Did Blue Bombers coach Mike Kelly go too far, or do the right thing, while trying to send a message to his team's offence?

While Winnipeg Blue Bomber Fred Reid piled up the rushing yardage en route to wiping out Blaise Bryant’s previous team record, it became obvious that head coach Mike Kelly wanted to make a statement.

Normally with the game well in hand, a head coach will rest a player to avoid the risk of injury.

In fact, when a key player is left out on the field in such situations and then gets hurt, critics immediately blast the head coach.

But Kelly did the unusual: not only did he leave a player out on the field well past the point of resting him, he did it with a player already hurt.

It became obvious, at least to these eyes, that Kelly had become aware that Reid, who had a wonky ankle, had been approaching Bryant’s 249-yard tally set back in 1994 and that he wanted to leave him in the game to give him the opportunity at greatness.

It also seemed to me that based on all that has happened this year to the Bombers and Kelly, who is also the offensive co-ordinator, that perhaps he wanted to make a statement or, at the very least, send the message that he had devised a game plan for success.

So much criticism has been levelled at their passing game, but Bombers’ running game has been solid, even going back to last year with Reid and Joe Smith, who was released after the pre-season in which he didn’t play much because the Bombers wanted to try out some other young – and cheaper – running backs.

Yvenson Bernard clearly fills the role created by the release of Smith.

AND ANOTHER THING: When Reid re-entered the game after leaving for two plays to rest his ankle, he promptly scored a touchdown and racked up the yards to eclipse Bryant’s mark, only to have the play called back because of an interesting rule implemented in 2007 to stop players from faking injuries.

Reid needed to be out at least three plays before he could return. Previous to the rule change, it only had to be one play.

Often after the defence scored a touchdown, a special teams player from that team would suddenly develop some type of injury.

It was all designed to give the defence a breather because the injured player often laid on the turf as if he’d suffered some type of major injury. Often the trainer and the player would be having a good giggle as the charade played out in public.

There was a thought at one point to make it six plays to really emphasize the point of faking injuries, but instead it became three.

So why was Kelly so dumbfounded or upset, pacing the sidelines in disbelief after his team was nailed for the infraction? To the best of my knowledge, this is the first time a team has been flagged for that infraction since the rule change.

Oh, well, let’s just say Kelly was guilty of an error of enthusiasm.

BUCKING THE TREND: Watching B.C.’s Jarious Jackson get his bell rung and laying motionless on the turf, the image of fellow quarterback Buck Pierce standing on the sidelines in civvies because of a concussion made me wonder if Pierce will be suiting up for the next game and, how many more hits can he take?

Pierce looked like the Stone Angel staring straight ahead.

STAMPS CHANGES: By now it is obvious the Calgary Stampeders have some issues on defence.

During the break, the Stamps announced the signing of three players – defensive linemen Devone Claybrooks and Jim Davis, both of whom have CFL experience, and linebacker Tim Johnson, a former NFL player.

With Canadian standout Mike Labinjo sidelined indefinitely with a leg injury, the Stamps have some issues on the line and in the linebacking corps.

Wonder if the Argos will employ the run against the Stamps after seemingly abandoning the run game with Jamal Robertson?

AND ONE MORE THING: The Saskatchewan Roughriders have several players who may fit into the category of Smurfs, kind of like in the ‘80s with the Washington Redskins.

Receivers Weston Dressler and Eric Morris are both listed at 5-foot-8, and both wear Nos. 7 and 8 respectively. In fact, they both look the same, at least in their uniforms.

Dressler is in his second year in the Canadian Football League and received rookie-of-the-year honours last year.

Morris isn’t anywhere close to the pace Dressler set last year, but who knows down the road what he will be.

Dressler has fast become the prototypical small player who can do it all.