Official Game Day Thread - Winnipeg at Ottawa, July 15, 2023

[Pigskin]

The Bombers are not a young team. Our D was out of gas, and our Canadian backups on the DL, are just not good enough to give our starters a break and make plays. Bennett has been a disappointment so far. We had Ottawa backed up late in the game, and our D could not stop them from going the length of the field in about 90 seconds. This D needs some help.

Our high scoring O. Just hasn't been good enough. Buck knew Ottawa had a very good DL. His game plan just wasn't good enough. Our DC and OC, both out coached in the 2nd. half.  

[Sir Blue and Gold]

I am completely shocked we lost but that's about as far as I'll go. They had 17 net yards at half time. We took the foot off the gas in the second half and made a ton of mental mistakes as a result. It sucks but it was more of a mental failure than a skill one.

Last year we cruised through the season with 15 wins and lost in the Grey Cup. We could have used some kicks to the teeth. It is hard to win pro football games. Here's another example. We're still a good team and will be right in the mix at the end.

[BBRT]

The Bombers are not a young team. Our D was out of gas, and our Canadian backups on the DL, are just not good enough to give our starters a break and make plays. Bennett has been a disappointment so far. We had Ottawa backed up late in the game, and our D could not stop them from going the length of the field in about 90 seconds. This D needs some help.

Our high scoring O. Just hasn't been good enough. Buck knew Ottawa had a very good DL. His game plan just wasn't good enough. Our DC and OC, both out coached in the 2nd. half.  

While I agree with most of your comments I am willing to play out the next 2 games or so before I would make any significant changes. We have Edmonton at home and away then Calgary before the Labor day game in Regina which should give us time to get things a little better organized and maybe a few folks back. If we can not beat Edmonton back to back at the least then time to do some retooling one might think.

[Throw Long Bannatyne]

While I agree with most of your comments I am willing to play out the next 2 games or so before I would make any significant changes. We have Edmonton at home and away then Calgary before the Labor day game in Regina which should give us time to get things a little better organized and maybe a few folks back. If we can not beat Edmonton back to back at the least then time to do some retooling one might think.

The Bombers get a bye in week 8 after the Elks game, that would be the time to make changes if they're going to. Expect a few changes in the secondary but don't think Wilson will be ready to go at that time as he just started back practicing.

[bunker]

Bryant 37
Neufeld 34
Hardrick 33

We can pretend a tweak here and there will fix it but an over haul was needed in the past offseason. Too late to do much now. Teams that can slug it out with us, be physical and quick, win the line of scrimmage too much of the time we are on Offense. Right now I am thinking our fate is a loss in Western final.

This is the most important problem right now. The dominant O lineman from several years ago are all older, and not quite as good, (Hardrick might be the exception at 33). The replacements for couture and Desjarlais, K-man and Grey, are below average and mediocre respectively. We used to dominate in the trenches. Several games this year, our o-line has been dominated at times. This creates a chain reaction of often (not always, depends on D scheme and D line) trouble running successfully, and Collaros getting hit and pressured in the pocket, so that he's less comfortable and less accurate.

Potential replacements are Eli and Dobson, but if they are better, why haven't they already been given a shot? Either they are not better, or MOS is favouring the
vets, but in either case we have a problem.

[theaardvark]

After rewatching the game (well, watching it in full, just saw parts while I was in a poker tournament), one thing was very apparent.  The D were unprepared for what Crum brought in the second half.

I think Dyce said, "Go out there, play your game, and gets us a win".  I think Crum realized he had nothing to lose, and there is no worse combination that a player with nothing to lose, and a team that is trying not to lose.  The "prevent" D that we seemed to employ in that last 2 minutes did the opposite of preventing.  Tackles we missed, assignments blown, players were out of position.  It was NOT a typical Richie Hall D, they were on their heels, and often on rollerskates. 

We had limited film on Crum, and the player we saw in the second half was NOT the one that started the game.  Full credit to Khari, Dye and Crum.  They won the game. 

And Buck got far too conservative, and wasn't using his playbook or players to his best ability.  2nd half seemed to be playing not to lose.  Boot on the throat is Bomber football, not "take it easy on Bobby and his boys, we have this under control"

We were no doubt nicked, and sick, and that showed in the second half. 

Yes, you need to flush this game, but you need to remember lessons from it...

[dd]

Agree, Gray and Kowlankowski are not starters on any other team and we need to upgrade specifically right there. Collaros has nowhere near the time to make plays and gets hit way too often , just a matter of time before he gets hurt

[Blue In BC]

As I've said I'm not sure if we had some injuries in the 2nd half. Seeing Briggs on the field in OT was a sign of bad things to come. Sure enough, Crum ran right by him. He also ran right by Bighill on the last play of regulation to create a tie game.

I've deleted the PVR of this game so I can't check all the details in the 2nd half. I guess we'll see if we ended up with more injuries.

[bunker]

As I've said I'm not sure if we had some injuries in the 2nd half. Seeing Briggs on the field in OT was a sign of bad things to come. Sure enough, Crum ran right by him. He also ran right by Bighill on the last play of regulation to create a tie game.

I've deleted the PVR of this game so I can't check all the details in the 2nd half. I guess we'll see if we ended up with more injuries.

Injuries are no excuse for this game. Ottawa was playing their fourth string QB.

[Blue In BC]

Injuries are no excuse for this game. Ottawa was playing their fourth string QB.

I'm not making excuses about injuries. I'm just wondering if we had injuries and making a comment on our depth or lack thereof. I've mentioned / questioned a couple of times why we didn't add a defensive player instead of Agudosi. It's a coaching question about roster management both on the AR and PR.

[theaardvark]

Why was Mauro on the field so much in the 2nd half?  Did we lose someone that I missed?

[theaardvark]

Injuries are no excuse for this game. Ottawa was playing their fourth string QB.

Pretty sure Crum is Ottawa's starting QB, not their 4th string.  He may have been 4th on the preseason DC, but he got all the starting reps in practice this week.  That's a huge difference from having a guy who is third on the current depth chart with no practice snaps having to come in cold of the bench.  And no team carries a "4th string" QB on an AR.

So, while I get your point, and he was not on the radar to be a starting QB when the season started, he's not "the 4th string QB"

That said, we should have crushed Ottawa the full game, not just the first half...  What led to our second half collapse needs to be explored.

[Pigskin]

Why was Mauro on the field so much in the 2nd half?  Did we lose someone that I missed?

I think Clements was injured. Didn't see him in the 2nd. half.

[Blue In BC]

Why was Mauro on the field so much in the 2nd half?  Did we lose someone that I missed?

I was questioning that as well. He has had a bunch of reps in other games but not so much with the game on the line. Not sure about the injury question but does this mean Maruo is better than Cole as an injury replacement?

It seemed that Maruo, Briggs and Bennett were all on the field when it counted. Total failure.

[dd]

Injuries are no excuse for this game. Ottawa was playing their fourth string QB.

Agree. Throwing an out pattern deep in your own end is nothing short of idiocy. We got exactly what we deserved playing like that. Eeeeembarassing!!!