Roster playoffs

[Blue In BC]

I saw Wood hobbling a couple of times during the game. His status is a TBD but there is time for recovery.

We didn't hear whether Haba was actually nicked to what extent.

So the question is what players on IR might be available options for the WDF?

I'm not proposing any unforced changes but wondering whether we have players on IR that might be ready in 2 weeks.

[Pete]

to me one of the big questions is at safety, Kelly didn't have a good game, and when we moved nichols to safety it seemed to throw off the secondary.
I don't think we have anyone on the practice roster that can help, but we do need to look at options ie Griffin in at safety

[Throw Long Bannatyne]

to me one of the big questions is at safety, Kelly didn't have a good game, and when we moved nichols to safety it seemed to throw off the secondary.
I don't think we have anyone on the practice roster that can help, but we do need to look at options ie Griffin in at safety

Yep, some of the secondary moves last game looked iffy, after a great game in T.O. Cole was less effective and Bond played his worst game of the season, maybe because Nichols was not beside him at times. 

[Blue In BC]

Most of the comments have been about where or how players on the AR are used from a strategic point of view. Those are valid points but aren't answering my question.

Some of the players on the 1 game IR are only there ( IMO ) to keep them under contract going into 2025. That said I don't see anyone that is a likely candidate to be moved to the AR unless we have a new injury.

Although as I mentioned Haba might be added if he's a better option than Fox, depending on who we end up playing. Or if Woods is nicked and can't play.

It's been suggested that Alexander can't play again this year. That's probably true but I'm optimistic there is a slim chance.

On our 6 game IR it's never entirely clear about the injury status of many of those players. Several have been there for an extended time. Players like " Lawson, Wilson, Parker and Woli.

Perhaps those in Winnipeg have heard each and every one was season ending. I haven't heard that on the site or here in BC.

So it's really about what posters see or hear going once practice begins next week. Is there a chance for any of them being at least a choice to be activated? That doesn't necessarily do that but what's the status

[Pete]

Fox didnt play much and when he did was ineffective. I would think Haba draws back in, but Woods seemed to have a hamstring issue so that may be an issue as well. In the 4th quarter we saw Thomas and Smeckle up front at the same time which is scary.
Another alternative might be Taylor to come in at safety
Part of our issue is that we seem to have very few players on the practice roster that can step in effectively Most have been on it for quite a while and not seen any game action.

[TecnoGenius]

Pretty sure someone said Nick Taylor was released already.  Thought maybe that can be reversed on short notice?  Who knows.  He's still on the WPG roster page...

Some guys put on the IR this late may also be because they served us well this season and we want them to keep getting paid and get a ring, even though they aren't good enough to crack the post-season AR.  That and the bonus of protecting them from poachers.

No one on the 1GIR has a season-ender AFAIK, though rumors have swirled around BA37.

6GIR: I have no idea what's up with Lawson or Parker or Woli or Kyrie.  We never got good answers.  Woli or Wilson could magically slot back in and probably be effective.  I doubt Parker or Lawson could even if 100% healthy: no playing time this season.

Everyone else on the 6GIR is definite season-ender.

So if we're very lucky we could see back and on the AR any of: BA37, Haba, Randolph, Kyrie, Woli.  That's it.

And PR guys aren't much better than what we're dressing already.  Maybe McGhee if we want an extra DB, maybe Murphy if we have some bad new injuries.

If I can dream things into reality, I'd want back BA37, Kyrie, Woli and maybe Haba.  I would also dress Randolph as 7th instead of Wallace, as our ratio can support it.

I only want guys dressed who are 80% for the GC.  Maybe 60% in the WDF as I think it'll be a fairly easy win.  No repeat of Schoen/Biggie in 2023 thank you.

[TecnoGenius]

I also think we should resign ourselves to the fact our DL won't get pass pressure.  Against SSK this won't matter, but against BC/MTL/TOR it will hurt.  We'll either have to blitz a ton (which we never do and won't now) or let's just rush 3 (or less) every down and dress/field/scheme more DBs to flood the zone and lanes.

If we simply can't get pressure with 4, why are we wasting 4 defenders trying?  Especially against a pass-first team (SSK, BC, maybe TOR), a DL wasting their time playing grab-butt with hoggies is useless.  I'd rather have 2 LB's playing constant QB/RB spies.

I think Mafia has realized this and that's why we scheme so much 3 man pass rush even though it drives fans insane.

