Bombers @ Stamps GDT

[kelownabomberfan]

At least you got a payoff for your suffering today. I sat through a similar blizzard at McMahon in 2006 only to watch Kevin Glenn phone in almost the entire game as Calgary blew them out. So good to see the McMahon losing streak finally over. Phew!

[iso_55]

That was a brutal losing streak. Wow. We have a lot of skeletons in the closet we have to expunge as a team because we've been so bad for so long... 

[Noeller]

Almost down one bottle of celebration rye, but smartly bought another just in case. The whole day hasn't sunk in yet....

[Tracker]

Nice to both ending the season on a winning note and not having that foul taste in the mouth afterwards. One win after all this time is cause for celebration but it does not gloss over the problems that still have to be addressed on the team. Now the real hard work begins.

[Mr Dee]

Why must anything good have to end with a but..?

[Stickem]

You gotta know ,that hellacious shot that Wild put on Price in the last play of our season, epitomized the frustration of 2014. I hope that kind of play by Wild leads right into next year. AND oh yeah, do we have a qb. controversy brewing. Marve reminded me a lot of Tommy Clements today. I liked what he gave the team in this one.

[do or die]

Say this about Wild....you put this guy as OLB in a proper, stable D scheme......and you have one of the better ones in the league....

[KptKrunch]

You gotta know ,that hellacious shot that Wild put on Price in the last play of our season, epitomized the frustration of 2014. I hope that kind of play by Wild leads right into next year. AND oh yeah, do we have a qb. controversy brewing. Marve reminded me a lot of Tommy Clements today. I liked what he gave the team in this one.

 

hmmmm, where did I hear that before.......????? 

[kelownabomberfan]

Why must anything good have to end with a but..?

It's not always a bad thing...

[IC Khari]

[Mr. Perfect]

You gotta know ,that hellacious shot that Wild put on Price in the last play of our season, epitomized the frustration of 2014. I hope that kind of play by Wild leads right into next year. AND oh yeah, do we have a qb. controversy brewing. Marve reminded me a lot of Tommy Clements today. I liked what he gave the team in this one.

He sure did with his 50 per cent completion percentage....  6/12 in the game, 11/22 on the season and people are comparing him to one of the best QB's to play football for this organization. I can't even...There's a very good reason why coaches coach, scouts are scouts, and fans are fans. The quoted statement is a prime example.

[KptKrunch]

 

You gotta know ,that hellacious shot that Wild put on Price in the last play of our season, epitomized the frustration of 2014. I hope that kind of play by Wild leads right into next year. AND oh yeah, do we have a qb. controversy brewing. Marve reminded me a lot of Tommy Clements today. I liked what he gave the team in this one.

He sure did with his 50 per cent completion percentage....  6/12 in the game, 11/22 on the season and people are comparing him to one of the best QB's to play football for this organization. I can't even...There's a very good reason why coaches coach, scouts are scouts, and fans are fans. The quoted statement is a prime example.

 

 

No - with his ability to scramble and make plays out of nothing, like that 40 yard strike to Denmark while being chased down - in a snow storm with slick footing to boot. If it's 'so easy' why can't your boy Willy do that - what was 4 for 10 for 22 yards and ZERO points in a half - and he played in the 'good half' (snow was worse when Marve was in). Just saying - facts are facts too

[Mr. Perfect]

Your right, facts are facts, so lets look at a few: Willy finished the year over 3,700 passing yards which is the best mark we've had since 2007. His completion percentage is fourth best among CFL starters, and is ahead of Bo Levi Mitchell, and his touchdown passes is tied for fifth among starters as well. You can like or dislike Drew Willy all you want, I frankly don't care, but those are impressive facts for a first year starter. Yeah it's great Marve can scramble, good for him. The name of the game at quarterback is throwing the ball. It comes first far and away above anything else, and Marve has a long way to go before he's in Willy's league in that category. I must say I find it quite amusing that Troy Smith can complete 52.6 per cent of his passes last season, and can show an ability to run as well, yet have the critics he did (and justifiably so of course) yet Robert Marve can have worse passing numbers when averaged out, can be just as reckless, yet we have a "quarterback controversy" among our genius fan base (nevermind the fact that he's only thrown 22 career passes) because of how this town always loves the #2 quarterback.

