Zach Injury Watch - Calgary pre-game thread

Sir Blue and Gold · August 16, 2023, 08:10:52 PM

Quote from: The Zipp on August 16, 2023, 07:56:25 PM
Coach O'Shea following Wednesday's closed practice: QB Zach Collaros did not practice today. No update on his status for Friday in Calgary.
@Wpg_BlueBombers

I guess we can wait for the inevitable tomorrow. Pretty sure they will dress him as the third QB. It will be Dru Brown with some Prukup change of pace.

Throw Long Bannatyne · August 16, 2023, 10:56:20 PM

Quote from: Sir Blue and Gold on August 16, 2023, 08:10:52 PM
I guess we can wait for the inevitable tomorrow. Pretty sure they will dress him as the third QB. It will be Dru Brown with some Prukup change of pace.

Yep, too late to bring in another QB now, Zach either dresses or plays.

TecnoGenius · August 16, 2023, 11:54:52 PM

Quote from: Doublezero on August 15, 2023, 05:03:36 PM
But I also want to know what Elks did to rattle him into such a wonky start in that game, capped by such a stupid throw in the play where he got hurt. Someone said Bombers prob would've lost vs Elks if ZC played the whole game.

I think EDM played cover 2, and had blanket coverage of all routes. We looked like we were trying to go mid/deep to start and they just took all those away.

Second, and more importantly, I noticed EDM's DE's would rush up deep but not try to get in the pocket. They'd stay semi-engaged and wait for Zach to do his 2.7s roll out. The pocket was almost always secure but Zach was bailing a secure pocket when his internal alarm went off. Then their DE would instantly be in chase without giving Zach the normal buffer. And a LB would come down on him at the same time, but a little farther away.

It's pretty obvious, and easy to fix: just stay in the pocket! Only leave it when forced, and assume the DEs are not engaged with the OL but just waiting to pounce outside.

dd · August 17, 2023, 02:56:04 AM

I dunno. Brown seemed to roll out of the pocket and make plays or throw it a2ay. Collaros has the ugly bad habit of rolling right for a couple of steps and then pivoting and roll left. Teams are onto this and Edmonton ate him up on the play he got hurt. A smart Qb just gets rid of the ball, especially in a vulnerable defenseless position. He of all people should know get rid of the ball and not take the hit. How many concussions and close calls does it take??

TecnoGenius · August 17, 2023, 06:36:53 AM

Quote from: dd on August 17, 2023, 02:56:04 AM
I dunno. Brown seemed to roll out of the pocket and make plays or throw it a2ay.

I think at first they played Dru like they were Zach, but on his second series (I think) where he starts lighting them up, they seemed to drop that Zach approach and try more traditional pass rushes. Then they just looked like they were trying anything, kitchen-sink style, to fluster Dru. None of it worked.

The Zipp · August 17, 2023, 01:55:25 PM

From Jeff hamilton:

QB Zach Collaros (neck) will be listed 3rd on the depth chart for Friday's matchup against the Stampeders. The Bombers will go with Dru Brown, who will be making his first start of '23, one game after leading Wpg to a comeback victory over Edm. Dakota Prukop listed as the No. 2.

Big opportunity for Dru...if he shows well again it puts him closer to the legit category...if he does the opposite the last game will be considered an anomaly and question marks will remain. Lots of pressure...he is lucky to be surrounded by a great team - that will help a lot.

Lincoln Locomotive · August 17, 2023, 02:10:38 PM

Quote from: The Zipp on August 17, 2023, 01:55:25 PM
From Jeff hamilton:

QB Zach Collaros (neck) will be listed 3rd on the depth chart for Friday's matchup against the Stampeders. The Bombers will go with Dru Brown, who will be making his first start of '23, one game after leading Wpg to a comeback victory over Edm. Dakota Prukop listed as the No. 2.

Big opportunity for Dru...if he shows well again it puts him closer to the legit category...if he does the opposite the last game will be considered an anomaly and question marks will remain. Lots of pressure...he is lucky to be surrounded by a great team - that will help a lot.

Agreed....starting is a whole other ball game as they say.....he obviously will want to prove himself as starter worthy and from this point on it's how he adapts to the pressure of being the #1 guy behind centre. This isn't like playing in garbage time as it was last season. we need to win this one and yet there are no gimme games as the Stsmos will be anxious to rebound from their dreadful performance against BC.
Having said that, it is only one game yet football is a funny game in that you have to make the most of the opportunities when they present themselves. OK, it's Dru-time and he has the keys to the Bombermobile!
Go Bombers go!!

theaardvark · August 17, 2023, 04:08:31 PM

Start of a new era?

