Official Game Day Thread - Winnipeg @ Edmonton, August 21, 2026

[blueandgoldguy]

Below average" means ranking lower than the middle point of a group. "Bad" means poor quality, harmful, or failing to meet a basic standard. Something below average can still be acceptable or functional, while bad implies it is inadequate or unwanted.Below AverageDefinition: Less than the norm.Position: Sits in the lower half of a scale.Value: May still be passing or useful.Example: Getting a 65% on a test when the class mean is 75%.BadDefinition: Low quality or wrong.Position: Fails to meet a required baseline.Value: Unacceptable or broken.Example: Getting a 30% on a test and failing the class.

In sports, "below average" means a player or team performs worse than the league median but is still competitive. "Bad" means they are a liability, significantly hurt the team's chances of winning, or belong in a lower tier of competition.Below AveragePerformance: Serviceable but limited.Impact: Does not carry the team, but does not completely ruin the game.Roster Role: A reliable backup or a low-end starter.Example: A baseball player batting .230 when the league average is .250.BadPerformance: Actively harmful.Impact: Consistently makes costly errors or gives up points.Roster Role: Risk of being cut, benched, or demoted to the minor leagues.Example: A quarterback throwing three times as many interceptions as touchdowns.

In the CFL, a below-average quarterback can still win a Grey Cup by protecting the football and relying on a strong defense, whereas a bad quarterback actively derails the franchise through a high volume of turnovers and an inability to sustain offensive drives.Below AverageThe Playstyle: Operates primarily as a passive "game manager". They rarely attack deep downfield but efficiently take what the defense provides.The Performance: Achieves a respectable completion percentage (often around 68–70%) but generates low average yards per pass attempt and few big-time plays.The Impact: Keeps the offense on schedule. They avoid critical mistakes to ensure the team stays competitive in low-scoring matchups.2026 CFL Context: Zach Collaros of the Winnipeg Blue Bombers fits this description for the 2026 season. Dealing with a limited roster, he has managed a solid 70.9% completion rate but has only thrown 5 touchdowns across his appearances, letting Winnipeg's defense carry the team to a 5–5 record.BadThe Playstyle: Consistently forces throws into tight coverage, fails to recognize pre-snap defensive looks, and displays panicky pocket presence.The Performance: Yields a high turnover-to-touchdown ratio, a low quarterback efficiency rating, and an inability to convert on critical second-down scenarios.The Impact: Puts their own defense in terrible positions via frequent interceptions, which stalls out momentum and leads directly to losses.2026 CFL Context: Jake Maier of the Ottawa Redblacks has slipped into this tier for 2026. Despite passing for 2,680 yards, his league-high 11 interceptions against just 12 touchdowns have directly contributed to Ottawa's winless 0–10 record, resulting in his midseason benching.

So you relying on AI now to write your posts for you?  How low can you go?

[Big Daddy]

Bad does not mean below average

I stated he was decent and now called him below average few games later, yes one can adjust their opinions over time, switching it by the minute brings suspicion lol

You said
Bad
Below average
Means same thing
Back to Bad in 5 mins

Still confused what you really think lol

Blueandgoldguy and Blueforlife - both of you go to your respective corners for a time out.

Seriously - half this thread is arguing if Zach is bad or below average.

Move on already - it's getting ridiculous!

[Blueforlife]

So you relying on AI now to write your posts for you?  How low can you go?

I used Google to present definitions and examples of bad vs below average which clearly presents how they are not the same thing

My position stands, yours changes by the minute tonight

We will not agree on this and thats ok.

[Blueforlife]

Blueandgoldguy and Blueforlife - both of you go to your respective corners for a time out.

Seriously - half this thread is arguing if Zach is bad or below average.

Move on already - it's getting ridiculous!

Agree lol

[jdrattops]

Is a team that is pretty much below average in most categories considered to be a below average team or a bad team?  Record wise this team is average, but they are still a bad football team with below average coordinators who are bad at play calling and at this point of the season bad at their jobs.  Our head coach has an above average career win/loss record but is bad this year.  Our QB is a Hall of famer, but his stats are below average and  he is playing bad football (he would even admit he has been bad this year).  Conclusion, I think below average and bad can be one in the same.

