Dressler practises, but status for next game unknown

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This article was published 27/06/2016 (2857 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

There was good news on Tuesday as Weston Dressler returned as a partial participant in practice, but the status of the Winnipeg Blue Bombers receiver for Friday’s game against the Calgary Stampeders remains unknown.

Dressler was clad in gloves, cleats, his trusty blue bandana and a helmet to start practice, even taking part in light drills, working as a makeshift defender. But it became apparent his time on the practice field was being limited as he mends from a crushing helmet-to-helmet collision that knocked him out in the first quarter of Friday’s 22-14 loss to the Montreal Alouettes.

“He’ll go see (Bombers’ director of fitness Al Couture) and get evaluated tonight and tomorrow and see how he feels and keep on going from there,” said Bombers head coach Mike O’Shea.

For what it’s worth, Dressler continued his habit of being one of the last guys off the field following practice, putting in extra work on Tuesday where he could.

Meanwhile, O’Shea said he felt his team was prepared for the test against the Als in Week 1. The obvious follow-up question, and O’Shea asked it of himself: why then were there so many mistakes?

“I think you prepare as much as you possibly can against your own teammates in practice,” he said. “When you get into a meaningful game, where the opponent is coming that much harder at you, it is different. I think it’s very difficult to mimic that ideal.”

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Drew Willy was tough on himself on Monday following practice, taking the brunt of blame for the offensive deficiencies in Week 1 and even admitting his offence has to go out and prove its worth before fans stop looking at this year’s rendition as the same old, same old.

On Tuesday, the team was already thinking about the upcoming game against Calgary, last week’s loss only one game in a gruelling 18-game season.

“You have to do that,” O’Shea said. “I know it’s cliché to say one game at a time, flush it and move on, but that’s the way it really works.”

scott.billeck@freepress.mb.ca

Twitter: @scottbilleck