Bomber QB looking forward to Friday’s game against Redblacks

Hey there, time traveller!
This article was published 30/09/2014 (3489 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Drew Willy connected on the short passes, the intermediate routes and hit on the long bombs, too.

Now the question on everyone’s mind as the Winnipeg Blue Bombers head into Ottawa for Friday’s match-up with the Redblacks is this:

Can he do it when the real bullets are flying and defenders are trying to separate his head from his spine?

“I felt good out here today. Obviously I don’t get hit in practice, so that’s a big key,” said Willy today after the Bombers workout. “But I think two more days I’ll definitely feel good going into the game. I’m looking forward to going out there and playing.”

Willy was sacked five times in last week’s 16-11 loss to the Hamilton Tiger-Cats and skipped Tuesday’s practice to further heal all the bumps and bruises he took. But he was back under centre on Wednesday and looked very sharp.

“I enjoyed being out here with the guys again and thought we got some good work in,” he said. “I made some throws that I know I’m going to need to make against Ottawa. Just having that reassurance that I’m feeling better definitely helps.

“We got into a really good rhythm near the end of practice, I think we had 10 or 11 straight completions. That’s always good. I know it’s just on air (no tackling) but a lot of times that just builds the confidence going into the game.”

Winnipeg Free Press | Newsletter

Business Weekly

Monday mornings

The latest local business news and a lookahead to the coming week.

Sign up for Business Weekly

Sign Up

I agree to the Terms and Conditions, Cookie and Privacy Policies, and CASL agreement.

The Bombers have surrendered 48 sacks this year, most in the league. Willy has battled through an assortment of hurts, including to his ankle and shoulder, but continues to stand in the pocket. And where intangibles like leadership and toughness might have been hinted at on film when the Bombers opted to trade and sign for him this winter, now the evidence is right there for everyone to see.

“I said earlier he’s a man of his word,” said O’Shea. “If he says he needs a day, he needs a day. If he says he’ll be ready the next day, he’s ready the next day. He looks good.

“He showed (toughness) early on, getting nicked up with a few different things. It’s just another one of those opportunities for him to showcase his leadership.”

ed.tait@freepress.mb.ca

Twitter: @WFPEdTait