Winnipeg @ Ottawa

[Tecno]

Tommy Condell may have some flaws as an OC but he's worlds better than Jason Hogan was last year. Not sure how the Bombers brass saw how he was ready, bless his kind soul.

If anything, Hogan's failure was more a Mafia failure.  I'm still convinced it was all a money thing, as well as maybe the "real" OC we wanted not being available yet... I bet we had to rejig to the coaches cap to make it work for this season.  Maybe some of the big(ger)-wigs took a haricut?

[Tecno]

Lots of variables that might impact the ratio and roster decisions for this week. Wallace was not 100% last week and with Eli and Vibert not practising. Might we see Mazzccua back as depth?

Ottawa is losing Baldanado, Frye and Morgan on defence due to current injuries. Morgan broke his wrist so he's gone for awhile.

What makes you say Wallace was not 100%?  We have proof of that?

I doubt both Eli & Vibert can be out on IR at the same time.  One will be good to play.  No way Mazzcua goes depth -- you start him if he's on the AR.  Our sets don't allow for ratio-swapping on the OL -- backup is ALWAYS NAT.

OTT without Bald & Morgan will be severely neutered.  Good!

[Tecno]

we have a short week next week - save zach for that.

Great point.  Could definitely be part of the calculus.

[Tecno]

I don't think it's a matter of being good (or not good) at it, mentally. When the pocket needs navigating it mostly comes down to athleticism. Zach isn't picking the wrong way, it's just that at his age and speed, every choice he makes is wrong. That makes a big difference over the course of a game.

I still disagree.  It's both.  Yes, he's less athletic now.  But he still misses the 1 or 2 escape hatches in the pocket most times.  If you carefully examine plays where QBs escape, you can usually see amazing openings, often with wide open expanses of flat behind them.  Especially on 4 man pass rush.  The good QBs find that escape.  Heck, even Cody is better at it than Zach, and he's not that great.

Like one of the near-final plays in the '22 GC (I think).  Perfect example where heat is coming and instead of going to where rushers are blocked or absent, he runs straight to a DT or DE dancing with Stan (I think), and while Stan is still holding him Zach just stands there and lets the dude grab him by the jersey and turtle until the whistle.  That arguably cost us a GC.

He's like a blue & gold moth to the DL player flame.  Runs straight to them.  It's weird.  And it costs us games.

[Throw Long Bannatyne]

If anything, Hogan's failure was more a Mafia failure.  I'm still convinced it was all a money thing, as well as maybe the "real" OC we wanted not being available yet... I bet we had to rejig to the coaches cap to make it work for this season.  Maybe some of the big(ger)-wigs took a haricut?

The Jarious Jackson hiring was pretty messed up, late arrival and quick departure after the season could signal O'Shea was none too pleased. I think Hogan may have become the default when that hiring didn't work out as planned.  The fact they even hired Jackson indicates their CFL contacts are from the distant past.  Don't be surprised if O'Shea continues to elevate his own guys into the coaching ranks, neither Miller or Jake had any intention of pursuing that career until O'Shea convinced them. 

Speaking of Jackson, saw him on the sidelines of the Stamps game, but mistook him for Nik Lewis.

[theaardvark]

Does Ott have any film on Dru?

Which "familiarity" gives the most advantage, his knowledge off the OTT defense, or their knowledge of his tendencies?

[Tecno]

Does Ott have any film on Dru?

Which "familiarity" gives the most advantage, his knowledge off the OTT defense, or their knowledge of his tendencies?

There's tons of film on Dru in OTT, and enough here to start dissection.

Dru probably won't know much about the OTT D book, but he sure as heck knows the OTT O book, and I hope we did the uber-debrief, like Biggie did when he gave CGY the entire WPG book (and admitted as much on video -- no tinfoil needed).