Winnipeg @ Montreal pre-game discussion.

[VictorRomano]

Wallace is not a bust at all, thought he was great.

Wallace was regularly our 6th OL for a while on Jumbo sets and I thought he did a good job; better than Eli.  When Neufeld went down, Randolph got on the AR and looked good as well.  U really do think the Bombers have something in those two.

[Throw Long Bannatyne]

Wallace was regularly our 6th OL for a while on Jumbo sets and I thought he did a good job; better than Eli.  When Neufeld went down, Randolph got on the AR and looked good as well.  U really do think the Bombers have something in those two.

Plus Wallace was a draft pick this year so he's contracted for at least 2 years.  He spent most of the season on the IR or the PR, so they can afford to be a little more casual with his status than they can with Randolph or Eli. Any players left exposed on the PR after the GC become free agents eligible to sign elsewhere.

[TecnoGenius]

Here's something to chew on: MTL can go a long way to choosing who they face in the GC by trying or not trying in the WPG@MTL game.  If I'm Maas and their braintrust, I'm giving this massive thought.

So who would MTL rather face in the GC?  WPG or SSK?  Who does MTL think they match up better against?  Who do they think would be a tougher outing?

My opinion is MTL matches up better against WPG.  Their pass D is basically designed to negate a Zach/Buck mid-mostly + short/deep mix game.  However, their run D will be challenged to keep Brady in check.

On the other hand, SSK is a 95% dink & dunk O, which is much harder for a MTL-style D to defend.  Trevor won't throw up the mids & deeps that allow MTL to get the INTs.  Plus, some people (not me) may think Oullette is nearly as good as Brady.

So all else being equal, I think MTL prefers to face Zach than Trevor.  The WPG&SSK Ds are very different, but somewhat equal in overall effect.  SSK is more dependent on takeaways, but that capability may scare MTL because Cody chucks mids quite a bit and isn't the most accurate.

So bottom line: if I'm right, they'll happily let us win this one.  If I'm wrong, they may play it as hard as the EDF.

Their depth chart may be a hint as to how badly they want to beat us, or not.

[J5V]

Here's something to chew on: MTL can go a long way to choosing who they face in the GC by trying or not trying in the WPG@MTL game.  If I'm Maas and their braintrust, I'm giving this massive thought.

So who would MTL rather face in the GC?  WPG or SSK?  Who does MTL think they match up better against?  Who do they think would be a tougher outing?

My opinion is MTL matches up better against WPG.  Their pass D is basically designed to negate a Zach/Buck mid-mostly + short/deep mix game.  However, their run D will be challenged to keep Brady in check.

On the other hand, SSK is a 95% dink & dunk O, which is much harder for a MTL-style D to defend.  Trevor won't throw up the mids & deeps that allow MTL to get the INTs.  Plus, some people (not me) may think Oullette is nearly as good as Brady.

So all else being equal, I think MTL prefers to face Zach than Trevor.  The WPG&SSK Ds are very different, but somewhat equal in overall effect.  SSK is more dependent on takeaways, but that capability may scare MTL because Cody chucks mids quite a bit and isn't the most accurate.

So bottom line: if I'm right, they'll happily let us win this one.  If I'm wrong, they may play it as hard as the EDF.

Their depth chart may be a hint as to how badly they want to beat us, or not.

Interesting take and it certainly has merit. I'm more inclined to believe that the Bombers show up in Montreal ready to play a slobberknocker at full intensity and rather than pay the price they'd have to in a nothing game the Als let this one slip away like they did with BC. They didn't like losing Donovan and they never matched BC's intensity and I suspect it'll be more of the same on Saturday.

Montreal is getting a taste of what it's like to be the front runner and they aren't handling it very well. Maas is an emotional train wreck at the best of times and doesn't set a good example of quiet confidence. It is so reminiscent of Hamilton in 2019 and us the last two years. It's hard to carry real intensity into the playoffs/Grey Cup when you have to play nothing games at the end of the season and try to pretend those games are meaningful.

