Official Game Day Thread - Montreal at Winnipeg, June 6, 2024

[TecnoGenius]

Does FB count as a starter?  If so 11

BinBC gave the long answer.  I'll give the short answer: No (just treat FB as though it was listed under RB on the chart).

[TecnoGenius]

The line-up person is still in pre-season form:

1. Alexander is an import, but listed as a National (unless he's naturalized and that's how they specify that, which would be odd and needlessly confusing).
2. Dobson is a National and listed as an import.
3. Demski is a National and listed as an import.

By my count that is 10 National starters.

Haha, you found one I didn't.  Good one!        

10 NAT ratio is unheard of in modern CFL.  Back to my "insanity" postulation.

If Mafia was Chris Jones they'd have 10 new rookie IMPs fly up overnight to "tryout" in the game to get back down to 7-8, as well as another 10 2nd year guys on some fake injury roster he could pull from.

I really can't recall the last time any team other than us started 9 NATs, let alone 10 (outside of garbage or pre-season).

[Throw Long Bannatyne]

Haha, you found one I didn't.  Good one!        

10 NAT ratio is unheard of in modern CFL.  Back to my "insanity" postulation.

If Mafia was Chris Jones they'd have 10 new rookie IMPs fly up overnight to "tryout" in the game to get back down to 7-8, as well as another 10 2nd year guys on some fake injury roster he could pull from.

I really can't recall the last time any team other than us started 9 NATs, let alone 10 (outside of garbage or pre-season).

You're not incorrect and yet both Dickie and Jones stand with their necks already fitted for nooses as the 2024 season gets under way, which leads to the rhetorical question, who's approach has proven to work better theirs or MOS's?

[ichabod_crane]

He wasn't signed in free agency. Whether he was deciding to move on from football or whether the Bombers even offered a contract IDK. However, he hasn't signed elsewhere either. I tend to think he's move on to his post football career. Of course I may be in error and he could sign somewhere soon.

Depending on how things go with our OL, we can't rule out anything. Bombers didn't spend money they allocated for Grant and if Bighill and Lawson are on 6 game IR for longer, they may be considering other options.

I FINALLY rewatched the GC 2023 game last night for the very first time. Figured best to relive the horror before the revenge game to start the season! Gray was manhandled by Sankey a lot I noticed while being really focused on the replay game. Could be why they never invited him back or he knew his days were done. Was quite noticeable on several plays Sankey just ran past of overpowered him like a pylon.

Also Collaros threw a VERY BAD interception to Lawler deep in the endzone before halftime. The flat was WIDE open with someone running out there (did not catch the number) with a few yards of separation from the defender. Zach missed that read badly as would have been an easy TD or very close to the goal line at least. Funny how you can notice certain things afterwards when not wrapped up wildly in the game!

[TecnoGenius]

I FINALLY rewatched the GC 2023 game last night for the very first time.

Also Collaros threw a VERY BAD interception to Lawler deep in the endzone before halftime. The flat was WIDE open with someone running out there (did not catch the number) with a few yards of separation from the defender.

Ya.  If you missed it the first time 'round (too much pain still...) check out my posts on the GC:

break down on the Lawler INT:
http://forums.bluebombers.com/index.php?topic=55431.msg1616281;topicseen#msg1616281

my slight mea culpa on Cody and earlier MTL game comparison with GC:
http://forums.bluebombers.com/index.php?topic=55576.msg1620096#msg1620096

The takeaway from the GC is don't try nice ball placement for Kenny, just throw it beyond him and let him get it.  Otherwise Ento will get the INT.  Just let Kenny be Kenny.  Zach needs to know when not to feather it in there.

I want a ton more go routes.  Basically wherever Dequoy cheats to, to the other way, to avoid the over the top INT.  And do the unexpected.  If Buck does GC Buck things, we may have the same result.  I want major confusion caused by our O schemes.

[TecnoGenius]

You're not incorrect and yet both Dickie and Jones stand with their necks already fitted for nooses as the 2024 season gets under way, which leads to the rhetorical question, who's approach has proven to work better theirs or MOS's?

TOR's in 2022
MTL's in 2023

None ever start more than 8 NAT.  Usually 7.

We shall see!!

[TecnoGenius]

Gray was manhandled by Sankey a lot I noticed while being really focused on the replay game. Could be why they never invited him back or he knew his days were done. Was quite noticeable on several plays Sankey just ran past of overpowered him like a pylon.

Ya, Gray gave up his famous "A-gap Problem" 1 or 2 times in the GC.  However, that is a shared responsibility with Ko-man, and even (sometimes) Brady.  I wouldn't say he cost us the game though.  DM83 will tell you Hardrick deserves all the blame!  And I'd point out Ko-man not playing 100% mistake-free, nor even Neufeld.

