Official Game Day Thread - Montreal at Winnipeg , October 25, 2025

[ModAdmin]

Still...a complicated playoff picture remains as we approach the final week of the regular season.  As per the league...

"Rest assured, the CFL league office is currently peeling through every rule, tie-breaker and potentiality before confirming what the final four regular season games of 2025 will determine, as that will set the table for a delicious list of storylines that will shape the playoff structure.

In the East, we know Hamilton has the upper hand on Montreal, who needs Ottawa to upset the Tiger-Cats. Plus, the Als need to get a win of their own in Winnipeg. After that, everything is up for grabs as Calgary, BC, and Winnipeg all jostle to find their fit in the playoffs.

The biggest question for these three teams is perhaps one that they'd never admit or even entertain discussing, but one that has to be lingering in the minds of players and the odd coach or two headed into this weekend: Which division would be most beneficial to their Grey Cup goals?

Would Winnipeg like to crossover and work through some combination of Hamilton and Montreal, or Montreal then Hamilton, in order to go back West for a home Grey Cup? Perhaps, but nothing would be sweeter than a Bombers road win in Regina in the Western Final to end their rival's stellar campaign and book a trip back to the party of the year in Manitoba.

On the other side is the question of which matchup Hamilton or Montreal would prefer, be it in the Eastern Semi-Final or Eastern Final. The interesting note here, of course, is Hamilton's home victory over Winnipeg earlier this year being completely negated by their 40-3 loss later in the season in an effort that will no doubt be called into question if Hamilton returns to Princess Auto Stadium for the Grey Cup."

https://www.cfl.ca/2025/10/21/everything-is-still-on-the-line-in-week-21/

The Bombers roster on Saturday is yet TBD however, the injury report October 23 indicates Nic Demski will miss the game and Keric Wheatfall, Michael Griffin and Jamal Woods are all "Questionable" for the game.

Interesting to note, back in 2014 Wade Miller set a goal to sell out every home game in 2025 and Wade and the organization managed to meet that goal by confirming the Montreal at Winnipeg game is officially sold out.  Congratulation to the Bombers and the fans.

Onward and forward!

[Blue In BC]

Lots of roster activity on CFL.CA just now. Kramdi to 1 game IR and Person to PR. I guess that means Griffin will be the SAM this week and Woods will stay on the AR.

It also shows a couple of PR DB's deleted and then added on the same day. I have no idea why this kind of paper shuffling goes on. I don't expect to rookie DB's to be added for this game unless O'Shea is throwing out the white surrender flag.

No doubt the depth chart will be interesting to see which of these transactions is real or not. Nothing mentioned about Whitehall yet as to whether he'll play.

[Throw Long Bannatyne]

Lots of roster activity on CFL.CA just now. Kramdi to 1 game IR and Person to PR. I guess that means Griffin will be the SAM this week and Woods will stay on the AR.

It also shows a couple of PR DB's deleted and then added on the same day. I have no idea why this kind of paper shuffling goes on. I don't expect to rookie DB's to be added for this game unless O'Shea is throwing out the white surrender flag.

No doubt the depth chart will be interesting to see which of these transactions is real or not. Nothing mentioned about Whitehall yet as to whether he'll play.

Heard from John Hodge Bombers will be resting some players and Als won't be resting Alexander. Trying out new DB's Williams and Texada seems insane, they barely have the secondary settled, leave them alone.  Maybe they finally give Global Munier-Bailey a last game whirl at DE.

[Blue In BC]

Heard from John Hodge Bombers will be resting some players and Als won't be resting Alexander. Trying out new DB's Williams and Texada seems insane, they barely have the secondary settled, leave them alone.  Maybe they finally give Global Munier-Bailey a last game whirl at DE.

Resting some players that are not 100% makes sense. However resting some just for the sake of testing some rookies in a game of importance is insanity.

It's not like we've been playing well for the last 1/3 of the season. We won't be able to determine the what if's when we play the actual play off game if we toss out a stinker. That could have been an outcome either way.

Add this to the long list of questionable roster decisions.

Winning this game does have importance but the real important games are the play offs.

Let's see how this works out. I'd rather win and send the Lions out east.

[Pete]

Resting some players that are not 100% makes sense. However resting some just for the sake of testing some rookies in a game of importance is insanity.

It's not like we've been playing well for the last 1/3 of the season. We won't be able to determine the what if's when we play the actual play off game if we toss out a stinker. That could have been an outcome either way.

Add this to the long list of questionable roster decisions.

Winning this game does have importance but the real important games are the play offs.

