We've forgotten how to win

Tecno · September 08, 2026, 04:11:06 AM

So many games this year we are doing great or keeping close near the end, or at least until the 4th Q. But then we find a way to lose. We're kind of like OTT sometimes is this year, and EDM was in '25. We just can't finish.

Remember in '21-'23 when we'd win almost every close one? Or we'd be the team taking over in the 4th? I don't think this "will to win" is as much a talent issue (though we were better in '21) as it is a mental issue.

SSK reached deep down and willed themselves to a win. We did what we've done most of the year and rolled over. I'm not saying it's every player, but enough of our team is thinking "we're never gonna win" vs "we've got them right where we want them". Did you see the SSK OL and RECs and RB step up for their OT drive? And their smash-mouth D? Where were our guys?

And the coaching staff is clearly letting us down by not having special things planned for important situations. You're going to tell me our OT O drive was "scripted"? It was beyond useless. Why not smack them in the mouth when we had them on the ropes by going for 2?

Pulling out the win is a learned behavior, and we've completely lost it. We're now EDM '25, finding a way to lose most close ones. And most of the team is missing the will to win. If our current team was playing the '19 WSF vs CGY, down slightly at halftime, we probably just roll over and die.

What's the solution? If we can't solve it we're going to miss the playoffs, or be 1 & done in a winnable game like the '25 ESF.

bwiser · September 08, 2026, 12:42:53 PM

The Bombers have failed to close many games this season. If you look at each loss this season the Bombers fell apart in the fourth quarter in 4 of those games. The Bombers led after 3 quarters in the game on the weekend. The Bombers were in a tight battle against BC and just absolutely collapsed defensively. The two Edmonton games were both winnable but the Bombers came up short in the late going.The lack of turnovers from our defense is hurting us. The bend but don't break defense is not working.

bluengold204 · September 08, 2026, 01:01:04 PM

I don't think it's a "will to win" kind of thing. We simply just aren't as good as we once were. We have a QB who is aging out. An oline that can't protect. Mid level receivers. DB who can't tackle. And coaches with poor systems.

Tecno · September 08, 2026, 01:57:18 PM

Quote from: bluengold204 on September 08, 2026, 01:01:04 PMI don't think it's a "will to win" kind of thing. We simply just aren't as good as we once were. We have a QB who is aging out. An oline that can't protect. Mid level receivers. DB who can't tackle. And coaches with poor systems.

And yet in almost every game we're right there. In positions to win near the end if we can just move the ball a bit, or get an extra stop or 2 on d.

I still think it's something internal to the players and the mindset. They are getting tired late, whether mentally or physically. Maybe the higher than average player age is stealing that edge. Maybe some are just lazy.

All I know is ssk reached deep down to claw for the win, and we didn't. Did our d on their final drive look pumped? Did our o look jacked and dialed in on their OT drive? Now ask the same question about the riders.

That's not lack of talent. That's lack of the will to win. I have no idea why mos can't sense this and do something about it. Like go for 2 in that last game. Or rah rah the guys in the break before OT, or delegate such things to the leaders.

bluengold204 · September 08, 2026, 02:10:07 PM

Quote from: Tecno on September 08, 2026, 01:57:18 PMAnd yet in almost every game we're right there. In positions to win near the end if we can just move the ball a bit, or get an extra stop or 2 on d.

I still think it's something internal to the players and the mindset. They are getting tired late, whether mentally or physically. Maybe the higher than average player age is stealing that edge. Maybe some are just lazy.

All I know is ssk reached deep down to claw for the win, and we didn't. Did our d on their final drive look pumped? Did our o look jacked and dialed in on their OT drive? Now ask the same question about the riders.

That's not lack of talent. That's lack of the will to win. I have no idea why mos can't sense this and do something about it. Like go for 2 in that last game. Or rah rah the guys in the break before OT, or delegate such things to the leaders.

It's a lack of talent. Riders went out in overtime and executed their plays both on offence and defence... we did not.

You really think after getting the touchdown to tie the game, our team just waved their hands and said ah good enough we don't need to try in overtime.