[Waffler]

Here's something to chew on: MTL can go a long way to choosing who they face in the GC by trying or not trying in the WPG@MTL game.  If I'm Maas and their braintrust, I'm giving this massive thought.

So who would MTL rather face in the GC?  WPG or SSK? 

They've already beaten the Argos?  Something to ponder but if they are thinking about anything other than Toronto, they have already lost. I am sure Toronto has not forgotten last year and is coming in to Montreal to prove a point or two.

[bomb squad]

They've already beaten the Argos?  Something to ponder but if they are thinking about anything other than Toronto, they have already lost. I am sure Toronto has not forgotten last year and is coming in to Montreal to prove a point or two.

The Argos have already beaten the Redblacks?

[bwiser]

The Als seem like they peaked too early. The Als were the best team in the league for most of the first half of the season.The second half of the season the Als have looked pretty ordinary. I expect the Argos will come out of the east.

[TBURGESS]

The Als aren't going to lie down and just give us the game. If we want to win, we'll have to play a good to great playoff style game. 

[theaardvark]

Could play with a club.  Been a few years since we've seen that, but it's been done many times by other teams.

However, Kelly was great, so maybe no need to take the chance (hard to wrap-up players with a club).

I know one thing, I don't want another GC where we're dressing guys at 50% and they suck or leave the game (or both).  Learned that lesson.  It's not their fault... it's Mafia's fault for not laying down the law and only dressing guys who are at least 75%.  If that means we get relative n00b guys like Kelly instead of BA37, so be it.

I'd rather dress a player that is 80% as good that is 100% rather than a player that is at 75%.  Starting a game with everyone healthy reduces the chances of tweaking whatever is wrong and ending up one roster spot short minutes into the game.

Anyone on the roster is there for a reason, AR or PR.  Yes, the difference between a starter, a backup and a PR player is noticable, but its not that huge that the starter playing on 75% health is better, especially if it affects his wheels, or his ability to make moves.   

[Throw Long Bannatyne]

I'd rather dress a player that is 80% as good that is 100% rather than a player that is at 75%.  Starting a game with everyone healthy reduces the chances of tweaking whatever is wrong and ending up one roster spot short minutes into the game.

Anyone on the roster is there for a reason, AR or PR.  Yes, the difference between a starter, a backup and a PR player is noticable, but its not that huge that the starter playing on 75% health is better, especially if it affects his wheels, or his ability to make moves.   

Hopefully this is the lesson O'Shea learned from last year's GC, as it is, the team looks to be in much better health than it was last year at this time despite the absence of Bighill and Schoen.

[Blue In BC]

Haven't seen any daily IR reports to give an idea of who might actually be healthy this week.

[Mick]

Haven't seen any daily IR reports to give an idea of who might actually be healthy this week.

I did see an update from Derek Taylor that Whitehead was practicing, this is good news.

[Blue In BC]

I did see an update from Derek Taylor that Whitehead was practicing, this is good news.

I guess. He hasn't practised much in a month but continues to play. I wasn't expecting him to miss this game.

OTOH: Griffin, Ayers, Feltmate, Fox and Woli could be due to come off the IR and get some game reps before the playoffs.

Those guys have been practising except for possibly Woli. I'm not sure if he has a chance to play.

I heard Adams hurt his hand so Fox might be a choice to replace him for this week, either by choice or by need.

[Mick]

Opening betting line for the game is -3.5 WPG. I'm surprised it's that high, it may indicate some guys not practicing on the MTL side.

[Throw Long Bannatyne]

I guess. He hasn't practised much in a month but continues to play. I wasn't expecting him to miss this game.

OTOH: Griffin, Ayers, Feltmate, Fox and Woli could be due to come off the IR and get some game reps before the playoffs.

Those guys have been practising except for possibly Woli. I'm not sure if he has a chance to play.

I heard Adams hurt his hand so Fox might be a choice to replace him for this week, either by choice or by need.

Good chance to get another look at Fox and decide if they should bring him back next season or not as I believe his contract is up.  CFL.ca has no statistics on him but I believe this is his 3rd season in the league and he's only played in a handful of games so far. He's getting that Stove vibe without the output.