CFL.ca
Chad Simpson has emerged as one of the leaders on the Winnipeg Blue Bombers in just his second year with the team and that was evident this week when Simpson was among the players who organized a “players only” meeting in the wake of Friday’s 35-19 loss at the hands of the Toronto Argonauts.
Simpson was visibly upset during the game. He insists not because he wasn’t getting enough work, but because it was another long night on the field for the Winnipeg’s offensive unit. After a good start to the game that saw Buck Pierce complete 9 of his first 10 passes for 131 yards, Simpson says the Bomber offence bogged down, causing his frustration level to rise.
Simpson told our CJOB post-game show that he is simply tired of losing. “We went 6-12 last year, we are off to a 1-3 start this year, and I don’t leave my 5-year old daughter behind at home for five months just so I can lose football games.”
Simpson wasn’t about to reveal what was discussed during the players-only meeting.
“Not really, that’s a bond between the brothers, it’s personal. We don’t point fingers here, we just had to clear up some things. Every team in the CFL is good and it always comes down to the little things. If we got one or two more yards on each play it puts us in a better position to keep drives alive. We just have to get something going on first down and we just have to be pros and be consistent in what we do.” 
Simpson insists he is not discouraged.
“Not at all. You can’t be discouraged. You would less of a teammate if you got discouraged, especially this early in the season. There is no need to push the panic button.”
The subject of how much work Simpson gets has been a hot topic of conversation since he joined the club at the start of the 2012 season.
He had 1,039 yards rushing in 14 games in his rookie CFL season despite only averaging 12 carries per game. His 6.0 yard average was tops among the league’s starting running backs, leading to the belief that if Simpson got more touches, the Bombers would have more success on offence.
In the loss to the Argos, Simpson carried only 10 times for 50 yards. And through the first 4 games this year, he has 44 carries for 256 yards. Which means he is averaging only 11 carries per game. Kory Sheets of the Riders is carrying the ball 18 times per game, Calgary’s Jon Cornish 15 and Andrew Harris of B.C. is taking 13 handoffs per game.
Simpson spent 3 years in the NFL, two with Indianapolis and one with Washington before signing with the Blue Bombers in January of 2012.
The 5-foot-9, 200-pound native of Miami has the kind of speed, toughness and elusiveness that all CFL clubs covet in their number-one tailback. As the Bombers try to somehow find some consistency in their offensive attack — a search that will include Justin Goltz making his first ever CFL start at quarterback on Friday against Calgary — there is little argument that whatever success the Bombers hope to have on offence this season, Chad Simpson will need to be an integral part of it.
