Official Game Day Thread - Sask. at Winnipeg, (Banjo Bowl) September 7, 2024

[Sir Blue and Gold]

The only argument they could make is that Woods is playing really well and they just don't have the room on the AR for both of them. If it was up to me, we would leave Bridges out of the lineup and play Adams.

Much easier solution: Play Adams over Thomas (it would require an American coming off elsewhere) but I don't see that as a huge deal.

[Throw Long Bannatyne]

We have a bunch of LB's on the roster already. Weitz is listed as a LB but he's only 200 LB's and more like another DB. Karamoko is 2" taller and 213 lbs. Obviously classification isn't all that definitive but that might have been a better alternative for more depth at DB than at LB. Even with keeping 2 globals on the AR?

I don't know if I've actually seen him on the field even for ST's.  IIRC Karamoko has played on ST's and made a couple of ST's.

It will be interesting to see if Weitz is used at all. Chris-Ike hasn't exactly lit it up when he was on the AR so it's almost moot.

Hard to say if it was a factor or not. Maybe.

Not sure if MCI is ready to become a starter yet, if Feltmate was ready to play I think they'd insert him immediately.

[Blue In BC]

Not sure if MCI is ready to become a starter yet, if Feltmate was ready to play I think they'd insert him immediately.

Yes, Feltmate would be ahead of him on the depth chart if he was healthy. I was just questioning whether Chris-Ike was a better alternative than a 2nd global. I don't expect either to add much but lean towards giving another Canadian more reps than a 2nd global.

[blue_gold_84]

So with 2 rookie olinemen starting for the Riders, how many procedure calls are they going to get?

[Sir Blue and Gold]

Yes, Feltmate would be ahead of him on the depth chart if he was healthy. I was just questioning whether Chris-Ike was a better alternative than a 2nd global. I don't expect either to add much but lean towards giving another Canadian more reps than a 2nd global.

Chris-Ike is an interesting case. I know he's listed as a full back but he's not really comparable to Feltmate. I'm also not really sure he's ahead of the depth chart. They haven't been healthy at the same time yet and we don't have a full back on the depth chart at all. I think Chris-Ike is more of a threat to Augustine next year and if Augustine or Oliveria go down I think he would get activated.

[TecnoGenius]

Chris-Ike is an interesting case. I know he's listed as a full back but he's not really comparable to Feltmate. I'm also not really sure he's ahead of the depth chart. They haven't been healthy at the same time yet and we don't have a full back on the depth chart at all. I think Chris-Ike is more of a threat to Augustine next year and if Augustine or Oliveria go down I think he would get activated.

Yes, there was a game (or more) we had both Ike and Feltmate dressed.  Both listed as FB.  IIRC they even were both on the field at times?  We were doing 7 and maybe even 8(?) max-jumbo sets, because we also had our normal 7 OL dressed too.

[TecnoGenius]

Surprised that NP53 is starting tomorrow. He didn't look a 100% at practice on Wednesday.

It may be a matter of having to consider in-game injuries.  Neufeld can play OT, no other current "healthy" backup can.

[TecnoGenius]

I wonder if Neufeld not playing well earlier was due to some sort of lingering injury? Good to have him back but as usual the changes to the depth chart and roster movements are puzzling.

The beauty of this week's tweaked OL is we get a direct comparison to Eli from last week's OL... If the OL is worse, then that's a reaaaaaly bad sign that Neufeld should be demoted.  Surely Neuf should be better than Eli?

The BIG question will be answered when Big Stan comes back and we get to see who starts at RG... Has Randolph stolen the spot?

[TecnoGenius]

nearly every big play Harris made was with little pressure on him. With out their regular centers you'd think we try to exploit this with more strength in the interior of our line. We don't gameplan to the opposition but stick to our way of doing things and we aren't strong enough to do that anymore.

To be fair to our DC & D, we 100% changed our normal gameplan vs SSK.  We almost never pass-rush 3 unless it's garbage time.  This game we rushed 3 at least half the snaps!  That is completely unheard of for a WPG D.

Did Younger have to get MOS permission for that radical departure?

[TecnoGenius]

If we're going to rush 3 and drop 9 again Bridges makes perfect sense.

Yes, you nailed it.  We never would do that normally.  Our plan must be to use speed to try to jump some of Trevor's short routes.

I think instead of quitting the 3-man rush we are doubling down on it.  It worked fairly well and it may be the optimal counter to Trevor's quick game.

Trevor did not "have all day" back there because Trevor threw the ball away in under 2 seconds on 80%+ of snaps.  I know, I rewatched and timed them.  No matter what we were rushing Trevor was going to throw it instantly.  Blitzes wouldn't have done squat unless you can get through untouched (see that near-game-tying final blitz we did).

If I was SSK, I'm making a plan to have Trevor have 1-2 deep options on every suspected 3-rush snap.  When he has all day back there he should take the time to find the 4-5s read.  And if I'm WPG, I would anticipate this and mix in more traditional rushes and blitzes.

[ModAdmin]

Game Preview | The Banjo Bowl – Sask vs. Wpg - Ed Tait

Game #13: Roughriders (5-6-1) at Blue Bombers (6-6)

Kickoff: Saturday, September 7th, 2 p.m. CDT; Princess Auto Stadium
TV/Streaming: CTV, CFL+
Radio: 680 CJOB
Streaks: Sask: 3L; Wpg: 4W
Road/Home: The Roughriders are 2-3-1 on the road; the Blue Bombers are 4-2 at home, having now won four straight at Princess Auto Stadium.
The Banjo Bowl: The Blue Bombers have won four straight Banjo Bowls and are 12-7 overall. Read more on history of the game here.
Saluted: Blue Bombers hall of fame running back Charles Roberts will be added to the Ring of Honour at halftime. Click here for more info on Roberts.

...Amazingly, with the rest of the division falling back to the Blue Bombers over the last few weeks, that .500 mark has them tied for first in the division with the B.C. Lions, with the 5-6-1 Riders just one point off and both the Calgary Stampeders, 4-7, and Edmonton Elks, 4-8, still in the picture.

"It's the resilience we've shown that I like," said Jefferson. "It comes from the competition level at practice, the communication level at practice and that leads into the game. Now we're seeing guys getting comfortable playing with each other. That comes from the work during the week, not just flipping a switch on game day."

"It's another great challenge for us, another great test," added running back Brady Oliveira. "The thing is now, though, they have to come to us in front of our home crowd that's going to be loud — the loudest fans in the league and it's going to be a lot of fun."

https://www.bluebombers.com/2024/09/06/game-preview-the-banjo-bowl-sask-vs-wpg/

[GOLDMEMBER]

BRADY BALL TIME!

In Honour of Charles Roberts day!

[Blueforlife]

Avoid the perimeter

[Blueforlife]

Much easier solution: Play Adams over Thomas (it would require an American coming off elsewhere) but I don't see that as a huge deal.

I wouldn't do that.  Thomas has been good.

[Blue In BC]

I wouldn't do that.  Thomas has been good.

No he hasn't.  Thomas has 1 sack in 12 games. Adams has 4., as a rookie getting less consistent reps.