I'm sure Zach will be back, but in the meantime, we get to see what we have in Dru, and whether there is/should be a QB controversy.

Zach dressing as 3rd string with no intention of playing except in extreme emergency is something we've seen many teams do this year. Not carrying a 4th QB on the PR is not a question of desire for most teams, but I think it is a difficulty in getting a QB to sit on a R for PR money. Pigrome would be a prime example of that. I have no doubt the WFC offered him a PR spot, and would have loved to have him in the QB room, but why would he take it? Especially after Prukop puts 3 established QB's between him and starting. Instead, he goes to OTT and is in the thick of #2 with the often disappointing Arbuckle behind the rookie Crum.

Hopefully Zach returns to full health sooner than later, before Dru establishes himself as a bonefied #1 QB in this league. I really don't want the team to have to make a decision next year at the QB position before FA hits... Collaros has how many years left? Any guarantees? Roster bonuses?

We saw what happened in Calgary, Maier looked like the next one, and Bo gets dumped. People may think it is hard to move on from a 2 time MOP, but look at Bo's record when they parted... not saying we should even consider it, just saying it is not unprecedented.

Waffler · August 17, 2023, 04:26:12 PM

Do other teams carry a 4th QB on their PR? My concern would be where are his reps coming from? Cut and keep on speed dial seems the fairest move for both team and player.

Throw Long Bannatyne · August 17, 2023, 04:44:59 PM

Stamps are going to be ready for Brown and should give him a hard time, I expect the Bombers to win but not in a super convincing way. Really depends how well the D. performs keeping them out of scoring range, Paredes is capable of winning a low scoring game with his foot, it's been awhile since we've seen a battle of field goal kickers.

The Zipp · August 17, 2023, 05:24:41 PM

Maier is a bit puzzling...he has looked good in the past but just seems to have lost his accuracy and has struggled. Maybe that is all he is - mid to low level performer who had a flash of goodness based on luck and circumstance...another James Franklin...

theaardvark · August 17, 2023, 07:16:12 PM

Weird thin is, having game film on Brown is far less important that on someone like Ford or Crum, because his basically a clone of Collaros'. Game plan for either should be the same, other than Brown being younger and possibly more athletic. I didn't realize there was 2" and 20+ pounds difference, he was making the sme plays the same way Zach seems to. And his touch downfield seemed identical, the teardrops into Lawler and Demski screamed Collaros...

bunker · August 17, 2023, 07:39:04 PM

Quote from: theaardvark on August 17, 2023, 07:16:12 PM
Weird thin is, having game film on Brown is far less important that on someone like Ford or Crum, because his basically a clone of Collaros'. Game plan for either should be the same, other than Brown being younger and possibly more athletic. I didn't realize there was 2" and 20+ pounds difference, he was making the sme plays the same way Zach seems to. And his touch downfield seemed identical, the teardrops into Lawler and Demski screamed Collaros...

Brown does remind me a bit of Collaros, although I think he is a bit more athletic now that Zac has aged a bit. However Zac has played in 123 games and thrown 2886 passes in the CFL. Brown has attempted 64 passes in the CFL (as best as I can tell given the sorry state of the stats on CFL.ca). Although his last outing was promising, there is no way Brown can read a defense as well as Zac, or adjust to different looks from a defense as well as Zac. Zac has seen everything multiple times. They will game plan differently because Brown is much less experienced.

The Zipp · August 17, 2023, 09:08:44 PM

Quote from: bunker on August 17, 2023, 07:39:04 PM
Brown does remind me a bit of Collaros, although I think he is a bit more athletic now that Zac has aged a bit. However Zac has played in 123 games and thrown 2886 passes in the CFL. Brown has attempted 64 passes in the CFL (as best as I can tell given the sorry state of the stats on CFL.ca). Although his last outing was promising, there is no way Brown can read a defense as well as Zac, or adjust to different looks from a defense as well as Zac. Zac has seen everything multiple times. They will game plan differently because Brown is much less experienced.

Calgary knows that and will devise some schemes to confuse him. Thankfully we have a very good team that can support him and make things easier. Bryant and Hardrick have seen everything there is to see, Brady O is getting much better at picking up the blitz and being in the right place. If a new QB has a spot to be successful in - it's this offense right now

dd · August 17, 2023, 10:16:43 PM

Quote from: The Zipp on August 17, 2023, 05:24:41 PM
Maier is a bit puzzling...he has looked good in the past but just seems to have lost his accuracy and has struggled. Maybe that is all he is - mid to low level performer who had a flash of goodness based on luck and circumstance...another James Franklin...

I think so. Maier has been a serviceable Qb, but nothing spectacular