It’s a mammoth part of the gig and it’s detailed very, very clearly in the job description.
Every quarterback on the planet can attest that when things are going good, life is good. Meals get comped, advertisers are calling and the press is gushing.
And when things are going bad, a QB gets blamed for everything from a poor route by a receiver, to a missed block up front, to the economic downturn caused by Britain’s decision to leave the European Union.
It’s always black or white, with no middle ground. Thick skins are most definitely required.
So there was Winnipeg Blue Bombers quarterback Drew Willy on Monday, addressing a throng of media after practice and – as expected – taking the first shots for everything that went wrong with the offence in the season-opening loss to the Montreal Alouettes.
“It starts with me,” said Willy after practice Monday. “I need to be better. If I hit a couple of those deep balls early, we put some points on the board and then everything else is sailing good.”
Willy exited Friday night with some solid QB numbers, completing 25 of 34 passes for 303 yards with one TD and one interception.
But as the front man for an attack that added some spiffy new pieces this winter, he is also the first to have the fingers of blame pointed at him after a loss.
The Bombers had a number of offensive issues last Friday, namely an inability to convert second/third and short situations, Willy’s overthrow of a couple of home-run balls that could have been touchdowns, and the surrendering of five sacks. The offence was shut out in the opening 30 minutes, picking up only five first downs – four by penalty – and 77 net yards.
Those totals improved in the second half, but the results didn’t match the hype.
“We got started late, but overall we’ll be fine,” said receiver Darvin Adams, who finished with five catches for 105 yards, including a 63-yard TD. “It’s all about putting the work in practice.
“(The outside criticism) is always going to be there. I’ve said it before: you can never be concerned about what’s going on on the outside. It’s the people and the coaches in here, even though we love our fans.
“It’s the first game of the season. No one should panic.”
Still, that’s a tough sell in these parts right now. And even though it’s early, there’s no question this offence is under the microscope.
“We need to go out there and prove it,” said Willy. “We need to put points up on the board, that’s the biggest thing. Sometimes yardage doesn’t equal points. We just need to be better in those situations.”
BOMBER REPORT – JUNE 27
THE WORD ON WESTON:
Bomber WR Weston Dressler was on the practice field Monday, but did not participate. Head coach Mike O’Shea didn’t get into specifics after practice about the injury, but didn’t rule out the veteran pass catcher, either.
“We’re hopeful he’ll be ready this week,” said O’Shea. “He shows up every day, sees (Head Athletic Therapist) Al (Couture) and we’ll go from there.”
The Dressler injury and how it occurred – he put his head down in an attempt to gain more yards and took a shot from Alouettes defender Ethan Davis – has prompted discussion, particularly by the CFL on TSN panel.
Some on that crew, particularly Bomber legend Milt Stegall, believe Dressler could have been smarter by simply stepping out of bounds rather than inviting more contact.
Here’s O’Shea when asked Monday about fighting for that extra yard versus a player ‘saving himself’ in order to stay in the game.
“I don’t think you’re going to find football players talking about saving themselves,” said O’Shea. “They’ve been playing this game for quite some time and they play it a certain way. By the time they get to this level they’ve already developed a style of game they play that’s hard to change. That term ‘save yourself’… I don’t know if you’re going to find any football player talking like that.
“These aren’t average men. They don’t talk about saving themselves or taking the easy way out. They talk about competing and winning and battling and dominating… those are the words they use. Pretty tough to change a guy’s fabric now.”
OUCH REPORT:
LBs Khalil Bass and Jesse Briggs did not practice on Monday, but the Bombers believe both will be in the lineup Friday in Calgary.
Cornerback Johnny Adams, meanwhile, has yet to practice since early in camp and remains iffy.
COMINGS/GOINGS:
The Bombers brought aboard another defensive back on Monday, adding Terrence Frederick to the practice roster.
Frederick (5-10, 185, Texas A&M) was a seventh-round draft pick of the Pittsburgh Steelers in 2012 and was last with the New Orleans Saints, starting three games for them in 2014. During his days with the Aggies, he made 45 starts, including 39 consecutive.
Frederick’s arrival meant a player had to go and the club released popular veteran Louie Richardson from the practice roster.
SACK ATTACK:
The Bomber offensive line and Willy, in particular, took a lot of heat after Friday’s loss for the five quarterback sacks allowed. But as has been a common theme over the last few weeks, it’s rarely any one unit or person who is to blame when Willy goes down in heap.
“Same answer: it’s never one thing that leads to a sack,” said O’Shea when asked to address the issue. “A sack is a couple breakdowns and when you have those, a bigger play happens. A couple mistakes on offence and it’s either a sack or a turnover or something negative. Everybody on the offence owns up to a sack.”
