Risky business

It wasn't a question of if as much as when Buck Pierce would suffer some kind of injury this season.

The Winnipeg Blue Bombers' quarterback has had a history on injuries, so Tuesday's announcement by the team that Pierce is listed as day-to-day with bruised ribs is not exactly surprising, although you have to feel for this hard-luck player.

Pierce took some hellacious hits in the Bombers' 45-23 loss to Saskatchewan on Sunday, a game in which he threw five interceptions and was pulled late in the fourth quarter because he was clearly hurt. He walked off the field in obvious pain and appeared to be favouring his midsection.

Now it is obvious why. With the game out of the Bombers' grasp and with Pierce hurt, it made no sense to have him absorb any more punishment.

Pierce will meet with the media on Wednesday to discuss his status. The Bombers lead the East with a 7-3 record, two points ahead of Montreal, whom they face on the road on Sunday. As important as the game is for the Bombers, you would think they will likely err on the side of caution with Pierce and start backup Alex Brink.

The Bombers have lost their last two games, both to Saskatchewan, by a combined score of 72-30 and are clearly reeling. The so-called Swaggerville that the team boasted of so proudly after leading the league with a 7-1 record and destroying opposing offences has been handed a heavy dose of humility. They have lost the services of standout middle linebacker Joe Lobendahn for the remainder of the season with a knee injury sustained in last Sunday's loss.

Pierce's play has dropped off in recent weeks, but his health is more of a concern. When he's on his game, he's among the best pivots in the CFL. He's also the most fragile. Even though he tried to taper off his rugged play this season by sliding on rushes instead of taking hits head on, he could not avoid the injury bug.

The B.C. Lions gave up on him after the 2009 season because of his history with injuries. Winnipeg signed him as a free agent last year and he played only five games due to two separate injuries. He had to shut it down because of a dislocated elbow that required surgery. Not surprisngly the Bombers finished last in the league with a 4-14 record, losing several games by a slim margin in which a healthy Pierce would have made a significant difference.

He worked hard in the off-season to physically rehabilitate the elbow and the Bombers were so confident of a full recovery they traded backup Steven Jyles to Toronto. He started 11 games in place of Pierce last year before a shoulder injury finished his season in the penultimate game and forced him to undergo surgery.

Jyles made his season debut for the Argos on Sunday in a loss to B.C. He showed evidence of game rust, but the Argos see him as someone who could provide stability at the quarterback position, which was clearly an issue with Cleo Lemon, who was cut after a season and a half of limited progress.

Last year was a crazy season for the Bombers because their quarterback roster became decimated due to injuries. Now it is an issue again. Pierce is the Bombers' emotional leader, but having banked seven wins so far the team is not nearly as vulnerable without him now as a year ago - assuming he won't be playing indefinitely. They can make due without him and hope they can win enough games to make the playoffs. The situation isn't nearly as bleak as last year, but Pierce's health is once again an issue, just as it was in B.C.

The Bombers took a chance signing him, deciding the reward was greater than the risk. It has turned out to be risky business.