If Drew Willy really is a Six Million Dollar Man clone who can disregard knee injuries as easily as he can shake off hellacious head shots, then Brian Brohm won't get his second career CFL start on Thursday night.

However, the ginger way in which Willy was moving after taking a low hit from Eskimos defensive tackle and Winnipeg native Eddie Steele on Saturday night suggests the Bombers are going to be Brohm's team for a while.

The Bombers had no Willy update on Sunday but are expected to provide one Monday. It's been a bad year for CFL starting quarterbacks, and the second year starter will likely join the long list of walking wounded. The length of his absence could very well make or break the team's playoff chances, but the fact Winnipeg has only three games in the next 33 days could be a blessing in disguise for the Blue and Gold.

If Willy is in fact out, it'll be up to Brohm to pull the Bombers out of their skid, which hit two games with Saturday's 32-3 drubbing at the hands of the Eskimos. The former Louisville Cardinals gunslinger hasn't given Bomber fans a lot of reason for optimism, either. In his one-plus season with the Blue and Gold, Brohm has completed 64 of 117 attempts for a 54.7% completion rate. He has thrown five interceptions but it still looking for his first touchdown toss.

Four of his interceptions have come in his two relief appearances this season, and two of the picks were returned for touchdowns. His career passer rating is a dismal 53.8, and the Bombers failed to score a point with Brohm at the helm for 22 minutes on Saturday night when he completed just nine of 19 attempts for 71 yards.

The backup is usually the most popular quarterback in Winnipeg, but not these days. Despite the inability to show he has what it takes to be a capable CFL quarterback, Brohm was talking a good game after Saturday's setback.

“That's my job, is to be ready to go whenever called upon,” Brohm said. “I know this offence. I've been in the offence for a year and a half now, so I feel like I can go in there and be successful whenever called upon. I have confidence in myself. I need to go out there and show it on the field and show everybody what I'm capable of.”

Winnipeg head coach Mike O'Shea might not have any other choice. He reported after Saturday's game that third-stringer Robert Marve, who would be next up if the fans were running the show, isn't healthy enough to play. And the only reason Marve was dressed was because fourth-stringer Dominique Davis doesn't know the offence well enough. While that explanation makes absolutely no sense, it likely doesn't matter either way. Brohm is the guy.

“I'm ready. There's no wavering in my confidence level,” he said. “Obviously there's things I need to work on and get better at, and I plan on doing that. It's a short week, but I'm going to get in, watch the film, get right to work and try to get better every day.”

When asked what specifically he needs to work on, Brohm said: “A couple of those balls, accuracy-wise, I've been working on that throughout the year, but I need to make a few better throws. That's going to be my focus. I'm seeing the defence well. I know where I'm supposed to go with the football. I just need to make those plays, make those throws.”

If there's a reason for hope for Bombers fans when it comes to Brohm, it's that he played his best football last October when he made his one and only start in place of a banged up Willy. Against Calgary, Brohm completed 14 of 23 attempts for 194 yards and no interceptions. His passer rating was a very respectable 88.0, but the Bombers trailed the Stampeders 23-7 in the third quarter when he suffered a season-ending broken thumb.

It's not a lot for Bombers fans to get excited about, but at least it's something. And if Brohm isn't getting it done on Thursday night, it will be time for the Bombers to take a look at the next guy, whether it's Marve or Davis, because they are lagging far behind most other CFL teams in the quarterback development department. Other franchises can put a second- or third-stringer on the field and get results, but not the Bombers.

In fact, the team brass better hope one of its backup quarterbacks does something, or the fact they brought back all the pivots from last year's dismal season won't look good at all.

kirk.penton@sunmedia.ca

twitter.com/PentonKirk