Official Game Day Thread - Winnipeg at Hamilton, September 16, 2023

[pjrocksmb]

Id be surprised if miller returns, Im not sure who the backup is for kramdl. As far as jackson, basically he is playing role of tight end, but surely we can find someone with experiance cdn or import to better play that role
Theres a reason no other team in the league uses a di in that role

Parker and Exume backup Kramdi

[Waffler]

What I worry about now is a bounce back game (TO) and then retreat into mediocre play again for the game we REALLY need and that is the BC game. What happened today and what ever happens against TO means nothing as long as we beat BC. That tie breaker is huge. If the Bombers want to prove a point, do it there.

[TecnoGenius]

What I worry about now is a bounce back game (TO) and then retreat into mediocre play again for the game we REALLY need and that is the BC game. What happened today and what ever happens against TO means nothing as long as we beat BC. That tie breaker is huge. If the Bombers want to prove a point, do it there.

We may no longer control our destiny.  BC gets an extra game while we have the bye.  It's @EDM, so almost a sure win for BC.  So then we're tied.  (Technically we are still #1 because we have more points vs BC.)

BC's rest of season is: SSK, WPG, HAM, CGY, BYE; in other words they only have to beat losing teams and us.  So they will win every non-WPG game and the only question is vs WPG.  And they get to play us at home after we get beat up trying to beat TOR, while they eviscerate SSK at BC Place.

Almost certainly we will have to play our (supposed) gimmee games vs EDM and CGY in the final 2 weeks with our full #1 starters!  And BC will get the bye in the final week and be super rested for a WSF!

I think we have to go all-in every week to get #1 as we'll have a hard time playing full-out in week 20/21 and then the next week the WSF vs SSK or CGY.  The only other hope is if BC falls off and loses their copious gimmee games.

[ModAdmin]

Ottawa should have been a "gimmee" game for the Lions but only a complete meltdown by Ottawa got BC the win.  By any reasonable effort on Ottawa's part in the 4th quarter, BC would have lost that game.

[TecnoGenius]

I'm not angry. I'm stating a fact. He doesn't make enough good plays. It's more obvious when we lose but it's a fact. Still seeing soft coverage and sloppy tackling. I'm not sure whether he's has a higher ceiling or this is it. At this point I consider his play overall as average. Average is not good enough.

Here's the thing, SAM is a pluggable position.  KW should be on the phone right now to teams about to be eliminated, setting up a real (read: IMP) SAM trade.

And if we've lost faith in Darby, there is no reason he should be here anymore, get someone else and drop Darby, or PR him if we can't.  Kramdi is good depth and perfect as a backup SAM/DB, so he dresses, but doesn't start.

We have enough weeks left to get a new SAM up to speed.  Let's use that time, especially if we're losing games anyway.

And time to bring in a real returner.  The non-returner guys have filled the hole ok, but we can't keep sucking down the stretch.  KW, meet phone.  If the plan is for Grant to be healthy soon then make some sort of announcement with an ETA.

This is the home stretch where GC favorite teams with a few holes have to load the box with talent.  We are the favorite.  We are the ageing team.  We all know the holes.  Do what every other GC-bound team does and load up the trade and couch talent.  I'm not sure we have enough in the tank as-is to beat TOR, and maybe not even a WDF.

[TecnoGenius]

Ottawa should have been a "gimmee" game for the Lions but only a complete meltdown by Ottawa got BC the win.  By any reasonable effort on Ottawa's part in the 4th quarter, BC would have lost that game.

Lesser teams are finally figuring out the secret sauce to beat the top teams.  This is down to the OC/DC and coaching.  They are doing what the top teams aren't: doing 3X film study and spending all the time figuring out how to bring down the giants.

BC and TOR found ways to win anyhow even when out-coordinated and out-coached.  We didn't.  Telling.

Just like the '22 GC, we aren't spending enough time coming up with specific and new game plans to beat each opponent according to their weaknesses.  I think our coordinators have gotten comfy all week like it's a 9-5 job.  The opponents who beat us are planning 18 hours a day over pots of coffee coming up with brand new plans.

And it's clear that Hall isn't respecting any of the noob QBs as his plan is to make them beat us with the wide outs and sweeps and QB runs all night long.  So when Crum and Powell make those wide outs and QB run on us, we have zero answers on D.  Someone should have told Dolegala that he should have just run more, and he'd have a chance in the BB.

We're too comfy, too complacent, too uncreative, too predictable.  We used to be so good that "Winnipeg ball" was all it took to win 95% of games.  It's not any more.  And when it doesn't, we have no plan B because we thought we wouldn't need it and were too comfy to bother making one that week.

We're still a great team!  We can still win the GC!  We just have to up our planning game and creativity.  No more sleep for Buck, Hall, Boudreau or MOS until we win that GC.

We've lost the "unbeatable titan" sheen we had since 2019.  Even at home.  Teams don't respect us like they did.  We had that CGY 2012-2018 invincibility aura; now it's worn off.  They know they can beat us with hard work and a little luck.  They all know exactly what we can do and can't, and week after week we never change.  The "other 2" teams (BC, TOR) are hungry hungry hippos and gunning for us.  We're not youthful or hungry.  We can only win on sheer talent and top notch planning.

[Waffler]

We may no longer control our destiny.  BC gets an extra game while we have the bye.  It's @EDM, so almost a sure win for BC.  So then we're tied.  (Technically we are still #1 because we have more points vs BC.)

BC's rest of season is: SSK, WPG, HAM, CGY, BYE; in other words they only have to beat losing teams and us.  So they will win every non-WPG game and the only question is vs WPG.  And they get to play us at home after we get beat up trying to beat TOR, while they eviscerate SSK at BC Place.

