Let’s open with this because context and frames of reference are important when discussing the current struggles of the Winnipeg Blue Bombers offence:
Over the last few years the Blue Bombers attack roared like the engine on an F-1 car. And when it pulled in for the occasional pit stop the crew had the machine back out on the track and purring again in an instant. The numbers reflected that as last year the club finished first in points scored (33.0 per game), first in passing touchdowns (42), first in net offence per game (414.7) — all key offensive barometers. The numbers were almost as impressive in 2022 with the team second in points (29.9), first in passing TDs (44) and third in net offence (366.3).
And this year through seven games? The numbers are ugly with a capital UGH — last in points (21.3), last in passing touchdowns (three) and eighth in net offence (332.9).
What gives, you ask? Well, missing key pieces like Kenny Lawler, Dalton Schoen and a third starting receiver from last year in Rasheed Bailey — to use the same F-1 analogy — this year’s model is currently operating on mismatched tires and the engineering team is still tinkering with the engine.
“You’ve got to score points and when you don’t score touchdowns your chances aren’t good in this league,” offensive coordinator Buck Pierce told a group of reporters after practice on Wednesday. “We’ve got to execute better. Consistency has been a big thing for us this year — we do some things well, but we just haven’t put it all together yet.
“The most important thing, and it’s what we keep telling our guys and our offence, is there’s opportunities in adversity. Nobody wants to play that way. The guys are working hard but we have to understand the reality of we’ve got to get better. The way you get better is you look at yourself, put your helmet on and go back to work.”
That inconsistency has actually been the one constant with the offence through seven games. Two weeks ago in the win over Calgary the attack churned out 444 yards of net offence — 344 through the air and 116 along the ground — along with three touchdowns and four field goals in what was a dynamic 41-37 decision. And yet the numbers fell back to earth again in last week’s loss in Saskatchewan, with just nine points and three turnovers — two of them at critical spots on the field and in critical moments.
Through all this the man feeling the most heat right now is quarterback Zach Collaros, who has an uncharacteristic 2:7 touchdown-to-interception ratio and the lowest QB-efficiency rating (77.4) amongst CFL starters.
And, just so we’re clear, there’s no one anyone on the Blue Bombers would rather have at the controls to steer this car back into the fight than No. 8.
“Zach’s our guy and I wouldn’t have it any other way. I’ll say that for sure,” Pierce said. “Obviously at the quarterback position everybody is going to look at those things. Does he have to play better? Yes. And he’ll tell you that. Does he have to be more consistent? Sure. Just like a lot of other people as well.
“It’s also everybody. It’s a team game and we’ve got to make sure we’re clean for him as well and that’s part of offensive football — we all need to be on the same page, we all need to be seeing the same way. And when you get to that point it looks pretty good and it looks pretty cool. That’s our message still. We’re going to continue to put pieces in place to help our offence as a whole.
“He understands the big picture of everything as well,” Pierce added. “His job is to run our offence and that’s what’s lost in a lot of this — he doesn’t have to be somebody he’s not and go out there and play football. He is as competitive and as driven as I’ve ever seen him and that’s where you’ll probably see some of the fieriness a little bit. His expectations are high, no matter who’s in there and whether it’s a practice or a game or whether it’s Week 1 or Grey Cup. His expectations are high and that’s where they should be.”
What’s absolutely critical now for the Blue Bombers as they wait for the return of Lawler, likely sometime next month, is to find the formula that works week to week. As running back Brady Oliveira has so often said this season already, ‘Whatever it takes’ — whether that’s pound the ball along the ground, filling the air with passes or finding the perfect combination of both.
In any case, with Schoen and Lawler absent, opposition defences have focussed first on trying to stifle the run and it’s often put the Blue Bombers in second-and-long situations.
“It definitely makes it more challenging when it comes to running the football and running at a high level like we’ve done for so many games, so many years,” said Oliveira. “When you have guys out of your lineup that really are deep threats, I’m not saying we don’t have those deep threats — we still do with these young guys and Pokey (Wilson) and (Nic) Demski and Woli (Drew Wolitarsky) just being Mr. Reliable out there. We still have guys who can run downfield, run great routes and get the ball. But when you’re talking about Kenny Lawler and Dalton Schoen, those are two of the best receivers in the league and so when you have them out of the lineup it definitely makes it more challenging.
“But, again, every single week it’s going to look different and we’ve just got to execute. If we want to run the ball 20 times a game, then let’s execute those plays at a high level and be successful. And if we’re going to pass it a ton, well, let’s execute those plays and just find a way to win. It doesn’t matter if we have people out of the lineup and it’s looking a lot more challenging for us, let’s just find a way to win.
“We have the guys to get the job done. We might not be blowing people out of the water by 40, but we have the right people to get the job done and get wins.”
Brady Oliveira spoke to the media following Wednesday’s practice.
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— Winnipeg Blue Bombers (@Wpg_BlueBombers) July 24, 2024
