THE CANADIAN PRESS
WINNIPEG — Casey Bramlet may become the fifth quarterback to play for the Winnipeg Blue Bombers this season when they visit the league-leading Montreal Alouettes on Sunday.
Bramlet has only had three full practices with his new teammates, but head Mike Kelly said Wednesday that Michael Bishop will start, though he also wants to get a look at Bramlet.
“Going into that atmosphere, that venue, I think we need somebody that has experience going in there,” Kelly said. “But Casey got equal snaps today as you all saw and we’ll get him out on the field and let’s see what he can do.”
He doesn’t know when Bramlet will be inserted against the 8-2 Als — it all depends on how Bishop and the offence are doing.
If the Bombers continue where they left off in their embarrassing 55-10 loss to Saskatchewan last Sunday, it could be sooner rather than later.
Bishop and Bryan Randall combined for only 124 yards passing and each threw two interceptions, part of eight turnovers the Bombers committed.
The six-foot-four, 220-pound Bramlet starred at the University of Wyoming and was a seventh-round pick of the Cincinnati Bengals in 2004. He spent time on a number of NFL rosters.
In 2007, the 28-year-old guided Hamburg to NFL Europe’s World Bowl championship title, and was named game MVP. Last weekend’s Winnipeg loss was the first live CFL game he’s watched.
“It was a hard game to see, especially since nobody gave up,” Bramlet said. “You have people out there still wanting to play, still trying, but for whatever reason it got ugly.”
Fans booing their team and wearing paper bags on their heads was tough to watch, too.
“It’s hard to see when you come out there, especially being a new guy in here and seeing that, but I mean it’s understandable,” Bramlet said. “People in Winnipeg, they want a winning team. They want to support their team and it’s their right as fans to kind of express how they feel, but at the same time know that we’re doing everything we can on our side.”
He thinks he can be effective if he plays this weekend because he’s absorbed about 85 per cent of the offence. What he still needs to adjust is his footwork and CFL differences such as the wide field and extra defensive back.
Bishop, who has a 2-4 record and the lowest QB-efficiency rating (55.7) for CFL starters, said he’ll accept whatever role he’s given against Montreal because he just wants to win.
“I consider myself a team player,” said Bishop, who’s thrown three touchdowns to nine interceptions. “Regardless if it’s me, Casey or Bryan, a quarterback’s job is to go out there and be productive.”
The Bombers have also had Stefan LeFors (now on the nine-game injured list) and Richie Williams behind centre this season. Williams was released to make room for Bishop in late July.
Notes: New receiver Dudley Guice Jr. may also see game action Sunday. Kelly said Guice is intelligent. He has an undergraduate degree (3.6 grade point average) and he’s 12 hours away from a masters degree in global terrorism and has been offered a job with the FBI. … Defensive lineman Phillip Hunt out of the University of Houston has been added to Winnipeg’s practice roster. … Bombers receiver Brock Ralph is day-to-day because of a hip pointer.
