Bombers @ Birds: ESF GDT

[Deiter Fan]

1 hour ago, Childress said:

I'd be surprised if the Bombers move on from O'Shea or Walters.  In the last 6 seasons, they have made the playoffs each year, they were Grey Cup Finalists 5 times and Champions twice.  They finished with a winning record this year.  The Bombers could and likely would do a lot worse by replacing these guys.

They have stayed loyal to some long time vets, some for maybe too long, and their play has clearly dropped off.  I'm not sure if they should move on from Collaros, but he is not the player he was a few years ago.  Jefferson is not a dominant defensive player anymore.  Neufeld and Bryant aren't what they were.  They'll add some free agents, but it is in the new recruits that sets a team up for success.  

If six years ago they finished 10-8, lost out in the eastern semi then went on to make it to the next 5 Grey Cups, losing the 1st 3 then finishing off by winning the last two that's great. Reverse that scenario and it's a completely different situation. They are clearly regressing and trending downward. I'm not saying anyone's gonna be let go but let's not kid ourselves about the direction in which we're headed

[17to85]

So question.... they kept Bailey on, did he take any snaps during the game?

[Doublezero]

MTL = 556 net offence. You can't win when you surrender yards like that. Full stop.

[SpeedFlex27]

8 hours ago, Rich said:

The Bombers just set a record for consecutive home sellouts and a 10 win season.  
 

As much as I agree that something has to change, this team is definitely trending in the wrong direction, don’t see it happening until they feel it at the gate.  

Which, if nothing changes they will feel it next season. 

Edited 11 hours ago by SpeedFlex27

[Captain Blue]

Just now, Deiter Fan said:

If six years ago they finished 10-8, lost out in the eastern semi then went on to make it to the next 5 Grey Cups, losing the 1st 3 then finishing off by winning the last two that's great. Reverse that scenario and it's a completely different situation. They are clearly regressing and trending downward. I'm not saying anyone's gonna be let go but let's not kid ourselves about the direction in which we're headed

I can somewhat agree - it's clear we are regressing, but after back to back Cup wins you can really only regress right? Nobody wins forever. 

[Brandon]

Damn I have been so disinterested in this club this year that I forgot they were playing and missed the game. 

This club needs to fire Hogan and sign minimum 4 starters in free agency for next season. If this doesn't happen then I can't imagine this club getting any better.

Edited 19 hours ago by Brandon

[SpeedFlex27]

1 minute ago, Captain Blue said:

I can somewhat agree - it's clear we are regressing, but after back to back Cup wins you can really only regress right? Nobody wins forever. 

It's the way this season unfolded. It was avoidable. I can take a losing season if we at least ried to improve this past off season. Instead we didn't do anything oher than signing Vaughters. That is inexcusable when we are a Grey Cup contending team & hosting the Grey Cup. For all the good Walters does now, he might as well live full time in Florida with McManus. 

[Deiter Fan]

8 minutes ago, Captain Blue said:

I can somewhat agree - it's clear we are regressing, but after back to back Cup wins you can really only regress right? Nobody wins forever. 

Hey I'm not saying any of this is easy and I'm certainly not the guy you'd want to hire to fix things but it's not just about regression it's the way in which they're regressing. Poor coaching decisions, roster management, apparent poor scouting, complete lack of forethought given to preparing to replace ageing vets...and my goodness the complete lack of off-season moves to try and make a serious run for the Cup in a year you're hosting is not a good look.

Edited 19 hours ago by Deiter Fan

[HardCoreBlue]

1 hour ago, 17to85 said:

Thomas and Willie need to be cut immediately on D to have any hope for next year. Kolankowski also. 

There's a lot more but those 3 are huge liabilities that need to go.

Knowing we had a variety of major issues with this 2025 team that need attention my arch nemesis for this year was our interior DL and running a three man front with JT even playing end the odd time! The first half today this arch nemesis of mine allowed Alexander all the time in the world and he beat us like a rented mule. Just gross to watch. I hope this changes in 2026 where we place way more emphasis on disrupting the QB. Make it a mantra or something.

[SpeedFlex27]

2 minutes ago, HardCoreBlue said:

Knowing we had a variety of major issues with this 2025 team that need attention my arch nemesis for this year was our interior DL and running a three man front with JT even playing end the odd time! The first half today this arch nemesis of mine allowed Alexander all the time in the world and he beat us like a rented mule. Just gross to watch. I hope this changes in 2026 where we place way more emphasis on disrupting the QB. Make it a mantra or something.

Dressing 10 linebackers & five DL with a 3 man front with no real interior linemen on the roster really killed us. Our DC is: 

 

[Tracker]

For those advocating that O'Shea ought to be given another year or two to fix what is wrong with the team: O'Shea had viable alternatives sitting on the bench all year and refused to use them except in the last game for a bit. He has had three consecutive years of declining performances and has made only token changes. IMO. he has clearly shown that he is incapable of change. If nothing changes, then nothing changes.

[JuranBoldenRules]

10 minutes ago, Deiter Fan said:

Hey I'm not saying any of this is easy and I'm certainly not the guy you'd want to hire to fix things but it's not just about regression it's the way in which they're regressing. Poor coaching decisions, roster management, apparent poor scouting, complete lack of forethought given to preparing to replace ageing vets...and my goodness the complete lack of off-season moves to try and make a serious run for the Cup in a year you're hosting is not a good look.

The only real impactful move they could have done differently in free agency 2025 is do what it takes to keep Lawler.  The rest of the internal guys you're looking at guys at the end of the road moving on or all the JAGs sitting on Hamilton's IR.  Really should have been planning for this Grey Cup coming out of 2023.  Start rebuilding the lines, and really rebuilding them.  Like basically start from scratch.

