Official Game Day Thread - Montreal at Winnipeg, June 6, 2024

[dd]

BA37 with a very large knee brace.

BO20 timing was also off all night. JA27 was hitting the holes on time. But, JA27 hasn't missed a practice.

I know it was garbage time, but JA looked good, he's an explosive runner. I just don't get why they don't involve him more in the offense. I'd even put him in and use a 2 back backfield, run a counter off the predictable Demski jet run. He's way too talented to let whither away on the sideline

[Blue In BC]

We need a few things ASAP. We need a kick returner, we need a kicker, we need an offense that is less predictable, we need to get rid of the turnovers, especially in our own end!!

1st games as usually sloppy offence. Lack of practice in TC and pre season came back to bit us.

Our returner didn't look good. Will he improve? IDK but it's a little early to know.

Castillo missed 2 FG's and 1 convert. So out of 7 possible points he got 2. It wouldn't have won the game but it would have helped momentum.

Collaros scoring a TD early after the turnover was a huge chance to get a good start but under throw or over throw.

[Tiger]

Coaches screwed up royally.  Team was FAR from prepared.

[Pigskin]

Woli82 played well. Made some good blocks and caught a couple of nice passes.

[Blue In BC]

Oh. How does Lemon get to play with a lifetime suspension? Obviously he's going to appeal but allowing him to un-retire on short notice and play game 1 is absolute BS.

Makes the league look bush league once again.

[Jesse]

Oh. How does Lemon get to play with a lifetime suspension? Obviously he's going to appeal but allowing him to un-retire on short notice and play game 1 is absolute BS.

Makes the league look bush league once again.

He has already appealed and is therefore eligible to play until it is settled.

Unless the ALS chose to uphold the suspension, which they have not.

[Pigskin]

Mitchell PR. 7/37  longest 9 yards.

Cole: 7 Tackles, 1 Int.

Woli82: 2/33, longest 25 yards.

ZC8: 20/33 209 1 Int, 6.3 Avg. Longest 25. 

[ModAdmin]

Game Recap | MTL 27 WPG 12

"...THE RUST IS REAL:

The Bombers entered the opener with 11 projected starters having not taken a single snap in the two preseason games, including Zach Collaros, with the thinking being the club wanted to enter the campaign as healthy as possible.

Naturally, then, there would be a question of potential rust forming on the squad heading into the first game that mattered. And, frankly, it was very, very evident early and then in a theme that would continue throughout the rest of the evening.

The Blue Bombers turned the ball over three times leading to 10 Alouette points, took five penalties totalling 65 yards, saw Sergio Castillo miss two of three field goals and a convert – more on that later – were burned for a 76-yard flea-flicker touchdown and saw the offence manage just 284 yards net offence.

"I don't know that I had them prepared well enough for this one," said head coach Mike O'Shea. "Missing that step, missing a bit of that football sense as we went along... I think I could have done a better job of getting them ready. Those bunch of practices in training camp probably could have been a little different."

Asked specifically about the rust narrative, he added:

"There's a bit of that for sure. I don't think the veteran group needs to play. I don't know that I'd change that idea, especially with the six days in between (the final preseason game and the opener). Montreal had the same six days. I just think I could have done something differently to make sure these guys were a little bit more prepared.

"The guys that missed training camp are going to be a step behind regardless. They're going to missing a few of those fast-paced details that click when you're finely tuned..."

https://www.bluebombers.com/2024/06/07/game-recap-mtl-27-wpg-12/

[J5V]

Then the dude gets carted off next play

Talk about instant karma.

[J5V]

It's a long 18 game season and that was just game one. I've seen teams in the CFL start 0-5 and go on to win the cup. Let's see how the team develops over the next few games before we get too upset.
 

[Throw Long Bannatyne]

Lawler may have broke a bone in the area of his wrist, if he's moved to the 6 game it's only going to increase Zach's problems finding open receivers.

[ichabod_crane]

Looks like a bunch of players that barely played in preseason.

Did they all go on a bender Wednesday night? That was atrocious on offence! 😲Defence was ok, just not enough pressure on Fajardo or containment.  Castillo had a lot of rust too. Special teams was even outside the fumble.

[ichabod_crane]

Who's our plan B at kicker?? Castillo stinks!!!

Should have kept Leggs! 😉😁 Sergio is not the only one who stunk the joint out. All have motivation to bounce back next game. O'Shea better have laid some whup_ss down after that display on offence. That was like the skin crawling days before the Manitoba mafia regime! TJ Rubley and Brian Brohm. Even drew "free" willy was not this putrid!

[ichabod_crane]

I have never understood why we don't give the vets reps in preseason , especially the 2nd preseason game.

Our team was totally out coached tonight. Jason mass and his staff took us to the woodshed tonight.

Going to be a long year this year.

Chicken littles better go home and let the adults with patience see how things progress from here. Only the first game of the year! The sky is not falling quite yet.  Next week will show if they are mice or men! 🐭 a slap to the face like this better wake them up.

Much like the oilers stunk the league out early this NHL season and look where they are now! 🙂 Go Canada! Go Oilers even though they are from the Chuck! 😆🏒🥅 bring back the Stanley cup to Canada! No love for Matthew tckachuk in Calgary either! 😋

[TecnoGenius]

Some odd notes as I work my way through the film:

Zach is getting fooled by simple MTL D trickery.  They were trying this in the GC, too.  They are using his vast football knowledge and experience against him!

Check out 1Q2:57.  MTL appears to blitz SAM, Zach instantly recognizes it's vacated, and takes that open space as his read, which is a quick Demski curl at the sticks.  But it's not really open, because at the snap a DL guy drops back right in front of Demski.  And they have a DB directly behind Demski to get any tip INT.

Zach spots the DL guy right as he's throwing and has to angle out the throw, a bit too wide for Demski.

This is pure film study, player tendency study (vs Zach), and high-brain scheming.  And it's clearly practiced.  The goal is to get that INT, or incompletion.

My beef is, we didn't study this stuff too?  They used this on us last season.  MTL is doing high-brain 5D chess and for the life of us we can't anticipate the scheme and then use it against them?  i.e. Scheme their scheme.

The play here would be to ignore their sleight of hand and pretty moving parts and instead just pass to Lawler who was wide open in the middle at the sticks.  But Zach didn't look there because he knows that when the SAM blitzes you throw to the hot curl in the vacated space!  But we know they know he knows, so why can't we outsmart them?!

I'm starting to really miss Lapo... I'm not sure the brains are high enough in WFC anymore.  And I'm starting to get the impression that many teams, certainly MTL, put in every waking moment scheming and planning and practicing and our whole outfit is just mailing it in, going out for drinks when 4:30pm rolls around.  We're being seriously outworked by the upstarts, and it isn't going to end well.