gojetsgo
Registered User
- Nov 1, 2015
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lol... you literally made something up and said point still stands and now are going on some rant about doug brown.. I think you are clearly the one who is butt hurt...
OT: Winnipeg Blue Bombers 2024 Season Thread - Footnote it is. Another long off-season ahead.
- Thread starter Holden Caulfield
- Start date
WolfHouse
Registered User
- Oct 4, 2020
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Well, Chris Smith HAS to have had some off-field issue because Kody Case is a massive downgrade.
Really looking like this season is on Walters and his crew - even with a healthy roster, the money spent on receivers and Collaros while letting the OL slip is not looking like a good move. Lucky Whitehead is not going to move the needle.
Getting to the mid-way point of the season and the coaching staff really needs to sit down and review personnel decisions... That whole right side of the OL is not getting it done - couple that with Collaros getting happy feet and this team legit could miss the playoffs.
Still a BigHill fan but our LB crew needs speed - Wilson doesn't have it and Kramdi is not making good reads
Thomas is a problem - he has no pursuit speed and no push - yes he clogs up an OL but that's not really helping anything and not collapsing the pocket
Richie Hall D is a dud when he doesn't have DL pressure and an elite MLB or WIL - our DBs are competing but its just same predictable blitzes and the same soft coverage - Alexander and Holm should not be leading the team in tackles
Buck PIerce = Lapo - no reason to abandon the run game... but we do almost every game
Sask is a good team but not a great team... and they made us look bad across the board. Yes the reffing was brutal but this reminds me of the Lapo years.
Things that are becoming a guarantee each game
- Collaros will force a throw into double or triple coverage
- Younger will call cover 0 late in the game and his blitz won't work
- Lofton gets beat outside consistently
- Demski fumbles after a big play
- Bighill whiffs on key tackles
- Osh calls a 60 yard field goal
Really looking like this season is on Walters and his crew - even with a healthy roster, the money spent on receivers and Collaros while letting the OL slip is not looking like a good move. Lucky Whitehead is not going to move the needle.
Getting to the mid-way point of the season and the coaching staff really needs to sit down and review personnel decisions... That whole right side of the OL is not getting it done - couple that with Collaros getting happy feet and this team legit could miss the playoffs.
Still a BigHill fan but our LB crew needs speed - Wilson doesn't have it and Kramdi is not making good reads
Thomas is a problem - he has no pursuit speed and no push - yes he clogs up an OL but that's not really helping anything and not collapsing the pocket
Richie Hall D is a dud when he doesn't have DL pressure and an elite MLB or WIL - our DBs are competing but its just same predictable blitzes and the same soft coverage - Alexander and Holm should not be leading the team in tackles
Buck PIerce = Lapo - no reason to abandon the run game... but we do almost every game
Sask is a good team but not a great team... and they made us look bad across the board. Yes the reffing was brutal but this reminds me of the Lapo years.
Things that are becoming a guarantee each game
- Collaros will force a throw into double or triple coverage
- Younger will call cover 0 late in the game and his blitz won't work
- Lofton gets beat outside consistently
- Demski fumbles after a big play
- Bighill whiffs on key tackles
- Osh calls a 60 yard field goal
You've yet to address the point which is Collaros sucks right now. Stop running and respond. I live in BC and my friend who is a Lions fans misinformed me about the Hollis McInnis thing. I admit I was wrong. But what does that have to do with the fact Collaros sucks. Your turn now. Convince me and Doug Brown how Collaros isn't an issue. Your response so far has been juvenile and evading. Cmon keyboard cowboy you have to do better.
gojetsgo
Registered User
- Nov 1, 2015
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my post was juvenile and evading? did you forget how your post saying I was butt hurt and telling me to f*** off? now calling me a keyboard cowboy...
I have said a few times that collaros can play better but I think people are over blowing how bad he's been... I don't think many qb's would play well in behind our oline and missing our two best highly paid receivers...
