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CFL Game Notes - CFL.ca 👁‍🗨well, if you go by stats..the Bombers are in for a tough time in Regina.. Ugly, ugly stats Chris Jones is 46-35 as a HC Mike O’Shea is 40-42 Sask is 35-19 over Wpg in the Labour Day Classic. 29 of those games have been decided only in the last 3 minutes. The meetings since 2002 have generally not been all that close - only 5 of the last 16 games were decided in the last 3:00 - Saskatchewan comes into the game with a better record (5-4 vs 5-5) than Winnipeg for the first time since 2014 - QBs: Saskatchewan will start their 4th straight different QB in the Classic, with Zach Collaros; Matt Nichols will start his 3rd in a row (Nichols started once for Edmonton vs Calgary and threw for 203 yards); Matt Nichols has yet to be held under 300 passing yards; he has 341 & 364 yards in his two Winnipeg LDW starts (16-17) (Nichols started once for Edmonton vs Calgary and threw for 203 yards) - Zach Collaros has also yet to be held under 300 passing yards in an LDW game; his three 300+ games were with Hamilton - Zach Collaros becomes the 38th player to start a Labour Day Weekend game for the Riders; Nichols is starter #39 for Winnipeg - Winnipeg snapped a Saskatchewan 11-game win streak in their 2016 LD Weekend meeting but dropped to 1 win in 13 last year - The Riders have outgained Winnipeg in the last 7 LDW meetings by over 100 yards per game (Avg: 388 to 275) Breaking Down Who Wins LDW Classic: There have been 54 previous games in this LD matchup and here is how it has broken down based on which club came into the game with a better record. The Bombers are 5-5 this year compared to the Riders at 5-4. WPG came in with better record: 29 times (Wins: SSK 18, WPG 11) SSK came in with better record: 15 times (Wins: SSK 11, WPG 4) Note: Teams came in with even records 10 times As the Riders were seeking in 2017, the underdog has often won this LD Weekend matchup. The Bombers have only 4 upset wins as underdogs i.e. the team lower in the standings heading in. ___________________________________________________________________________________________ Other Team Notes – Winnipeg at Saskatchewan: - Charleston Hughes: Leads the CFL with 12 Sacks (7 more than any other player) and comes into this game with a streak of 7 straight games with at least one. That is the longest consecutive games streak in his career, his previous long run was set at 6 in a row from Jun 28/14 to Aug 9/14. - Most consecutive games with a QB Sack: Over the last 25 years, here are the longest streaks with at least one QB Sack. Charleston Hughes has tied the most by any Saskatchewan player and is 3 short of the highest on record since 1994 👁‍🗨Joe Montford and Philip Hunt are the two players ahead of Hughes, each with 10 game streaks. - Sam Hurl 100 GP/ U of Calgary: Hurl will suit up this week for CFL game #100 in his career and it will be start #56. He is a prominent member of a remarkable 99 players that have come to the CFL from the Dinos - of those 99 individuals Hurl will become the 20th player of this group to make it to 100 career regular season games. - Nichols 9-3 .750 coming off a loss: Despite a second straight loss last week, Matt Nichols has had a remarkable run since July 2016 in the next start after a Blue Bombers loss as he will be doing again this week. In his last 12 starts after a Winnipeg defeat the club has gone 9-3 for a .750 winning %. - Avoiding 3 losses in a row: The Bombers have not lost 3 games in a row in the same season since the final three weeks of 2015. They have gone a span of 46 games with just 5 streaks of 2 defeats in a row and none longer than that. 5 of the last 6: The Riders have beaten Winnipeg just once in the last 6 games. This is the best Bombers' 6-game run against their Saskatchewan rivals in the last 13 years. Opponents' 502 net yards: The Bombers yielded just 325 net yards per game over their first 8 contests and through Week #9 ranked #4 in the CFL. Since then, they have given up 502 yards per game (493 & 511), the highest in the CFL since Week #9. The main area where this has come is on 1st down plays. First 8 games: 6.3 yards per play, Gm #9-10: 8.3 yards per play. Riders Sacks Allowed: Saskatchewan allowed 9 Sacks in their first 4 games. Since then in 5 games they have yielded just 3. Expect some 2-&-Outs: The Riders are #1 forcing opponents 62 times into a 2-&-Out. Winnipeg is #3 with 53 forced 2-&-Outs. - Jovon Johnson: Sat out last week's game and that snapped his consecutive games played streak at 73 in a row. Andrew Harris: Was held to just 13 yards rushing last week on 7 carries. That tied his lowest yardage since Oct 7/15 vs EDM. - Josh Bartel Inside the 10: Bartel has 6 punts pinning opponents inside the 10-yard line this year, one off the CFL lead. He is #2 overall with 60 since 2012. Winnipeg's Justin Medlock in many less games is #3 since 2012 with 36 including 7 in 2018. - Offensive & Defensive TD Same Game: The Riders' Nick Marshall scored a touchdown on offence and defence in the same game two weeks ago with a 3-yard rush and a 67-yard INT return. That specific Offence/Defence TD pair had not occurred since Tyrone Walls for Edmonton on September 4, 1972 a span of 46 years. There have been only 4 such pure occurrences in the last 50 years. Last week, Marshall scored another offensive TD on a short run and actually leads the club in touchdowns with 4. The nearest since 1972 was Milt Stegall on July 15, 1999 who caught a 37-yard TD pass from Kerwin Bell and returned a blocked punt/fumble 52 yards for a score.

