had; and they were playing an import O-lineman at guard beside Bryant on their 1st team offence in last night's ex. game = they could easily go with 2 or even 3 import O-linemen if you want to assume that makes things automatically better - they could easily start 4 NIs on their defence. Couture is a promising young O-linemen; Chung & Goosen are more maybes at this point, but I'll bet they all play wayyyyyyyy more in the CFL than any of Barker's O-line draft picks this year ever do.