Grey Cup - Game Week Thread

[HardCoreBlue]

4 minutes ago, MOBomberFan said:

We aren't the underdogs. We are the baddies. And it's awesome

Just treat the game as a business trip then celebrate after.

[Wideleft]

3 hours ago, Booch said:

why is media so focused on Als 7 game win streak...and no mention of our 5 game streak...against better teams...teams with over 500 records???.....TSN is so narrow minded and intent on trying to create a story/theme

 

Because a 5 game win streak is kind of the norm for the Bombers?

Edited November 14, 2023 by Wideleft

[blue85gold]

Was curious so I looked it up. Neither team has lost since the same weekend in mid-September. Bombers just have had more bye weeks than the Als in that time. 

Let the Als talk all they want about the hot streak they are on

[HardCoreBlue]

Knowing everything is captured on game tape for preparation and we will keep with what's working no matter they know what's coming, one of the major things I'm thinking leading up to the big game is what kind of wrinkles will the BB be introducing that the ALs will be challenged to anticipate.

[captaincanuck12]

27 minutes ago, Jesse said:

You're talking out of your butt 

I find this true of most people nowadays.  It's truly the new pandemic

[Booch]

https://x.com/Dave_CHED/status/172446273349054

9016?s=20like really??...bout time.....how hard is that to accomplish....and now we wont see historic season's being built on beating up on 2 of the lousier teams 7 times in a season...basically half your schedule

[GCn20]

5 minutes ago, Booch said:

https://x.com/Dave_CHED/status/172446273349054

9016?s=20like really??...bout time.....how hard is that to accomplish....and now we wont see historic season's being built on beating up on 2 of the lousier teams 7 times in a season...basically half your schedule

Having 3/4 of your away games in a short driving distance doesn't hurt either. I remember ex-Bomber Craig Newman telling me that the hardest part about away games is trying to sleep in the hotel the night before. He said you just never get a good sleep no matter what.

[Jpan85]

They did get the Saturday playoff games right. There was a massive increase in TV viewers. 

[Booch]

1 hour ago, GCn20 said:

Having 3/4 of your away games in a short driving distance doesn't hurt either. I remember ex-Bomber Craig Newman telling me that the hardest part about away games is trying to sleep in the hotel the night before. He said you just never get a good sleep no matter what.

Argos were basically coddled all year in various forms...and when rubber actually hit the road and sh1t got real...they had no answer for it...plain and simple

[Wanna-B-Fanboy]

1 hour ago, HardCoreBlue said:

Knowing everything is captured on game tape for preparation and we will keep with what's working no matter they know what's coming, one of the major things I'm thinking leading up to the big game is what kind of wrinkles will the BB be introducing that the ALs will be challenged to anticipate.

Yeah- I hope they do a better job of disguising the roll out to the right and throw across body to the receiver in the middle at the 8yrd line- I feel that **** is going to get read, picked up and pick6'd. 

[greenrider55]

1 hour ago, Jpan85 said:

They did get the Saturday playoff games right. There was a massive increase in TV viewers. 

As someone who loves watching the NFL, the Saturday games were a godsend. 

I’m happy they’re keeping the Grey Cup on Sunday for the tradition of it all.

[Wideleft]

 Winnipeg will be playing in their 28th Grey Cup including the 1935 'Pegs victory. Playoff keys to reaching the 2023 title game:

 The Blue Bombers come in riding a 5-game win streak. Longest winning run among their 4 straight appearances. (It is their longest win streak going into a Grey Cup game since 1993 at 7 in a row)

 In the W.Final: Winnipeg held BC to just 189 total yards - the fewest allowed by a West Div. winner since 2007 (SSK v BC)

 Did not allow BC to reach the Red Zone at any time and run any play closer than the WPG 35-yard line.

 Winnipeg forced 5 BC T/Os which led to 13 of their 24 points (54%) including a blocked punt TD

 The 9 Sacks recorded by the Bombers tied the CFL A/T Playoff record (Hamilton 1985, Winnipeg 1992).

