One of the truly great things about football is there is only one game a week and the slow build-up to the event can be absolutely enthralling.
And of the truly awful things about football after a team loses is there is only one game a week and the tedious post-mortem in defeat can be absolutely excruciating.
As Exhibit A, we give you the Winnipeg Blue Bombers.
Arguably no team in the Canadian Football League had more hype swirling around it prior to Week 1 than the Bombers. It’s understandable, then, the sense of the frustration from both inside and outside the locker room after the 22-14 loss to the Montreal Alouettes.
It’s also meant for a very long week for the men on offence in particular, as they attempt to regroup for Friday’s Canada Day contest in Calgary against the Stampeders.
Drew Willy fell on the sword post-game, and again on Monday.
And offensive coordinator Paul LaPolice followed on Wednesday.
“I put it all on me and I hope Drew puts it all on him. And I hope Darvin Adams puts it all on him. And Andrew Harris…” said LaPolice. “We talk about we’re all responsible for everybody.
“Mike (O’Shea) does a tremendous job of making sure we are one team, but we all have to look internally about what we can do better.”
The Bombers will attempt to take that next step without wide receiver Weston Dressler, who has been on the field for the last couple of days but was not cleared for action after taking a nasty shot to the head in the loss to Montreal.
“He’s just not quite there yet,” said O’Shea. “If it’s a home game he’d maybe have another day. But because we’re travelling (Thursday) we had to make the decision now.”
Thomas Mayo, who had stints with the Oakland Raiders and New York Jets and bounced around the indoor game, will start in Dressler’s place.
LaPolice was asked Wednesday what he sees in Mayo.
“Besides the frosted tips (in his hair)?” said LaPolice with a chuckle. “He’s such a good kid and he gets better every week.
“He’s been here for a while, from rookie camp on. He’s fast for a big guy. He’s not afraid to go hit somebody. Coach O’Shea talked about it in a meeting one time… we had Mayo on a screen pass to Andrew Harris for a touchdown in the preseason. Mayo came across the field and lit up a player, just destroyed the guy. Mike says, ‘Do you know who that guy is?’ And Thomas is like, ‘I don’t know.’ And it was Kyries Hebert, one of the best players in the league and Thomas goes, ‘OK, whatever.’
“He’s got some physicality to him and he’s made some nice catches in preseason.”
Paul LaPolice
But the Mayo-for-Dressler switch is just another change to an offensive unit trying to build some chemistry with new receivers in Ryan Smith and Jace Davis, a new left guard in Jermarcus Hardrick and a new tailback in Andrew Harris.
Dressler took just eight snaps before his exit against Montreal (catching three passes), causing a ripple effect through the receiving corps. The silver lining this week is that Mayo has been in the attack since the first day of practice.
“We were a little bit more ready this week because (Dressler) didn’t practice,” said quarterback Drew Willy. “We were able to get some reps (with Mayo) and I’ll be making sure he’s good with everything we’re doing out there and go through different scenarios with him that come up during the game and just make sure he’s ready.”
LaPolice bemoaned the Bombers short-yardage issues, particularly early in the loss to Montreal. That just didn’t kill drives, it prevented the offence from finding any kind of mojo early. And after that the club was in full chase mode.
“I want them to score touchdowns. I want them to play fast and play hard. I want us to be more efficient and more successful, more than anything,” said LaPolice. “We worked on what we need to get better at this week. We want to start fast and be able to make plays.”
Sign Mayo up for that. He’s been itching to get on the field not just since he arrived in Winnipeg, but for a long, long time.
“That’s what the coach told me since Day 1: be ready, because I’m the next guy up,” said Mayo. “Dressler went down, which is unfortunate, but I’m ready to take on the task.
“I’m excited. ESPN 2 (the game is being televised down south)… it doesn’t get any better than that. My family back at home gets to watch me play. I’m excited man. I’m ready to go.”
BOMBER REPORT – JUNE 29, 2016
OUCH REPORT:
OL Patrick Neufeld and LBs Jesse Briggs and Shayne Gauthier did not practice on Wednesday but will all be in the lineup Friday in Calgary.
LB/DB Teague Sherman did not finish practice and an update on his status will come from O’Shea on Thursday.
And when a member of the media asked about the health of Chad Rempel, the long snapper, because he wasn’t really active on Wednesday, O’Shea joked:
“Rempel? He’s a long snapper. You see the kickers and what they do? What a great job. They’re teaching my son to long snap, so he can stand there all day, too.”
NEW AIR DEFENCE COMMANDER:
The Bombers formally announced Tony Missick as their new defensive backs coach on Wednesday. He was a guest coach during training camp and agreed to a contract this week.
Missick has CFL experience, having worked with the Saskatchewan Roughriders last year and the Stamps the four years previous to that. He also coached nine years in the Arena Football League after a playing career that included college days at the University of Kentucky. Missick played one year with the Philadelphia Eagles and five in the Arena league.
DIFFERENT PERSPECTIVE:
Here’s LaPolice when asked what the biggest adjustment has been going from the TV studio as an analyst for TSN back to being an offensive coordinator:
“The weirdest thing for me is the technology. The sideline iPads… that’s a very different thing. You hear a player say, ‘Oh, this happened or that happened’ and now you can see exactly what happened. That’s been a real difference in calling games previously or being on the sideline previously.
“There’s no repercussions in the studio. We take a look and go ‘He should have done that’ and ‘We’re going to talk about that, all right guys?’ And then you move on and watch a game. We’re spectators. That’s what neat about coaching: you are part of the process and competing.”
NEW BLUE BLOOD:
The Bombers added another prospect to their practice roster on Wednesday. Coming aboard is import linebacker Nick Temple (5-10, 224, Cincinnati). Temple was most recently in Montreal’s training camp and in his senior season at Cincy recorded 54 tackles, 2.5 sacks and one interception.
