Official Game Day Thread - Winnipeg at Toronto July 27, 2024

[markf]

Couple of plays I noticed Eli in for at right guard were not encouraging. Did not make me think he is better than the guy he replaced at all.

Not sure NFL cuts are the answer. They have O line shortages too.

Bighill... third down stop turnover on downs. He can still play.

Team has problems, but...

Giveaways and bad officiating cost the Bombers this game.

One of those will be fixed.

I think Cody Kase will be effective, as a receiver.   Quick, reliable.

[blue_gold_84]

The lack of a competent right tackle is troubling.

But the mistakes being made by vets are just as troubling.

The ongoing struggles with the offense continue to baffle.

[The Zipp]

The lack of a competent right tackle is troubling.

But the mistakes being made by vets are just as troubling.

The ongoing struggles with the offense continue to baffle.

makes you wonder about the quality of the coaching, mental focus and talent of these players.  This isn't "rust", this isn't lack of time "gelling"...it's either just not good enough or not trying hard enough.

[Sir Blue and Gold]

makes you wonder about the quality of the coaching, mental focus and talent of these players.  This isn't "rust", this isn't lack of time "gelling"...it's either just not good enough or not trying hard enough.

I think the effort is there. We have good coaches. I think we're mentally focused. There's a few things happening. Part of it is just bad luck and that shouldn't be totally overlooked. Part of it is regression at QB and along the offensive line.

However, it's probably a good reality check time. No one is the off-season was suggesting we should completely blow up our offensive line. No one was saying we need to be seriously evaluating the starting QB position.

Two months changes a lot. I'm glad it's a crashing to earth and not a slow fall. It makes everyone get honest, really fast. We have tremendously talented and successful coaches in place. It might be frustrating but our best and most logical option is to let them rebuild it. That will take time - one off-season minimum - but things change quickly in the CFL. What if we landed Rourke, for example? 

[bwiser]

I think the effort is there. We have good coaches. I think we're mentally focused. There's a few things happening. Part of it is just bad luck and that shouldn't be totally overlooked. Part of it is regression at QB and along the offensive line.

However, it's probably a good reality check time. No one is the off-season was suggesting we should completely blow up our offensive line. No one was saying we need to be seriously evaluating the starting QB position.

Two months changes a lot. I'm glad it's a crashing to earth and not a slow fall. It makes everyone get honest, really fast. We have tremendously talented and successful coaches in place. It might be frustrating but our best and most logical option is to let them rebuild it. That will take time - one off-season minimum - but things change quickly in the CFL. What if we landed Rourke, for example? 

The Bombers should be in on the Rourke sweepstakes. Considering Colleros' age the Bombers need to begin looking for the next QB of the future

[J5V]

Wade can say things behind closed doors, and maybe he is.  But as MOS makes abundantly clear, they can't say anything to the media or they get a huge fine and then the refs/command will treat us even worse.

What's worse than phantom calls against and egregiously missed called for? I can't even imagine. It has cost us two very necessary and winnable games.

[ichabod_crane]

makes you wonder about the quality of the coaching, mental focus and talent of these players.  This isn't "rust", this isn't lack of time "gelling"...it's either just not good enough or not trying hard enough.

I would add not trying "SMART ENOUGH" too! Many brain cramps all season both with players and coaches. The blame goes all around this team. Even GM as Grant could have won us another game or two. Still I keep waiting for him to hit the 6 game IR this season with the Argos unless he somehow avoids his injury bug rep.

Now is NOT the time to ***** foot around. CHANGES ARE REQUIRED NOW for offense and immediately. Zach had probably his best game passing and all tossed down the tubes with bonehead fumbles and some "at best" questionable if not horrible play calling. Two steps forward and two steps back always this year with this team. Saying it's just bad luck or unfortunate is B.S. if it's occurring way too often.

"Kindly" Cal Murphy would be ripping this team apart if this occurred under his reign. Cal and Paul Robson knew how to pull the trigger...BROCK for CLEMENTS was a master stroke. Dieter (don't call me Ralph) had a good end of CFL career with the Cats too. Sometimes  a change of scenery helps both players in a trade. Maybe Cats and Bombers can do another blockbuster trade once more. Collaros for BO LEVI who seems to have a pulse again finally this year! Still with our o-line Bo would be clobbered too. Need some better beef up-front as o-lines are your bread and butter of almost any football offense. You got a bad one, you are running for your life in a passing league like the cfl. Less time to throw, less time to look downfield....it just compounds itself. Hell call up Chris Walby if needed!!

[ModAdmin]

I would add not trying "SMART ENOUGH" too! Many brain cramps all season both with players and coaches. The blame goes all around this team. Even GM as Grant could have won us another game or two. Still I keep waiting for him to hit the 6 game IR this season with the Argos unless he somehow avoids his injury bug rep.

Now is NOT the time to ***** foot around. CHANGES ARE REQUIRED NOW for offense and immediately. Zach had probably his best game passing and all tossed down the tubes with bonehead fumbles and some "at best" questionable if not horrible play calling. Two steps forward and two steps back always this year with this team. Saying it's just bad luck or unfortunate is B.S. if it's occurring way too often.

"Kindly" Cal Murphy would be ripping this team apart if this occurred under his reign. Cal and Paul Robson knew how to pull the trigger...BROCK for CLEMENTS was a master stroke. Dieter (don't call me Ralph) had a good end of CFL career with the Cats too. Sometimes  a change of scenery helps both players in a trade. Maybe Cats and Bombers can do another blockbuster trade once more. Collaros for BO LEVI who seems to have a pulse again finally this year! Still with our o-line Bo would be clobbered too. Need some better beef up-front as o-lines are your bread and butter of almost any football offense. You got a bad one, you are running for your life in a passing league like the cfl. Less time to throw, less time to look downfield....it just compounds itself. Hell call up Chris Walby if needed!!

