Official Game Day Thread - Winnipeg at Saskatchewan, September 3, 2023

[Lincoln Locomotive]

Different situations.  HAM guys was told to bring it out, and didn't.  That's why Coach O was talking to him on the sidelines.  Our guy 100% was told to let it roll.

HAM's mistake was done when behind, and changed it from a FG-to-win to a FG-to-tie.

WPG's rouge was done when we were ahead and changed it from a they-need-to-TD-to-win to a they-need-FG-to-tie.

And since SSK has the option to FG to tie on 3rd down, we know they'll take it every time and thus we ensure SSK does not get a "3 down territory" situation.  That cuts their chances to advance the sticks by 33%.  Then we rely on our O to get points in OT.

I wonder what it would have been like had we lost the toss... after Junkie proving losing was "better", statistically.  By going last, and SSK knowing they couldn't lose, they could afford to go ultra-risky on the 2pt convert.  It was cover-0 man with blitz and edge contain.  That's a super hard D look for Zach to win against, especially with that useless short inside curl in completely crowded lanes.  The only correct answer was probably a quick rainbow to Kenny or Schoen for a back-of-the-EZ timing circus catch.

I completely understand the logic however we managed to control the ball from deep in our end late in previous games and close it out.   With a four point lead it forces them to go for a TD and our D actually prevented that from happening albeit they were very close to going for 6.    The environment for sure was different being that it was the LDC granted....however we went vanilla on O from the 40 and so did our D as soon as we punted and then in OT as well.   That comment was made by Doug Brown on OB radio.    I mean if we field the punt we had a chance to reach the 20 which granted is 20 yards difference in FP.   Then even if the Riders get possession at mid field we force them to go for a TD to win it.   It would have been up to our D then to hold the fort and if the Riders punch it in well kudos to them.    If we held them out then kudos to us.
At this juncture of the game the one point given up was huge and the fact that they tied it gave them all the momentum into OT and they capitalized....we played not to lose and we lost.
That's my theory and I'm sticking to it....lol.

[blue_gold_84]

These poor offensive starts (Oliveira excepted) can't continue. The run game needs to be the stick that stirs the drink, IMO.

The rematch on Saturday should be a gooder at IGF!

[Blue In BC]

These poor offensive starts (Oliveira excepted) can't continue. The run game needs to be the stick that stirs the drink, IMO.

The rematch on Saturday should be a gooder at IGF!

Running straight up the middle with Oliveria on the 1st offensive play, followed by the short out that is pic'd is not a formula for success.  Just punt on 1st down in the 1st series and get on with defence.

Yeah. We need to show up ready at the whistle and not let bad teams gain momentum.

[northof30]

Ya, I was totally fine with both singles.  The last one we would have gotten our normal <10 yard return and been in real bad shape in safety territory.  SSK had all the momo and morale and crowd was into it.  Buck was going conservative already.  Hall was going into his make-them-beat-you-with-dink&dunk mode.  It wasn't a good time.

We were probably going to punt eventually, as there was 1.30 left and our O was faltering.  And we all know when we punted we were going to give up a 25-35 yard return, because that's what we do.  And we all knew we'd give up the 8 yard wide outs, because that's what we do.  And we all knew SSK had every trick play in the books like the couple of Morrow catches, because they had to win that game or face the mob.

So getting us at the 40 with plenty of breathing room is actually the real gutsy gamble in the sense that we are in a good position to take control of our destiny.  Did the O want it enough to make the 2-3 first downs we needed?  Or were they going to choke.  MOS bet on his O.  If they couldn't make a 1st down, maybe they deserved to lose.  Kind of like the GC.

The real failure in my eyes is the lack of creative playcalling in these situations by Buck.  And a lack of a book for this.  And probably the worst 2-point / 3YL redzone book in the league.  I get that Buck is probably saving the fancy book for "important" games, as he did in the 2nd BC game (where the book was wide open).  And we'll probably see the full book in the BB to ensure the series win, because that's the real important thing, not the LDC.  But it's frustrating nonetheless.

Have to disagree about the single. Firstly I don't see a safety as I'm sure the play goes to Oliveira and even with a two and out Riders probably have to march half the field and need a touchdown. Also in that situation the pressure is on due to the time left and there were some errant passes thrown by their rookie quarterback so I see a probability of an interception or at the very least our defence prevents the TD.