Let's see how this works out. I'd rather win and send the Lions out east.

either we go all in to win the game, or we treat the game as preseason and test out some rookies to see what we have.I have no problem either way, but trying to just rest some vets is just a recipe for more injuries with little chance of a win.
Whether we go out west or east to me doesn't make a difference, going thru mtrl/ham or Cal/sask is about the same degree of difficulty. Odds are pretty much against us either way unless we turn it around immensely

[dd]

After watching our offense stumble through last game making mistake after mistake I can't imagine we're resting anyone (except those who are injured) when our execution is that bad. So we re going to rest them and they ll magically turn on the execution tap and we'll be good?? Dream on. We are the weakest team qualifying for the playoffs playing bad football offensively right now. These guys need to get it together asap and that isn't going to happen sitting in their civies on the sideline

[ichabod_crane]

Almost seems like they want to throw this game deliberately for the crossover spot. I think no matter what though it's a one and done deal in these playoffs realistically unless a miracle occurs. I always pull for the Bombers, but it's been mostly an very mediocre season to even ugly way too often. A few impressive wins mostly early, but a downhill curve overall. Many injuries, talent level drop off, questionable coaching far too often amongst many other factors.

[Tecno]

Heard from John Hodge Bombers will be resting some players and Als won't be resting Alexander.

Let's be honest.  HAM is going to destroy OTT.  Both MTL & WPG know this.  They may be tailoring their rosters to this reality.

The reports & PR/IR moves are all regarding the D.  We know what the D is, they aren't the big problem.  So trying new things isn't the end of the world.  However, I don't see how you decide after one game to swap DBs all of a sudden for the playoffs!!  With Houston & Parker & Lawrence & even Vaval all as options, no way you suddenly switch to Texada or Williams!

With no unforced changes on the O we can still concentrate on getting the playoff-starting O gelling.

MTL saying they'll "start Alexander" doesn't really mean much.  They could start then yank him immediately.  However, that assume Maas callously doesn't give a remote crap about Alexanders CFL all-time record starting streak.

I really don't think MOS will pick an AR or how hard they play the game just to lose on purpose.  He's not built that way.  He wants the win no matter what, even if they do sub a couple of D backups.

And let's not forget that a CGY win Fri will have already sealed our crossover fate anyhow.

[Tecno]

Lots of roster activity on CFL.CA just now. Kramdi to 1 game IR and Person to PR. I guess that means Griffin will be the SAM this week and Woods will stay on the AR.

Kramdi move is weird.  I didn't notice any injury?  Ratio implications?  Or were we still starting 8.

[Blue In BC]

Kramdi move is weird.  I didn't notice any injury?  Ratio implications?  Or were we still starting 8.

We were stating 8 so it's not a ratio issue.

[blue_gold_84]

We were stating 8 so it's not a ratio issue.

Load management? Is he banged up?

[markf]

Kramdi seems to be involved in a lot of tackles around the line of scrimmage. He's not big. I'm sure a bit of time off is welcomed by him.

I have no stats but He seems to be making plays everywhere on the field.

[Sir Blue and Gold]

Kramdi has been a bit banged up all year almost.

[Sir Blue and Gold]

Out: Jefferson, Kramdi, Collaros, Oliveira, Vaval, Person, Bryant, Wilson, Vaughters

In: Logan, Artopoeus, Echols, Lawson Jr, Munier-Bailey, Jenkins, Jaworski, Vibert, Vanterpool

Streveler is very unexcitingly listed as the starter.

[Blue In BC]

Out: Jefferson, Kramdi, Collaros, Oliveira, Vaval, Person, Bryant, Wilson, Vaughters

In: Logan, Artopoeus, Echols, Lawson Jr, Munier-Bailey, Jenkins, Jaworski, Vibert, Vanterpool

Streveler is very unexcitingly listed as the starter.

4 other players from the PR were moved to the 1 game IR. In that sense it keeps them from not ending the season as free agents. OTOH, Person was moved to the PR which is the exact opposite? That suggests they protected those they want back in 2026 and are cutting bait on a few marginal players: Adams, Kornelson, Weitz and Person. The others never made the AR.

I don't know why the two rookie DB's were moved from the PR to the AR earlier, while the other 4 PR players were shuffled today. Everybody then ends up on the 1 game IR. Why didn't they do that at the same time?

Now getting to this weeks AR: YIKES. Ok, I get the logic but this is a pre-season roster. They should be giving Wilson at least a 1/2 game.  It's pretty clear that Streveler won't be our # 2 QB next year.

Munier-Bailey finally gets onto the AR.

If Ayers is so valuable on ST's why didn't they put him on the 1 game IR? lol

I guess the new $50K SMS ( load management ) addition to sit veterans for all these reasons came into play.