ARGONAUTS.CA STAFF
TORONTO — Last year, the Winnipeg Blue Bombers finished 4-14 and out of the playoffs for their second straight season. However, the Bombers’ 2010 record failed to indicate the team’s true competitiveness. Winnipeg lost a total of nine games by four points or less on their way down to the CFL’s basement. The squad will need to improve on its tendency to squander close games – an adjustment they already seem to have made early in 2011.
In their opening game against the Hamilton Tiger-Cats, the Blue Bombers trailed 16-13 heading into the fourth quarter before scoring 11 unanswered points en route to a 24-16 victory. The team showed a resiliency that was absent far too often during the 2010 campaign.
Players To Watch:
QB Buck Pierce
RB Fred Reid
WR Terrence Edwards
WR Greg Carr
DE Odell Willis
DT Doug Brown
S Ian Logan
DB Alex Suber
DB Javon Johnson
Key Injuries:
LB Henoc Muamba
DB Clint Kent
WR Kito Poblah
Storylines:
– The Bomber offensive line’s task all year is to keep their QB healthy – how will they manage against an Argos front four that sustained pressure on Henry Burris last week?
– Can the Bombers build on a huge road win in Hamilton to open the season?
Winnipeg’s major strength last season was its defensive secondary, which limited opponents to a league-best 254 passing yards per game. Through the first week of the season, the secondary seems to have picked up right where it left off. Early in the fourth quarter, CFL Defensive Player of the Week Alex Suber intercepted Kevin Glenn and ran the ball back 65 yards for the touchdown to put Winnipeg up for good. Safety Ian Logan, the veteran leader of the Bombers secondary, had two more interceptions in the win. The secondary’s ability to match its production from last season will go a long way in determining the level of success that the Bombers have this year.
The Bombers are hoping that the void left by departed defensive end Philip Hunt (signed with Philadelphia Eagles of the NFL) won’t be too big to fill. Hunt led the league in sacks with 16 a year ago, and his replacement, CFL rookie Jason Vega, was solid against Hamilton as he picked up four tackles. Vega will have as much freedom as a defensive end can possibly have, thanks to the presence of 36-year old veteran Doug Brown who has been clogging up the middle for 11 seasons. The seven-time all-star kicked off his season in fine form with five tackles including one sack.
On the offensive side of the ball, the Blue Bombers will need starting quarterback Buck Pierce to remain healthy for the whole season in order to make the playoffs. The Bombers acquired Pierce as a free agent in 2010, but the pivot battled a knee injury all year before a dislocated shoulder effectively ended his season on Labour Day. The 29-year old has a long history of injuries and, with two unproven backups in Joey Elliott and Alex Brink behind him, it is crucial for Pierce to find a way to stay on the field.
Pierce’s health would give the Bombers offence a much-needed supplement to an already fierce ground attack. RB Fred Reid led the CFL with 1,396 yards in 2010 en route to being named a CFL all-star for the first time in his five-year career.
There doesn’t appear to be any shortage of talent on this year’s Blue Bombers squad. Another consistent effort against the Argos in week two will go a long way in sending a message to the league that Winnipeg intends to return to the CFL’s post-season in 2011.