[Throw Long Bannatyne]

Running straight up the middle with Oliveria on the 1st offensive play, followed by the short out that is pic'd is not a formula for success.  Just punt on 1st down in the 1st series and get on with defence.

Yeah. We need to show up ready at the whistle and let bad teams gain momentum.

The offence has gotten a bit lazy, with each passing year Buck throws out more pages of LaPo's playbook, in doing so he's losing complexity.  He still balances running and passing well, but he has shed a lot of the short-mid routes to suit Zach who likes to be a gunslinger and prefers to gain yards in 20-40 yd. chunks.  Running Brady between the guards and Zach throwing long isn't that hard to defend against if you know it's coming.  Lawler was thought to be a panacea but he has made the situation worse as Zach thinks he can get open on any route and catch any ball thrown regardless of coverage.

[blue_gold_84]

Running straight up the middle with Oliveria on the 1st offensive play, followed by the short out that is pic'd is not a formula for success.  Just punt on 1st down in the 1st series and get on with defence.

Yeah. We need to show up ready at the whistle and not let bad teams gain momentum.

That onside kick to start the game didn't help anything momentum-wise but I'm still baffled by the play-calling recently.

[Nic16]

I was at the game and I found the Riders truly rode the wave of momentum the fans helped create. And outside of a few spectacular catches in the 1st half the Bombers seemed to be out of sync and back on their heels.

Improvement can easily be made in?

1. Active roster mgmt
2. being game ready at the first whistle!
3. the passing game?getting the ball to Lawler more often

Some way - some how improvement must be made in?
1. SPECIAL TEAMS!

Do the above and everything else should fall in place.

[Blue In BC]

That onside kick to start the game didn't help anything momentum-wise but I'm still baffled by the play-calling recently.

Yes but if we had kicked off the Riders would have ended up with about the same field position. It was a gamble by them but it didn't pay off in any great sense. It should have annoyed the Bombers and woke them up. It didn't.

[Blue In BC]

I was at the game and I found the Riders truly rode the wave of momentum the fans helped create. And outside of a few spectacular catches in the 1st half the Bombers seemed to be out of sync and back on their heels.

Improvement can easily be made in?

1. Active roster mgmt
2. being game ready at the first whistle!
3. the passing game?getting the ball to Lawler more often

Some way - some how improvement must be made in?
1. SPECIAL TEAMS!

Do the above and everything else should fall in place.

Just a thought over the weekend. Hire Lapo back as a consultant for the rest of the season. He would be another set of eyes on offence and ST's. He does have extensive CFL experience and is familiar with the Bombers.

I don't think he's still on the Redblacks payroll and the TSN gig is part time? Whether we have any coaching SMS room I'm not sure.

[Nic16]

Yes but if we had kicked off the Riders would have ended up with about the same field position. It was a gamble by them but it didn't pay off in any great sense. It should have annoyed the Bombers and woke them up. It didn't.

That was the baffling part! Outside of a few spectacular catches, some great runs by BO20 and timely stops by the D, overall the team appeared a bit disjointed and overwhelmed by the Riders aggressiveness.

[Pigskin]

I think MOS and company should have went out and found a player with CFL return experience. Even if they had to trade. Having an experienced backup when you have Grant who is 160 lbs, is not a bad thing. Grant is a very tiny man in a position that takes a beating. Ford when he returns, may help us with that problem.

[3rdand1.5]

The Riders have played a few weeks of really physical tough ball....granted a head-but past the line but give them credit they are playing a tough, smash mouth brand of ball. If they keep up the intensity and physicality they can become a scary team come playoffs....this coming week is a great test...we looked bad and we lost, how we respond against a team that appeared to outwill us last week will say a lot about our team make-up.

I don't want to hear injury excuses or reffing excuses, they beat us and TBH kinda beat us up doing it. The dominated special teams from the kick-off to the final whistle, they kept the reigning back to back MOP pedestrian and they whether slightly trapped or not, made the throw and catch we couldn't to successfully make a 2pt convert. So the only excuses we should hear or talk about is looking in the mirror and admitting we didn't play good enough.

[TBURGESS]

TBH without the stupid head butt, we lose in regular time instead of overtime, because that stupid play turned 3 points into 7.

[Throw Long Bannatyne]

TBH without the stupid head butt, we lose in regular time instead of overtime, because that stupid play turned 3 points into 7.

What down did that happen on?

[TBURGESS]

What down did that happen on?

2nd