Winnipeg Free Press (Newspaper) - August 26, 2015, Winnipeg, Manitoba C M Y K PAGE D3
TODAY’S BOMBERS REPORT
WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 26, 2015
D 3
A MEDIA scrum has just pulled away
from Robert Marve — and that’s a
scene the Winnipeg Blue Bombers
quarterback had better get used
to over the next few weeks
— when a straggler lingers
to ask him a few more questions.
And it was then, during a
brief chat about managing
expectations in what will
be his second pro start this
weekend with the pressure of winning right
now, that the 26- year- old Floridian provides a
snapshot of his approach to the game.
“ You know, I feel like me boasting or me being up and
down on my game is not going to help the team at all,”
said Marve, after the press crew had finished having him
dissect his first- ever start against Toronto 12 days ago.
“ When people ask me, ‘ How you feel you did individually?’
it’s tough.
“ To me, quarterbacking is like being the captain of a
ship: Did we arrive where we wanted to arrive or not? We
didn’t in my first start. Now we need to work to get better.”
Let’s be fair here: Expecting Marve, who now has 58
pass attempts in his career, to lead the Bombers into the
playoff picture while Drew
Willy is on the shelf is an
enormous ask. Sure, the same
is being asked/ demanded of
James Franklin in Edmonton,
of Trevor Harris in Toronto, of
Brett Smith in Saskatchewan
and of Rakeem Cato in Montreal.
That’s all part of the
nature of the game and of the
gig and Marve knows it.
But while quarterbacks get too much glory in
victory and too much blame in defeat, there’s no question
the spotlight will remain on the Bombers’ No. 16 over the
next month or so. He is the man of the moment, however
long it might last. And the Bombers — with an overflowing
injured list and some serious issues on special
teams — will need Marve to be more than just OK. They’ll
need him to fast- forward his learning curve and become a
difference- maker on offence.
Again, that’s a big ask, but it is this club’s reality at 3- 5.
“ The thing with Marve is he didn’t even have a full
practice before his first game,” reasoned Bombers defensive
tackle Zach Anderson after practice the other day.
“ We had a rain delay on a short week and basically just
threw him in there for a game. We’ll get him some practices,
get the offence rolling and get started on a streak.
“ We’re not trying to tread water until Drew comes back.
As far as we know, Drew could be out for the season and
our starting quarterback is Marve. And we’re OK with
that. That’s fine.”
Now is as good a time as any, what with the Bombers
taking a step back and not practising Tuesday after coming
back early from their bye week, to offer up a few takes
on the local footballers, beginning with five figures we
figure are on the hot seat with 10 games remaining...
At
the helm
Marve and mates insist they are not
treading water until Willy’s return —
there’s a new captain in charge
NOTABLE
NUMBERS
0- 4 Winnipeg’s record
when trailing after
three quarters. Beat the traffic
by leaving early? Might as well.
26 The number of sacks
surrendered by the
Bombers, highest in the league.
Can’t hang all of this on the Oline
because QBs have to get the
ball out of their hands quickly,
receivers have to get open and
offensive co- ordinator Marcel
Bellefeuille has got to counter
the blitzes with some creativity
of his own. But the Bombers
invested a lot of money in the
trenches to avoid being dead
last in this category — again.
4 Interception total for rookie
Bomber cornerback Johnny
Adams, tied for most in the CFL.
- 77 Winnipeg’s points
for/ against ratio ( 160
PF/ 237 PA); worst in the CFL.
Three of the Bombers’ five
losses this year have been by 26
points or more.
44 Tackle total for rookie
linebacker Khalil Bass,
tied for fourth- most in the
league and tops on the Bombers
chart.
64.3 Percentage of
converts made by
kicker Lirim Hajrullahu ( nine of
14). Interestingly, the leaguewide
success rate on two- point
conversions is 69.2 per cent
and the Bombers are 2- for- 2 in
two- point tries.
ED
TAIT
LIRIM HAJRULLAHU
POSITION: KICKER
WHAT’S TO LIKE: His leg is big and
he’s got long- range capability — he hit
from 53 yards out twice in the loss to
Toronto, eclipsing his career high of 51
from last year. His punting, although
he has had a couple blocked, has also
been superior and he’s developing
consistency in pinning returners deep
or doing the coffin- corner thing.