I'm not going to convince you of shit, you clearly don't pay much attention to what happens around the league or else you wouldn't have made that first baseless claim at all...
the points you made were zach sucks because doug brown said it! and falsely saying bc was missing mcinnis and hollins
Hank Chinaski
Registered User
Saw nothing dirty about it at all. No flag, no contact to helmet or below the knees. The only reason anyone is even talking about it is the reaction from the Riders afterwards.
Patterson f***ed around, found out. Nothing more than that.
The Blue Baron
Registered User
bustamente
Fraud Supporter
Had to pay the over the hill gang
FonRiesen
Registered User
A good returner is worth a lot... We'd likely have a couple more wins at least.
Collaros is past his prime and needs replacing. I would love to see the team aim for a young, prime Canadian QB instead of sniffing around in the US. The CFL should be focusing on home grown talent. Let the NFL have their own.
WolfHouse
Registered User
- Oct 4, 2020
- 10,756
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Lucky break since I dont give a shit about your opinion
Holden Caulfield
He's guilty
The rumour I've seen around is that Grant making barely above league min in TOR (90k plus incentives). I've seen several journalists say it wasn't a money decision. Bombers decided to move on. If true that decision is looking really bad right now.
I don't really get this argument though.
Biggest money the team has out is to Oliveira, Schoen, Lawler, Collaros, Lawson, Willie, Demski. Other than Collaros, not a super old group. Bryant and Bighill are both on pretty reasonable deals that they've reworked down the past couple of years.
Now the argument they allocated the money to wrong spots, I can see that. Bombers currently have 3 of 4 highest paid WRs in the league. Maybe wasn't the best move in the world to blow the budget on WRs.
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I have to say the game against the Riders was the worst case of one sided officiating I have ever seen in pro football!
Obviously Collaros isn't in his prime anymore but i still think if we put Streveler in some more and run the ball more we can at the very least keep possession longer and beat a blitz by running. The coaching staff needs to put more Streveler packages into every game because Collaros and the offensive line aren't good enough to just pass most of the game.
bustamente
Fraud Supporter
Whatever the reason it's an epic fail for a team that once again has the worst return game in the league.
kanadalainen
A pint of dark matter, please.
Bombers 2024 @ 2-5 .. the tipping point is realized. (Caveat: Before writing out these thoughts I considered the impact of Bombers injuries, and its significant, especially for Collaros' performances).
1. Janerion Grant and recency bias: I watched his 4th quarter punt return for 6 in the TO/Cats tilt from yesterday and obviously this man is gifted. Its like the Bombers are shooting themselves/dismantling themselves with a vengance.
2. Old players losing their edge: Sure some of these players can keep the game close. But as their once definitive skills fade, what were close wins (look at last year) are now manifest as close losses. Folks on this board with much more knowledge (than I) have laid out the details of weaknesses in our ageing QB, O line and D line and linebackers.
3. The fallout: Without a core of players with enough remnant talent to do the job, Buck's and Hall's schemes become routinely blase, and at their worst, problematic. Some of whats happening to the offence is quite avoidable, but yet Buck plows on, stubbornly. Why?
4. Bomber's roster deconstruction mechanism: This Bomber roster deconstruction weirdness (Walters) is the story of the year for me. So, why is this?
Money? - Apparently not.
Misplaced trust in coaching staff advice? - unclear.
5. Synopsis: Not many teams actively improve themselves by shedding true stars. Yes, I am aware that most perenially good-to-great teams make difficult decisions with each off season, but our "difficult decisions" have become the obvious focii for this rosters' weaknesses.
Going forward: Is the Big Blue a country club team? Yes or no, the rest of the league shrugs, grins and says thanks**.
** /Rant off.
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bustamente
Fraud Supporter
FonRiesen
Registered User
Trying to find some remote silver linings:
The Bombers still have time to get their act together, since Edmonton and Hamilton are crap, and we just have to beat one of Calgary or one more Eastern team. Not sure we 'deserve' it, but we could still make the playoffs and then anything can happen. It's still nothing as bad as the Reinebold "era"...
We've been close several games - even this last one was swung by potentially 6-14 points by penalties on 2 plays (overturning turnovers that would have prevent scores, and one deep in SK's end). We're not as bad as our record.