 Sacked Adams Jr. on 8 of BC's 13 possessions (forcing a kick or T/O on all 8); 6 Two-&-Outs

 Generated 21 first downs on just 52 offensive plays - converted 63% of their 2nd Down Conversions (BC: 4-of-17 24%)

 Passes Stretch the Field: Of their 21 total attempts, 7 were at a depth of 15 yards or more downfield 0-9 Yd Depth: 10-of-13 77% 10-19 Yd Depth: 3-of-3 100% 20+ Yd Depth: 1-of-5 20%

 Brady Oliveira reached 100+ before half (14/101 yds, 7.2 avg). In the 2nd Half: 8 yards on 7 attempts (1.1 yd avg)

 They rushed for 121 yards (fewest since Sep 16th) - 1st Half: 16 for 105, 6.6 avg 1st Half: 11 for 16, 1.5 avg

 Their TD on a blocked punt was the first in a playoff game since 2008 (Edmonton, Justin Cooper)

 The Bombers intercepted Vernon Adams Jr. 3 times after making none against him regular season (in 62 pass attempts)

 Kenny Lawler accounted for more than half of Winnipeg's receiving with 83 yards on 6 catches (among 14 total)

 Were led by an Offensive Line with 47 combined career playoff games started (35 playoff, 12 GC)

 Survived 2 missed FGs in 5 attempts vs BC without a long return 

https://d3ham790trbkqy.cloudfront.net/wp-content/uploads/2023/11/2023-GN-Gm-95-Grey-Cup-Preview-1.pdf

 

[17to85]

2 hours ago, blue85gold said:

Was curious so I looked it up. Neither team has lost since the same weekend in mid-September. Bombers just have had more bye weeks than the Als in that time. 

Let the Als talk all they want about the hot streak they are on

They should talk about how other than 2 collaros into for touchdowns the als have scored exactly one field goal per game against winnipeg.

[Wideleft]

Montréal will be playing in their 19th Grey Cup and first since 2010. Playoff keys to reaching the 2023 title game:

 Montréal was swept 3-0 in reg. season by Toronto but won the Div. Final. Only 2 prior teams turned around 0-3 sweeps in a Final - BC over Calgary 2000 West Final - Toronto over Montréal 2004 East Final

 Montréal's current 7-game winning streak is the longest active run by any team in 2023. (And longest by any team heading into the Grey Cup since Edmonton in 2015, 9 wins in a row)

 In the East Final, Montréal scored a TD via Pass, Rush, Interception and Kickoff Returns.

             The first club with a TD in 4 different ways in one playoff game since 2010 (MTL v TOR), & second in the last 68 years (1955)

 In their 2 playoff wins, Montréal forced 12 Turnovers and committed only 2 (+10) (9 by TOR ... most since 2001 EDM, 12).

 Of Montréal's 65 playoff points, 36 of them (55%) came after Opponent T/Os.

 In the final after a slow start, they dominated field position starting their last 11 drives on average at their own 49-yard line

 Cody Fajardo Scrambles: Over 2 games he had 100 rushing yards on 9 carries.

 Pass Defence: 6 INTs for 151 yards, 2 TDs. Deep throws against: HAM & TOR completed only 3 passes combined of 20+ depth

 Allowed only one opponent TD in 4 Red Zone trips (1 TD, 1 FG, 2 T/Os forced)

 Pass Offence: Of their 48 total playoff attempts, 31 were at a depth of no more than 6 yards downfield 0-9 Yd Depth: 28-of-35 75% 10-19 Yd Depth: 3-of-7 43% 20+ Yd Depth: 2-of-6 33%

Over the two playoff games, the Als committed just 6 total penalties (only 1 on special teams)

 The second playoff kickoff return TD in Als' history (James Letcher, 105 yards).

 Against Toronto, they converted 6 times in 2nd-&-long situations compared to Toronto at just 2-of-9.

 Maintained great Field Position: MTL Avg. Starting Point: Own 43 yl, Opponents Avg: Own 34 y

[Booch]

46 minutes ago, Wanna-B-Fanboy said:

Yeah- I hope they do a better job of disguising the roll out to the right and throw across body to the receiver in the middle at the 8yrd line- I feel that **** is going to get read, picked up and pick6'd. 

thats ad-libbed tho and not drawn up....so hopefully ZC is smart with his off-script stuff

[Wanna-B-Fanboy]

2 minutes ago, Booch said:

thats ad-libbed tho and not drawn up....so hopefully ZC is smart with his off-script stuff

Odd, I thought it was drawn up- he did that 2 times for sure... possibly a 3rd during the last game.

