Well, the blue bomber quarterback ratings are in and Drew Willey didn't win. He was not finding receivers downfield that were open. Our other quarterbacks were. Based on play alone in the two preseason games I would personally rank Willey last in performance. He showed none of the elusiveness of a Henry Burris when the first read wasn't open. He didn't show the quick release of a Kevin Glenn. It was more of the dink and dunk we've seen in the last two years. At least Andrew Harris executes it well.

Based on performance alone I would have to pick Matt Nichols or possibly Brian Bennett as the number one quarterback in the two preseason games. They would at least fire the ball downfield and they were picking out open receivers. If we had to thread the needle, they tried and made some completions. Dominic Davis impressed me more than Drew Willey. There are lots of excuses about why Willey didn't show but the other quarterbacks moved above and beyond those excuses.

My guess is that by mid year Willey will not be our number one quarterback unless something changes in a hurry.

I wonder what Wally Buono wants for Travis Lulay.

So far Willy has been given the benefit of the doubt due to his own injuries, a porous O-line and very questionable coaching by our departed offensive coordinator. However, its been two years, a lot of the moving parts have been replaced with better ones and we have LaPolice back. That means more of the onus to perform has to fall on Willy's shoulders, and we have been wandering in the wilderness for a long time. Even the diehard fans need a reason to keep believing and empty optimism isn't going to do it for very long this year. If we have another repeat of the two-and-out steady diet for more than two or three weeks, the pent-up wrath and frustration of the past 20+ years is going to be directed first at Willy, then O'Shea and maybe even Walters.

I like willy and think he has the tools needed.  That being said, Everything has been replaced except for him so their is not much to change.  The recievers are all gone and better ones (i hope) were brought in. The OC and the entire Playbook has been changed. The RB has been replaced with the most productive RB in the league. The Online has been firmed up and weak spots replaced (picard).  So.. whats left to change if Willy isn't advancing? Him.

If Nichols can come off the bench and win, or can come off the bench and move the ball when willy can't then we are really going to have to look at what we have in willy.  Hopefully it doesn't reach that point and Willy comes out and plays well with the full playbook.  If not, hopefully one of the other three Backsups can step up and take over. 

 

But.. it was just preseason and the whole playbook wasn't being used.. But.  They weren't able to execute on what they did run. 

 

14 minutes ago, Adrenaline_x said:

I like willy and think he has the tools needed.  That being said, Everything has been replaced except for him so their is not much to change.  The recievers are all gone and better ones (i hope) were brought in. The OC and the entire Playbook has been changed. The RB has been replaced with the most productive RB in the league. The Online has been firmed up and weak spots replaced (picard).  So.. whats left to change if Willy isn't advancing? Him.

...

I still believe part of the problem is the Oline. Not enough experience, size, and/or talent. But you're probably right, Willy needs to be better. I suspect that the beatings of the past two seasons have taken their toll on him not unlike Pierce and even Khari Jones before him. Winnipeg is a place where QBs get destroyed.

14 hours ago, KptKrunch said:

Here in Edmonton they've been doing that for the past four seasons. Not necessarily when the QB is doing bad either. They often put Pat Smith, Mike NIchols, Franklin, in even when Reilly was healthy. Just for a few series, or even a few plays, just to keep defences off balance. 

I do agree, when Willy is struggling he's really struggling. No harm at all in putting someone in. That being said - the Bombers didn't exactly have 'quality' Qb's behind him. Now with Nichols as the backup, I wouldn't be at all surprised to see him (Nichols) run some series during the game as a change up regardless of how Willy and the offense are doing. One of the other things I'm anxious to see. I'm sure I read here that starting this season Willy will be making north of 400k a year - if he's that high in salary - he better be more than a 1TD pass per game QB and he definitely needs to find consistency. 

I will give him a few games though - it is a new offense and a completely new set of receivers. Though he faced that his first season and his first 6 games of his career here he had 12 (or was it 13?) TD passes and the bombers were 5 - 1. 

Since? Well in 24 starts he's had 22 TD passes, that means in his last 18 start he has 10 TD passes. 400k for that? I know I wouldn't be happy if I were a bomber fan. Just sayin..........

So you're admitting you're not a fan!?!

It really doesn't matter to me what the specific problems were last year that got Willy beaten up. It matters that the coaches and our GM have identified the guilty party or parties and have done what it takes to fix it. We ought to know when the curtain falls on game three if we have hope or resignation for the season.

There's no more over rated player on this forum than Drew Willy. I really think people consider him an elite quarterback and he's accomplished nothing. 

1 hour ago, Bigblue204 said:

So you're admitting you're not a fan again!?!

fyp.

3 hours ago, J5V said:

I still believe part of the problem is the Oline. Not enough experience, size, and/or talent. But you're probably right, Willy needs to be better. I suspect that the beatings of the past two seasons have taken their toll on him not unlike Pierce and even Khari Jones before him. Winnipeg is a place where QBs get destroyed.

O-line play is more about technique than size... but also Bryant (6'5, 311), Daniels (6'4, 312), Goossen (6'4, 305), Chungh (6'4, 300), Neufeld (6'6, 312), Keeping (6'5, 300), and Bond (6'6, 329) are all adequately sized to play O-line... 

OL still a work in progress.....far, far from a finished (as in real competent) product.

While I was away on my self imposed stay in the sin bin something happened to my MBB icon

Now! please mods, fix this!  I click on my MBB icon and end up on the Rider's  2015 site.  Though the user id's sound familiar, some content, not so much.

Com'on  guys till next Friday the guns are loaded with pop corn and some got a little rusty. No sweat!

