Medium term changes

[Ducky]

I had hoped Bighill was going to retire after last season. He was obviously slowing down. Worse this year.  Ditto for Alexander. Both are negatives on the D squad.

O line is an issue. Collaros is too slow (and maybe too stubborn) to evade any rush. When he does not have time he can look like a rookie with  terrible reads and awful throws.

What was being hyped as possibly the best offense of all time leading into the season is looking pretty biased at this point in time. Losing 2 of the best receivers in the league doesn't help but the above issues have exasperated the injuries.

I suspect we dont see any real changes to the vets until after the BC game. Very likely the Bombers are sitting at 2 at 2 - 7 and going into the bye licking their wounds after being crushed by the Lions.

[ModAdmin]

Yes as I said, I'm only referring to Zach's play in the last 2 seasons. It started with the first blowout to BC last season at home when he couldn't generate any offence and continued with upset losses to Ottawa and Hamilton, both teams forced to start rookie QB's in Crum and Powell.  The same inconsistency was present in the Elks game Dru Brown stepped in and saved against Tre Ford.

As for this season, Zach has only played one decent game, you can blame other aspects of the team or point the finger at Jake Thomas as some will, but it's pretty clear he is not performing at the level of consistency he's established in the past.  Can't really point the finger at anyone else in the loss to Sask. this weekend, he was unable to locate and hit any other receiver other than Brady coming out of the backfield with any consistency.  To put it simply he did not generate enough offence to win that game which has been a problem that's also been evident in the last 2 GC losses.

I, 100%, agree that Zach is not getting the results he has had in previous years. I just think you put too much of the responsibility on him as opposed to the other factors that clearly affect the functioning of the offence.

[Throw Long Bannatyne]

I, 100%, agree that Zach is not getting the results he has had in previous years. I just think you put too much of the responsibility on him as opposed to the other factors that clearly affect the functioning of the offence.

Maybe so but really hard to tell when the QB is stuck in the mud.

[dd]

Getting Lawler back and hopefully Whitehead into the lineup will be a massive upgrade to what's currently on the field. Inserting 2 vet receivers posing immediate threats to the defense into our lineup will do everyone a world of good, especially Collaros

[bluebeard]

Did we keep Collaros one year to long because of GC next year??  Brown looks decent in Ottawa with a younger team.  BC and Adams look strong plus BC fans do not travel well.  Every team goes through this with an ageing team.  Time to rebuild or keep vets one more year in hopes of getting into the GC??

[Blueforlife]

Zach will rebound as we get healthy on O.

[theaardvark]

Getting Lawler back and hopefully Whitehead into the lineup will be a massive upgrade to what's currently on the field. Inserting 2 vet receivers posing immediate threats to the defense into our lineup will do everyone a world of good, especially Collaros

If Collaros can get his timing with Lucky and Kenny sync'd up fast.  It takes time to do, and even though he has history with them, they will be different players than they were before.

[J5V]

Zach will rebound as we get healthy on O.

https://x.com/Wpg_BlueBombers/status/1814522509502378124?t=EZ7hAU-SFkeRSH1148n7nQ&s=19

[DM83]

Look Zac is a great player. Period. Zac has thrown up passes, and he is expecting receivers to make a play. My quarterback always said, if the receiver could not make a play on a 50-50 ball, he would get his grandma to go out and catch his passes.  He wasn't serious, I don't think, but the receivers got the message.

Look we have has had fluke injuries. In the last two years we have lost the last two Grey Cups on the last play of the game.  We got injuries, or a fluke last minute field goal, to have a last play win. Is that why the encouraged Ritchie Hall to step down? Otherwise we were would blow the doors off teams.  Is Bighill too slow? Nope he is a step behind.  I tell you what it's between him and sanky, in who I would rather have behind me in a foxhole.

Bighill will step away from playing one day, and become our defensive co-ordinator.

Mr. Alexander should be benched and put in one of the brothers.  I don't believe Alexander actually wants to be involved in contact.  I do need glasses though, so take it for what it's worth. Again, no grey Cup is awarded in July.