 

Don't get me wrong, I like Marve, and I want him to do well as he's part of our team, but he is the back-up for a reason. He is not better, nor in the same league as Drew Willy. Can he run and extend plays? Sure he can, good for him. That alone does not make him the better quarterback. Outside of Ricky Ray and Bo Levi Mitchell, there has not been a quarterback in this league the past 15 years that has been elite in his first full year as a full time starter, but there have been some good ones. Drew Willy is one of them. That's a fact whether you like it not, so get use to it. Without Drew Willy this season, this team wins no more than four games in 2014. Remember how Mike Reilly was last year? Lots of ups, lots of downs. That's life when you're a first year starter. You have to be willing to take the good with the bad. Look at how he developed in 2014 - There's no reason to doubt Willy won't continue to develop as well.

 

Furthermore, lets look at some games where Drew Willy held us in as best as he could despite no running game:

 

Week seven at home to Saskatchewan - We amass 37 yards rushing in the game and lose by six points. 

 

Labour Day - Grigsby runs for 68 yards and we lose by five

 

Banjo Bowl - Grigsby runs for 66 yards and we lose by six.

 

Week 14 - Grigsby runs for 42 yards and we lose by five.

 

These are unacceptable rushing totals, and on top of that, for anyone who knows anything about football - Second and long all game is a defensive lineman's dream. There's two very good reasons why we gave up the amount of sacks we did this year - Our offensive line and situation football. While it would be naive to think we win all four of those games with Cotton in the line-up, I have zero hesitation in saying we'd win at least two of those four, which would put us at 9-9 and in contention for a playoff berth. You look at the best teams in this league, and what do they have to go along with a good quarterback? They can run the football. We couldn't this year. With Willy and Cotton together for a full season in 2015, plus the new pieces that will be added through the draft and free agency, there's every reason to expect this team to challenge for the playoffs next year - and they'll do that with Drew Willy.

 

And on that note...

 

[17to85]

Look this game wasn't won by the quarterbacks, it was won because the Bombers actually avoided the turnovers while Calgary had trouble holding onto the ball. They didn't move the ball much to get their points at the end but in a sloppy game when you can take care of the football good things happen. 

 

I like what Marve offers as a change of pace and Willy needs a mental break at this point, but I have no doubts that when training camp opens Willy is going to be the best qb on the field and it won't even be close. 

 

also, Mr.Perfect you should end every post with that gif, too good. 

[Mark F]

congratulations to the fans that wanted cotton, sears, and a win in Calgary.

 

don't know how 17/85 can analyze players all the way from alberta like that. pretty good.

[Mark F]

Can Calgary choke yet again?

 

Hope so.

[Yourface]

Not an outstanding game by Marve, but I doubt that we win with Willy in the second half.

[pigseye]

Cornish with over 100 yards in a quarter and a bit, that's still the elephant in the room. I thought our running game was decent along with Marve's scrambling.

[Mark F]

comment at free press

 

"Fire the Green Drop and use the money to get a bunch of snow machines for the stadium. 

….and it wouldn't hurt to beef up the offensive line either."

 

lol

[do or die]

Willy has had a bad throwing hand since game 4 against Edmonton (2nd helmet hit on hand) - before that he was arching long sideline and corner route passes perfectly - after that..... the "touch" on those seemed to completely disappear...... 

 

Combine that with him taking a few hundred hits, behind one of the worst pass blocking OL's  EVER, the anemic run game, and the lack of adjustments from Marcel.......while finishing his first year, riding the learning curve as a starter.....and you have a formula for some bigtime struggles, for sure. 

 

But this guy has guts, is smart, and coach able.   We will see a big uptick next year.   So some folks might want to restrain themselves, from tossing him into a can, or under the bus.....

 

btw..... none of this is a knock on Marve, who has demonstrated a good deal of potential as a change of pace guy, and a possible starting QB.  Just would like to see a bigger sample size than a Troy Copp,before anointing him.   This caution is simply based on the 100 or so QB's we have run in here....and out, shortly after...

[blitzmore]

Willy hurt his hand again, which is why he didn't play the second half.

 

Marve said he had never played in those kind of conditions before and it was hard to get a grip on the football and also took some adjustments just to get used to playing in those kind of conditions.

[TBURGESS]

Marve outplayed Willy in the game.  He moved the pocket.  He extended plays.  He threw accurately on the run.  He showed off a quick release to beat the blitz.  He ran the ball.  He threw a short ball for a TD instead of looking for the deep one in the back of the end zone.  All in all, the best we could have hoped for of a rookie QB in those conditions.  I think his play yesterday means we don't have to 'overpay' to re-sign Brohm, but it doesn't mean that Marve is fighting for the #1 spot next year.

