Winnipeg Blue Bombers’ head coach Mike O’Shea does not believe veteran linebacker Adam Bighill did anything wrong hitting and driving Saskatchewan Roughriders’ quarterback Shea Patterson into the turf after time ran out in Week 7.
There were five seconds on the clock when the Riders snapped the football leading 19-9. Offensive coordinator Marc Mueller called for Patterson to drop back, burn the remaining time and throw the football away.
“They’re running a five-second pass. They got five seconds left on the clock, they’re going to snap the ball, the quarterback’s going to drop back and launch the ball. Instead, he leaves the pocket, Biggie’s giving chase, he’s supposed to throw that ball out of bounds,” O’Shea said post-game.
“He hung onto it and throws it late. Biggie’s finishing his play, there’s nothing wrong with it, there was no penalty. They take exception to it but I think if they understand the play, they know their quarterback’s supposed to get rid of it, but far be it for me to say.”
You could tell how the Riders felt about the hit based on the team’s reaction with several players rushing to their teammate’s defence. Head coach Corey Mace said Patterson could have executed the play better and been smarter. He talked about what happened with his QB and did not want to see him take an unnecessary hit.
“That’s just [Bighill] making a play. That’s on me too, I can’t hold onto it that long. It’s really kill six [seconds] and throw it out of bounds,” Patterson said.
“Willie [Jefferson] was coming off the edge, made him miss and maybe got a little too cocky. A veteran linebacker came and sent me a message, respect to him.”
It’s fair to expect the league, which has made protecting quarterbacks a focus, to review the play. Mace said there’s “no ill will” from the Roughriders’ perspective, though not all his players let Bighill off the hook so easily.
“C’mon, man. You didn’t have to do that, you didn’t,” receiver Ajou Ajou said. “He’s passionate, I get it, I hate losing too.”
Patterson admitted the hit “didn’t feel great” but stated he was fine physically after the game. The Riders play Winnipeg in the Labour Day Classic on Sunday, September 1.
