Blue Bombers lose starting QB Nichols to knee injury

GAME DAY: WINNIPEG AT B.C., 7:30 P.M.

WINNIPEG — It could have been much worse.

That was the overriding reaction to news Thursday that Winnipeg Blue Bombers starting quarterback Matt Nichols will miss fourto-six weeks with an unspecified injury to his right knee.

“When you’re dealing with people, you don’t ever think it’s fortunate that they got injured in practice, but it’s positive that it’s that time line for sure,” head coach Mike O’Shea said after the team’s walk-through practice.

Nichols will be put on the six-game injured list as an administrative move for someone with a four-to-six-week recovery time, O’Shea said.

“If he’s healthier in the four, which I would think he would be, then he’ll come off the six-game or we’ll decide then what we’ll do,” he said.

Nichols, 31, suffered the injury late in Wednesday’s training camp practice during what’s usually a routine play. He took a snap and dropped back to make a pass, but suddenly fell to the turf untouched by any teammate.

He tossed his helmet in anger and walked slowly off the field with the help of a trainer on each side of him.

“The news could have been much worse so we’ll be OK with what we have right now,” Bombers veteran receiver Weston Dressler said.

Dressler talked to Nichols on the phone Wednesday night.

“It’ll be probably tougher on him mentally than physically the next few weeks here, but he knows we all got his back and we’re going to do what we can to win some games and, hopefully, be in a good position when he’s ready to get back out there,” Dressler said.

Nichols had a breakout season last year, passing for 4,472 yards and 28 touchdowns while leading the Bombers to a 12-6 record.