Winnipeg @ Montreal Pre-Game

[blue_or_die]

I know we're not typically a team that does a great job with the upfront attack but I sure hope the game plan involves pressuring Alexander. Not just traditional "pressure", but literally doing things that irritate him and make him emotional. Throw him off his game and have a bad night and throw a fit. I think that's the single most important thing we can prepare to do.

On offense, despite Dru's overthrows, I loved using his strong arm a ton and airing it out downfield for the big play. We have 4 excellent receivers who are capable of some circus catches. We need to gamble a bit and try to score early and then continue to stay on the field and get more. 10 points in the first half of a quarter followed by floundering for the next 45 minutes is not going to cut it. I think we need to gamble more here if we're hoping to outscore Alexander/Philpot.

[Waffler]

As to Dru's long game it seemed a case of not being on the same page at times.  Don't forget he wasn't here for training camp and lots of weeks he is not getting starter reps with the 1's. Other than Demski who was here last time Dru was? To me a lot of it seems fixable but we have just this week to do it.

[Throw Long Bannatyne]

As to Dru's long game it seemed a case of not being on the same page at times.  Don't forget he wasn't here for training camp and lots of weeks he is not getting starter reps with the 1's. Other than Demski who was here last time Dru was? To me a lot of it seems fixable but we have just this week to do it.

Meh, Brown had starter's reps all last week heading into a specific game with a specific game plan and he's been with the team over half a season and played in a fair number of games, so plenty of time to get used to the receivers he's working with.

He throws a nice spiral but lacks zing, he needs a plan to work around his flaws which also includes not being a good runner and not being physically durable.  He almost fits in precisely where Matt Nichols left off.

[TBURGESS]

Brown ran the same offense last year in Ottawa, with starter reps most weeks. 

[tlf]

Meh, Brown had starter's reps all last week heading into a specific game with a specific game plan and he's been with the team over half a season and played in a fair number of games, so plenty of time to get used to the receivers he's working with.

He throws a nice spiral but lacks zing, he needs a plan to work around his flaws which also includes not being a good runner and not being physically durable.  He almost fits in precisely where Matt Nichols left off.

He throws a nice spiral..but lacks placement. 

[northof30]

I agree with your comments - this is the first time in  long time that we have had a number of deep threats. Now if our QB can just hit them and if our OL can give the QB time to do so!

"and if our OL can give the QB time".
That's the problem!!

[dd]

Brown ran the same offense last year in Ottawa, with starter reps most weeks.

And in Ottawa, he had trouble completing long passes and often threw picks. Nothing has changed. Nothing. He got lucky on the Demski throw, I don't see that happening again. He's got no touch on his passes, never has.

[Big Daddy]

And in Ottawa, he had trouble completing long passes and often threw picks. Nothing has changed. Nothing. He got lucky on the Demski throw, I don't see that happening again. He's got no touch on his passes, never has.

I'm really torn by that last statement.  Dru seems to throw dimes a lot of times - seriously, he throws into coverage that I can't understand why he is doing that (double coverage, etc.).  And yet it gets in and it was perfectly placed. 

To me that is his ability, but also his achilles heel.  He keeps doing that, throwing into double coverage with minimal space for error, and on a good day it works.  Or in a first half it works.  Then - all of a sudden, it doesn't, and he's getting picked off.

I really don't think there's much difference in Dru looking like a star, and Dru throwing 4 picks in a game.  As they say - football is a game of inches, and I think Dru embodies that very well - just not to our (or his) advantage enough.

[Tecno]

I'm not disagreeing that a team works to re-build. I dispute that they target a specific team to improve against.

But someone even said it the other day. Maybe one of the tsn panel. They talked about how Winnipeg had to specifically learn to beat cgy over many seasons.

My point is that that is because Calgary most often ended our season or gave us so many losses that we missed the playoffs. Thus we built a Calgary killing team, which culminated in 2019.

Further, my point is that the need to beat cgy dominated our fa choices and schemes.

That's why I think we'll do well against mtl, even if with lose. The real challenge will be against edm, because we didn't factor them in at all in our fa choices and schemes.

[Blue In BC]

But someone even said it the other day. Maybe one of the tsn panel. They talked about how Winnipeg had to specifically learn to beat cgy over many seasons.

My point is that that is because Calgary most often ended our season or gave us so many losses that we missed the playoffs. Thus we built a Calgary killing team, which culminated in 2019.

Further, my point is that the need to beat cgy dominated our fa choices and schemes.

That's why I think we'll do well against mtl, even if with lose. The real challenge will be against edm, because we didn't factor them in at all in our fa choices and schemes.

Teams change about 15 players every off season. We've already seen some teams announcement 30 potential free agents. Bomber have had 25+ each of the last 3 years.

You can't plan against what was, you have to plan against what is now.

The past several seasons we've had issues with the Argos, Als, Lions, Stamps and Riders.  We lost Grey Cups to the Als and the Argos in recent history. This year we still had the same issues against those same teams.

A team has to get better against the cumulative opponents they face each season.

[Blue In BC]

No practice again today? What the heck!

[GOLDMEMBER]

No practice again today? What the heck!

They are saving there energy. 

[blue_or_die]

No practice again today? What the heck!

Seepies!

[Jesse]

No practice again today? What the heck!

Feels like malpractice.

[Pigskin]

Sounds like today is a film, workout, and physiotherapy day. Border left at 7:30 this morning and was headed for PAS.