We seem to have real issues finding Americans other than DB's.  Been 2-3 years with huge holes in receiving core.  Have found one real CFL player in that crew when we've been easily 2-3 short for a couple seasons.

I think Jenkins could be a real special CFL edge rusher.

1 minute ago, Tracker said:

For those advocating that O'Shea ought to be given another year or two to fix what is wrong with the team: O'Shea had viable alternatives sitting on the bench all year and refused to use them except in the last game for a bit. He has had three consecutive years of declining performances and has made only token changes. IMO. he has clearly shown that he is incapable of change. If nothing changes, then nothing changes.

Name names.

[Bomberguy]

In the end my evaluation of the team is old doesn’t match up as well as young. It happens to all good teams eventually. This kind of looks like the Tampa Bay Lightning from a year or so ago. Before the Bombers get to look like this seasons version of the Lightning things need to change. We’ve got some good youngsters to build on but they’ve got to go younger at many key positions no matter how painful it might be in the short term. Assuming the youngsters are talented and of course the coach lets them play. 

[Tracker]

1 minute ago, JuranBoldenRules said:

The only real impactful move they could have done differently in free agency 2025 is do what it takes to keep Lawler.  The rest of the internal guys you're looking at guys at the end of the road moving on or all the JAGs sitting on Hamilton's IR.  Really should have been planning for this Grey Cup coming out of 2023.  Start rebuilding the lines, and really rebuilding them.  Like basically start from scratch.

We seem to have real issues finding Americans other than DB's.  Been 2-3 years with huge holes in receiving core.  Have found one real CFL player in that crew when we've been easily 2-3 short for a couple seasons.

I think Jenkins could be a real special CFL edge rusher.

Name names.

They have been named ad nauseum.

[JuranBoldenRules]

12 minutes ago, Tracker said:

They have been named ad nauseum.

Who's a player here not on the roster that you think would have made a major difference today? 

Maybe Jenkins off the edge.  Who else?

[Childress]

44 minutes ago, Deiter Fan said:

If six years ago they finished 10-8, lost out in the eastern semi then went on to make it to the next 5 Grey Cups, losing the 1st 3 then finishing off by winning the last two that's great. Reverse that scenario and it's a completely different situation. They are clearly regressing and trending downward. I'm not saying anyone's gonna be let go but let's not kid ourselves about the direction in which we're headed

Who is in charge of recruiting their imports?  I don't think they've done very good there for a long time.  They find some good players, but not enough.  That is why they have to hang on to the old guys.  No one is beating them out.

[17to85]

4 minutes ago, JuranBoldenRules said:

Who's a player here not on the roster that you think would have made a major difference today? 

Maybe Jenkins off the edge.  Who else?

Does it need to be major or would little changes make enough difference? We never tried... dl looked a lot better without rookies last week though. 

[HardCoreBlue]

4 minutes ago, JuranBoldenRules said:

Who's a player here not on the roster that you think would have made a major difference today? 

Maybe Jenkins off the edge.  Who else?

See to me implying we had no one better to replace players not performing using a JT as an example is football malpractice therefore someone should lose their job. Literally. 

[Big Daddy]

12 minutes ago, Childress said:

Who is in charge of recruiting their imports?  I don't think they've done very good there for a long time.  They find some good players, but not enough.  That is why they have to hang on to the old guys.  No one is beating them out.

Well it's Danny Mac, and the gentleman that was hired by Hamilton to be GM that passed away this year.  Very sad to see that.  
 

And those two had done a good job for a while, so not sure why it is going downhill now.

[rebusrankin]

1 hour ago, Captain Blue said:

I can somewhat agree - it's clear we are regressing, but after back to back Cup wins you can really only regress right? Nobody wins forever. 

The Harlem Globetrotters would like a word.

[JuranBoldenRules]

39 minutes ago, 17to85 said:

Does it need to be major or would little changes make enough difference? We never tried... dl looked a lot better without rookies last week though. 

Yeah it was nice to play against 3 different tackles and a useless QB too.

[17to85]

7 minutes ago, JuranBoldenRules said:

Yeah it was nice to play against 3 different tackles and a useless QB too.

I'm just saying, we knew we had problems and never tried other options. 

1 hour ago, HardCoreBlue said:

Knowing we had a variety of major issues with this 2025 team that need attention my arch nemesis for this year was our interior DL and running a three man front with JT even playing end the odd time! The first half today this arch nemesis of mine allowed Alexander all the time in the world and he beat us like a rented mule. Just gross to watch. I hope this changes in 2026 where we place way more emphasis on disrupting the QB. Make it a mantra or something.

I wish it was just the odd time.

[HardCoreBlue]

10 minutes ago, JuranBoldenRules said:

Yeah it was nice to play against 3 different tackles and a useless QB too.

yeah and it was nice to trot out a player who had no business being trotted out regardless of who we had in the bullpen. Fantastic.

[GCn20]

Next year likely sees a shake up in management/scouting and coordinators.

Collaros will be back but Elgersma and another QB will be in town. New GM will have carte Blanche to tear down this abysmal roster and will be aggressive in FA.

Probably seen the last of many vets.

51 minutes ago, Big Daddy said:

Well it's Danny Mac, and the gentleman that was hired by Hamilton to be GM that passed away this year.  Very sad to see that.  
 

And those two had done a good job for a while, so not sure why it is going downhill now.

We haven't brought in much for IMPs since Rigmaiden left and the new scouts were not good either

[bigg jay]

32 minutes ago, GCn20 said:

Next year likely sees a shake up in management/scouting and coordinators.

I mean we did just overhaul  our scouting department less than a year ago (Danny Mac aside).  We hired 3 new guys (Deslauriers, Jauch &  Sunderland) in January to replace Goveia & Penn so I could see them being kept on. 

Edited 16 hours ago by bigg jay