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ared for Fridays matchup in Vancouver against the 2-2 B.C. Lions

(2014-09-04 19:39:07) 下一個
Drew Willy had the Winnipeg Blue Bombers out to a blazing start. Jalen Saunders . The rebuilt team had the highest scoring offence through the first three weeks of the season, and an undefeated record to boot. Now, following a near-abysmal Week 4 offensive performance in their first loss of the season, Winnipegs first-year starting quarterback is placing the blame squarely upon his own shoulders. "I think anytime you have only three points, its one of those things that you take it personally as the quarterback," said Willy as he prepared for Fridays matchup in Vancouver against the 2-2 B.C. Lions. "Thats your job. Your job is to always take — no matter what happens out there it should really always be on you. We each had our part in it, but I mean, its definitely one of those things where its my job to make sure were productive and make sure we get going as an offence. Taking responsibility is not a huge thing for me. I always tried to do that in my past." The Bombers were held to just 209 yards of net offence in their 26-3 loss at home to the Edmonton Eskimos. After studying the game film, Willy feels he could have been a touch more patient on some plays. "There were definitely times I wish I would have stayed on a few receivers a little bit longer. It kind of opened up a little bit later than I thought it would. Its just one of those things where I need to trust what were doing on offence and go from there." "Its never going to be a perfect game in your reads and everything." After allowing five sacks to the Eskimos defence, some will immediately look to an area of weakness from last season — the offensive line — as the reason to why the Bombers offence struggled. While Willy was often hurried and harassed by the Esks last week, he doesnt see his line protection as the overriding issue. "Weve done some good things. We were throwing the ball. We were basically averaging just under 300 yards the first three games. Obviously there was some good protection there for me to be able to throw for that kind of yardage. Its just one of those games last week that it just wasnt all on the O-line. It was all twelve of us and we each took our part. You could look at drives and one play its one guy, and one play its another. One play its me. Its just all around, so we just need to consistently be on the same page on offence and make sure we dont have those mental mistakes." After a breakout 122 rushing yard performance in Week 1, and three TDs on the ground in Week 2, rookie tailback Nic Grigsby had only 17 rushing attempts in the following two games for a total of 84 yards. The quarterback knows the importance of getting the running game going again if he wants his offence to succeed. "To get (Grigsby) going would be great for us. Hes a dynamic player," added Willy. "If we can get him the ball in the running game or pass game — we just need to get him some touches. Any time you run the ball well, in my past experiences in this league, it definitely increases your chances of winning." NOTES: Rookie starting safety Moe Leggett returns this week after missing two games with an ankle injury ... Linebacker and defensive back Johnny Sears has been ruled out this week with a hamstring pull. He was listed as questionable throughout the week as he worked to get healthy for the game ... Defensive end Jason Vega is another veteran hit to the Bombers D corps as the former NFLer is out this week due to injures referred to by Mike OShea as "various what-nots" ... Rookie kicker Lirim Hajrullahu will take on all kicking and punting duties following Mike Renauds hamstring injury suffered in pre-game warm-ups last week ... Returner Aaron Woods returns to the active roster after a two week absence where the team used Paris Cotton and Demond Washington on kick and punt returns. Cotton has been placed on the one-game injured list ... The club has decided to swap tackle Dan Knapp and guard Cordaro Howard. Howard moves over to the right tackle spot Friday night, and Knapp inside to left guard as Canadian starter Chris Greaves continues to recover from a knee injury suffered in Week 3. Greaves practiced this week and may be ready to go by Week 6 ... Slotback Julian Feoli-Gudino missed practice on Tuesday and Thursday this week, but Mike OShea assured he will be good to go Friday night ... The team signed Canadian linebacker Kyle Jones on Monday. Jones is a true utility player who can play special teams, punt, kick, kickoff, snap, and hold. "The one thing he cant do is snap to himself, hold it, and kick his own field goal. But I havent asked him to do that so maybe he can," quipped OShea. Jones should work as a safety net with the Bombers only having one healthy kicker at the moment. Kyle Wilson . -- Nicolas Batum hit a 3-pointer at the buzzer and finished with 11 points, 12 rebounds and 11 assists in the Portland Trail Blazers 115-105 home-opening victory over the San Antonio Spurs on Saturday night. Garrett McIntyre . - Defenceman Nathan Beaulieu and forwards Jonathan Huberdeau, Phillip Danault and Zack Phillips headline the Quebec Major Junior Hockey Leagues roster for the upcoming Subway Super Series versus Russia.TORONTO -- Paul Ranger felt the pain in his neck immediately. Down on the ice for several minutes, his mind raced and then found some peace. "Its scary," he said. "But I just remember feeling like, You know what, I am going to be OK. I dont know whats going on, but I can move my legs, I can feel my hands, I can feel my feet and Im going to be OK no matter what." The Toronto Maple Leafs defenceman was back with the team less than two days after suffering a neck injury when he was boarded by Tampa Bay Lightning forward Alex Killorn. Just being at the practice rink Friday for a team photo was another positive sign for Ranger, who was treated and released at a hospital Wednesday night. "Im thankful," Ranger said. "Im OK." Coach Randy Carlyle reported some good news as well: that the 29-year-old had a stiff neck but not a concussion as a result of his head slamming into the glass. "Thats not the world that (doctors) ever described to me," Carlyle said after practice. "They never said that. I know its a big word in todays sports, so I refrain from using it. Right now I was told there was no concussion issues." Ranger confirmed that it was a neck injury, not a head injury. He does not know when he might be able to return to game action, calling his situation a "day-to-day thing right now." When he went down late in the first period of the Leafs 5-3 loss to the Lightning, it looked like it could be much worse. After remaining on the ice for seven minutes, Ranger was taken off on a stretcher and then to the hospital. Ranger was anxious and in a bit of shock at first, but amid that doctors told him he was relaxed and co-operativee. Stephen Hill. "I dont want to get into the details, I dont really want to re-live it," he said. "I know that my body and my mind just went into preservation mode. All I could think was just Dont move, stay straight and breathe, and I just kind of breathed three in, three out for the next three to four hours right from the get-go." Ranger praised Leafs doctor Noah Forman, athletic therapists Paul Ayotte and Marty Dudgeon and Lightning trainer Tom Mulligan for the care they administered. "They did a great job all-around," he said. "Even through that stressful time, I felt comforted and loved, really, and cared for." Ranger, who spent parts of five seasons with the Lightning, said Killorn reached out to him but declined to reveal the nature of that dialogue. He does not believe Killorn attempted to injure him. "From what I gather about him is that hes a good kid, and I knew that right from the start that it wasnt intentional," Ranger said. "My friends that I know close in Tampa say that he is a pretty good person, never really means to hurt anybody." Still, Ranger considered it a dangerous play. He avoided watching more than one replay because "that was enough," and didnt want to weigh in on any supplemental discipline for Killorn. "Its not up for me to decide if someone gets suspended or not," he said. "Thats not my call." But Ranger doesnt want to see similar situations happen moving forward. "I think it maybe needs some looking at," Ranger said. "I think theres some reviewing that should be done for the safety of myself and, to be honest, everyone else -- future players." ' ' '
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