Official Game Day Thread - Winnipeg at Calgary, August 9, 2025

[Blue In BC]

Remove Zach's name and just look at the output from the last season and 8 games and his birthday. There's your answer. It's that simple.

For a lot of good quarterbacks, it takes awhile for people to see the results and attribute it to the player. You're used to seeing them dominate and it's weird when they don't. Call it the Russell Wilson effect if you want, because he's a recent example. He was great until he wasn't. Same with 37-year-old (in two weeks) Collaros.

You'll all come around a year and a half worth of sample isn't wrong.

There is little doubt that Collaros is on the downside of his career and his performance is suffering. So yes he has to take that heat.

That said, problems with injuries on the OL, bad decisions with recruitment / retention of receivers and defensive problems all have contributed to our losses as well.

[Sir Blue and Gold]

There is little doubt that Collars is on the downside of his career and his performance is suffering. So yes he has to take that heat.

That said, problems with injuries on the OL, bad decisions with recruitment / retention of receivers and defensive problems all have contributed to our losses as well.

For sure. It's never just one thing, totally agree. And I don't really want him to "take heat". The run we got on with him was amazing. Will always remember and appreciate it. No blame here for getting "football old". He's in shape. He's a remarkable athlete. It just is what it is and in the context of the conversation of "what's the biggest problem and how do we fix it," the answer is Collaros and his contract, unfortunately.

[Blue In BC]

For sure. It's never just one thing, totally agree. And I don't really want him to "take heat". The run we got on with him was amazing. Will always remember and appreciate it. No blame here for getting "football old". He's in shape. He's a remarkable athlete. It just is what it is and in the context of the conversation of "what's the biggest problem and how do we fix it," the answer is Collaros and his contract, unfortunately.

I just meant that we posters need to understand the entire picture including management decisions. Noting I was not in favour of increasing his salary at the last go around. He may have been a higher ranked QB 2 years ago. OTOH his salary kneecapped some of what we might have been able to do elsewhere with SMS.

The same thing applies to 2026 where he has a new contract but for an unknown amount and advance money.

[Blueforlife]

Remove Zach's name and just look at the output from the last season and 8 games and his birthday. There's your answer. It's that simple.

For a lot of good quarterbacks, it takes awhile for people to see the results and attribute it to the player. You're used to seeing them dominate and it's weird when they don't. Call it the Russell Wilson effect if you want, because he's a recent example. He was great until he wasn't. Same with 37-year-old (in two weeks) Collaros.

You'll all come around a year and a half worth of sample isn't wrong.

Disagree.  Zach still has got it.  Sticking to my guns on our great.  Like Harris they find a way.  He will be a little more inconsistent but when healthy and behind a good OL and run game, he is still my guy.  His touch on the ball is very good and his deep ball is still there for the most part.  Just got to stay upright, limited the picked and throw the ball away a little more imo.

[Jesse]

No one is arguing the point that Zach isn't the same QB anymore.

But there's the simple fact that he is still our starting QB, our best option to get wins, and so the only thing to do is try and adjust the fixable things around Zach to put him in the best possible spot.

We're finally starting the same OL 2 games in a row. It would be fantastic to get Pokey back from the NFL sooner rather than later. And hopefully Hogan stops making some really terrible situational errors as the season goes along.

[Blue In BC]

No one is arguing the point that Zach isn't the same QB anymore.

But there's the simple fact that he is still our starting QB, our best option to get wins, and so the only thing to do is try and adjust the fixable things around Zach to put him in the best possible spot.

We're finally starting the same OL 2 games in a row. It would be fantastic to get Pokey back from the NFL sooner rather than later. And hopefully Hogan stops making some really terrible situational errors as the season goes along.

Read the post above yours.

[blue_gold_84]

Read the post above yours.

That's an outlier. LOL

[Jesse]

Read the post above yours.

Well, we can't talk about anything if we read those posts.

[Blueforlife]

Ah the classic herd is never wrong moment,  no I don't fit under the bell curve

I'll eat hard crow on Zach if he fizzles out

My bet is with a better OL, Brady bully ball, Schoen back and Hogan improving, I'll be serving not eating.  Bonus points if Wilson returns.  Even if half or more those things happen we should be ok.

