The Winnipeg Blue Bombers will get a big piece of their offensive puzzle back when they host Sunday's CFL East semifinal against the Montreal Alouettes (CBC, 1:30 p.m. ET).
Later, the Saskatchewan Roughriders host the Calgary Stampeders in the West semifinal (CBC, 5 p.m. ET).
Winnipeg star running back Charles Roberts, who missed the final two regular-season games with a deep thigh bruise, has pronounced himself fit to return to the lineup.
"I am rejuvenated," Roberts proclaimed Wednesday after going through a full practice for the first time since he was hurt Oct. 19 in a win over Calgary. "My body is 100 per cent. I'm fresh."
The missed time may have cost Roberts a third consecutive rushing title, but he still finished second in the league in rushing yards (1,379) and touchdowns (16). B.C.'s Joe Smith led with 1,510 yards and 18 majors on the ground.
Roberts's return should provide a boost for the Bombers (10-7-1), who will try to defeat Montreal (8-10) for the fourth time this season and make it to the division final against Toronto at Rogers Centre on Nov. 18.
"The key to [the East semifinal] is Charles Roberts," said CFL on CBC analyst Greg Frers. "He always has fantastic performances in very big football games in the playoffs."
Winnipeg will also have rush end Tom Canada back in the lineup. The team sack leader with 12 on the season, Canada missed last week's 20-17 win over Montreal with a shoulder injury.
"It was really tough," Canada said of being on the sidelines for the first time in his four-year career. "After [Wednesday's] practice, I feel like I'm on top of the world again. I tested my shoulder, everything's kosher and I'm ready to go."
Als turn to BradyCornerback Juran Bolden, who missed the last three games with a back injury, might also suit up for Winnipeg, though his status is still up in the air.
"If I would have got a different result [from an MRI], I was going to go ahead and hang it up that day," said Bolden, who returned to the Bombers in September after five seasons in the NFL.
"When it's playing with your back and your neck and your spine, that's something so serious."
One Bomber who definitely won't be back is centre Obby Khan, who tore his triceps last week.
If anyone can relate to the losses Winnipeg has suffered, it's their opponents Sunday. The Alouettes head into the playoffs without No. 1 quarterback Anthony Calvillo, who is out for the season to be with his wife as she undergoes cancer treatment.
Nimble backup Marcus Brady will once again be under centre for the Alouettes. The sixth-year veteran started five games this season and was twice named the team's offensive player of the week.
Brady, though, has been middling at best this year, completing 52.3 per cent of his 128 pass attempts for 1,161 yards, three touchdowns and four interceptions.
All eyes on GlennOperating behind a porous offensive line that allowed a league-worst 68 sacks, Brady may have to rely on his scrambling abilities to create plays against the Bombers defence, which ranked third in the CFL with 404 points surrendered.
"The Alouettes' biggest success comes from broken plays," said Frers. "They have a brutal offensive line and their ability to protect the quarterback has been pretty much non-existent this year.
"Brady is going to be running for his life and needs his receivers to bail him out."
Waiting in the wings will be third-stringer Jason Maas. Since joining the Als via a mid-season trade with Hamilton, the eighth-year vet has connected on 63.6 per cent of his 33 attempts while throwing for 220 yards and one touchdown against one interception.
Unfortunately for the Alouettes, neither of their quarterbacks compares to Winnipeg's Kevin Glenn.
The veteran enjoyed a career year throwing the ball in his seventh season, topping the CFL with an absurd 5,117 yards through the air — more than 800 yards clear of runner-up Henry Burris of Calgary.
Glenn threw efficiently as well, completing 62.5 per cent of his league-leading 621 attempts while tossing for 25 touchdowns against 13 picks.
"I think that the Alouettes are going to take away Charles Roberts and force the ball into Kevin Glenn's hands," Frers said. "He's got a lot to prove and unfortunately his receivers have a lot prove because they drop way too many balls."
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Contact Us About Us HomeTuesday, January 6th, 2009