Scrambling Bombers hand ball to QB Hall

Now it’s Max Hall’s turn to try kick-starting the Winnipeg Blue Bombers offence.

The former Brigham Young star makes his CFL debut Friday night (TSN, 8 p.m.) when Winnipeg (1-5) hosts the Hamilton Tiger-Cats (2-4). Hall will become the third different starter this season for the Bombers, who opened with veteran Buck Pierce under centre before replacing him with Justin Goltz.

These are eventful times in Winnipeg. Last week, the club fired GM Joe Mack and president Garth Buchko, hired former Bomber Wade Miller as acting CEO. On Tuesday, they named assistant GM Kyle Walters the acting general manager.

Hall is a CFL rookie but appeared in six games with the NFL’s Arizona Cardinals in 2010, starting three. He takes over a Winnipeg offence ranked fifth overall in scoring (22.5 points per game) but second-last in total yards (285.2) and passing (220.2).

Hamilton’s defence has its issues, allowing a league-high 31.2 points and 135.2 yards rushing per game. Winnipeg’s defence leads the CFL in sacks (24) but is vulnerable against the pass. The Bombers are allowing 9.1 yards per pass and 73.6 per cent of pass attempts to be completed. They’ll be facing a Hamilton offence that leads the CFL in passing and will be bolstered by the return of slotback Andy Fantuz. Pick: Hamilton SATURDAY Montreal Alouettes (2-4) at Saskatchewan Roughriders (5-1) TV: TSN, 4 p.m. Bad timing for Montreal, which not only has the difficult task of playing in Regina but faces a Roughriders team coming off its first loss following five straight wins. Even with GM Jim Popp on the sidelines after firing Dan Hawkins, the Alouettes’ problems continued in last week’s 38-13 home loss to Toronto. Five lost fumbles didn’t help and neither did Chad Owens’ 118-yard TD return of a missed Sean Whyte field goal try. Montreal’s offence continues to struggle, ranked last overall in passing (212 yards per game), total yards (277) and touchdowns (10). That doesn’t bode well facing a Saskatchewan defence that will undoubtedly be stinging from the club’s 42-27 road loss to Calgary, a game that saw Stampeders running back Jon Cornish run for 175 yards and four TDs. Kory Sheets ran for 133 yards against Calgary to boost his league-leading rushing total to 845 yards. While Montreal’s defence ranks second in fewest yards allowed (325.3 per game), it’s also second-last in points allowed (29.5). Pick: Saskatchewan SATURDAY Calgary Stampeders (5-1) at B.C. Lions (4-2) TV: TSN, 9 p.m. It’s the second meeting of the season between the West rivals, with Calgary winning 44-32 at home June 28. Drew Tate started for the Stampeders that game, but it will be veteran Kevin Glenn this time around with Tate still sidelined by an arm injury. Glenn was a tidy 21-of-28 passing for 218 yards and a TD in leading Calgary past previously unbeaten Saskatchewan, but Cornish stole the show. Defensively, Calgary forced Saskatchewan’s first three offensive turnovers of the season. But the Riders still pulled to within 26-20 before Jock Sanders’ untimely decision to field a punt near the goal-line, rather than let it go for the single, ultimately cemented the outcome. B.C. will definitely be rested, having last played in a 27-20 win over Winnipeg on Aug. 5. The Lions are also 3-0 at home and 2-1within the West Division. Pick: B.C. SUNDAY Edmonton Eskimos (1-5) at Toronto Argonauts (4-2) TV: TSN, 7 p.m. After dropping two of their first three games, the Grey Cup defending champions have reeled off three straight victories to move atop the East. Toronto has outscored opponents 111-44 over that span and the offence seems to have found its stride. Quarterback Ricky Ray faces his former team on a definite roll, having hit on 34 of 38 passes (89.5 per cent) for 438 yards with five TDs in his last two starts. Toronto’s offensive prowess isn’t good news for Edmonton. The Eskimos’ defence will be without linebacker JC Sherritt, the CFL’s top defensive player last year, and cornerback Aaron Grymes. Sherritt is out indefinitely after thumb surgery. Grymes suffered an unspecified internal injury after colliding with teammate Donovan Alexander in practice Tuesday. Grymes won’t require surgery, but there’s no timetable for his return. Pick: Toronto