However, I'm not grading these guys out, so maybe your theory is right and that is a big part of why we cut him loose.  However, while we are "puzzle piece" focused, it's usually by addition, not subtraction.  Maybe that's because we usually pick such good players that we lose them to big$ FA, not no-one-wants-them cuts.

We're also very much NOT a "burn the witches" team.  This would smack of burning a witch.  Maybe that's why it's been so low key and hush hush.  Actually quite the strange situation for a starting-caliber vet-but-young NAT OL!

[TecnoGenius]

MTL chart:

Can't sleep on their O.  KJG back in the roster (was out the GC) slightly offsets the loss of Mack.  Snead/Spieker/Philpot can be dangerous, especially when Calvillo spreads the ball evenly like in the GC, thus keeping us guessing.

Fletcher can be as good as Stanback, in my books.  And faster.  Watch out.

Their OL hasn't changed much.  All this equals trouble for our rookie & NAT D.  All depends on whether Cody is supercharged by the GC win or back to can't-throw Cody.  If Cody has new mojo, they'll put up big points!

MTL D:

Slightly weaker DL.  One new guy in DB corps?  Ento/Dequoy still there: scary.

LBs much the same.

How did MTL manage to retain so many GC champs??  Holy smokes, we're usually the "consistency" team, and this year we have 800 changes and they have virtually 0.  That's never a good thing.

[TecnoGenius]

OK ... LEMON?  How on earth is he starting?  I thought he was suspended for a whole season AND retired?  How is he starting?

Did he appeal?  Shady that he'll be able to play for X weeks before serving a suspension.

[TecnoGenius]

Who was it who said they are scared?  Well, I just did my fantasy analysis on the WPG/MTL depth charts and yikes, if I was any other team's fan, I'd pick MTL to win.  I always say I won't pickem/fantasy on emotion, but here I am in week 1 picking WPG against all logic.          

I can come up with some reasons why we should win, though:

1. It's IGF PAS and it's gonna be loud

2. It's IGF PAS and I don't think Cody has ever beaten us here??

3. We have more superstar WRs

4. We have the better QB

5. Revenge is a better motivator than confidence or hubris

Is that enough??

[Blueforlife]

Wind will die down tonight and skies will clear.  Dress warm not the warmest and no sun looks like.

[Sir Blue and Gold]

Haha, you found one I didn't.  Good one!        

10 NAT ratio is unheard of in modern CFL.  Back to my "insanity" postulation.

If Mafia was Chris Jones they'd have 10 new rookie IMPs fly up overnight to "tryout" in the game to get back down to 7-8, as well as another 10 2nd year guys on some fake injury roster he could pull from.

I really can't recall the last time any team other than us started 9 NATs, let alone 10 (outside of garbage or pre-season).

It's hard to blame them. Jones especially, he's a walk on from Tennessee who has a pretty extensive record coaching in the southern US which is a football factory and when you compare those guys to CIS guys it isn't really that close most of the time. That's just a reality. Dickenson you could argue should have a bit more of an open mind from Montana but he was named the Big Sky Conference's greatest-male athlete ever in 2013 and has deep roots to the US (albeit northern states).

The other factor is that although we have built, developed and found some really great National players, there is a absolute National scarcity at play. It really cannot be argued. So even if Dickenson and Jones (or every CFL team) wanted to start 10 Nationals, it really isn't possible. Give O'Shea and Walters credit though, they have a lot of success with the Nationals here. They are good at it. It's just 10000% not as easy as they make it seem.

[blue_gold_84]

As if the 2024 season kicks off today.

[GOLDMEMBER]

Happy 2024 season kickoff Blue Bomber fans!

[LXTSN]

This has more of a preseason vibe, just because I still have more questions than answers about the 2024 Bombers.

How will the OL perform with the new pieces? If we can hold back the defence on passing downs, we should be pretty good. I'd say a 3-sack and 100-yard rushing game (combined) would be a success for the first time playing all together.

Will MTL exploit our 2 rookie corners, or will they hold up? With DB's it's normally better if you never hear their name on the broadcast, and I can say that I rarely if ever heard Bond's name come up. I'd expect both of them to get burned at least once.

Has our special teams coverage improved? Our new coach is the best to ever cover punts and kickoffs. I would hope that he can reel in the young guns and turn our coverage into a weapon rather than a liability. I'm expecting a slow start with this being his first time coaching, but I believe in him as a coach so I'll have a LOT of patience.