Once we get a couple more receivers, a def. Tackle, an offensive linemen, and a defensive coordinator, we will be fine.  If you can't stomach the Bombers, wait till the jets field an aHL team and tell you it's an NHL team

[Jesse]

Look Zac is a great player. Period. Zac has thrown up passes, and he is expecting receivers to make a play. My quarterback always said, if the receiver could not make a play on a 50-50 ball, he would get his grandma to go out and catch his passes.  He wasn't serious, I don't think, but the receivers got the message.

The problem isn't Zach throwing up 50/50 balls and trusting his receivers, it's receivers being wide open and Zach underthrowing them or simply throwing straight at the defender instead.

[TecnoGenius]

If Collaros can get his timing with Lucky and Kenny sync'd up fast.  It takes time to do, and even though he has history with them, they will be different players than they were before.

Correct me if I'm wrong, but Zach never played live snaps with Lucky.  Lucky was already relegated to backup or PR in favor of Grant when Zach was brought in.

(Sorry, little nitpick on Lucky; but yes, 100% Kenny should gel immediately with Zach when he comes back.)

[TecnoGenius]

Did we keep Collaros one year to long because of GC next year??  Brown looks decent in Ottawa with a younger team.

I think it's a wash.  If Dru was our QB right now, he'd probably look a lot like Zach.  Our OL is maybe about as good as OTT's right now (i.e. mid-range).  Our (healthy) Rs are about the same, or maybe OTT has a slight advantage.  Dru has made mistakes, and also has problems with pressure.

That said, Zach is costing us a lot more $$ than Dru is costing OTT.  So if they are a wash, maybe OTT did come out ahead.  Plus, Zach has '24 and maybe '25 left.  Dru has until '30 (at least).  However, if I'm in a GC tomorrow, I'd rather have Zach than Dru!!

[TecnoGenius]

What was being hyped as possibly the best offense of all time leading into the season is looking pretty biased at this point in time. Losing 2 of the best receivers in the league doesn't help but the above issues have exasperated the injuries.

I don't think anyone hyped WPG as the best O.  What was hyped was WPG had the best receiving corps and RB.  And they did until by week 4 two of the top-paid CFL Rs were 6GIRd (even though the on-field production didn't show it).

Everyone and their dog knew our OL was going to have major problems: forced to start Dobson maybe a year early; losing Yoshi after his MOOL year and switching to retread Lofton.  No one hyped our OL.

And as Riderfans Forum will remind everyone, Zach has never been great with a leaky OL.  He's great when protected.  Remember all the games in prior years when our OL kept him completely clean?!  Holy smokes those days seem far in the rearview mirror.

Zach is not the only problem.  And also almost certainly not the major problem.  He just gets most of the blame, as QBs are wont to do.

[TecnoGenius]

The problem isn't Zach throwing up 50/50 balls and trusting his receivers, it's receivers being wide open and Zach underthrowing them or simply throwing straight at the defender instead.

I don't know what games you're watching, but our Rs haven't been "wide open" all season.  Not even close.  They have to fight and claw for every single catch.  That's part of the problem.

Our schemes are weak and not working, and/or our Rs either aren't executing or are too slow.

[J5V]

I don't think anyone hyped WPG as the best O.  What was hyped was WPG had the best receiving corps and RB.  And they did until by week 4 two of the top-paid CFL Rs were 6GIRd (even though the on-field production didn't show it).

Everyone and their dog knew our OL was going to have major problems: forced to start Dobson maybe a year early; losing Yoshi after his MOOL year and switching to retread Lofton.  No one hyped our OL.

And as Riderfans Forum will remind everyone, Zach has never been great with a leaky OL.  He's great when protected.  Remember all the games in prior years when our OL kept him completely clean?!  Holy smokes those days seem far in the rearview mirror.

Zach is not the only problem.  And also almost certainly not the major problem.  He just gets most of the blame, as QBs are wont to do.

So, if the Bombers could ever sneak into the playoffs, the refs tend to put away their whistles and holding calls don't happen much. That is when Zach might be at his best. If we could sneak in there and be healthy, we could yet make some noise.