Follow up to OAKAS
Knee knocks Lumsden out
Running back won't play in Calgary as Ticats err on side of caution
Brace yourself, Tiger-Cat fans, Jesse Lumsden is hurting.
And the talented Hamilton back won't be flying west for tomorrow night's game in Calgary against the Stampeders.
Lumsden took limited practice reps yesterday with a brace on his right knee. After practice he refused media interview requests. He had an MRI on the knee and was to meet with doctors after practice.
Hamilton head coach Charlie Taaffe downplayed the injury to his talented back. Taaffe officially listed Lumsden as "questionable" for tomorrow night's game, which begins at 9 p.m. EDT and will be broadcast on TSN.
"He has carried the ball 40 times in the last two games ... he is a little beat up, he took a helmet in the game and was looked at and was obviously able to finish."
Taaffe said the brace on Lumsden was precautionary, adding there doesn't appear to any "issues" with the knee beyond soreness.
"We are being very precautionary so it doesn't escalate into something. We want to make sure he is not at risk of further injury. If he is, we'll probably hold him a week. It's a short week, if he takes a beating. ... We need to be smart about it. If it is questionable whether it is in his best interests to play, we'll probably hold him.
"There is no sense putting Jesse at long-term risk if it looks like it is just a matter of better judgement to hold him," Taaffe said.
Late yesterday evening, GM Bob O'Billovich confirmed that Lumsden won't be making the trip to Calgary.
"He has a stretched ligament in his right knee," said O'Billovich, adding the injury was not serious and that Lumsden should be ready to play July 25 against Edmonton.
Word of Lumsden's plight came on the same day that the Burlington-raised running back was named the Canadian Football League Canadian Player of the Week for the second consecutive week.
Lumsden is off to a dominant start. He rushed 19 times for 137 yards last week and leads the CFL in rushing with 48 carries for 362 yards and four touchdowns.
Lumsden was limited to 10 games last season because of shoulder-related injuries. He was placed on the nine-game injury list in September and had surgery Dec. 12 to repair a torn left labrum.
With Lumsden out, the Cats will go with Tre Smith and Terry Caulley, who took the bulk of the practice reps yesterday. But because both are imports, import guard Marko Cavka will have to come off the roster in favour of Canadian Peter Dyakowski.
Import defensive tackle Darrell Adams won't play because of a leg injury. The Cats will move Terrence Patrick to the interior and start Charlton Keith.
One further move, the Cats plucked non-import long snapper Tyson Craiggs off the Montreal practice roster. Craiggs played three seasons with B.C. He replaces Burlington's Matt Robichaud, who had his appendix removed Sunday.
