Why is Winnipeg so bad at OT games lately?

[Cool Spot]

I think we all remember the excitement and elation of the 2021 Grey Cup game when Wpg beat Hamilton in OT to win their second consecutive Grey Cup. But since that time, Wpg has not had much success in OT:

* 2022, Aug 11 - MTL 20, WPG 17 (loss)
* 2023, Jul 15 - WPG 28, OTT 31 (loss)
* 2023, Sep 3  - WPG 30, SSK 32 (loss)
* 2023, Oct 6  - WPG 34, BC 26 (their one victory in this span)
* 2024, Jun 29 - WPG 19, CGY 22 (loss)
* 2024, Jul 27 - WPG 14, TOR 16 (loss)

That's a 1-5 span over that time. Even the one game that they won against BC, they could have lost had BC's receiver not slid to the ground after a long reception that put them in FG range. Even the 2021 Hamilton Grey Cup came very close to not going to OT after the Bombers gave up a long drive at the end of the game, only to avert disaster at the last moment.

No other team matches this record of futility (Calgary has lost the second most, at 2-3), but Wpg seems to be really under-performing in close games - both when they go to OT, and then ensuring that the other team doesn't burn them late in the game (i.e., the BC game, and then the Hamilton game).

Something about performing when the pressure is on, maybe they should invest in a sports psychologist. Or, at the very least, change the playbook up in the final two minutes of the game, and then also in OT. Because whatever they are doing isn't working.

[ichabod_crane]

Need to go for it in overtime, can't sit back.....COACHING DO I HEAR YOU CALLING AGAIN?! Can't help with botched field goals or other brain cramps by players though.

[Pete]

it seems we always lose the coin toss too, maybe collaros should call it rather than Bighill!

[The Zipp]

We are just bad period...OT isn't the deciding factor making us bad on offence.

Our offense is hit and  miss and more misses.

[TecnoGenius]

Something about performing when the pressure is on, maybe they should invest in a sports psychologist. Or, at the very least, change the playbook up in the final two minutes of the game, and then also in OT. Because whatever they are doing isn't working.

It's because we aren't bold.  And that starts at the top: MOS, and Buck, and then Zach.

OT against a team we were doing only average with our run, and our 1st down is an A-gap run to Brady?  C'mon.  They stuffed that box because the whole world knew we were running Brady up the gut.  Just stupid.  What did that 1 or 2Y do for us?  Nothing.  Didn't even get us closer so Castillo could hit the easy FG.

It's also because clearly Buck does not pre-script OT.  It's like we never expect to be there.  Ya, we'll just wing it.  Whatever.  That pathetic run and then pathetic short curl we were sucking at all night was high brain thinking?  Nope, just plain ol' dumb football that lost us 2 cups on 2nd down where we could seal the game.

Look at TOR!  They had already won the game and what do they do on 1st down?  They go for the kill shot on a deep pass look!!  Then on the throwing down they run it down our throats for like 8Y and a chipshot FG.  THEY are bold.  They won the game with a massively sub-par O and brain lapses all night.  Those low IQ sleepyheads in their booth out-thought us.  What does that say?

So it's a brain and leadership problem, and also tack on crap execution with a no-heart no-spirit we-don't-really-want-to-win morale.  It would actually be really funny, if I wasn't crying.  I knew when we went to OT they would blow it.  The only question was how pathetic it would be.  I'm not sure I had even braced for that level of patheticness.

Need to go for it in overtime, can't sit back.....COACHING DO I HEAR YOU CALLING AGAIN?! Can't help with botched field goals or other brain cramps by players though.

Truth.

[TecnoGenius]

it seems we always lose the coin toss too, maybe collaros should call it rather than Bighill!

Meh, 90% of the time everyone calls heads.  It's almost redundant to even ask.

Don't forget that study we all talked about 1-3 seasons ago here on the forum where the coin toss LOSER wins OT most of the time!  I was perfectly fine "going first" because we had better odds that way.  (The "always go second" theory is an old wives' tale.)