Official Game Day Thread - Winnipeg at BC October 6, 2023

[Blue In BC]

Ok. Heart re-started more or less this morning. Will be off later to meet some Bomber fans that flew in for the game.

2nd half turn around was excellent but where was that in the 1st half. It's a game where we left many points on the field due to our turnovers. Some suspect play calling.

We could have lost on the last play of regulation time. OTOH, we could have scored a bunch earlier to not have been at that point. Even just making the missed FG early in the game changes the score and momentum.

Regardless, we found a way to win and shows we're still in the hunt for the Grey Cup.

There are too many plays from both teams that huge impact on the flow of the game. Lions failing on 3rd and short and the PI ( start of Q4 ) won it for us in the end.

[Blue In BC]

I only noticed Jackson about 4 times last night. Once on a good block when Prukop was in and rolled right on short yardage. Another time was when he caught a pass for a 1st down.

The most interesting observation came on the play where Schoen got nicked at at 7:30 of the 4th Q.  He ran down field and was standing essentially on the goal line wide open. I don't know I've seen him that far down field.

Is this something new that defences are going to have to account for in the play offs. Obviously he's only been thrown to twice but if they let him run free 30 yards down field, he's going to become a target on that play, possibly when it's most needed?

Still would like to know what his snap count was last night. There were a bunch of times where Collaros had no time and only 5 OL were missing blocks resulting in 2 fumbles / turnovers. Jackson seems to mostly on for short yardage or run play formations. Pass protection plays were an issue at times last night and I don't think he's on the field for that a lot? Can't tell for sure on TV.

Was not having Neufeld a large factor?

I hope his personal problem will not be a family crisis for him. Hopefully it was more of a positive thing and was just bad timing. Something like a baby arriving early in his family. We don't need to know except that all is well if you know what I mean. Things outside football stand alone outside the game.

[Blue In BC]

Lions fans on Lionbackers are upset with their team. Not just because of the loss but lack of any run game all year. They feel the Lions will surely lose to the Bombers if they meet in Winnipeg in the WDF.

The Lions have not been good against the run and it's certainly one of our strengths. Their OL is soft and their fans feel Adams panics when under pressure as a result.

All of those things are true but we saw in the 1st half they can overcome those problems. I wouldn't write them off quiet so quickly.

Injuries in the last couple of games for every team will play into this as we go forward.

[Lincoln Locomotive]

Thing is we can't afford to lose any of the next 2 games....especially if BC wins their last two.   Our magic number is 1 and we now have a bye and will face our next opponent coming off the bye.   Regardless of what BC we can punch our ticket to the WF with a road win against the Elks and that's not a gimme game either.

[theaardvark]

Post-game when they show players doing the "good game" thing, they show Willie and VAJ.  It looks like Willie gave VAJ the "you played a good game, you're a good player, don't get down" pep talk, and shakes his hand vigorously.  All well and good in most situations, except... the way you beat VAJ and BC is you get in their headspace and make them defeat themselves.

I don't want anyone picking up VAJ's spirits, I want him to feel destroyed for the next week and fear the WDF.  Morale and headspace is at least 30% of the game: maybe 50%.  Save this enemy pep talk for after we hose them in that game and they are no longer the enemy.

It may seem awful and brutal and counter to good sportsmanship: but you can just say "good game" and shake their hand without the rah rah "you're going places kid" talk.  Just my 2c.

I got no problem wit Willie letting VA3 know who is the better player, and rubbing it in his face postgame.  a "Good effort out there young man" is more dismissive than an in your face "WE BEAT YOU" rant...   and totally within character for this team.

[BBRT]

Thing is we can't afford to lose any of the next 2 games....especially if BC wins their last two.   Our magic number is 1 and we now have a bye and will face our next opponent coming off the bye.   Regardless of what BC we can punch our ticket to the WF with a road win against the Elks and that's not a gimme game either.

I agree with you however the Edmonton game is a home game and we close out against Calgary in Calgary (That is what I see on the TSN site in terms of remaining games.) I think if we take care of business we can win against Edmonton at home securing home field advantage for the Western Final (probably against the Lions).

[theaardvark]

I only noticed Jackson about 4 times last night. Once on a good block when Prukop was in and rolled right on short yardage. Another time was when he caught a pass for a 1st down.

The most interesting observation came on the play where Schoen got nicked at at 7:30 of the 4th Q.  He ran down field and was standing essentially on the goal line wide open. I don't know I've seen him that far down field.

Is this something new that defences are going to have to account for in the play offs. Obviously he's only been thrown to twice but if they let him run free 30 yards down field, he's going to become a target on that play, possibly when it's most needed?

Still would like to know what his snap count was last night. There were a bunch of times where Collaros had no time and only 5 OL were missing blocks resulting in 2 fumbles / turnovers. Jackson seems to mostly on for short yardage or run play formations. Pass protection plays were an issue at times last night and I don't think he's on the field for that a lot? Can't tell for sure on TV.

Was not having Neufeld a large factor?

I hope his personal problem will not be a family crisis for him. Hopefully it was more of a positive thing and was just bad timing. Something like a baby arriving early in his family. We don't need to know except that all is well if you know what I mean. Things outside football stand alone outside the game.

