Official Game Day Thread - Winnipeg @ Montreal, October 3, 2026

[Tecno]

Depressingly, even if we do get a playoff spot, it'll be the xover.  Then to get to the cup we'll have to beat an unbeaten MTL at home in a EDF.  Good luck with that.

Might be better to just miss out, as sad as that is.  Then the "blow it all up" people may get their wish for big changes.

[Horseman]

Depressingly, even if we do get a playoff spot, it'll be the xover.  Then to get to the cup we'll have to beat an unbeaten MTL at home in a EDF.  Good luck with that.

Might be better to just miss out, as sad as that is.  Then the "blow it all up" people may get their wish for big changes.

We will not make the playoffs and we shouldn't.

[GOLDMEMBER]

VAJ will rip this defence apart.

[JockitchwithRich]

Terrible display.
With or without the ball, it was our High School Bombers vs a professionally prepared team

[Big Daddy]

I don't mind the decision to roll with Zach this year, especially with the investment in the OL.  It was a gamble.

But once we had Dru, as bad as he is, and Zach went down again pretty fast with another "head/neck" we should have made the decision to just roll with Dru.  You blow your 1RDP on the guy and your franchise QB can't last a game, you just pull the ripcord.

Maybe we'd have been better if Dru was getting 1st team reps every practice and all the live game reps up until this point.  You can't keep switching back and forth.  That makes us no better than EDM last year or OTT this year.

Uh, the concussion damage was already past the tipping point when Zach got creamed when wearing green and knocked out for a whole year.  Everything past that point was risky, and he accepted that risk (and did great things).  If you want to play medic and altruist, the time to retire Zach was 2018.  But since that's long gone, you just need to decide: retire or throw caution to the wind.  What he's currently doing isn't working.

One can easily argue the time for retirement was 2018.  Concussions are not all or nothing, it isn't a tipping point.  That's what you aren't getting.  Risk is relative.  By your argument (that you aren't making, you are presenting it - I get that) is if anyone gets one concussion then they should retire immediately because risk goes up after one.  It's true, but it isn't the same amount of risk!

Concussions are cumulative, so yes he has put himself at increased risk ever since he had concussion problems. 

That risk goes up dramatically if you are getting concussed while still suffering symptoms.  So the risk is relative.

I see your point about pulling the cord earlier - can definitely argue that.

Just don't argue that since he's already accepted risk, he should just throw all caution to the wind now.

[Tecno]

We will not make the playoffs and we shouldn't.

SSK still has a very tough schedule, though the teams may play backups if it's all locked up.  But even a backups-only MTL and EDM might beat the floundering Greenies.

CGY also has a very tough schedule.  They only have 2 games left and it's us at home and BC.

BC has the easiest route: OTT, CGY, us.  So they are likely finishing 1st or 2nd.

It still is entirely possible we make the playoffs in the xover.  Basically beat CGY at home and we have a good shot.  It's a winnable game and our boys might want to put on a good show to rev up the ST sales for '27.

We really screwed up by not winning that TOR game.  I blame Dru.

[tlf]

Blue Bombers 207 yards offence (Dru Brown 161, Brady 46), Tyson Philpot, 207 yards offence.

Huh.

[dd]

It's going to go down to the wire in the west. We absolutely have to beat Calgary at home next week or our playoff chances are done.

[Tecno]

One can easily argue the time for retirement was 2018.  Concussions are not all or nothing, it isn't a tipping point.  That's what you aren't getting.  Risk is relative.  By your argument (that you aren't making, you are presenting it - I get that) is if anyone gets one concussion then they should retire immediately because risk goes up after one.  It's true, but it isn't the same amount of risk!

Concussions are cumulative, so yes he has put himself at increased risk ever since he had concussion problems. 

But by that hit in '18 Zach had already had many mega-concussions as well as little ones and been knocked out of games and seasons.  It was the joke here (even by me!) when we signed him that he was jello brains.  In 2018!!

If anyone really cared about him or concussions he would have been banned from the league in '18.  But then we wouldn't have made it to 5 cups (probably)...

I think at this point CFL concussion protocols is nothing but CYA.  It's all "precaution" this and "see we really care and tried and held him out" that.  It's all to create F.U.D when these players start suing the teams & league in 10 years.  And I find that annoying and stupid because it's a lawyer's game.

That risk goes up dramatically if you are getting concussed while still suffering symptoms.  So the risk is relative.

Ok, but did Zach's self-falldown really concuss him in that last INT game?  Is that really a concussion?  And if falling down causes that then clearly, obviously the dude should never be on the field ever.  QBs will get hit, and they will fall down.

Just don't argue that since he's already accepted risk, he should just throw all caution to the wind now.

That's precisely what I'm saying, and have been for months.  I'm all for personal choice and responsibility.  If Zach and the team want to, they should do exactly this: throw caution to the wind.  To do anything else means we will not succeed as a team, and that's not fair to the other 44 guys.

T.Harris made that choice in '25 because that's what it took to win a cup.  He 100% got concussed on his Zombie Walk game and no one said boo.  You have to do tough and dangerous things to win it all in this sport.  VAJ took games off for his concussion this season, and he said he thinks differently about them now that he has a family -- thus implying he didn't give a crap about concussions in previous years.  So clearly he played through them, because that's what young QBs do.  But I wonder, if he's in a 2026 playoff game and gets whacked, what choice will he make?  Leave the game and lose, or stay in and just live with it?  I think I know what he'll choose...

