Jul
Esks not taking Bombers lightly
Courtesy Edmonton Journal:
Judging by print previews, television sports desks and radio stations, the Winnipeg Blue Bombers should have just saved some dough and mailed the two points west.
Left for dead by most media outlets, new Bombers head coach Mike Kelly and his drastically revamped team isn’t getting much respect from the pundits as it prepares to face the Edmonton Eskimos tonight at 7 at Commonwealth Stadium.
Depending on where you look, the Esks are 8-to 10-point favourites.
“If the media was playing them, it might (hold true),” said Eskimos receiver Kamau Peterson, of chalking up an easy win. “But we’re coming in expecting a dogfight.
“I know Mike Kelly personally and I know he’s not going to field a team –and this is his team, make no mistake about that, he’s put his thumb print on it–to not compete.
“He’s a fighter,” added Peterson, of the man who coached the Esks receivers last season. “He’s picking guys that reflect his personality and I fully expect them to come out swinging and give us quite a bit of a game. We’re going to have to be on them to beat them.”
Yes, the Esks are supposed shoo-ins, but no one in Green and Gold is expecting Winnipeg to roll over and die. That would be just foolish. But, betting on the Bombers might be just as foolhardy. Does that put any added pressure on the home side?
“I don’t feel any added pressure and I don’t look around and see guys tighter than any other time,” said Peterson. “I think we’re just anxious to get the season going.
“Pressure only comes if you put it on yourself. I don’t think anybody else can put it on you.”
And that’s the message you’ll get right through the entire Esks dressing room. They will not feed the fire that is already burning inside of Kelly, who is doing his best to turn it into an inferno inside his own club.
“If that puts the pressure on us, then when we line up for the opening kickoff the scoreboard should read Edmonton 8, Winnipeg 0,” said Esks head coach Richie Hall. “The reality is it’s 0-0.
“What makes a team a favourite over another team?Because anyone can beat anyone on any given day,” he stressed. “Unless they put eight points up for us at the start of the game, then there is no such thing as a favourite.”
Yet, Kelly gladly played the underdog card earlier in the week. Why wouldn’t he?
“I don’t know where the pressure really lies,” said Kelly, changing his tune the day before the game. “I’m looking for an Edmonton team that’s well-prepared and with fire in their belly and will play under control.
“I just think it’s going to be a good football game,” he added.
The Esks wouldn’t want it any other way.
“I don’t think being an underdog or a favourite puts any more pressure on. Just opening the season on a strong note is pressure enough,” said Esks receiver Andrew Nowacki. “We want to come out and perform well and start the season on a strong note.”
ROSTER CHANGES:The Bombers will leave DB Brandon Stewart, RB Yvenson Bernard, DE Riall Johnson and WR Aaron Hargreaves off their 46-man list. The Esks are expected to sit FB Mathieu Bertrand, DB Bradley Robinson, RB Arkee Whitlock and possibly OL Greg Wojt.
mannicchiarico@thejournal.canwest.com———
WINNIPEG BLUEBOMBERS
ONE TO WATCH
QB Stefan Lefors
The former Eskimo backup finally gets his chance to prove he can be a starter in the CFl. a cool customer over centre, the left-handed thrower had his moments with Edmonton but wasn’t going to displace ricky ray. Now he’s in Winnipeg with head coach Mike Kelly–who coached the Eskimo receivers–who has built what he calls a totally new offence around leFors. Eskimo fans will be very interested to watch leFors.
KEYS TO VICTORY
1. The running game. In Winnipeg’s win over Edmonton last September Fred reid ran 16 times for 93 yards and the game-winning touchdown. Edmonton’s defence struggled against the run in 2008 and if Winnipeg can get a big running game, it opens up their entire offence.
2. Stop Ricky Ray. Career wise ray is only 5-5-1 against Winnipeg, including 1-1 in regular season in 2008. But in those two games he completed 68 of 81 passes for 754 yards and four touchdowns. In the east semifinal he was good on 27 of 37 passes for 303 yards.
3. Make Kelly’s offence work. New head coach Mike Kelly says he has a unique new offence. If it works and it can take advantage of Edmonton’s numerous newcomers on defence who are learning a new scheme, it would go a long way toward achieving a win.
QUOTABLE
“We’ve got something of everything, It’s a really different scheme from what I’ve been running the last two years. It’s more exciting, I’m more involved in it … I’m coming from different places. I love it. It’s wide open, I can do all sorts of things out of the backfield.”
– Winnipeg running back Fred Reid on the team’s new offensive scheme
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EDMONTON ESKIMOS
INJURY REPORT
Garrick Jones lT (9-game), John Comiskey lG, adam Braidwood, dT (9-game), derek Schiavone K (9-game), Willie amos dB, Bradley robinson dB
ONE TO WATCH
QB Ricky Ray
as goes ray, so go the Esks. Plain and simple. looked very rusty last week and needs to find that golden touch.
KEYS TO VICTORY
1. Turn on the pressure. Winnipeg QB Stefan leFors likes to run and could be a handful, but Esks front seven promise to turn up the heat on their former teammate.
2. Develop a run game. Edmonton needs to keep the Bombers’ defensive front honest by getting lumsden and McCarty going.
3. Dead air. rookie corners Bobby Keyes and lamar herron need to hold their own, as they will be targeted.
QUOTABLE
“We want to be in attack mode on the ground and up front.”
– Edmonton head coach Richie Hall, on developing a run game and pass attack through his offensive line