Jackson was doing Jaclson tings, but more this week than ever before.  The one caught pass, and the one where he was downfield and open, nice.  There was coverage over the top on that downfield look, and who knows how he's have handled a contested catch there, the safety might even have jumped the route.  But had he been thrown to and completed, a sure TD and a new legend.

He keeps getting better and used more each week.

Hansen was visible, on teams and on D occasionally.  Don't think he is 100% yet or back to game speed, but these last 2 games are perfect tune ups.

[Throw Long Bannatyne]

Jackson was doing Jaclson tings, but more this week than ever before.  The one caught pass, and the one where he was downfield and open, nice.  There was coverage over the top on that downfield look, and who knows how he's have handled a contested catch there, the safety might even have jumped the route.  But had he been thrown to and completed, a sure TD and a new legend.

He keeps getting better and used more each week.

Hansen was visible, on teams and on D occasionally.  Don't think he is 100% yet or back to game speed, but these last 2 games are perfect tune ups.

Yep, Jackson is earning respect, he's out there to do specific tasks and for the most part he's getting them done.

[TBURGESS]

What a great game! Lived up to the hype. On the edge of my seat the whole game.

Lions ahead for the entire game, but we tie it up late. The only time we go ahead is in overtime for the win.

Refs let them play. We don't take a penalty for pushing VAJ after he was out of bounds or hitting him late. They don't take a penalty for hitting Collaros in the helmet when he spun right into them.

Rhymes makes a huge mistake and costs them the game. Parker makes a huge play and saves the game.

Both teams waste their challenges. BC could have used theirs late in the game.

Lions go on 3rd and 1 but don't make it. Should have punted. Techno... Can you go back and see if the mark was good on VAJ's scramble on the play before that? I thought the ball was more than a yard further ahead than it was marked.

Lions had no answer to our pressure package or the Collaros roll right and toss to one of 3 receivers. Cost them the game because they finally ran out of gas late in the 4th.

The game did nothing to help either Collaros or VAJ's MOP aspirations. Collaros threw for more yards and got the win, but threw a pick and fumbled twice. VAJ threw for 350+, no picks, no fumbles & lost.

Brady O should be our MOP and the league MOP this year.

One Wpg won or one BC loss = first in the west.

[theaardvark]

I agree with you however the Edmonton game is a home game and we close out against Calgary in Calgary (That is what I see on the TSN site in terms of remaining games.) I think if we take care of business we can win against Edmonton at home securing home field advantage for the Western Final (probably against the Lions).

Do we always have a nothing game in Calgary to close the season, and leave starters at home?  Or does it just seem that way?

[Ducky]

That's definitely his super-power, his ability to shake off his mistakes and come back and to make a play. I just wish... he didn't have to do it as much this year.

It is why I dont get the MVP talk for Collaros this year.  Too many turnovers, multiple pick 6's etc.  Too inconsistent this season.

Brady O is the MVP.

[Throw Long Bannatyne]

Do we always have a nothing game in Calgary to close the season, and leave starters at home?  Or does it just seem that way?

As far back as I can remember, and I don't know why that has become a fixture on their schedule, somebody must continue to request it yearly.

[Blue In BC]

It is why I dont get the MVP talk for Collaros this year.  Too many turnovers, multiple pick 6's etc.  Too inconsistent this season.

Brady O is the MVP.

Because we're the highest scoring offence in the CFL. You have to expect some mistakes along the way. A lot of those turnovers have been created by poor pass protection and Collaros getting hit too often.

[John T.]

So I've been doing some thinking about the slow starts that seem to plague the Bombers this season, and I've come up with a reason that is either brilliant, or completely stupid. I'm not sure which, so here it is...

Teams succeed when they have both great players and great coaching. Both are needed to win championships, but usually one of the two is more dominant than the other.

Over the past few seasons the Bombers were consistently dominating, usually for entire games. They were also phenomenally well-coached.

This season they've struggled more in the first half especially, but still come through. At the same time, our star players are getting older.

Could it be that because of age, they're not as physically dominating as they were a couple of years ago? Don't get me wrong, they're still far above average, and possibly the best in the league, but some of them have lost a step.

What hasn't changed is the quality of their coaching, which for quite a few years now has been miles ahead of any other team in the league.

Here's the result: Our players are not quite as able to physically counteract unexpected schemes thrown at them. Other teams know this, and start most games against us with something the Bombers haven't seen before. Because they're a couple of years older and maybe a step slower, it's harder for the Bombers to cope with this, and they fall behind.

However, because we have vastly superior coaching compared to everyone else, our coaching staff usually figures out what's happening and make adjustments, which is why, so many times, the Bombers get slapped around for the first half, but then play lights out football in the second half and win the game. The last two weeks, against the other two best teams in the league, are a textbook example of exactly this.

Nothing against the players, who are still the best in the league, but maybe the MOP award should be shared by Ritchie Hall and Buck Pierce.

Just a theory.

[Pigskin]

It is why I dont get the MVP talk for Collaros this year.  Too many turnovers, multiple pick 6's etc.  Too inconsistent this season.

Brady O is the MVP.

I will second BO20. Outstanding year.