Blue Bombers 34 Alouettes 10
WINNIPEG — Buck Pierce smiled at the question, but there was also a hint of exasperation in his voice.
How did the injury-prone quarterback feel after taking his first hits as a member of the Winnipeg Blue Bombers?
“I feel great,” said Pierce, who led his new team on two touchdown drives Sunday as the Blue Bombers topped the Montreal Alouettes 34-10 in CFL exhibition play.
Signed in the off-season as a free agent after being released by the B.C. Lions, Pierce suffered a season-ending injury to his non-throwing shoulder last October.
“I feel good and healthy and agile and the arm feels good. Everything feels great right now.
“You forget how much fun it is to go out there and play again.”
Pierce, whose past injuries also include concussions, ran three times for 34 yards, took a number of hits and was 6-of-10 passing for 105 yards in front of a crowd of 28,792 at Canad Inns Stadium.
He started the game and engineered an 11-play, 104-yard drive on Winnipeg’s first possession that ended with running back Fred Reid’s four-yard touchdown dash.
Pierce then capped the first quarter with a 26-yard TD pass to Brock Ralph as time expired to make it 14-1. He also got into a series in the third quarter.
“I’m pleased with the way that we were able to be backed up in our own zone and move the ball down the field and rest our defence and be efficient,” Pierce said.
Steven Jyles replaced Pierce for the second quarter and the former Saskatchewan backup showed he will challenge for the top job.
Jyles mounted a six-play, 68-yard drive — including a 19-yard run — that ended with running back Daryl Stephenson’s one-yard TD plunge to up the Winnipeg lead 21-1.
A couple of miscues, including a dropped ball in the end zone by receiver Adarius Bowman, affected Jyles’ stats.
After going in for a third-quarter series that ended with an interception, Jyles ended day 2-of-8 passing for 42 yards. He also carried the ball five times for 54 yards.
The Alouettes didn’t bring veteran pivot Anthony Calvillo, so third-year backup Adrian McPherson started before giving way to Chris Leak part way through the second quarter.
Leak set up Montreal’s lone TD with a 24-yard pass to Tim Maypray, followed by a successful two-point convert pass to D.J. Boldin midway through the third to make it 21-10. Leak wound up 21-of-32 for 181 yards and McPherson completed two of four pass attempts for 21 yards.