[Big Daddy]

But by that hit in '18 Zach had already had many mega-concussions as well as little ones and been knocked out of games and seasons.  It was the joke here (even by me!) when we signed him that he was jello brains.  In 2018!!

If anyone really cared about him or concussions he would have been banned from the league in '18.  But then we wouldn't have made it to 5 cups (probably)...

I think at this point CFL concussion protocols is nothing but CYA.  It's all "precaution" this and "see we really care and tried and held him out" that.  It's all to create F.U.D when these players start suing the teams & league in 10 years.  And I find that annoying and stupid because it's a lawyer's game.

Ok, but did Zach's self-falldown really concuss him in that last INT game?  Is that really a concussion?  And if falling down causes that then clearly, obviously the dude should never be on the field ever.  QBs will get hit, and they will fall down.

That's precisely what I'm saying, and have been for months.  I'm all for personal choice and responsibility.  If Zach and the team want to, they should do exactly this: throw caution to the wind.  To do anything else means we will not succeed as a team, and that's not fair to the other 44 guys.

T.Harris made that choice in '25 because that's what it took to win a cup.  He 100% got concussed on his Zombie Walk game and no one said boo.  You have to do tough and dangerous things to win it all in this sport.  VAJ took games off for his concussion this season, and he said he thinks differently about them now that he has a family -- thus implying he didn't give a crap about concussions in previous years.  So clearly he played through them, because that's what young QBs do.  But I wonder, if he's in a 2026 playoff game and gets whacked, what choice will he make?  Leave the game and lose, or stay in and just live with it?  I think I know what he'll choose...

Okay.  All fair points.  Including your examples of others playing through and taking that risk.  Also agree that if Zach gets a concussion from that light fall from tackling, he is way too prone to play anymore.

Only issue is that risk for future concussions causing long-term damage goes way up when actively recovering from a concussion.  So it is different to shake it off and keep playing (much higher risk in the same individual) compared to recovering properly and going back to play.

Zach may choose to play indefinitely with the cautious approach, as his risk remains but isn't as bad if he gets pulled whenever he gets a head injury.  That doesn't mean anyone should be giving him a contract if he is that delicate.

[Tecno]

Only issue is that risk for future concussions causing long-term damage goes way up when actively recovering from a concussion.  So it is different to shake it off and keep playing (much higher risk in the same individual) compared to recovering properly and going back to play.

Your argument is perfectly sound ... IF we were discussing anyone other than Zach.  With Zach it's a completely moot point because he's ALWAYS in that state of being susceptible/recovering.  Because he never truly recovers.

I've noted in the past that Zach actually has a superpower: he's been concussed so much for so long that I don't think he can get a "real" concussion anymore.  What I mean by this is I think he can play through anything, if he and us want.  What has happened to him is tiny hits and huge hits have the same effect on him, which is modest birds-flying head-spinning woozy effect, for which he can still pass concussion protocol.  It's a blessing, and a curse.

A few years ago he would play through concussion hits because his brain doesn't react the same as normal people.  But now we're doing the opposite: every little hit is head/neck precaution.  The difference?  Choice.  And that's fine, but it's not fair to everyone else to live in this land of make believe and indecision.

[Tecno]

Not to beat up on them when they are down, but does this finally put to rest the player & coach talking point in every presser that "we believe we're close to being a great team, we are right on the cusp, just need to get those last few inches"?

The depression and funk in that locker room must be palatable now that their illusion has been shattered.  The loss of hope is the worst... We'll see if they recover to win a winnable game next week or just fold.

[Sir Blue and Gold]

Not to beat up on them when they are down, but does this finally put to rest the player & coach talking point in every presser that "we believe we're close to being a great team, we are right on the cusp, just need to get those last few inches"?

The depression and funk in that locker room must be palatable now that their illusion has been shattered.  The loss of hope is the worst... We'll see if they recover to win a winnable game next week or just fold.

I don't really think this is a team that can put it all together.

The defense is horrible and aside from  a few games has been a total disaster. JY doesn't have the mind for it. He doesn't take anything away. There's no adjustment. He gets out x-o'd more often than not. He has some talent and no ability to take advantage of it.

Condell on the other hand isn't a terrible coach but he has a terrible situation on his hands. No protection no matter what he calls. A one dimensional running back. A lot of check-a-box receivers and immobile mostly below average QB play no matter what. He's probably not the best coordinator in the league but he's also got one of the worst hands to play with every week.

Very little of that is fixable at this point. Is O'Shea the right coach to turn this around next year or not?

[tlf]

I don't really think this is a team that can put it all together.

The defense is horrible and aside from  a few games has been a total disaster. JY doesn't have the mind for it. He doesn't take anything away. There's no adjustment. He gets out x-o'd more often than not. He has some talent and no ability to take advantage of it.

Condell on the other hand isn't a terrible coach but he has a terrible situation on his hands. No protection no matter what he calls. A one dimensional running back. A lot of check-a-box receivers and immobile mostly below average QB play no matter what. He's probably not the best coordinator in the league but he's also got one of the worst hands to play with every week.

Very little of that is fixable at this point. Is O'Shea the right coach to turn this around next year or not?

Who else would you like coaching? Any coordinators out there youd like to be our head coach?

 

[tlf]

Just so I have this straight... You all want Oshea gone (LOL)..and Zach gone and Dru gone.

Anyone you want to keep?