Almost certainly we will have to play our (supposed) gimmee games vs EDM and CGY in the final 2 weeks with our full #1 starters!  And BC will get the bye in the final week and be super rested for a WSF!

I think we have to go all-in every week to get #1 as we'll have a hard time playing full-out in week 20/21 and then the next week the WSF vs SSK or CGY.  The only other hope is if BC falls off and loses their copious gimmee games.

My logic is that even if we are a game back when we play BC, if we win it we hold the tie breaker and then we do control our destiny. We will have a bye week and Edm, Calgary, both winnable especially if their seasons are already done. The BC game is all.

[Waffler]

Should they win first place, I don't think a super rested BC is as good as it might be for a battle hardened playoff team. I almost think it is too much rest. What will really hurt is not having them here on our frozen field.

[TecnoGenius]

My logic is that even if we are a game back when we play BC, if we win it we hold the tie breaker and then we do control our destiny. We will have a bye week and Edm, Calgary, both winnable especially if their seasons are already done. The BC game is all.

I think BC wins all their remaining non-WPG games.  Maybe we get lucky and they drop 1.  So even if we beat them we have to win nearly all the loser-team games.  How confident do you feel that we win all our gimmee games??  I have more confidence we will beat TOR and BC than our gimmee games.

But the worst part is no matter what we probably have to go all out up till and including the final week!  That's not how we've been getting to the GC in '21 and '22.  Because we have no last week bye we need that WSF week as the bye.  Thus it's basically full-on, best football of WFC's lives from tomorrow through week 21.  I think the entire club needs a wake-up call.  Maybe this is it??

[TecnoGenius]

Thinking less emotionally, a few quick points:

a) We didn't suck: we sucked compared to our standard, and given the weak opponent.  We need to keep this in mind.  Our expectations have been set very high.

b) We were in it until the last minute.  That's not bad.

c) I counted at least 5 bad drops/incs (probably more) on catchable balls.  That's 100% on our receivers/RB.  We normally make all of those.  It was a bit like the GC, with abnormal dropsies.  When you're having a bad day and on the edge of losing like that, those catches have to be made.  Notice how HAM receivers were making basically 100% of catchable catches?

d) The main problem this year vis a vis standings is BC is really strong.  '21 and '22 the 2nd place wasn't nearly as good.  And I don't think anyone on this forum wants to see us play a WSF game...

[DM83]

The Bombers need some corners who can play man to man and not embarrass themselves.  They need someone other than Kramdi.

They once again proved inadequate. They know they need a real rush end, that?s why they brought in another one.
Or not and start Winter vacation early.

Anyone know who Collaros is throwing to?
Sign Strev now.

[Blue In BC]

Parker and Exume backup Kramdi

Just because they show as back ups on the depth chart doesn't mean they are adequate.

[3rdand1.5]

Ottawa should have been a "gimmee" game for the Lions but only a complete meltdown by Ottawa got BC the win.  By any reasonable effort on Ottawa's part in the 4th quarter, BC would have lost that game.

True, but BC special teams were special when they needed them to be. Toronto almost lost to an inferior Mtrl team, but the blocked a FG on special teams when the game was on the line. As of today we are more experienced than BC, probably a slightly better team, but they are better because they can play all three phases, we can not!

Going to the other side Ott had every chance to win, but didn't due to poor special teams play, Mtrl. same thing. This week showed the entire league just how important special teams are to being successful and frankly ours are really poor and it cost us and will continue to cost us unless we figure it out and fix it.

[Blue In BC]

We may no longer control our destiny.  BC gets an extra game while we have the bye.  It's @EDM, so almost a sure win for BC.  So then we're tied.  (Technically we are still #1 because we have more points vs BC.)

BC's rest of season is: SSK, WPG, HAM, CGY, BYE; in other words they only have to beat losing teams and us.  So they will win every non-WPG game and the only question is vs WPG.  And they get to play us at home after we get beat up trying to beat TOR, while they eviscerate SSK at BC Place.

Almost certainly we will have to play our (supposed) gimmee games vs EDM and CGY in the final 2 weeks with our full #1 starters!  And BC will get the bye in the final week and be super rested for a WSF!

I think we have to go all-in every week to get #1 as we'll have a hard time playing full-out in week 20/21 and then the next week the WSF vs SSK or CGY.  The only other hope is if BC falls off and loses their copious gimmee games.

Only Toronto, Winnipeg and BC have winning records. Depending on how those losing team play, they may be out of the play offs even in crossover by the time some of those games are played. That's a bit of a wild card.

As you and others have mentioned the game against the Lions is HUGE. It's a 4 point game. Lions will have to win 1 more game out of their 5 than we win in our other 3 non Lion games. The Lions didn't look any better than the Bombers in their game against the Redblacks. However they did pull off a miracle win. Elks are probably out of the race now so they could be playing back ups and just mailing it in. Or they could be spoilers. Time will tell.

As we know the standings could come down to any one game won or lost. Our points for and against the Lions are meaningless at the end in a 3 game series.

[Blue In BC]

True, but BC special teams were special when they needed them to be. Toronto almost lost to an inferior Mtrl team, but the blocked a FG on special teams when the game was on the line. As of today we are more experienced than BC, probably a slightly better team, but they are better because they can play all three phases, we can not!

Going to the other side Ott had every chance to win, but didn't due to poor special teams play, Mtrl. same thing. This week showed the entire league just how important special teams are to being successful and frankly ours are really poor and it cost us and will continue to cost us unless we figure it out and fix it.

Rack that up to poor coaching by Ottawa. They didn't need to try the FG which resulted in a return TD. Good on the Lions for making that play but we all know the risk of long FG attempts. Game situation dictated Ottawa run on 2nd down to run the clock and to not try the FG.