[Blueforlife]

Is a team that is pretty much below average in most categories considered to be a below average team or a bad team?  Record wise this team is average, but they are still a bad football team with below average coordinators who are bad at play calling and at this point of the season bad at their jobs.  Our head coach has an above average career win/loss record but is bad this year.  Our QB is a Hall of famer, but his stats are below average and  he is playing bad football (he would even admit he has been bad this year).  Conclusion, I think below average and bad can be one in the same.

I don't think we are a bad team.  MOS average this year.
OC bad
DC fair
Team had been from bad to below average, imo, which are different imo lol

[Tecno]

When was this?  I have some vague recollection of this happening, but I may be just making that up in my head.  Tecno - I would be surprised if you couldn't pull up a video or picture of this, so please do.  I believe you, I just want to see it with my own eyes.  It does seem familiar to me.

I will search my notes & old posts to find it and give you the game and see if I can't pull some stills.  It's a few years ago now.  I'm pretty sure Valesi did it to us once, and L'il Kim did too.  I rarely forget (or forgive) when refs give me PTSD.

Valesi did the limp-chain thing just the other week, too -- though not to us.  I think he's the next up for forced retirement.  Which is pretty funny because Proulx is like 100!

[blueandgoldguy]

Bad does not mean below average

I stated he was decent and now called him below average few games later, yes one can adjust their opinions over time, switching it by the minute brings suspicion lol

You said
Bad
Below average
Means same thing
Back to Bad in 5 mins

Still confused what you really think lol

In a 9 team league bad and below average it's all the same.  I will keep repeating that to you.  Now why don't you go to google AI to give me your next response lol.

[Blueforlife]

I will search my notes & old posts to find it and give you the game and see if I can't pull some stills.  It's a few years ago now.  I'm pretty sure Valesi did it to us once, and L'il Kim did too.  I rarely forget (or forgive) when refs give me PTSD.

Valesi did the limp-chain thing just the other week, too -- though not to us.  I think he's the next up for forced retirement.  Which is pretty funny because Proulx is like 100!

I only remember the recent one, thanks for the info.

[Tecno]

Let's see how we do against MTL.  If we lose but keep it this close and have periods of domination, then what?  If we are keeping up with the 2 best teams then by definition we are not a "bad team".

Maybe we are currently a team that just can't close.  We're like EDM was when they were starting to get good.  I'm not really sure at this point, but will know more next week.

[blueandgoldguy]

Is a team that is pretty much below average in most categories considered to be a below average team or a bad team?  Record wise this team is average, but they are still a bad football team with below average coordinators who are bad at play calling and at this point of the season bad at their jobs.  Our head coach has an above average career win/loss record but is bad this year.  Our QB is a Hall of famer, but his stats are below average and  he is playing bad football (he would even admit he has been bad this year).  Conclusion, I think below average and bad can be one in the same.

Well now you are just making too much sense with those comments.

[Jesse]

Go back and watch again.  As soon as we went Brady run on every 1st down they stuffed him every single time.  His avg went from 10Y every carry early in the game to probably 1-2Y a carry after that (taking into account just the runs after the pivot point).

You know, just like every team does to him when we show that we're running Brady every 1st D?  The OL and Brady are not good enough to win those battles anyway.  This isn't 2021 with AH.

You mean in his 2 carries in the entire second half?

[Blueforlife]

Let's see how we do against MTL.  If we lose but keep it this close and have periods of domination, then what?  If we are keeping up with the 2 best teams then by definition we are not a "bad team".

Maybe we are currently a team that just can't close.  We're like EDM was when they were starting to get good.  I'm not really sure at this point, but will know more next week.

Can't close is a good point for sure
Mtl won't roll over like Edm did at 1st
But good pt if we can run with them but lose it brings up a good debate

Ottawa and Jake are bad
We and Zach are below average
Brown is fair

[blueandgoldguy]

Let's see how we do against MTL.  If we lose but keep it this close and have periods of domination, then what?  If we are keeping up with the 2 best teams then by definition we are not a "bad team".

Maybe we are currently a team that just can't close.  We're like EDM was when they were starting to get good.  I'm not really sure at this point, but will know more next week.

If we lose and keep it close against Montreal, we probably have a decent chance to win at least one game against the Riders.  We might even have a chance to win 2 if all those injured players Sasky is missing are not playing in 2 and 3 weeks time.

[Blueforlife]

You mean in his 2 carries in the entire second half?

They took it away

I'm with Techno on this one