ARGONAUTS.CA STAFF
MISSISSAUGA – Steven Jyles told the media today that the only lingering effects he has at this point is that he feels ‘fuzzy’. For Jyles and the Argos, they are fortunate that those are the only reminders of a hellacious hit Jyles absorbed in the fourth quarter of Friday night’s game against the Winnipeg Blue Bombers.
Jyles had escaped the pocket, earning his team a key first down, and was nailed by Bombers’ DB Johnny Sears who was penalized 15-yards for unnecessary roughness. He was eventually ejected from the contest following an altercation that ensued.
“I’m still a little fuzzy but I’m waiting to see what the doctors have to say,” Jyles said Monday. “I have never really had one of these [concussions] before so I don’t know what to expect. I knew it was something serious at the time when I couldn’t remember the play I just ran, so he got a pretty good shot on me.”
Backup QB Dalton Bell took all of the first-team reps in practice on Monday. Argos football management awaits results from their medical staff about Jyles’ injury which may give them a clearer picture as to whether or not Jyles can play in the season finale against Hamilton this Thursday.
While Jyles watched practiced from the sidelines, it didn’t stop him from voicing his displeasure about being on the receiving end of the hit that many fans and experts around the league have called a ‘cheap shot’.
“It’s not just with my team, but everyone thinks it’s a cheap shot,” Jyles explained. “The hurtful part about it is that he took a cheap shot and he claimed he didn’t try and hurt me, but he didn’t once try and apologize or say ‘hey man, I didn’t mean to do that’.
“I don’t have any respect for that guy. I will put it behind me but as for that guy goes I don’t even want to say his name – to intentionally try and do that, I don’t have any respect for that guy.”
Jyles’ disappointment with Sears was evident, but he wasn’t the only one to voice his opinion.
Injured offensive linemen Rob Murphy and Taylor Robertson took to Twitter immediately after the game to offer their thoughts on the matter. As they watched the events unfold on the broadcast they added another twist to the story. Some believed that the veteran linemen may have been threatening the Bombers’ sophomore defensive back, but both indicated that portions of the tweets were taken out of context.
“No not at all,” Murphy said in reference to their possibly being a threat. “There are ways to settle the score on the field, between the whistle, and that’s all I meant by [the post-game tweets].”
For Robertson, he says that he stands by his comments and that protecting his quarterback is in his nature whether he is on the field or not.
“I’m an offensive lineman and my job is to protect the quarterback. I’m watching the game and my quarterback is sitting there, laying motionless on the field and that’s just how you’re going to react.”
With Jyles’ status up in the air, the Argos don’t have much time to decide whether he or Bell start on Thursday. Tuesday acts as the team’s final practice before their day-before-game walk through session on Wednesday.
Regardless of whether Jyles starts, the former Bomber is just happy that he even has a shot at playing.
“I’m very fortunate. After I saw it on TSN a couple of times, and then on film, it was fortunate that I came back because it was a big shot.”