THE CONCERN: What’s up with the
converts? He has already missed five
this season ( nine of 14) and whiffed the
32- yard tries in four different games.
This from a guy who was 11 of 14 in
field- goal attempts from 40- yards plus
last year. This team already had little
room for error in the score zone, and
especially so now with Marve at the
controls.
BEST- CASE SCENARIO: His FG numbers
— 14 of 17 — have been good.
If he can beat this mental block, or
whatever it is, on the converts and continue
to work on his punting, he could
play an important role in the push to a
playoff spot.
NICK MOORE
POSITION: SLOTBACK
WHAT’S TO LIKE: He leads the Bombers
in catches with 33, despite missing
two games, and is second only to
Calgary’s Eric Rogers in second- downconversion
receptions with 13. Moore
had a chemistry with Willy and has the
same with Marve, and that speaks of
his understanding of the playbook and
his ability to get open.
THE CONCERN: The two games missed
this year, coupled with the half season
he missed in 2014, are a worry. And
for all his productivity, most of it has
come between the goal- lines — he
now has 77 catches as a Bomber, only
one of which finished with him in the
end zone.
BEST- CASE SCENARIO: He stays
healthy and finds the end zone often.
The Bombers are without their best
deep threat in Darvin Adams and
Moore, combined with Clarence
Denmark, needs to be more than just a
guy who can move the sticks. He had
six TDs in his last year with B. C. before
signing in Winnipeg and if he could hit
that number again — and that would
mean five scores in the final 10 games
— it would be a boon for the Bomber
offence.
TROY STOUDERMIRE
POSITION: KICK RETURNER
WHAT’S TO LIKE: Let’s be clear here:
the Bombers’ woes on special teams
go much further beyond the return
game, but this is as good a spot as any
on which to fixate. Stoudermire was
spectacular a year ago, leading the
Bombers in both kickoff and puntreturn
yards and taking one punt to the
end zone.
THE CONCERN: He began the season
on the injured list and, since coming
back, has done more east- west than
north- south in the return game. Worth
noting: Justin Veltung’s averages, both
in kickoff and punt returns, are slightly
better.
BEST- CASE SCENARIO: The Bombers
need Stoudermire to flip the field for
them again and be the dangerous threat
he was last season. He’s too good an
athlete not to bust at least one return
from now to the end of the campaign.
HEAD COACH MIKE
O’SHEA AND HIS STAFF
WHAT’S TO LIKE: There is a loyalty
to the head man from his players and
appreciation for his no- nonsense
approach. The defence is becoming a
force under new assistants Richie Hall,
Todd Howard, Barron Miles and Greg
Knox.
THE CONCERN: The special- teams
mistakes have been an issue for a good
chunk of the season and the offence
often gets it fed to them by opposition
defensive front sevens. O’Shea’s
loyalty to some of his vets will also be
tested if the losing continues. There’s
also no hiding from this stat: since going
5- 1 to open 2014 the Bombers are
5- 15 since.
BEST- CASE SCENARIO: A playoff appearance,
especially with the Grey Cup
right here in the Bombers backyard.
That berth would represent a progression
on the field and help the bottom
line off it.
ed. tait@ freepress. mb. ca
Twitter: @ WFPEdTait
ROBERT MARVE
POSITION: QUARTERBACK
WHAT’S TO LIKE: He brings a dynamic excitement to the huddle and
can use his mobility to extend plays. Says all the right things when the
microphones are in his face and has a big collection of supporters in
his own huddle. The concern: remember just a few weeks back when
everyone was gushing about Montreal’s Rakeem Cato and how he might
be the next great passer in Alouettes’ history? Yeah, umm, about that...
with more film to study, defensive co- ordinators are now attacking
Cato with a variety of looks. Since throwing three touchdowns against
Calgary in his first start, Cato’s TD- to- interception ratio is 4: 7.
EXPECT THE SAME FROM MARVE: We really won’t get a read on his
game until he gets a few miles behind the wheel of the Bomber offence.
BEST- CASE SCENARIO: Marve helps keep the Bombers in the playoff
picture until Willy returns, establishing himself as a bona fide No. 2, or
1A, in the process.
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