[HardCoreBlue]

53 minutes ago, greenrider55 said:

As someone who loves watching the NFL, the Saturday games were a godsend. 

I’m happy they’re keeping the Grey Cup on Sunday for the tradition of it all.

Here's my 2 platforms if I ran for Prime Minister of this great country.

(1) Monday to be a national holiday after every Sunday GC.

(2) Three day work week, paid for five.

What's my position on Crime, Health, Housing etc?

See platforms (1) and (2) above.

[johnzo]

2 hours ago, Wanna-B-Fanboy said:

Yeah- I hope they do a better job of disguising the roll out to the right and throw across body to the receiver in the middle at the 8yrd line- I feel that **** is going to get read, picked up and pick6'd. 

There was one throw like that to BOLO where Suitor pointed out how Collaros paused to reset his body before throwing back into the middle, which he said made the throw a lot crisper and less risky.

The throw that I do not want to see again is the wide out throw to the field side wide receiver standing flatfooted at the LOS.   As soon as ZC threw that I was like "oh **** pick 6".  It really hung up there for awhile and the DB had hours to make a play on it. BOLO made the catch for like a yard and then got buried.  Damn that is a low-reward high-risk pass to throw and it happened fast enough so that it looked like ZC's first read.  That needs to go in the bin with the blind handoffs and the Prukop shotgun.

remember those blind handoffs in the first Hamilton game?  Buck was into the lapo mad scientist juice there.

(standard disclaimer: I know nothing about coaching a passing attack)

18 hours ago, ddanger said:

read an article from Ed Tail today that both of BC's receivers tore their achilles

all the best for speedy recoveries to those guys.  I can't imagine how much that sucks.  

Edited November 14, 2023 by johnzo

[Noeller]

 

^^ no boot....fwiw....

 

 

 

[wbbfan]

6 hours ago, Booch said:

hate harping about it...but we continue to win "despite" some these less than optimal decisions....yeah yeah yeah I know...we been to 4 cups...but it's still a concerning narrative....and in those previous runs...we didnt have these less than optimal roster use issues

Self imposed hard mode is just dumb. This team would’ve been much better this year with sensible roster use. Not even creative or daring. Just sensible. 

2 hours ago, greenrider55 said:

As someone who loves watching the NFL, the Saturday games were a godsend. 

I’m happy they’re keeping the Grey Cup on Sunday for the tradition of it all.

Saturday games are great. I really like Friday games too. Don’t like Sunday unless it’s a long weekend. With this I prefer quality of life to tradition tbh. 

[Booch]

Just now, wbbfan said:

Self imposed hard mode is just dumb. This team would’ve been much better this year with sensible roster use. Not even creative or daring. Just sensible. 

maybe we do it next yr hahahaah

[rebusrankin]

Schoen playing would be huge. Heck him on the field as a decoy would help. If Demski and Bailey are still hobbled and if Schoen can't go, I'd like to see Ambles in for McCrae. One more option for ZC.

[Booch]

2 minutes ago, rebusrankin said:

Schoen playing would be huge. Heck him on the field as a decoy would help. If Demski and Bailey are still hobbled and if Schoen can't go, I'd like to see Ambles in for McCrae. One more option for ZC.

That would be the smart prudent thing to do.....considering Mcrae didnt even take a rep to take any wear and tear off the nicked guys, or BO.....and if he wasn't healthy enough to take any reps then wtf was he dressed?

I'm more curious in what Osh does with Bighill's roster spot if he can't go...DL guy....Rose....Another receiver?...we have a lot of good options...hope we don't pooch that as well with a dumb add who has no impact or doesn't see the field

Edited November 14, 2023 by Booch

[blue85gold]

If Schoen is able to go that would be absolutely huge. He diced the Als for a few TDs this year already. 

[Fatty Liver]

Tape of the Head Coaches Press Conference with Mike O'Shea and Jason Maas

https://www.cfl.ca/2023/11/14/110th-grey-cup-head-coaches-conference/