Ball is in Lindley’s hands
Injuries to Tate, Harris expected to press former NFLer into role as Redblacks’ starter
You expect the worst, you have to think along those lines. Fortunately (with Drew), it’s not as bad as we may have anticipated.
Former NFL quarterback Ryan Lindley will likely get his first CFL start for the Ottawa Redblacks on Friday night in Winnipeg.
While testing results (shoulder and ribs) for Drew Tate, who was injured late in the second quarter of Sunday’s 29-11 win in Montreal when he was drilled and thrown to the turf, came back negative, chances are it’s the 28-year-old Lindley calling the signals against the Blue Bombers.
“The imaging came back fine, there’s nothing serious, but it’s going to be week to week,” Redblacks GM Marcel Desjardins said Monday. “I can’t say 100 per cent he won’t play, the likelihood is he won’t, but there is a chance.”
“Initially, we thought he had the wind knocked out of him,” Redblacks coach Rick Campbell said on TSN Radio on Monday. “But once he got his breath back, he said he didn’t feel right.”
Because it’s not a long-term injury and Trevor Harris (separated shoulder) is progressing nicely in his recovery, the Redblacks are not looking for another quarterback. If Tate can’t go, it’ll be rookies Danny Collins and Will Arndt (who’s been with the team for a week) backing up Lindley.
When asked if the team was comfortable with Lindley as The Guy, Desjardins said: “Yeah, what other choice is there, really? Especially on a short week.
“Find a new quarterback? My first question would be ... who? Who do you go get? The veterans who are out there are probably out there for a reason. It’s hard to go out and sign somebody off the street. You just can’t go out and sign people, guys who don’t know the system.
“Never say never, but we’re not looking for anybody else at this point. We did some preliminary thinking about what our options might be depending on the results of the medical exam. Based on what we were told, we can put that to sleep for now.”
Injuries are always tough to swallow, even in such a physical game.
“You expect the worst, you have to think along those lines,” said Desjardins. “Fortunately (with Drew), it’s not as bad as we may have anticipated.”
It’s possible Harris could be ready as early as Sept. 29 when Ottawa hosts Saskatchewan. TSN reported that, in his rehab, Harris was simulating the throwing motion in a swimming pool.
Cross former Redblacks QB Brock Jensen off the list of possible replacements. Said Desjardins: “We didn’t go down that path and we don’t anticipate going down that path.”
In Sunday’s takedown of the Als, the Redblacks dominated on defence, had a huge touchdown on a 113-yard Diontae Spencer return off a missed field goal and controlled the line of scrimmage, allowing running back William Powell to run for 144 yards. That kind of stuff takes the pressure off the quarterback.
“Ryan can be part of the answer, but not the whole answer,” said Desjardins.
“If (Lindley) plays, he just needs to get comfortable,” said former Redblacks quarterback Henry Burris. “The most important thing is for (the Redblacks) to simplify the game plan for him, find out the plays he’s comfortable running, plays that he does a good job executing — stick with those.
“Even when Drew was in there, they weren’t asking him to throw the ball downfield, the lower percentage stuff. They kept the play calling high percentage, they ran the ball well. William Powell running the ball kept it second down and medium or second and short. Everything was pretty much ball control, get the ball out of his hands quick.
“They have to keep it the same way for Ryan — run intermediate to short passing game stuff. When (the Bombers) start coming up and running press man (coverage) to take away the quick stuff, that’s when the down-the-field stuff will come together.”
For Burris, watching Harris, then Tate go down with injuries was tough.
“I hate seeing guys get injured,” he said. “I cringe, I moan, I groan, you never want to see it happen. Of course, it’s part of the game.”
It’s not like Lindley is a wideeyed rookie. He was a sixth-round draft pick of the Arizona Cardinals and started four games in the 2012 season. He played three NFL seasons with the Cardinals and another in Indianapolis.
“Ryan’s played a lot of football,” said Campbell. “He’s a professional guy, you can see the game’s not too big for him.”
Campbell said to TSN: “He’s had so few reps (with the Redblacks) in games or in practice. He’s only going to get better as he gets used to playing in the CFL.”
Affectionately called Steve Vachon by his francophone teammates because he is learning to speak French, Lindley is popular.
“Everybody likes (Lindley),” said fullback Patrick Lavoie. “We’re all behind him.”