Disappointed, I was hoping for a limerick.

are people posting over .08?

I feel sorry for Andrew Harris. Guy gives 110% and leaves it all on the field. Totally warrior and really basically our offense.

No idea what the f*** has happened to Matt Nichols but it doesnt matter anymore. He plays scared, cant move the pocket, and cant hit receivers consistently. He's crippling the offense. The excuses are over. If the season is going to be salvaged, Steveler needs to be given a chance but MOS doesnt have the balls to do it. Nice job proving Rod Pederson right Nichols.

There once was a guy named Matt, Got the call to throw out to the flat, The pass sailed, the defense failed, .... .... Riders still suck.

The reality of this team is that the D is fine until the offense completely shuts down and goes 2 and out repeatedly and then it craters. Even tonight the O went 3 2 and outs in a row in the 4th Q and the D got them back on the field twice, Rider TD on the 3rd drive. O has to do something. Even put together 3-4 first downs and flip field position. D had two big stops on the Riders deep in their end in the second half and we only got FG's out of those. Need at least one TD, hopefully 2. I don't know how the D gets blamed for this. Opposing offenses are going to make some plays, it's the bloody CFL. There aren't many 10-7 games up here.

Hard to believe in all of America the 3 mostly useless but occasionally spectacular import receivers we dressed today were the best we could find. Horrible. Did anyone of them catch half their targets? Why can't we use Simonise and Petermann at all? It's reaching the point where they couldn't be worse.

Well, at least we have this stat..

Oh considering they have gone from a terrible team to a team where winning games is expected I would say they are able to identify what isn't working and make changes. The problem is we have a very impatient fan base here and a very patient coach. They make changes, just not at the rate fans want. So be patient. The sun will come up tomorrow regardless.

If it wasn't the LDC it would be bizarre.

There once was a team from the Peg, Whose fans would give arms or a leg, For just one Grey Cup, But alas, just our luck, Once again we are left with the dregs.

Ah yes, the last resort of the blow hard. "I know more than you". btw this D hasn't been good enough for what, 5 years now? Yep. This is difficult problem hey? Real vexing. The difference between us right now is I'm willing to see what Streveler will do, and you keep harping on Nichols like he's our only problem.

If we're at the point where we're relying on CFL refereeing to win games - we are in serious trouble.

Hall's defence gave us an opportunity to win the game. It was our offence who couldn't convert opportunities in to majors. I was satisfied with the defence today.

Nichols is done. Its all about the QB in the CFL.. Ours sucks. Start the rookie

Matt Nichols is done. Sit him down on the bench. If this team trots him out for the Banjo Bowl, they should all be ashamed. Defense played pretty well. 14 of those points against were from Nichols and the special teams. Not their fault Nichols is having less success than Antonio Freaking Pipkin.

