{"id":20037,"date":"2025-07-24T08:07:09","date_gmt":"2025-07-24T08:07:09","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/20037\/"},"modified":"2025-07-24T08:07:09","modified_gmt":"2025-07-24T08:07:09","slug":"bridges-we-bump-our-head-a-few-times-and-at-the-end-of-the-day-weve-got-to-grow-and-keep-levelling-up-from-where-we-were","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/20037\/","title":{"rendered":"Bridges: “We bump our head a few times and at the end of the day we’ve got to grow and keep levelling up from where we were.”"},"content":{"rendered":"

Marquise Bridges knew the questions were coming. And he knew he wouldn\u2019t be alone in being put under the microscope to have his game magnified 1000x.<\/p>\n

There are plenty of Winnipeg Blue Bombers answering those hard questions this week after back-to-back three touchdown losses to the Calgary Stampeders that exposed some problems in all three phases.<\/p>\n

Yet there was Bridges \u2014 the second-year member\/first-time starting corner in the Blue Bombers secondary \u2014 eloquently answering the queries and not shying away from any of his share of the responsibility. And if all Blue Bombers take the same approach \u2014 and so far, they all have \u2014 then they\u2019ll be better positioned to try and get their game right again this Saturday in Toronto against the Argonauts.<\/p>\n

First, Bridges addressed the defensive performance over the two losses to the Stamps and, in particular, the dreaded big plays \u2014 \u2018explosion plays\u2019 \u2014 against:<\/p>\n

\u201cWe just weren\u2019t as sharp as what we needed to be and what we\u2019re capable of at the end of the day,\u201d he began after practice Wednesday. \u201cIt\u2019s plays we\u2019ve made a thousand times in practices and with a lot of these guys a thousand times in a game. Those mental lapses they happen every once in a while, and we just know we have to pick it back up because we know what we\u2019re capable of.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s a long season and we get to learn about ourselves throughout the season. The same thing they\u2019re watching on film we get to watch, and we get to grow, too. That\u2019s how we clean it up \u2014 we get those lessons; we bump our head a few times and at the end of the day we\u2019ve got to grow and keep levelling up from where we were.<\/p>\n

\u201cThat\u2019s for everybody \u2014 everybody that\u2019s been here for years and everybody that\u2019s new \u2014 to continue to elevate our game.\u201d<\/p>\n

Winnipeg\u2019s defence is surrendering an average of 271 yards passing per game, which is middle of the pack in the Canadian Football League. Yet, it\u2019s been the uncustomary busts that have left opponents occasionally wide open which have been concerning.<\/p>\n

Asked about being alone out there on the corner \u2014 Bridges Island, so to speak \u2014 and how those busts can be very visible, Bridges gave an answer that would be echoed by everyone in the Blue Bombers clubhouse.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s not about the visibility, it\u2019s about letting my teammates down in that instant and just knowing that I want to win and I want to help the team win and if I do something that is the direct opposite of that, that\u2019s disappointing in my eyes,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s not necessarily for everybody\u2019s opinion or whatever people might say, it\u2019s for my teammates and I want to make sure go out the right way every time we step on that field so it\u2019s my job to make sure I do my job correctly so we can all get the affect we want from the game.<\/p>\n

\u201cThat\u2019s the nature of the job. We\u2019re going to have a lot of those tough times, a lot of those things you don\u2019t want to have to learn and that uncomfortable feeling you don\u2019t want to feel, but that\u2019s when you grow the most.\u201d<\/p>\n

The nature of the job also calls for a short memory. The Argos will have studied the film just like everyone else. And Bridges knows that means his name could be circled on the depth chart as someone to attack on Saturday.<\/p>\n

\u201cI know how it is,\u201d he said. \u201cI know what I\u2019ve put on film so far, so I know where they\u2019re going to attack me and that goes for everybody, whether you\u2019ve been here for six years or not, we all know where they\u2019re going to try and attack us. We all have quote-unquote, weaknesses in our game and we have to make sure our weaknesses aren\u2019t weak. Make sure we can look at those things and make them our strength and play to what they would think is a weakness.<\/p>\n

\u201cIf you lose confidence, you lose the job, you lose the fun of the game. For me, it\u2019s easier because my teammates pick me up. I\u2019m not perfect in that instance at all. I put my head down at times and I\u2019m my biggest critic, but I always have these guys around me to pick my head up whenever it\u2019s down.\u201d<\/p>\n

OUCH REPORT: No real changes to the Blue Bombers injury report today, with future hall of fame left tackle still out but more mobile. Asked about his level of confidence he could play this week, head coach Mike O\u2019Shea offered this after practice: \u201cI saw him moving around today. Pretty damn good. We\u2019ll see, though. You know Stan doesn\u2019t need to practice, right? A lot of the vets do not need any practice to play.<\/p>\n

\u201cI mean, he\u2019s played very well for a very long time. I don\u2019t think he needs any tune up in terms of scheme or anything like that. Unless he\u2019s cleared to play, he wouldn\u2019t be playing and when Al (Couture, head athletic therapist) clears somebody to play it means they\u2019re ready to actually play, not, \u2018We\u2019re ready to use them in certain situations.\u2019 They\u2019re ready to play.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

Micah Vanterpool started the last game in Bryant\u2019s place after previously lining up at left guard. O\u2019Shea\u2019s assessment of his play:<\/p>\n

\u201cLike every other player when we lose there\u2019s going to be plays they\u2019d like to have back. It takes some time to get the footwork all down and have the game slow down enough for you and vision, but he\u2019s a big strong athlete that can play the game. I\u2019m sure he\u2019s going to keep on improving.\u201d<\/p>\n

Injury Report: July 23, 2025#ForTheW<\/a> | @DoctorsManitoba<\/a> pic.twitter.com\/YbFxc10z7X<\/a><\/p>\n

\u2014 Winnipeg Blue Bombers (@Wpg_BlueBombers) July 23, 2025<\/a><\/p>\n

NEWS FROM THE THE 6IX: TSN\u2019s Farhan Lalji reported today that the Argos will start Nick Arbuckle on Saturday as starter Chad Kelly continues his recovery from a broken leg last November.<\/p>\n

Can confirm that Nick Arbuckle will start again this week for #Argos<\/a>. Chad Kelly likely won\u2019t dress until next week. His complete recovery has obviously taken longer than the club initially expected (3-4 weeks). @CFLonTSN<\/a> @TSN_Sports<\/a> https:\/\/t.co\/bNC03mIKkj<\/a><\/p>\n

\u2014 Farhan Lalji (@FarhanLaljiTSN) July 23, 2025<\/a><\/p>\n