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They were on the doorstep a year ago, but now they're in the basement.
At least for now, quarterback Kevin Glenn is taking the fall for the Winnipeg Blue Bombers' 0-4 start.
The Bombers have opted to go with Ryan Dinwiddie at quarterback when the Calgary Stampeders come to Winnipeg for a game Thursday. His only previous CFL start was last November's Grey Cup loss to the Saskatchewan Roughriders, when he was good on 15 of 33 pass attempts with one touchdown and three interceptions.
The Bombers rank last in most offensive categories this season, including points scored and touchdowns.
"When you're 0-4 and struggling in a number of ways on offence, there's got to be a change made," Bombers general manager Brendan Taman said. "We can't change receivers, the offensive line has already been changing [because of injuries], and [running back] Charles Roberts needs to be a bigger part of what we're doing, like last year.
"That's affected Kevin's play and that's affected the decision we made to make a change."
Dinwiddie, who starred for the pass-heavy Boise State University Broncos before coming to the CFL, gives the Bombers a little more mobility at quarterback, which could be helpful behind an offensive line that is being patched together.
"Dinwiddie will bring the ability to move with his feet, better ability to escape," Taman said. "Kevin is more of a timing passer. Ryan can buy some time and he comes with a fiery edge. Kevin brings that, but in different ways. It's a different look and hopefully it will spur something."
There are those who might suggest it won't matter who plays quarterback for the Bombers unless they can get Roberts going.
Traditionally one of the stronger rushing teams in the CFL, the Bombers rank last in that category this season, averaging just 54.8 yards a game on the ground. Edmonton, which ranks seventh, has 90.8 yards a game.
"If you talk to anyone in this league, when they play Winnipeg they are always concerned about [Roberts]," Taman said. "They say you have to control [Roberts], and when teams do that, we're not successful and we haven't been this year. If he's not productive, we struggle to win games. Period.
"We lost the Grey Cup and part of the reason was Saskatchewan did a great job controlling him."
Roberts rushed for 1,379 yards last season and ranks fifth on the CFL's all-time rushing list behind Mike Pringle, George Reed, Damon Allen and Johnny Bright. But at 29 and with lots of mileage on him, there are questions about whether he can dominate games the way he used to.
"There's pressure on everybody," Taman said. "We just sat down our starting quarterback, so if people haven't figured out that no one is untouchable — including him — they're probably wrong."
If the Winnipeg offence can't come up with a better showing this week, the Bombers will likely be in some trouble.
The Stampeders have the league's top offence, averaging 453.5 yards a game, and Winnipeg is playing its first game without starting middle linebacker Barrin Simpson, lost for the season to injury in a game last week against the B.C. Lions.