Hey, Nichols. Pro Tip. If you do interviews after today say nothing this time, k?

Where was the command centre on 3rd and inches to tell Proulx to straighten the chains.

Dressler out. Hope they move Wolitarsky into the middle of the field a bit, big, physical target good hands. Help the QB out.

Offense has to play from opening drive. Take advantage of turnovers provided by defense and protect the ball. Stay on the field, win field position. No long lapses. 2nd and 3rd quarter tend to be where they fall apart.

Because it has no bearing on anything right now.

Things are down right now but some folks are acting like their life is over.

Quarterback can't sustain it right now. At some point they need a QB to make some plays against "other" good teams. You can beat the Argos and Lions (at home anyway) sleepwalking through most of the game. They have as many pieces as anyone else.

I think the reality is simply that there is incredible parity in the league and any team can win on any day, whether by a small margin or a large one.

Exactly. Sometimes I feel like I’m the only person on this hoard that watches all the other games. Every single team has had major ups and downs this year, most from week to week. It’s not all sunshine and rainbows for anyone but Calgary at this point.

We talked about this on Babble. Our receivers can't challenge vertically. The worst set of Int receivers in the CFL. Wolitarsky is the possession guy.

Almost as absurd as the Davis TD INT in Calgary. This offense, whether it's Nichols reads, Lapo's calls or combo of both, tries way too hard to challenge the width of the field and not enough to challenge the depth. Just too easy to defend. Harris breaking tackles and getting loose for big runs is the only positive, Demski the odd time too.

14 for 26 for 166 yards, 1td, 2ints and 67 yards passing in the second half and you're defending Matty Iceberg? You would have had difficulties winning a CFL game in the 1950s with those kind of passing stats.

No. I just think its ridiculous to **** on the D when they gave up 17 points. Our O was awful. Our QB is the real problem.. Not a D who keeps us in it cuz outside of Harris our O doesn't do ****.

Petermann continues to waste away on the bench. Mind boggling. Too many Coaches Pets on this team.

They gave up 17 points all game.. Nichols basically threw a pick 6 and they had a punt return TD.

We're not going to win anything with Nichols or O'Shea and his gang of ineptitude....OVER REACTION you say....Look at the record after 5 yrs...the type of play we're seeing (except for Andrew) and we have the perennial loser ...Nobody can deliver on this team WHEN IT COUNTS...and that comes down to coaching, firstly,....secondly player personnel...This club has neither except for a few like Harris and Bighill....You won't win many Cups with a club found wanting like that...

I'd be all for Streveler starting the BB. But that doesn't fix the D or bad coaching. The smiling idiot who is our head coach is the one who is in charge of the decision making. He's priority #1 to replace. Hall being 2nd.

Drafting 10 cdn receivers, when only one or two should ever see the field in a functional CFL offence. And with the injury to Foketi, now the Bombers are very thin for depth on the O-Line, once again. At least Taman would get something useful when he traded draft picks. Walters keeps them but makes stupid decisions to waste them, which is actually more harmful to the team. Addison Richards and Faith Ekakitie were both really bad examples of that. Now drafting all those cdn possession receivers which can never be used effectively other than on the practice roster is another big mistake. Taman >> Walters Mack > Walters

What u want the D to do when the O does nothing all half? Nichols pretty much threw a pick 6 and at the end rushed a bad throw resulting in interception. How is this game on the D at all? We lost by a Nichols interception

[sarcasm] Hey man, didn't you read earlier? The past doesn't matter.

This is one of those times when I ask myself, why do I keep supporting this team and putting up with this? Year 19 of Season Tickets, attended at least half of the home games very season since about 96. Been going to games since 88. Frustration thy name is Blue Bombers.

Another second half collapse. We see that every game. What do the players do at halftime? Smoke weed? Don't answer that.

Who the fk called that play... if that's a Nichols check down - he really should sit for the season. 93 yards to go in one minute and you lob to the flats across the field... embarrassing. If they lose the Banjo Bowl - Walters, Osh and everyone are finished...

Same old problems year after year.... - No halftime adjustments - Sloppy tackling - Offence stalls in second half - Lapo can't convert in the red zone, Hall can't stop anyone in the redzone... Hall sucks but this loss is on Nichols... absolutely.