[Yourface]

Your right, facts are facts, so lets look at a few: Willy finished the year over 3,700 passing yards which is the best mark we've had since 2007. His completion percentage is fourth best among CFL starters, and is ahead of Bo Levi Mitchell, and his touchdown passes is tied for fifth among starters as well. You can like or dislike Drew Willy all you want, I frankly don't care, but those are impressive facts for a first year starter. Yeah it's great Marve can scramble, good for him. The name of the game at quarterback is throwing the ball. It comes first far and away above anything else, and Marve has a long way to go before he's in Willy's league in that category. I must say I find it quite amusing that Troy Smith can complete 52.6 per cent of his passes last season, and can show an ability to run as well, yet have the critics he did (and justifiably so of course) yet Robert Marve can have worse passing numbers when averaged out, can be just as reckless, yet we have a "quarterback controversy" among our genius fan base (nevermind the fact that he's only thrown 22 career passes) because of how this town always loves the #2 quarterback.

 

Don't get me wrong, I like Marve, and I want him to do well as he's part of our team, but he is the back-up for a reason. He is not better, nor in the same league as Drew Willy. Can he run and extend plays? Sure he can, good for him. That alone does not make him the better quarterback. Outside of Ricky Ray and Bo Levi Mitchell, there has not been a quarterback in this league the past 15 years that has been elite in his first full year as a full time starter, but there have been some good ones. Drew Willy is one of them. That's a fact whether you like it not, so get use to it. Without Drew Willy this season, this team wins no more than four games in 2014. Remember how Mike Reilly was last year? Lots of ups, lots of downs. That's life when you're a first year starter. You have to be willing to take the good with the bad. Look at how he developed in 2014 - There's no reason to doubt Willy won't continue to develop as well.

 

Furthermore, lets look at some games where Drew Willy held us in as best as he could despite no running game:

 

Week seven at home to Saskatchewan - We amass 37 yards rushing in the game and lose by six points. 

 

Labour Day - Grigsby runs for 68 yards and we lose by five

 

Banjo Bowl - Grigsby runs for 66 yards and we lose by six.

 

Week 14 - Grigsby runs for 42 yards and we lose by five.

 

These are unacceptable rushing totals, and on top of that, for anyone who knows anything about football - Second and long all game is a defensive lineman's dream. There's two very good reasons why we gave up the amount of sacks we did this year - Our offensive line and situation football. While it would be naive to think we win all four of those games with Cotton in the line-up, I have zero hesitation in saying we'd win at least two of those four, which would put us at 9-9 and in contention for a playoff berth. You look at the best teams in this league, and what do they have to go along with a good quarterback? They can run the football. We couldn't this year. With Willy and Cotton together for a full season in 2015, plus the new pieces that will be added through the draft and free agency, there's every reason to expect this team to challenge for the playoffs next year - and they'll do that with Drew Willy.

 

Pretty good post, but I don't think those stats are particularly impressive. With the lack of a running game, the Bombers were forced to rely on the passing game a lot, which obviously influences Willy's stats in a huge way. Heck, Burris had almost as many passing yards as Willy, yet not many people would claim that he had a good season. I also don't think we've had a quarterback play in as many games as Willy has this year since 2007. In a nine-team league, it isn't exactly impressive to be tied for fifth in touchdown passes either. 

 

With Willy (as with anyone else), you need to take the good with the bad. He's thrown the most interceptions in the league, and has hung on to the ball for far too long on more than one occasion. He can only improve from here on out, but it's pretty ridiculous to say that he's in an "entirely different league" than Marve.

[KptKrunch]

Your right, facts are facts, so lets look at a few: Willy finished the year over 3,700 passing yards which is the best mark we've had since 2007. His completion percentage is fourth best among CFL starters, and is ahead of Bo Levi Mitchell, and his touchdown passes is tied for fifth among starters as well. You can like or dislike Drew Willy all you want, I frankly don't care, but those are impressive facts for a first year starter. Yeah it's great Marve can scramble, good for him. The name of the game at quarterback is throwing the ball. It comes first far and away above anything else, and Marve has a long way to go before he's in Willy's league in that category. I must say I find it quite amusing that Troy Smith can complete 52.6 per cent of his passes last season, and can show an ability to run as well, yet have the critics he did (and justifiably so of course) yet Robert Marve can have worse passing numbers when averaged out, can be just as reckless, yet we have a "quarterback controversy" among our genius fan base (nevermind the fact that he's only thrown 22 career passes) because of how this town always loves the #2 quarterback.