[TecnoGenius]

Wheatfall and Dobson were liabilities in the MTL game.  If Woli's back for WDF, how about have both Clercius and Woli in, pull Wheatfall, and put in Randolph for Dobson (with Dobson dressing as 6th and Wallace IR/PRed).

I know, I know, "too extreme" for Mafia... but who wants to tell me that wouldn't be a better lineup?

Only if we have extreme confidence Wheatie/Dobby were one-off bad and can shape up should we be satisfied with the status quo.  I think Wheatie needs another year of dev, and Dobby may be the weak link that needs to go back to being 6th (that he was superb at BTW).

[Blue In BC]

We're starting 10 Canadians most of the time so we could choose to start a 3r import OL if that is perceived to be a stronger option.

I wouldn't disagree that might not be an upgrade putting in Randolph at guard.

IMO we will with the WDF. I was really looking into the chance of additional injuries and who might be available in that event.

I'm not expecting significant changes for the WDF but I'm hoping we see some IR players back at practice.

Hopefully we don't lose any players in the WDF. Our depth is a bit thin with the number of vets on IR.

[markf]

I also think we should resign ourselves to the fact our DL won't get pass pressure.  Against SSK this won't matter, but against BC/MTL/TOR it will hurt.  We'll either have to blitz a ton (which we never do and won't now) or let's just rush 3 (or less) every down and dress/field/scheme more DBs to flood the zone and lanes.

If we simply can't get pressure with 4, why are we wasting 4 defenders trying?  Especially against a pass-first team (SSK, BC, maybe TOR), a DL wasting their time playing grab-butt with hoggies is useless.  I'd rather have 2 LB's playing constant QB/RB spies.

I think Mafia has realized this and that's why we scheme so much 3 man pass rush even though it drives fans insane.

Just a question.... how much salary is going to stars on offence, compared to Defence?

ie, Have they decided to do what they can, with the players they have, on defence?

just a guess, but it seems like the defence has carried the team, but the money is going to offence.

[Blue In BC]

Just a question.... how much salary is going to stars on offence, compared to Defence?

ie, Have they decided to do what they can, with the players they have, on defence?

just a guess, but it seems like the defence has carried the team, but the money is going to offence.

Interesting question but I think it's fluid season to season. QB's earn the highest salaries so that skews everything. That's closely followed by where teams use Canadians that is usually OL.

Beyond that it's where teams find very good players on ELC's. Defensive players seem to have shorter careers and for the most part are easier to find.

As I mentioned OL tend to have longer careers than DL and therefore tend to see higher SMS hits.

[TecnoGenius]

Just a question.... how much salary is going to stars on offence, compared to Defence?

ie, Have they decided to do what they can, with the players they have, on defence?

This is the best, top question when it comes to analyzing bang for buck in WFC.

My guess is it's probably close to 2/3 $ on O, 1/3 $ on D when you only take into account starters.  (The mass of "STer" D backups might skew it $ slightly back towards D.)

It's pretty easy: just list our top 5 paid O, then our top 5 paid D... ya, on every line you'll see the O is paid around double the same rank guy on D.

just a guess, but it seems like the defence has carried the team, but the money is going to offence.

This is the whole premise of my mid-season thread "We're an O focused team, so start acting like it!".  We're built to put up huge points like we're VAJ/BC on their best day.  Yet except for maybe 2 games we've struggled to put up 30 (heck, even 25 or 20!).

It makes no sense and it's rather wacky and bizarre that our D wins games more than our O.  Can you imagine what our team would look like if our O was as good as 2021?

We have one of the pricier Os in the league, I'm pretty sure (near top paid QB, near top paid 2 RECs, 1 near top paid OL), and we constantly shaft the D when it comes to $$, yet here we are winning mostly on the strength of the D.

The O needs to start earning their $, or maybe they don't deserve that $ and we need to start making drastic moves in FA?

[TecnoGenius]

Are we talking about other teams here too?

Word is Armstead may be available (practicing?).

How can you keep a healthy Armstead off the AR?  Yet JOD will insist his big splash FA Oullette must play/start.  Do they waste 2 AR spots on IMP RBs??  And some are even clamoring for Hickson too!

If JOD/Mace are lucky Armstead won't quite be "ready" yet...

If they make it through to WDF, I'd much rather face Oullette and not Armstead, and certainly not both.