Our offense was starting to go, and Collaros was finally hitting his targets on the drive killed by the Demski turnover. Without that, it was looking like we had SK on their back foot and a TD was looking plausible.
I still think that we'd throw teams off by giving Strev more plays - he's gold on short yardage, and was good enough to win the previous game, plus a greater emphasis on the run eats up the clock and tires out opposing D. We haven't taken full advantage of Oliveira yet, either - he's a game changer as well, and Buck needs to just stop overthinking things and give him more touches.
It will be interesting to see if O'Shea can adjust. We haven't had much real adversity over the past few years... in the CFL it's not over until the final whistle blows.
The Bombers still have time to get their act together, since Edmonton and Hamilton are crap, and we just have to beat one of Calgary or one more Eastern team. Not sure we 'deserve' it, but we could still make the playoffs and then anything can happen. It's still nothing as bad as the Reinebold "era"...
We've been close several games - even this last one was swung by potentially 6-14 points by penalties on 2 plays (overturning turnovers that would have prevent scores, and one deep in SK's end). We're not as bad as our record.
Our offense was starting to go, and Collaros was finally hitting his targets on the drive killed by the Demski turnover. Without that, it was looking like we had SK on their back foot and a TD was looking plausible.
I still think that we'd throw teams off by giving Strev more plays - he's gold on short yardage, and was good enough to win the previous game, plus a greater emphasis on the run eats up the clock and tires out opposing D. We haven't taken full advantage of Oliveira yet, either - he's a game changer as well, and Buck needs to just stop overthinking things and give him more touches.
It will be interesting to see if O'Shea can adjust. We haven't had much real adversity over the past few years... in the CFL it's not over until the final whistle blows.
ThinIce61
Registered User
- Jul 11, 2018
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While some of what Walters did this off season was very encouraging when we thought we would lose certain players for sure some moves were baffling and IMO in terms of recruitment this off season has been shown to have not been good at all.
Likely too late to airlift some players in at this point but this team as constructed is going nowhere fast.
Holden Caulfield
He's guilty
This year's team is unlikely to win the division. As I mentioned before the game, it's now time to re-define the expectations. This is not the dynasty version of the Bombers anymore.
That's not too say it's hopeless. I'm expecting changes to be made hard and heavy over the next few weeks. We got critical games up coming in Toronto and at home against BC then finally at long last a bye week. Some changes I expect to see...
Kenny Lawler will be returning very shortly. He has now done his 6 games on the 6 game IR. I'm expecting him back probably after the bye as I haven't heard of him practicing just yet. Needless to say this will be a huge boon to the passing game.
Lucky Whitehead will draw in here right away. I expect us to run a Wolitarsky - Demski - Wilson - Whitehead - Johnson/Clercius WR corps the next two weeks, with Lawler bumping Wilson or Whitehead out of SB to WR when he returns. Woli-Demski-Lawler-Whitehead-Wilson WR corps will be a huge boost to Zach.
The OL is going to have some adjustments one would think. After the holding calls on Kolankowski I really think it's just time they move off of him at C. Get Eli in there or move Dobson inside and start Wallace at G. I don't care which way they go, but need to make an adjustment here to get more mobile along the OL. I'd like to see them move off Lofton at RT and go younger with one of the PR players, but I don't think making too many changes along the OL is right move right now. Maybe if they make the move at C right away and wait until after the bye at RT.
Zach isn't going to be replaced. They are basically cap committed to him as QB until after the 2025 season. He is the guy. I do expect them to adjust the playcalling. He either doesn't have the time or the arm strength to hit these long bombs anymore, so let's adjust how we are calling the game. More short passes, less over the shoulder corners to Demski. We'll see.
The return game needs a boost. Need to find better answers. Case wasn't in a great situation with 2/3 called punt blocks meaning he had little blocking, but even in punt cover play calls we were not generating anything on returns.
The defense has overall been really solid. I don't expect many changes, except they need to find a way to generate more pressure up front. That's really where the concerns are, IMO. If Haba could get healthy that would be huge, but we'll see. I again didn't see much out of Garbutt. I'm crossing my fingers that Lawson may get healthy later in the year, but it's hard to say on that. We may eventually see a move at S as well. Alexander is not the guy there anymore. I'm not expecting them to go away from Kramdi at SLB, nor am I expecting that they move away from Bighill or Holm despite the fan protests. I could see Kramdi moving back to S and Cole moving into SLB though. We'll see but overall hard to complain much about the D.
