Potential Miracles ('cause we're gonna need one!)

[Tecno]

What are some miracles that could occur to turn our season around?

How about a couple of our last-3-season DP NFL OL flyers coming up north?  What's the name of these guys?  How many are there?  Any word on them?  When would it be known they're done with the NFL?

I think we had one DP in FA26, and one in FA24?  Any others?

Suddenly getting a NFL-caliber NAT OG would sure help out!  Wallace goes back to jumbo.  Or even an OT!  (Or C...)

[Jesse]

No incoming OL is going to come in and suddenly start over our established guys, soI wouldn't even count that as a miracle possibility.

But you're talking about Giovanni Manu who we drafted in 2024. He's a tackle who was drafted by the Detroit Lions in the 4th round of the NFL draft and looked like he was 100% never coming to the CFL. But he's dealt with a lot of injury trouble. And apparently he injured himself over the summer but didn't tell the team about it, so he's physically out right now for the next few months, but we'll see if he got himself in enough trouble to be released. Anyway, he's not a 2026 option and still likely a never option.

And then there's Kevin Cline from this year, who a lot of people said was another wasted draft pick. He's obviously made it to the main camp and the pre-season games haven't even started. I think he's a good bet to hit their practice roster and be off of our radar until at least the later part of 2027.

[Jesse]

Our miracles that we're hoping for:

MOS and co realize this is not 2021. MOS used to be a much more aggressive coach because he knew he had to gamble to win games. Then he got complacent because for a couple of years we were head and shoulders above the rest of the league. Covid made all the other teams reset while we kept our veteran roster around while still in their primes. He's still coaching like we're just going to coast over teams or take over in the 4th quarter but we are not capable of doing that.

As an addendum to that, MOS got this job by being a creative STC that took advantage of the rules, made cool, exciting plays, and tried to outsmart everyone else. We saw a continuation of that in the early days here in Winnipeg, but now he literally scoffs at the idea of "trick plays", saying they're not real football plays. Get over yourself and try something.

Both our OC and our DC need to simplify things. Focus on a couple clear targets and run them to the ground. You're not outsmarting anyone right now. Brady should be involved early and often and available to the QB as a hot route if needed (and we need it). Defence needs to tighten up. If the defence is actually creating pressure, our DBs shouldn't need to playing so far off their targets.

So - Miracle #1 - some self-awareness by the coaching staff. They have the ability, but they haven't had a clear unbiased look at our team in a while. Maybe the bye week after a couple pathetic performances can shake it loose.

Brady is leading the league in yardage. We have 3 receivers on a 1000 yard pace. Our possession time numbers are usually positive. We're moving the ball. The issues are three-fold: Lack of explosive plays, turnovers, and red zone numbers. This is a combination of the OL struggling, OC calling predictable routes that focus on one part of the field, and an inexplicable inability to run the short game.

Miracle #2 - Zach comes back and can operate Condell's system better than Dru. This comes with the caveat that we recognize what is ineffective and make the necessary changes (aka. miracle #1).

Special players make special plays.. We haven't had a whole lot of that. I don't think we can expect any saviors coming from outside the organization to save our year. So we need certain players to step up. Who can come out of no where and take over the second half of the year? Can we see Vaval get some snaps on offence or defence and try to put the ball in his hand more than a couple times a game? Can Zach come back and turn White or Demski into a more consistent weapon than under Dru? Does Brady get back involved in the passing game, allowing us to extend our stalled drives?

Miracle #3 - Can the real Blue Bombers please stand up?

[blue_gold_84]

Miracle #2 - Zach comes back and can operate Condell's system better than Dru. This comes with the caveat that we recognize what is ineffective and make the necessary changes (aka. miracle #1).

There's no question Collaros is the better pivot when he's able to play. My concern with his potential return behind centre is with the O-line, which has done a pitiful job keeping QBs clean and upright, going all the way back to last season.

[Blue In BC]

There's no question Collaros is the better pivot when he's able to play. My concern with his potential return behind centre is with the O-line, which has done a pitiful job keeping QBs clean and upright, going all the way back to last season.

It may just be a gut feeling but I'm not expecting Collaros back before his 6 game IR stint is up. In theory he's eligible to practice next week, so that may be the strongest indication of whether that happens or not.

I don't know if that is a precautionary approach or whether the new injury to Brown influences the decision with him.

Whether either are available next week is not something we can really predict. Nothing will surprise me at this point.

[Sir Blue and Gold]

There's no question Collaros is the better pivot when he's able to play. My concern with his potential return behind centre is with the O-line, which has done a pitiful job keeping QBs clean and upright, going all the way back to last season.

