Official Game Day Thread - Toronto at Winnipeg - September 29, 2023

[TecnoGenius]

I expect the DL to present all kinds of issues in both run and pass defense.

I think we'll stop Oullette early/mid drive.  I just pray we limit him to 0 TDs in the redzone.  That's their go-to thing, and doubly so with Kelly benched and who-knows-if-he-can-throw at QB.

I think we'll have trouble on pass-D because of TOR's impenetrable OL.  We may have to get more creative with drop-backs and blitzes.  Maybe if we can get some middle push we might get somewhere, but our DTs will have to have an all-star level game.  We could try a cheetah once in a while, too, just to mix things up.

So that only leaves the QB runs to deal with.  That's the big question mark.  But Wilson playing should make a huge difference.  We'll know pretty early if this new QB is a run threat.

[TecnoGenius]

So Kelly is dressing, though listed as QB3.  What are the odds they have him start the 1st Q and play 1/2 to a full Q?  What are the odds they put him in if Dukes is sucking badly?

[ModAdmin]

Ted Wyman
@Ted_Wyman

5h
I asked #Argos coach Ryan Dinwiddie why he chose this game against #Bombers, specifically, to sit out QB Chad Kelly.

"The crowd noise and (Winnipeg's) defensive line."

[Lincoln Locomotive]

For us to win the western conference we pretty much have to win out.   While we play Toronto, BC who is tied with us, is playing the hapless Riders at home.   Doubt if they lose that one.     Then they play us, the Stamps and Hamilton.   After we play BC we play the Stamps on the road and the Elks at home.    If we lose against Toronto and beat BC....we could very well end up tied for first but we'd have the series so first would be ours.
So yeah....just win out.   

[ModAdmin]

The Playbook - Toronto vs Winnipeg.  Another great primer for the big game.

https://www.bluebombers.com/2023/09/28/the-playbook-tor-vs-wpg/

[TecnoGenius]

On O I think we can get Brady going, and we may have to.  They are sitting McManis and Oakman, so that should help considerably.  Hoggies gotta do to TOR front 7 what they did to BC in 2nd game and SSK in BB.

On the passing front, they are sitting Peters.  I would attack his strong-side corner, and also the weaker weak-side halfback.  Buck is going to have to be smarter about attacking the weak points instead of just "business as usual".  I want to see a lot more of the book at this game.  Open that sucker up.

I'm disappointed we didn't find a way to get McCrae back on the roster as he seems to add a dynamic in the run game (and pass too) that teams don't anticipate.  I know, I wanted him off, but since we've benched him our O has struggled more, especially when Brady is stifled.  Do we really need Kelly??

I would have put McCrae in, at least until Grant comes back as the extra speed guy on O.  If you look at TOR's roster, their D scares me more than their O, therefore the "extra DI guy" might have been better spent on our O.  Heck, we could have also put in McCrae and pulled Jackson, and used Eli/Dobson for TE.

[Blue In BC]

So Kelly is dressing, though listed as QB3.  What are the odds they have him start the 1st Q and play 1/2 to a full Q?  What are the odds they put him in if Dukes is sucking badly?

I'm not even sure a # 3 QB can start the game based on that placement on the depth chart. It's an odd rule but I think it is a rule. The fact they didn't even list him as the # 2 QB suggests he won't play much if at all. Why would they play him with 1st place locked up?

[the.inkster]

Buck is going to have to be smarter about attacking the weak points instead of just "business as usual".  I want to see a lot more of the book at this game.  Open that suckered up

I'm also hoping the brain trust has the long game in mind. If we're anticipating an Argos/Bombers GC, it'd be nice to see them throw some wrinkles in this game - trick plays; unique alignments (Willie at receiver again please?!).

[blue_or_die]

It feels like we haven't played in a month!

[Pigskin]

About 17 for kickoff with no wind. Great fall night for football.

[northof30]

I watched the press interview with O'Shea yesterday. He always has this look of distain on his face or, generally, through his body language and answers. I get that the questions are sometimes repetitive or even obvious or unnecessay but it just doesn't display an image of respect. 

[blue_gold_84]

It probably gets exhausting trying to find different ways to answer the same annoying, vapid questions from the media on such a regular basis.

Can't say I blame him for his perceived lack of enthusiasm.

[Stats Junkie]

I'm not even sure a # 3 QB can start the game based on that placement on the depth chart. It's an odd rule but I think it is a rule. The fact they didn't even list him as the # 2 QB suggests he won't play much if at all. Why would they play him with 1st place locked up?

The only restriction placed upon the #3 QB is that he cannot be a kicker.

In the mid-1990s, a few teams designated their punter as the #3 QB to gain an extra roster spot. 1996-197, the CFL returned to 2 designated QBs. It was in 1998 that the CFL put the restriction on the #3 QB to prevent teams from abusing the QB rules.

For 1 game in 2007 (and possibly 1 in 2006), the Argos designated Noel Prefontaine as a QB because they only had 2 QBs on the active roster. In the 2007 game, Prefontaine was listed as the #2 QB so that he could kick.

In 2009, the BC Lions lost Paul McCallum to injury early in a game. Travis Lulay was the backup kicker and he performed the first punt after the injury. Problem was, Lulay was the #3 QB on the roster and should have been penalized 25 yards for illegal deployment of a designated QB. The issue was discovered before the next kicking situation and Paris Jackson & Tad Crawford did the kicking for the remainder of the game.

2018 - #3 QB David Watford was the drive QB for the Roughriders first drive of a game - drive started at the 1 yard line. Zach Collaros was still considered the starting QB for the Riders that game.

[BBRT]

It probably gets exhausting trying to find different ways to answer the same annoying, vapid questions from the media on such a regular basis.

Can't say I blame him for his perceived lack of enthusiasm.

If you think MOS is not all that receiptive during these gigs, he is a love child compared to Kindly Coach Cal! 

[peg_city]

Predictions for tonight's game?