We've forgotten how to win

[theaardvark]

I'm going back to my "Zach out of gas" hypothesis for this thread.

In that OT, he had a timecount and some bad throws.

[Tecno]

I'm going back to my "Zach out of gas" hypothesis for this thread.

In that OT, he had a timecount and some bad throws.

In Zach's defense, the timecount was a function of Pokey being off and the RECs being out of position, and the non-starter being on out of position.

It was a no-end issue caused by the confusion of the above, and the noise making it hard to fix.

If we didn't let SSK just injure 4-5 of our players at will (on purpose) without any retaliation, maybe we wouldn't have been in that situation.

[Tecno]

It's how it goes.  When you are middle tier, the close ones are a coin flip at best.  The club has shown  some resilience here, now its time to build some consistency.

Except it's not a coin flip.  The teams that have learned how to win (which is most teams minus CGY, OTT, TOR, HAM) rig that coin and will come out on top 90% of the time.

We will not win a single close one against a non-losing team unless we find this will to win.  And if the consensus here is correct, that's impossible and thus we will not even finish the season .500, because we lack the talent.

[Tecno]

With that comes the fact, they IMO teams are not afraid of the bombers any more. Couple years ago, you knew they were going to win or find a way to win, now it is, just stay a head of them.

So true.  You could tell a couple of seasons ago when teams stopped being afraid to come to IGF.  I think the air of invincibility makes a team seem better than it is, and it lingers for years, because the belief of inevitability on both sides often becomes reality.

That's gone now for WPG.  Now SSK has that, especially at home.  And MTL.  No one has beaten Alexander at home.  And often that belief is all it takes for them to win.

[Tecno]

It's a lack of talent.  Riders went out in overtime and executed their plays both on offence and defence... we did not.

You really think after getting the touchdown to tie the game, our team just waved their hands and said ah good enough we don't need to try in overtime.

I believe no one was pumped up.  No one was running around the sideline screaming "let's go kick these losers' butts!".  It was more business as usual, and our usual business this season is to lose to good teams in close ones.

I also believe Younger/Hall have zero special plan for OT.  That too is business as usual.  Just another let-them-d&d drive.

SSK D was clearly jacked up.  Why couldn't we be?  No will to win.  No special plan.

[Sir Blue and Gold]

 

I believe no one was pumped up.  No one was running around the sideline screaming "let's go kick these losers' butts!".  It was more business as usual, and our usual business this season is to lose to good teams in close ones.

I also believe Younger/Hall have zero special plan for OT.  That too is business as usual.  Just another let-them-d&d drive.

SSK D was clearly jacked up.  Why couldn't we be?  No will to win.  No special plan.

Younger's defense must have horrible stats at the end of games and halfs and overtime.

Whatever they do just doesn't work at all and if they've tried to change things it's difficult to see what or the players can't execute it.

[blueandgoldguy]

I'm going back to my "Zach out of gas" hypothesis for this thread.

In that OT, he had a timecount and some bad throws.

He is a bottom-2 starting qb in the league at this point.

[blueandgoldguy]

The score flattered the Bombers.  Saskatchewan had almost 160 more yards of offense than the Bombers.  The scoreboard wasn't indicative of the play on the field.

[Tecno]

The score flattered the Bombers.  Saskatchewan had almost 160 more yards of offense than the Bombers.  The scoreboard wasn't indicative of the play on the field.

It's something like that the HC should be looking at when deciding whether to go for 2 or OT.

[Tecno]

The EDM@CGY game was an example of the will to win.  EDM has it in spades this year.  Not only do they will close ones into wins, they also will soon-to-be-blowout losses into wins!  That was a mirror game of our game vs them in so many ways it isn't funny.  (And thus we don't need to feel that bad that they did it to us too.)

What's the secret sauce?  Answer that question and we can start winning again.  And no, Cephus & BOO weren't particularly dangerous, and Rankin had -1 until late in the 4th.  And KJG dropped nearly everything.  And Robustelli stunk until late.

Boy has CGY lost the will to win.  A rising team last year with newly minted VAJ, and now they lose every close one just like us.

[buckzumhoff]

No one rushes Edmonton or Sask. That's why Edmonton did good against Calgary. Put pressure on Fajardo see how he does.

[Tecno]

No one rushes Edmonton or Sask. That's why Edmonton did good against Calgary. Put pressure on Fajardo see how he does.

If history is any guide, he does a 17 yard run. Kinda like in cgy.

Cody is an odd qb. He's not fast enough, Ford enough, to warrant a spy. But yet he runs all the time. He lumbers, but well enough, and he's got a good feel for where the least heat is. And so he's very effective.

You could argue Cody's running, vs vaj who can't do it anymore, is what won them the game.

[buckzumhoff]

Why would you go for 2 , they lost by 7. . you go for the tie. You don't get that 2 points you're down by 1.  Could be like Calgary used to be and go for 2 every time