TBURGESS · September 08, 2026, 02:18:52 PM

We've had a walk-off FG win & an OT win. Those are the definition of finding ways to win when the chips are down. It's not that we've lost the will to win; it's that we've lost the ability to.

jayrock · September 08, 2026, 02:24:32 PM

Quote from: TBURGESS on September 08, 2026, 02:18:52 PMWe've had a walk-off FG win & an OT win. Those are the definition of finding ways to win when the chips are down. It's not that we've lost the will to win; it's that we've lost the ability to.

With that comes the fact, they IMO teams are not afraid of the bombers any more. Couple years ago, you knew they were going to win or find a way to win, now it is, just stay a head of them.

dd · September 08, 2026, 02:47:55 PM

Agree it's not the lack of will, it's the lack of ability and talent. We ve never replaced Lawler, Bighill or Jeffcoat with equally talented players, we ve always underfilled those positions. Those 3 players used to dominate games, in addition to Brady, Demski, Jefferson etc, but now we ve lost 3 dominating players in our cast and you can't expect the same outcomes.

Waffler · September 08, 2026, 02:50:05 PM

MOS has the Bombers play as a team. We are strong there. Individually, other teams have more talent.

blue_gold_84 · September 08, 2026, 02:50:21 PM

Quote from: TBURGESS on September 08, 2026, 02:18:52 PMWe've had a walk-off FG win & an OT win. Those are the definition of finding ways to win when the chips are down. It's not that we've lost the will to win; it's that we've lost the ability to.

This. It's not about will; it's that the team just isn't as talented and deep as it once was. And there's also the age factor to consider.

This team is simply no longer the dominant force it was in 2021, 2022, and 2023, with perhaps a few blips in 2024.

It's been basically .500 football the last two seasons.

markf · September 08, 2026, 03:11:02 PM

There was a pass to Singer (I think) in the end zone, he was past two defenders, the ball was thrown short and knocked down.

It would probably have been a touchdown if thrown better.

The quarterback has to have confidence in the receiver, but it works both ways.

Quarterback play is the biggest difference between this team and the winning bomber teams.

Sir Blue and Gold · September 08, 2026, 03:12:30 PM

Wouldn't say we've forgotten. I think we've just swung the pendulum much to far to the culture side of things versus talent. They aren't usually two seperate ends of a spectrum but for the Bombers it seems like they are.

O'Shea came in and changed the culture of our team and he deserves all the credit for that. Second to none. It needed to happen and he scores big there.

Where we've failed in recent years is making hard roster choices for the games in front of us and not putting more emphasis on youth and talent.

O'Shea is an excellent coach. But the roster management (and the coordinator management) is too insulated and not honest enough.

Blueforlife · September 08, 2026, 03:31:27 PM

It's how it goes. When you are middle tier, the close ones are a coin flip at best. The club has shown some resilience here, now its time to build some consistency.

Throw Long Bannatyne · September 08, 2026, 04:38:22 PM

Quote from: bwiser on September 08, 2026, 12:42:53 PMThe Bombers have failed to close many games this season. If you look at each loss this season the Bombers fell apart in the fourth quarter in 4 of those games. The Bombers led after 3 quarters in the game on the weekend. The Bombers were in a tight battle against BC and just absolutely collapsed defensively. The two Edmonton games were both winnable but the Bombers came up short in the late going.The lack of turnovers from our defense is hurting us. The bend but don't break defense is not working.

Those defensive collapses in the 4th Q are often related to offensive impotence in the second half, unable to stay on the field and too many 2 and outs leads to exhaustion and mental breakdowns.

bomberjunkie · September 08, 2026, 07:13:00 PM

Poor play-calling, poor O-Line, and lack of turnovers leads to the defense being on the field much longer than they should be. This leads to the poor 4th quarters we've been seeing from our D. It was laughable that Nichols was given credit for the missed 2-pt convert. He was beaten clean.

Why put a zone defense out against Harris? The guy turns into a shell of himself once he gets sacked.