IT'S OFFICIAL, WE ARE HEADING TO MTL

[Pigskin]

Nice to see Shayne Gauthier get plenty of reps yesterday, the guy is still a physical beast and is great in running situations.  Wonder if that is the last we will see of him? 

Surprising Jaylen Smith got a lot of reps at LB but did not see fellow rookie Connor Shay at all, looks like Smith has surpassed Shay in potential but could be Smith is stuck behind Tony Jones and doesn't fit anywhere else but MLB.

Shay is stuck behind TJ33??

[Throw Long Bannatyne]

Shay is stuck behind TJ33??

He plays MLB, did you see him on the field yesterday?

[Throw Long Bannatyne]

He's good on ST's. It's just a matter of math regarding roster size and choices of keeping newbies or long time veterans.

Hallet might make one play, they need to find a way to sneak Matthew Peterson onto the roster and scare the bejesus out of the Als by lining him up beside Brady on some running plays, that would be an absolute game changer.  Who cares which receiver comes off, announce we're going to run the ball and you're not about to stop us.

[BlueGold8597]

Hallet might make one play, they need to find a way to sneak Matthew Peterson onto the roster and scare the bejesus out of the Als by lining him up beside Brady on some running plays, that would be an absolute game changer.  Who cares which receiver comes off, announce we're going to run the ball and you're not about to stop us.

Peterson is always on the roster. He's Brady's backup. We sometimes play a second back (fullback). That's Chris Ike. Occasionally we use a handoff to a receiver as a threat if the Defensive players all go to Brady and leave the edge.

[Blue In BC]

Nice to see Shayne Gauthier get plenty of reps yesterday, the guy is still a physical beast and is great in running situations.  Wonder if that is the last we will see of him? 

Surprising Jaylen Smith got a lot of reps at LB but did not see fellow rookie Connor Shay at all, looks like Smith has surpassed Shay in potential but could be Smith is stuck behind Tony Jones and doesn't fit anywhere else but MLB.

Gauthier has value but room will need to be made for 2026 draft choices. So he's a possible candidate to not be re-signed. We drafted 3 LB's in 2025 so that's a factor of having younger depth at LB position. Cadwallader is essentially his replacement. Novak should be back after a season ending injury.

Nothing is ever guaranteed. I'd think Hallett, Gauthier, Thomas and Kornelson are the most likely be the ones most on the bottom of the depth list. Age, injury history, SMS hit and finding room for draft choices factor into all choices. I think all of them are on the last year of their current contracts.

[Pigskin]

He plays MLB, did you see him on the field yesterday?

Yes, but you said Smith was stuck behind TJ33, not Shay.

[Pigskin]

Gauthier has value but room will need to be made for 2026 draft choices. So he's a possible candidate to not be re-signed. We drafted 3 LB's in 2025 so that's a factor of having younger depth at LB position. Cadwallader is essentially his replacement. Novak should be back after a season ending injury.

Nothing is ever guaranteed. I'd think Hallett, Gauthier, Thomas and Kornelson are the most likely be the ones most on the bottom of the depth list. Age, injury history, SMS hit and finding room for draft choices factor into all choices. I think all of them are on the last year of their current contracts.

I could see Ball replacing Hallett, Shay replacing Gauthier, Thomas retiring. Kornelson didn't show much this season.

This team has a lot of FAs.

[Throw Long Bannatyne]

Peterson is always on the roster. He's Brady's backup. We sometimes play a second back (fullback). That's Chris Ike. Occasionally we use a handoff to a receiver as a threat if the Defensive players all go to Brady and leave the edge.

I'd swear Peterson has been on the PR a few times this season, but could be wrong. It's infuriating how one dimensional the running game has become with so much talent available, this idea that Brady is the only one that needs to touch the ball is moronic. They've been to 3 GC's with Brady as the sole ball carrier and come home empty 3 times, mix it the **** up!

[Blue In BC]

I could see Ball replacing Hallett, Shay replacing Gauthier, Thomas retiring. Kornelson didn't show much this season.

This team has a lot of FAs.

That's what I'm thinking with that group of Canadians.

[VictorRomano]

Hallet might make one play, they need to find a way to sneak Matthew Peterson onto the roster and scare the bejesus out of the Als by lining him up beside Brady on some running plays, that would be an absolute game changer.  Who cares which receiver comes off, announce we're going to run the ball and you're not about to stop us.

I would have liked to have seen a first-down gimmick set with split tailbacks (Brady O and Petersen) in the backfield, with Chris Ike as the lead blocker (maybe as a TE, or maybe out of the backfield) and Streveller at QB.  Yeah, it's obviously a run play - who are defences going to key on, though?

[BlueGold8597]

I would have liked to have seen a first-down gimmick set with split tailbacks (Brady O and Petersen) in the backfield, with Chris Ike as the lead blocker (maybe as a TE, or maybe out of the backfield) and Streveller at QB.  Yeah, it's obviously a run play - who are defences going to key on, though?

This is not how a modern pro running game works. Wishbone went out decades ago beyond high school.

[dd]

Given the sad state of our passing game and our trouble with execution and making mental mistakes, I would absolutely put in a wishbone package!! Our O line can run block far better than pass protection, so bring in Peterson and Oliviera,  bring in a heavy TE/Eli, and smash the ball down the Als throats!!! It's what we do best. I hope we don't abandon the run game and go heavy pass, as that is our weakness and we're destined for failure.

[Waffler]

Wishbone went out decades ago

wishbone: 3 yards and a cloud of dust. 

One of my favorite football sayings. The wishbone formation allows a lot of hits on the QB, no pro offense wants this. QB waits for a defender to commit, then keeps or dishes the ball off. You are asking the QB to absorb a free shot frequently.

[Throw Long Bannatyne]

This is not how a modern pro running game works. Wishbone went out decades ago beyond high school.

I could care less, the season is on the line, Hogan needs to come up with a creative alternative or go home.  If the Als scheme to shut down Brady and are successful, Zach and the entire offence will be handcuffed.  Zach can not win this game throwing outs to the sidelines and desperation deep balls with less than 50% chance of completion, when Alexander is ripping passes downfield on the mark.

[Tecno]

We're in the era of 1 year contracts after ELC's. Last year we had Fox, Garbutt, Haba, Woods and Adams. Three of those are gone, the other two may not be here in 2026. Adams is already on the PR and didn't get moved to 1 game IR. That suggests he's as good as gone.

Our DL is a revolving door and not been the strength of our defence.

But you proved my point.  They revolve-doored a zillion guys and yet Fatboi (and Willie) remain as the super-vets to teach everybody up.  That's the system.

As for DTs, I guess the hope must be that now Lawson is "super vet" enough to finally retire Fatboi, and then Lawson becomes the teacher.  That would hint that Lawson is a long term lock on our DL and becomes the next Fatboi.  (Everyone prays he's more effective though.)