I watched and re-watched the game and there seemed to be one gun that was using confetti. No name but his initials sound like MH

6 hours ago, White Out said:

There's no more over rated player on this forum than Drew Willy. I really think people consider him an elite quarterback and he's accomplished nothing. 

I don't think people consider him elite, just a quality starter, which I believe he is. He makes good reads with the ball. Just like most qbs have issues when he's getting hit all the time, which let's be honest happens a lot here lately. 

9 hours ago, Bigblue204 said:

So you're admitting you're not a fan!?!

I'm admitting nothing - people here have their opinions, I have mine. I could care less what anyone here thinks about my loyalties. Not my problem (it's their's) so they'll have to deal with it

Of course, why they care about me I'll never know lol

Edited June 17, 20169 yr by KptKrunch

I think we need to calm our titties till the bullets fly for real ........??

2 hours ago, 17to85 said:

I don't think people consider him elite, just a quality starter, which I believe he is. He makes good reads with the ball. Just like most qbs have issues when he's getting hit all the time, which let's be honest happens a lot here lately. 

I dont think he's ever been billed as elite. Hes got elite potential but no ones grouping him with the best qbs in the league. Hes firmly in the tier below that. Border line guys who could break either way. Replace him with any one else in that tier and we wouldnt be any better. 

6 hours ago, do or die said:

OL still a work in progress.....far, far from a finished (as in real competent) product.

They need to face reality and block with 7, otherwise Willy is destined for the infirmary again.

8 minutes ago, pigseye said:

They need to face reality and block with 7, otherwise Willy is destined for the infirmary again.

And realistically they need to throw the ratio out of the window when it comes to OL.  I'd much rather have Feoli-Gudino on the field than Darvin Adams if it means Willy actually has a chance to get his eyes downfield and make a read.  Many games last season (particularly against Edmonton and Hamilton) where he literally couldn't get his eyes downfield at all because Picard and Neufeld blocked no one.  Our "starting" OL configuration was by far the worst of the groups we saw in the 2 pre-season games.

Until Willy gets into a three second release pattern he is gonna live a hard life. If the opposing D knows you are a five or more count QB they are going to throw everything but the kitchen sink at you. It's really simple Willy is as much to blame for his lack of staying vertical as his O-line.  KG isn't very mobile either but he compensates by having a three second drop and release. Very hard to defend against that.

16 minutes ago, Dragon37 said:

Until Willy gets into a three second release pattern he is gonna live a hard life. If the opposing D knows you are a five or more count QB they are going to throw everything but the kitchen sink at you. It's really simple Willy is as much to blame for his lack of staying vertical as his O-line.  KG isn't very mobile either but he compensates by having a three second drop and release. Very hard to defend against that.

The book on Wpg. has already been written, pressure the QB and they melt.  Hopefully making good use of Harris, Smith and Dressler to counteract blitzes a new chapter can be written.  We shall see.

7 minutes ago, Throw Long Bannatyne said:

The book on Wpg. has already been written, pressure the QB and they melt.  Hopefully making good use of Harris, Smith and Dressler to counteract blitzes a new chapter can be written.  We shall see.

Here's hoping.

Seems like that book could still be effective this year. First team offense kinda stunk it up in the preseason.

To be fair tho... it's a totally new O. New OC. Couple new receivers. New RB. Lots have changed and its gonna take time for the O to develop and Gel. Usually takes quite a bit of time for the O to develop to start the season. You rely on your D early to win some games. The O progresses as the season moves along. I think with all the changes and they are pretty significant... you need to give them time. You're not gonna learn an entirely new O in a couple weeks. It's gonna take time. Seems like some might have had unrealistic expectations to start out here thinking the brand new O which is pretty basic at the moment missing it's defacto number 1 receiver in Dressler was gonna come out firing on all cylinders. Doesn't work like that tho. It takes time to learn the system and takes time to gel. Dressler not playing either game also plays a role. He's our number 1. He's our proven receiver of the bunch. The vet. The leader even. Gonna take time. 

10 hours ago, Throw Long Bannatyne said:

The book on Wpg. has already been written, pressure the QB and they melt.  Hopefully making good use of Harris, Smith and Dressler to counteract blitzes a new chapter can be written.  We shall see.

That's football though. No quarterback does well when they are pressured a bunch. No one. That's why sacks are so important. 

2 minutes ago, 17to85 said:

That's football though. No quarterback does well when they are pressured a bunch. No one. That's why sacks are so important. 

Disagree to some extent. What you say is true almost 100% but there are exceptions like Calvillo and McManus who were geniuses in getting the ball away quickly, and at least some of their successes were due to their offensive coaches designing plays to compliment those talents.

39 minutes ago, 17to85 said:

That's football though. No quarterback does well when they are pressured a bunch. No one. That's why sacks are so important. 

As someone else already wrote, that's 50/50. Our O line has had a lot of issue last couple of years, but one of them is Willy. He doesn't make quick decisions and hangs on to the ball too often. We also have had a very stupid OC he appear unwilling, or, unable to coach that out of Willy.

Oline, OC Gameplan, and Willy all share equal blame for his injuries and ineffective play last 2 years. It's super easy to just throw your hands up in the air and blame the line. Willy needs to show he's improved and start getting the ball out fast. Once that happens teams will start to back off.. but they haven't had to because Steamboat Willy like's a good 5 seconds+ in the pocket.

1 hour ago, tracker said:

Disagree to some extent. What you say is true almost 100% but there are exceptions like Calvillo and McManus who were geniuses in getting the ball away quickly, and at least some of their successes were due to their offensive coaches designing plays to compliment those talents.

you're not disagreeing with his statement lol. You're just saying that AC/McManus were good at getting the ball out. 

However, it was no secret that the more pressure you put on AC, especially when you started hitting him (even if he got the ball off) he got more and more frustrated and would get happy feet.