I think you are wrong about Collaros.  The primary problem, aside from all the injuries, is the performance by the Oline.  That situation requires a serious upgrade and if accomplished, will make Zach the MOP-type player he has been.  I'm not sure those kind of upgrades can happen in the middle of a season though.

[TecnoGenius]

1Q5:23 Zach's first TD pass attempt, the failed Woli EZ corner fade, Pokey was single-covered with the D letting him fade while eyeing the QB, which is a sure TD if Zach does the exact same throw (Woli) to the other (Pokey) side.

Zach didn't even look Pokey's way and opted for the double-covered Woli.  If he had stared down Woli (which he did), then eyeball and spot Pokey out the corner of his eye, turn his head last second and toss to the corner, a sure TD.

This failure is on Zach, as Buck gave him 2 options and he chose wrongly.  Shades of the '23 GC...

[TecnoGenius]

Neufeld's injury is 3Q7:06

He gets beat badly to the outside (his 5th bad mistake, making him by far the worst OL of the game to this point).  He's in full on holding/chase-mode, and right at the end when he lets go he comes up hobbling/limping.

My only guess is there was one stride where he locked/hyper-extended his left knee a bit?  I don't see any sign of achilles or ACL tear.  He doesn't take a knee nor go down.

But he never returns to the game.  That was the end of that drive and the next one it's Eli in his place.

Because he was stinking so bad, maybe something was tender to start this game (or in the 2nd when his play got really bad), and the extension moved it into "can't play" territory.  Some minor knee issue?  Who knows when he'll suit back up or not, but my guess is "soon".

[TecnoGenius]

OL Grading WPG@TOR.  Neufeld had maybe his worst night ever.  Eli continued getting burned at RG.  Either our 2 guys sucked, or that right DT was a beast, or both.

Mistakes:

1Q: Basically perfect, pass & run.  Lots of jumbo, a few super-jumbo.

2Q:
Neuf 3 (result: Zach hits (ZH)), 1 pressure
Eli 1 (ZH)
Dob 1 (pressure)

3Q:
Eli 2 (ZH)
Neuf 1 (ZH)
Stan facemask

4Q/OT: Basically perfect

Other Notes:

3Q2:14 Eli's first play he gets tossed down like a rag doll by DT, like he weighs 90 lbs.

Final Strev sneak was Wallace's fault: goes way too far, too fast and loses the seal on the guy that meets and downs Strev.

[TecnoGenius]

OT, our 2nd down: The 2 TOR DEs go offside pre-snap.  The DE on our left side waaaay offside: probably 1/3 to 1/2 into the neutral zone.

Uncalled.  Note: we also have 1-2 OL getting up slightly pre-snap, but I checked and the O/S occurs before the get-ups.  That far ref is staring straight at it and he says nothing.

You can see the off-sidedness if you hold a ruler from the sideline mark to the hashmark at the bottom of the picture, and compare to the DTs.  Also, you can't see it here but those DEs were sneaking up pre-snap and the top offside guy knew he jumped it and takes a step back right as we snap.

Should have been 2nd & 3 for a near-sure-thing conversion with 2 downs left.  Yet another bad ref mistake against us...


(right-click and save or view-in-other-tab to see bigger image)

[TecnoGenius]

If Pokey comes back to the ball on that final 2nd down OT pass, we easily convert.  He is single-covered.  He sits (turns & stops) in what he thinks is the zone hole.  Defender recovers and steps in front for easy bat down.

Rookie mistake.  More experienced receivers would come back.  He was 10Y past the 1st down marker!!  He had plenty of space to step back, even 3Y would have been enough.  Zach threw it a bit low knowing he should/could come back to it.

Man, we're missing our vet receivers.  In this game we were down to just one.

[TecnoGenius]

Wow... refs missed yet another one.  On the game-winning Lirim FG in OT, the left-most outside TOR blocker blocks our kick-rusher below the waist.

This was made illegal in 2024 under:
Rule 4 - Scrimmage
Section 3 - Interference
Article 4 - Illegal Block

It shall be illegal for a Team A player to block an opponent below the waist.

Except when the block occurs between the tight ends or tight end position *1 [...]

For this block to be legal, the Team A player initiating the block below the waist must be positioned in this area as an offensive line player (tight end included) or running back at the snap. *2

Exception: A Team A backfield player (regardless of position at the snap) may cross the offensive formation and block a defensive player who is lined up across from, or outside the offensive tackle at the snap, provided the block occurs in the legal low block zone described above. *3

The offending player was not a OL or TE or RB (violating *2), was lined up 2 players outside the TE (violating *1), and he wasn't in motion (violating *3).

That would be a 10Y penalty, and Lirim kicks from the 45 instead of the 35.  Lirim is not automatic from 45.  We could have gone into 2nd OT.

If you watch the play the defender wants to take the inside first and sees our guy is going extra wide and panics and hits the dirt to cut him down.  Completely illegal.  I can't believe this slipped by Mr. Rules Committee MOS -- he could have chirped and make them rekick.  Not like it's his job, though, to know the rules better than the refs (or command who can review such things in OT).

[Sir Blue and Gold]

You're grasping at serious straws. One, I have never seen an illegal block called like that at the line of scrimmage on a field goal. Not this year. Not ever. Two, even if your interpretation is correct (and I don't think it is) who cares what the rule says, that's a normal football play. Three, it seems ridiculous to comb through footage and try and find "errors" when these are the same refs as last year and the three before that.

We're not getting calls and we're losing football games because we aren't a very good team this year. That's the reality. Another reality: it's not going to magically fix itself this year. We can get incrementally better, and we probably will, but no one is coming to save us this year. That's the way the cookie crumbles in sports.