Time will tell, it will be a close call.  I can see why folks are turning on him, but I ain't.

Come on Zach time to sling nasty for Matt.

[Sir Blue and Gold]

Ah the classic herd is never wrong moment,  no I don't fit under the bell curve

I'll eat hard crow on Zach if he fizzles out

My bet is with a better OL, Brady bully ball, Schoen back and Hogan improving, I'll be serving not eating.  Bonus points if Wilson returns.  Even if half or more those things happen we should be ok.

Time will tell, it will be a close call.  I can see why folks are turning on him, but I ain't.

Come on Zach time to sling nasty for Matt.

He'll be 37 in two weeks. Of course he's in a decline. Hard. He would be the second or third oldest QB in the NFL this season behind only Aaron Rodgers (who has been horrible the last couple years) and Joe Flacco, (the same).

It's not his fault. No one is "turning on him" or blaming him for being older in football terms. It is what it is. The Bombers were probably hoping for a more graceful decline arc but the writing has been on the wall for awhile and his play style isn't conducive to a couple more years which is something I was hoping he'd be able to get to for the last couple of seasons. There's a recipe book to follow, it just isn't being followed or doesn't work for him and the result is the same. 

There's no way to "prove" yourself right. He's got a contract that's suddenly way to big for his current ability. That's the reality.

[Jesse]

He'll be 37 in two weeks. Of course he's in a decline. Hard. He would be the second or third oldest QB in the NFL this season behind only Aaron Rodgers (who has been horrible the last couple years) and Joe Flacco, (the same).

It's not his fault. No one is "turning on him" or blaming him for being older in football terms. It is what it is. The Bombers were probably hoping for a more graceful decline arc but the writing has been on the wall for awhile and his play style isn't conducive to a couple more years which is something I was hoping he'd be able to get to for the last couple of seasons. There's a recipe book to follow, it just isn't being followed or doesn't work for him and the result is the same. 

There's no way to "prove" yourself right. He's got a contract that's suddenly way to big for his current ability. That's the reality.

I still think he's capable of success, he's just obviously not quite the same as he was 4+ years ago.

[The Zipp]

He'll be 37 in two weeks. Of course he's in a decline. Hard. He would be the second or third oldest QB in the NFL this season behind only Aaron Rodgers (who has been horrible the last couple years) and Joe Flacco, (the same).

It's not his fault. No one is "turning on him" or blaming him for being older in football terms. It is what it is. The Bombers were probably hoping for a more graceful decline arc but the writing has been on the wall for awhile and his play style isn't conducive to a couple more years which is something I was hoping he'd be able to get to for the last couple of seasons. There's a recipe book to follow, it just isn't being followed or doesn't work for him and the result is the same. 

There's no way to "prove" yourself right. He's got a contract that's suddenly way to big for his current ability. That's the reality.

Taking my Steelers to the Super Bowl!!

a contract that is "too big" for aging superstars is very common in sports.  We are living a reality that many before us have lived.  The Als turfed Faj and went younger and cheaper and were on the right path but injury happened.

[Sir Blue and Gold]

I still think he's capable of success, he's just obviously not quite the same as he was 4+ years ago.

He's the best chance we got unless Wilson is lightning in a bottle.

[Jesse]

He's the best chance we got unless Wilson is lightning in a bottle.

Narrator: He is not.

[J5V]

Does anyone remember BLM battling injuries, struggling along mightily, cast off by Calgary, a healthy scratch and benched by HC Milanovich, and many of us here (myself included) saying he was on the down side of his career and all washed up? Hmmm ... where is he now?

As of Week 10 ...

Rank: #1, QB: Bo Levi Mitchell, Team: Ticats
Rank: #2, QB: Trevor Harris, Team: Riders
Rank: #3, QB: Nathan Rourke, Team: Lions
...
Rank: #7, QB: Zach Collaros, Team: Bombers
Note: "It was a high-risk pass, but there may not have been a better throw in Week 10 than Zach Collaros' 42 yard deep hook up with Brady Oliviera in the second quarter against the Stamps". -- Matthew Cauz , CFL.CA