It's basically a wash or at least it's largely similar. Neither is durable. Brown is slightly more mobile. Collaros is a bit better reader. It's all very average and same-ish. Whatever we can do to fast track Elgersma is what I would do. If that's keeping him on the bench, fine. If that's playing him, get him in there.

Dru Brown - 94/135, 1085 yards, 5 TDs, 5 INTs (2W, 2L)
Zach Collaros - 74/103, 985 yards, 5 TDs, 3 INTs (2W, 2L) (if you count the win he left hurt)

[Blueforlife]

Zach is >> Brown due to his ability to read a D and his med to long ball accuracy, yes both made of glass but maybe we can harden it lol

Miracles:
1. OL gets healthy fast, gels, gets better or we add a body
2. Kramdi comes back early
3. D improves (we find a FS vet and/or replace Nichols)
4. Zach comes back and looks good and stays healthy
5. Offense finds balance
6. Coaching improves
7. I bring chips and dip and the hogs use it as part of their celly lol

[Blue In BC]

Zach is >> Brown due to his ability to read a D and his med to long ball accuracy, yes both made of glass but maybe we can harden it lol

Miracles:
1. OL gets healthy fast, gels, gets better or we add a body
2. Kramdi comes back early
3. D improves (we find a FS vet and/or replace Nichols)
4. Zach comes back and looks good and stays healthy
5. Offense finds balance
6. Coaching improves
7. I bring chips and dip and the hogs use it as part of their celly lol

Good list.  I think most of us are just hoping we have some good results regarding injuries and chance of return of some players.

An injury potential to Griffin is just another issue beyond both OT's, Brown not at 100%. Collaros and Kramdi on the 6 game IR creates a lot of grief trying to fill out the roster.

The only good news is that we aren't playing against a top team but the Redblacks aren't just going to fold either.

We see one of our draft choice OL return from the NFL in the next few weeks but that won't help this week.

[Pete]

Biggest miracle would be O'Shea having a halleluiah moment and discovering that aged vets aren't always the best coaching decision.

[Blueforlife]

Biggest miracle would be O'Shea having a halleluiah moment and discovering that aged vets aren't always the best coaching decision.

Not that simple, the guys we have to replace the vets are no better imo

Dave Ritchie had the same problem, fine line.  I love em both, despite of their faults.

[bomberjunkie]

Miracles to me would be:

1) BC's defense stays just bad enough to lose them some tight games
2) Calgary's early season offensive outburst is actually a mirage
3) Riders would be without their horses Emilus and Schaffer-Baker when we have to face them B2B

[blue_or_die]

I've been snarky the last few weeks that "everything" is the problem and pointed out Osh and the coordinators. That still stands. Miracle would be if they saw a hypnotherapist or something.

More granularly:

1) DL can get more pressure up front. It's not terrible and Willie is getting there but with Ceresna in the lineup I expect (want) to make the QB feel more heat consistently and force more mistakes. It feels like each time we need a big stop, like second and long, the opposing QB is "always" able to pull off a nice pass exactly where it needs to be, or in the case of Salter, run for 50 yards. Those two events need to stop happening seemingly all the time, and it starts in the trenches. In those situations, opposing QB should be panicking and doing dumb things that end their drives. Instead, there have been far, far too many instances of them driving the whole field. Which leads to the next point:

2) Secondary needs to play better. Both big picture scheme (JY defense has been discussed ad nauseum already) and individually, which Nichols being the whipping boy. I haven't exactly seen Herculean efforts from Holm or Moxey either. The miracle they need is to stop letting receivers get behind them constantly and also - even more egregious - miss friggin tackles. These are funadmentals for DBs. C'mon. Oh, and to catch these bad balls the opposing QB is throwing as a result of Miracle #1.

3) Miracle for offense is tough to say for me because it's so many things, but largely comes down to Condell's scheme/playcalling which excludes Brady at weird times when he should be doing things (I won't pick on this too much because it's leaps and bounds better than how Hogan used him, and Brady is having a good year even though it doesn't feel like it sometimes) and a few other details I'm sure that I don't have the football IQ to identify. The root of it all seems to be OL play and personnel, but fixing that is beyond what a miracle is. QB play is absolutely affected by that so it's hard to tell exactly where the 3 QBs we've played actually stand in regards to that, but them being able to work around it and make plays has not happened all year and you need to be able to do that. Same comment for receivers, who I'm far less concerned about, but they also haven't worked around what's given to them to make plays when they are needed. Lots of missed catches, etc. that could be cleaned up and are probably worth numerous longer drives which could have changed games around

[Pete]

Not that simple, the guys we have to replace the vets are no better imo

Dave Ritchie had the same problem, fine line.  I love em both, despite of their faults.

And they won't get better if we don't p ok at them, while the vets have reached peak and are on on downside