Basically we need to no longer be thinking of this as the team which has run roughshod over the CFL since the pandemic and go back into 2019 thinking. It's a decent team, but if they fail to play up to their level they will lose. 2021-2023 Bombers could play like crap and still come out with wins. No longer the case. But I still believe that this team has upside and could get hot at the right time. The defense has been solid and when the O shows up it still has a bit of pop. Get everything fired up at the the same time and we could easily make a run. Nobody counted the Bombers in in 2019 either and the team scuffled through most of the season before coming together in September and October. That's what we are hoping for here.
That's not too say it's hopeless. I'm expecting changes to be made hard and heavy over the next few weeks. We got critical games up coming in Toronto and at home against BC then finally at long last a bye week. Some changes I expect to see...
Kenny Lawler will be returning very shortly. He has now done his 6 games on the 6 game IR. I'm expecting him back probably after the bye as I haven't heard of him practicing just yet. Needless to say this will be a huge boon to the passing game.
Lucky Whitehead will draw in here right away. I expect us to run a Wolitarsky - Demski - Wilson - Whitehead - Johnson/Clercius WR corps the next two weeks, with Lawler bumping Wilson or Whitehead out of SB to WR when he returns. Woli-Demski-Lawler-Whitehead-Wilson WR corps will be a huge boost to Zach.
The OL is going to have some adjustments one would think. After the holding calls on Kolankowski I really think it's just time they move off of him at C. Get Eli in there or move Dobson inside and start Wallace at G. I don't care which way they go, but need to make an adjustment here to get more mobile along the OL. I'd like to see them move off Lofton at RT and go younger with one of the PR players, but I don't think making too many changes along the OL is right move right now. Maybe if they make the move at C right away and wait until after the bye at RT.
Zach isn't going to be replaced. They are basically cap committed to him as QB until after the 2025 season. He is the guy. I do expect them to adjust the playcalling. He either doesn't have the time or the arm strength to hit these long bombs anymore, so let's adjust how we are calling the game. More short passes, less over the shoulder corners to Demski. We'll see.
The return game needs a boost. Need to find better answers. Case wasn't in a great situation with 2/3 called punt blocks meaning he had little blocking, but even in punt cover play calls we were not generating anything on returns.
The defense has overall been really solid. I don't expect many changes, except they need to find a way to generate more pressure up front. That's really where the concerns are, IMO. If Haba could get healthy that would be huge, but we'll see. I again didn't see much out of Garbutt. I'm crossing my fingers that Lawson may get healthy later in the year, but it's hard to say on that. We may eventually see a move at S as well. Alexander is not the guy there anymore. I'm not expecting them to go away from Kramdi at SLB, nor am I expecting that they move away from Bighill or Holm despite the fan protests. I could see Kramdi moving back to S and Cole moving into SLB though. We'll see but overall hard to complain much about the D.
Basically we need to no longer be thinking of this as the team which has run roughshod over the CFL since the pandemic and go back into 2019 thinking. It's a decent team, but if they fail to play up to their level they will lose. 2021-2023 Bombers could play like crap and still come out with wins. No longer the case. But I still believe that this team has upside and could get hot at the right time. The defense has been solid and when the O shows up it still has a bit of pop. Get everything fired up at the the same time and we could easily make a run. Nobody counted the Bombers in in 2019 either and the team scuffled through most of the season before coming together in September and October. That's what we are hoping for here.
WolfHouse
Registered User
- Oct 4, 2020
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I'm skeptical that whitehead makes a huge impact... Lawler would be good but there's still an issue of relying on passing too much over running... all your collaros analysis is why
I'm not sold on the D - there are flashes but we haven't shut down teams yet imo... last game our DL push looked a lot better n plays without Thomas ...
OL needs something - lets hope Eli is healthy and ready because i dont see a ton of other options - looks like we are stuck with lofton for the season
