Bob Irving
CFL.ca
We’re just three games into the CFL season, and the Winnipeg Blue Bombers may be facing a quarterback crisis, similar, yet somehow different to the one that plagued them in 2010.
Buck Pierce, as fit as he has ever been and optimistic that he could lead the Bombers to big things in2011, has suffered the same fate as he did last season, an injury in game three.
He was on the receiving end of some nasty hits in Thursday’s 21-20 loss to the Stampeders – a few of which were late and drew the ire of at least one Bomber.
Offensive tackle Glenn January accused the Stampeders of crossing the line, claiming that some of the hits appeared to be premeditated and dirty.
Pierce wasn’t as strong in his post-game comments, but he did admit that there were some “late hits” and suggested the league might want to take a look at the situation.
The pounding taken in by Pierce resulted in a severe contusion to his left quad muscle. He was eventually ruled out by the coaching staff at half time.
By now, everyone should know that this isn’t his first go-around with the injury bug.
Last year, he left game three in Hamilton in the third quarter with a knee injury. His season then came to an abrupt end on Labour Day weekend in Saskatchewan when he suffered a catastrophic dislocation of the elbow on his passing arm.
The Bombers have listed Pierce as day-to-day, and they say there is a “chance” he could be healthy enough to play in their next game in Toronto on Saturday.
But if he can’t, the Bombers will be turning to their number three quarterback Alex Brink, because the Calgary game also produced an even more severe quarterback injury.
Joey Elliott hurt his knee late in the game, and tests on the weekend revealed a torn ACL.
Surgery will be required and Elliott can forget about playing football until next year in training camp.
The Purdue product had looked very competent in his relief role against the Stampeders. He also started the last two games of the 2010 season when the Bombers had Pierce, Steven Jyles and Brink all on the injured list. Elliott was being groomed as Pierce’s successor and his loss is a major blow.
The Bombers have brought back quarterback Justin Goltz, who refused a practice roster spot after being among the final cuts in training camp.
Goltz was a three-year starter at Occidental College. He actually signed with the Bombers for the final two games of last season after Jyles and Brink joined Pierce on the sidelines.
The 6’ 5”, 215 lbs. native of Walled Lake, MI, looked quite capable in a brief pre-season appearance against the Argos and is very familiar with the Winnipeg system.
You can rest assured that management has discussed bringing in a proven CFL veteran, but there appears to be only two of those available – Jason Maas and Casey Printers.
Maas is retired while Printers is out of the game. At this point it doesn’t look like the Bombers will be going down either of those roads. At least not until they have a better idea of when Pierce might be able to play again.
So, as it now stands, the Bombers will hope that Pierce can return to the lineup quickly, although those close to the club tell me it’s unlikely he will play in Toronto on.
That would make Brink, the man in charge of the offence against the Argos. Goltz and likely Brandon Summers, who has been on the Bomber practice roster for a month, would be the backups.
The Bombers are off to a 2-1 start. It could easily be 3-0 if not for some misfortune in the Calgary game. Their defence is playing “lights-out” football and special teams have been strong.
But a great big question mark has materialized over who will give them the quarterbacking they will need to become a factor in the CFL East Division race.