 

Don't get me wrong, I like Marve, and I want him to do well as he's part of our team, but he is the back-up for a reason. He is not better, nor in the same league as Drew Willy. Can he run and extend plays? Sure he can, good for him. That alone does not make him the better quarterback. Outside of Ricky Ray and Bo Levi Mitchell, there has not been a quarterback in this league the past 15 years that has been elite in his first full year as a full time starter, but there have been some good ones. Drew Willy is one of them. That's a fact whether you like it not, so get use to it. Without Drew Willy this season, this team wins no more than four games in 2014. Remember how Mike Reilly was last year? Lots of ups, lots of downs. That's life when you're a first year starter. You have to be willing to take the good with the bad. Look at how he developed in 2014 - There's no reason to doubt Willy won't continue to develop as well.

 

Furthermore, lets look at some games where Drew Willy held us in as best as he could despite no running game:

 

Week seven at home to Saskatchewan - We amass 37 yards rushing in the game and lose by six points. 

 

Labour Day - Grigsby runs for 68 yards and we lose by five

 

Banjo Bowl - Grigsby runs for 66 yards and we lose by six.

 

Week 14 - Grigsby runs for 42 yards and we lose by five.

 

These are unacceptable rushing totals, and on top of that, for anyone who knows anything about football - Second and long all game is a defensive lineman's dream. There's two very good reasons why we gave up the amount of sacks we did this year - Our offensive line and situation football. While it would be naive to think we win all four of those games with Cotton in the line-up, I have zero hesitation in saying we'd win at least two of those four, which would put us at 9-9 and in contention for a playoff berth. You look at the best teams in this league, and what do they have to go along with a good quarterback? They can run the football. We couldn't this year. With Willy and Cotton together for a full season in 2015, plus the new pieces that will be added through the draft and free agency, there's every reason to expect this team to challenge for the playoffs next year - and they'll do that with Drew Willy.

 

And on that note...

 

 

You realize for the most part I agree with you right? I never said to 'hand the starting reigns over' to Marve. I have said, many times - that Willy is our future. All I said in my one thread that I started is enough of Grigsby this and oline that - Willy isn't exactly setting the house on fire. In fact - we could have won the Labour Day game, and the Banjo Bowl, if Willy was playing like he was in July. The REST of the team WAS good enough to win those games. 

 

Facts are Facts - and though last week is a 'who knows' I'm pretty sure if Marve goes in in the third quarter while we still have the lead we win that game. Edmonton kind of proved it as B.C. pretty much had a similar game here - only difference was Reilly (who was my first choice btw I settled for him signing here in Edmonton as they are my #2 team) showed a QB who's on his game can do. 

I have no doubt that Willy has injury problems, I have no doubt he's better than he showed the last two months and is still the incumbent #1 Qb. 

 

But, I have no doubt that a guy, with ZERO CFL experience, who spent the first part of 3 months, as I understand a third stringers role, - playing the role of the opposition QB and working with OUR D for the first 4 months of the year while Willy and Brohm took the lions share of snaps with the regular offense, has a future in this league the way he played. He made very tough throws, while being chased, on 'busted' plays, two weeks in a row (where he played). Albeit against the same team, and one in very poor conditions, but I liked what I saw.

Drew Willy is our #1 guy I have no argument there. But next year, if he's hurt, or if he's struggling, we better be putting in Marve to 'change the pace'. I could care less about 3700 yards btw - in an 18 game passing league, 3700 yards isn't impessive. Add 1000 yards and 15 TD's to that total, then you can color me impressed. Marve impressed me - Willy impressed me early - he didn't impress me at all since mid - August. 

[17to85]

congratulations to the fans that wanted cotton, sears, and a win in Calgary.

 

don't know how 17/85 can analyze players all the way from alberta like that. pretty good.

We have tvs in Alberta, we can watch the games, besides that I was in Winnipeg for the first preseason game. Was easy to see that Cotton was better than Grigsby in preseason and it was easy to see that Grigsby ran like a sissy on tv.