Bombers turn to Streveler with Nichols out
There was good news and bad news for the Winnipeg Blue Bombers with regard to starting quarterback Matt Nichols on Monday.
First, the bad news. He’s going to be out of the lineup for a while with an injury to his throwing arm or shoulder.
The good news? The team expects him to return to the lineup in four to six weeks and he could still be a part of the playoff push come October and November. Nichols was injured in the Bombers’ 32-16 win over the B.C. Lions last Thursday at IG Field. The 32-year-old quarterback was sacked by defensive end Shawn Lemon, fumbled and landed awkwardly on his throwing arm.
Nichols didn’t need surgery to repair the injury and he’ll be placed on the six-game injured list this week. He was at practice on Monday and there wasn’t any kind of sling on his arm.
“We’ll re-evaluate his status in about four to six weeks and go from there,” Bombers coach Mike O’shea said Monday after the team practised at the University of Manitoba.
Second-year quarterback Chris Streveler takes over as the starter this week when the Bombers (7-2) play the Eskimos (6-3) for first place in the West Division on Friday night in Edmonton.
He’ll be backed up by rookie Sean Mcguire, who has never taken a snap in the CFL.
The Bombers reached out to retired quarterback Kevin Glenn over the weekend, but he declined the offer. The team is looking around for another quarterback to fill the third roster spot.
The Bombers will surely miss Nichols for his experience and leadership. But the team hasn’t been reliant on the passing game this season. In fact, the Bombers are last in the league in passing with an average of just 225 yards per game.
The Bombers win with a combination of a stellar running game, led by Andrew Harris and a strong offensive line, special teams, and defence.
That shouldn’t change too much with Streveler at the controls. His main issue will be taking care of the football. The fleet-footed quarterback has thrown three interceptions on just 16 pass attempts this season. The Bombers have to hope Streveler can continue to manage the games, use his legs to keep defences on their toes, and complete enough passes to move the chains. If he doesn’t try to do too much, not much has to change with this Bombers offence.
“It’s just about our team continuing to go out and execute and trying to win games,” Streveler said. “It’s not about me. It’s about the team. My job is to just step in and try to continue to put wins together and move the ball offensively.”