If Nichols is going to continue to eat the football or throw it away, Streveler gives you his running advantage.

Nichols panics almost immediately also.. Hes scared to get hit

At this point Wild needs off this team, not the same player of years gone by.

Thompkins makes up for that drop imo.

The whole team has to come out ready to play and keep playing the whole 60 minutes. If they get out in front, they need to keep piling it on. To hell with laying back and protecting a lead. Against Ottawa, they got punched in the mouth and never responded. This is going to be that type of game and the Bombers NEED to hit back or it’s going to be a very long afternoon.

WOOO HOOO Go BOMBERS GO!!!! ITS GAME DAY....!!! YAY! *read quote* Daaaamn man.. you are the the type of guy who enjoys pissing in someone's cornflakes. You're the kinda guy who rains all over people's parades... You're the guy who pops a child's balloon You're the guy who reminds a diner where veal comes from. Why do you even bother "cheering" for this team? I still don't know if you are a troll. You are like the source, just less obvious. Anyways Debbie downer- I hope you can enjoy the game.

Sorry, Bonanza is closed.

Saturday, September 1: DB Jeff Richards Richards spent last season on the Chargers’ practice roster after participating in training camp with Carolina but has been released. He spent the 2015 and 2016 seasons as a member of the Ottawa Redblacks. DB Jonathon Mincy CFL rights holder: None Mincy joined the Bears back in January following two seasons as the Alouettes’ boundary cornerback but has been released by the Bears according to an online report. DB Dexter McCoil CFL rights holder: None A two-time West Division all-star, McCoil has been released by the 49ers. OL Brett Boyko CFL rights holder: B.C. Lions Boyko made his NFL debut late last season after two years on the Chargers’ practice roster but has been released after reaching an injury settlement with the club. OL Ryan Hunter – (N) CFL rights holder: Toronto Argonauts Hunter has been waived by the Kansas City Chiefs. The 2018 draft class top-ranked CFL draft prospect signed with the Chiefs as a priority free agent after going unselected in the NFL draft. Hunter will go through the waiver process and is a strong practice roster candidate. Friday, August 31: OL Austin Pasztor CFL rights holder: Edmonton Eskimos After six seasons in the NFL, including last year with the Falcons, Pasztor has been released. He was fourth overall pick in the 2012 draft by Edmonton – with a pick acquired in the Ricky Ray trade – but has earned almost $5 million USD in his career. OL Dakoda Shepley – (N) CFL rights holder: Saskatchewan Roughriders Shepley was signed by the Jets as a priority free agent following the conclusion of the 2018 NFL draft and received a significant signing bonus from the club but he has been waived. DB Kacy Rodgers II CFL rights holder: None The former Saskatchewan Roughrider defensive back signed his first NFL contract in February but has been released – despite the fact that Rodgers’ father, Kacy Rodgers Sr., is the Jets’ defensive coordinator. WR DeVier Posey (I) CFL rights holder: None Posey signed a one-year contract with the Ravens fresh-off a Grey Cup victory with Toronto – including a $100,000 signing bonus – but was released. Argos GM Jim Popp says the team wants him back. WR Mark Chapman (N) CFL rights holder: Hamilton Tiger-Cats The first overall pick in the 2018 CFL Draft, Chapman has been waived by the Denver Broncos and they are reportedly not immediately considering him for a practice roster spot. WR/DB Terrell Sinkfield (I) CFL rights holder: None The former Argo, Ticat and Lion was trying to make the New York Jets as a defensive back but has been released. Tuesday, August 28 OL Geoff Gray (I) CFL rights holder: Winnipeg Blue Bombers Gray was placed on waivers by the Cleveland Browns.

Its not just the losses that have put O'Shea on the hot seat. Its the downward trajectory this year, two consecutive blowouts going into the LDC/Banjo Bowl series, his (at least perceived) unwillingness to dump unproductive coaches and players and questionable player management. None of these are fatal by themselves but they do add up to problems. If the Bombers get blown out in Regina and lose again in the Banjo Bowl, O'Shea and Co. are in trouble.