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The Winnipeg Blue Bombers yanked the Welcome mat from under Casey Printers on Saturday night.

Gavin Walls and Mike Mahoney scored touchdowns off turnovers as Winnipeg beat Hamilton 34-4, handing the Tiger-Cats their fifth straight loss and spoiling Printers' debut.

"It's difficult for a quarterback to come back from the NFL and adjust to the CFL game," Bombers receiver Milt Stegall said.

"He's a great quarterback, he's going to be a great quarterback in this league . . . but it's a different game and it's going to take a second.

"A lot of pressure was put on him and he put some pressure on himself with some of the things he said. He's going to be a great one, but I guess we gave him a good welcome back to the CFL."

Printers, the CFL's outstanding player in 2004, signed a four-year, $1.6-million deal with Hamilton on Sept. 6 after being released by the NFL's Kansas City Chiefs. He made the start Saturday despite having just three practices under his belt, which forced the Ticats (1-10) to reduce their playbook by about 60 per cent heading into the game.

The simplified approach didn't work as Printers finished 17-of-28 passing for 144 yards before a season-low Ivor Wynne Stadium gathering of 21,205. Printers, who was replaced by Richie Williams with 2:27 to play, also had a botched handoff that Walls recovered and rumbled 26 yards for the touchdown in the second quarter.

"I've had three days of practice and it's kind of unrealistic to say we can get the whole playbook," a dejected Printers said. "I'm going to take the blame for this one.

"Maybe I could've done some more, maybe I couldn't. I understand this is a team sport, but I want to be the one to keep the guys up and in it. It's frustrating. This can't happen.

"We will be a better football team, I can assure you of that."

Winnipeg (7-3-1) cemented the win at 8:21 of the third, thanks to another Hamilton miscue. Long-snapper Mahoney rounded out the scoring when he recovered Jojo Walker's second fumble of the game — one of five Ticats' turnovers — in the end zone following Troy Westwood's missed 35-yard field goal try.

To be fair, Printers assumed control of a Hamilton offence that not only came into Saturday's contest ranked last in the CFL in scoring (15.9 points per game) and seventh in passing 235 yards per game). The Ticats were also minus top running back Jesse Lumsden (clavicle) and leading receiver Jason Armstead (ribs).

"In reality, when you make decisions like this there are consequences," said Ticats head coach Charlie Taaffe. "It's like we're back in training camp offensively because you've a quarterback who has had three practices, doesn't have a feel for the offence, doesn't have a feel for where his receivers are, doesn't really understand yet where the second read is if the first option is covered. It was not very functioning.

"This is going to be a process with Casey. But it's also 12 guys and everyone has to participate and help him make plays. You can't put it on one guy."

Printers also had the misfortune of making his CFL return against the East Division's top team and a squad boasting the CFL's top passer in Kevin Glenn, top rusher in Charles Roberts and one of the league's best receivers in Milt Stegall. The Bombers' defence was also bolstered by the recent return of linebacker Ike Charlton and cornerback Juran Bolden.

What's more, many Bombers irked that Printers, upon signing with Hamilton, said he not only wanted to be the CFL's best quarterback, but the best to ever play the game.

On Saturday, the Bombers took it to Printers, sacking him six times — including three by rush end Tom Canada. All too often Printers was flushed out of the pocket by Winnipeg's pressure and forced to either throw the ball away or take his chances downfield as Ticats' receivers dropped at least six passes that should've been complete.

Hamilton had just 223 total yards offensively, compared to 418 for Winnipeg.

"We're very happy with what we did," said Bombers linebacker Barrin Simpson. "We accomplished what we set out to do: Keep him in the pocket and not let him run around.

"It wasn't a perfect game, but it was one of those, you know, that's how you play defence. We did a great job and it was a group effort."

Glenn was a workmanlike 19-of-32 passing for 240 yards and a touchdown and staked Winnipeg to a commanding 24-4 half-time lead. But there was an anxious moment with 4:20 left in the third when, after being hit by Hamilton's Nautyn-McKay Loescher, Glenn was assisted off the field when he tweaked something in his right knee and didn't return. He was replaced by Ryan Dinwiddie, who was 7-of-11 passing for 95 yards.

"I'll be playing next week," said Glenn. "Right now, it's fine."

Terrence Edwards had Winnipeg's other touchdown. Westwood booted the converts, four field goals and a single.

Hamilton kicker Nick Setta accounted for his team's points with a field goal and single.

Notes: The last time these two teams met, Lumsden ran for 211 yards in a 43-22 home win Aug. 3, which still stands as Hamilton's only win of the year . . . Stegall moved past Darren Flutie (14,359 yards) into second for all-time receiving yards with a 17-yard catch in the second. Former Calgary slotback Allen Pitts (14,891 yards) currently holds the record . . . Offensive linemen Pierre Vercheval and Rocco Romano, Flutie, linebacker Greg Battle and former CIS coach Dave "Tuffy" Knight, the newest inductees into the Canadian Football Hall of Fame, were honoured at halftime.