By Perry Lefko
SPORTSNET.CA
Richie Williams is thinking more about the next game than his present or future role as the Hamilton Tiger-Cats’ starter.
Williams will start for the Cats Thursday against the Blue Bombers in Winnipeg because Casey Printers is still nursing an injury to the thumb on his throwing hand.
This will be Williams’ third consecutive start for the Tiger-Cats and he is 1-1.
"It really doesn’t mean that much," Williams told Sportsnet.ca on Sunday about his third consecutive start. "I’m stepping in, I’m filling in and I’m just doing my part to help this team keep on going on and keep on winning.
He shrugged off what will eventually be a decision by head coach Charlie Taaffe over who will become the full-time starter once Printers is physically healthy.
"I ain’t even thinking about that, truthfully," Williams said, "I’m just worried about this game right here and this game only. I just let everybody else talk about all the other stuff.
"I’m here with the team. The team is not talking about it. The team is worried about this game. It’s plain and simple, this is Casey’s team. I’m stepping in right now so it’s not that big of a deal. That’s how we are able to just keep moving along like we’re doing.
"You just be ready," Williams added of the opportunity that has finally come his way. "You never know what’s going to happen. Like in this instance, somebody gets hurt or whatever. You can’t try to plan the future in your head. Everything happens for a reason. You go day to day and whenever you’re called upon you be."
Williams earned a quarterback rating of 146.7 in the Cats’ 45-21 throttling of the Toronto Argonauts last Thursday, completing 15 of 24 passes for 293 yards and throwing three touchdown passes. It ended a dubious streak of six games in which the Cats did not have a touchdown reception.
He completed 18 of 24 passes for 260 yards in the Cats’ 40-33 loss to Montreal on July 31 in his first start.
Taaffe said Printers’ injury eliminates the decision he’ll have to make who will eventually start. But at the same time Taaffe is glad he does not have to upset the team’s rhythm.
"The second quarterback is the most popular guy on the team, especially when he goes and does well," Taaffe said. "You don’t want to be too quick to change or praise or condone, just let itself play out. In our situation there isn’t this urgency to make a change back because obviously Casey is not ready to play yet."
Taaffe said following the team’s bye next week a decision will have to be made on the starting job because Printers should be ready to go.
"We’ll see how things go this week and go from there," Taaffe said.
The Tiger-Cats will likely be without running back Jesse Lumsden in the next game. He is nursing an ankle sprain and with Terry Caulley doing a good job in the last game, running for 127 yards on 14 carries, it also lessens the need for rushing Lumsden back.
"The only problem when Jesse can’t play is it alters the ratio," Taaffe said, adding centre George Hudson will also be sidelined this week, leaving another Canadian out of action. Offensive lineman Cedric Gagne-Marcoux, is also sidelined.
