If you are a Bomber fan you have to be wondering, “What happened?!” and you are likely asking that question for a couple of reasons.

First Quarter Woes

On the opening play of the game the Riders executed an on-side kick. While I said that Winnipeg should prepare for some trick plays, I did not feel like that play set the tone for the game. I do not think that play rattled Winnipeg. If anything, that play energized the fans. Look, Winnipeg dropped 14 points to Montreal before putting up 30 unanswered points on them to beat Montreal 47-17; an onside kick is not going to rattle the Bombers!

The Bombers had their own struggles. The passing game was really struggling in the first quarter. At one point; well into the first quarter Zach Collaros was 1/5 for 2 yards passing!

While the Bombers did struggle in the first quarter they would end the game with pretty decent statistics.

Decent Game Statistics

Failure to Convert

Despite putting up the numbers that should be good enough to win a game, the Bombers fell in overtime when they were unsuccessful on their 2 point conversion! Why the Bombers did not call a time out to make sure they had the play called, heard, and understood is beyond me.

Game Ball

In a game where the Bombers should have beat the Riders it is tough to find a Game Ball recipient. Winnipeg had some big plays but there was not your prototypical type of play that receives a Game Ball. Maybe this week Zach Collaros should get the game ball; for similar reasons that he was in the conversation for last week. Had Collaros pulled out the win again this week he most certainly would have received a Game Ball. However, this week the game ball will go to Nic Demski; not so much for his 118 receiving yards but for his 38 YAC (yards after contact). For not going down on first contact and racking up those yards, Demski you get my Game Ball.

Jock

In a game where the Bombers should have won, and subsequently lost in overtime, there are numerous potential award winners. While in the conversation for a Game Ball, Collaros could be in the conversation for the Jock! If the award was handed out after the first quarter he most certainly would have ‘won’ the award.

How about Schoen? While he is trying to lead the league in reception yards he had some uncharacteristic drops. When you go into Regina, you just have to have those catches.

Maybe the caching staff should get the Jock? They neither called a time out to make sure they were ready to defend Saskatchewan’s 2 point convert in overtime, nor called a time out to make sure they were ready to execute their own 2 point convert.

Any option that you could think of for the Jock all goes out the window because of the idiotic play by Riders #45 Robertson; when he decided head-butting Zach Collaros was s good idea. There were many injustices on that play; it should have cost the Riders the game but it did not.

Another injustice was that Collaros had to go down to get the call! I am not sure if he was actually injured – though we do know that he has had concussion issues in the past – yet if he does not take a knee no penalty is called! I believe the official did not even make the call…it was Command Center! That is now twice that players have taken a cheap shot on Collaros and only once a penalty was called.

After all of that, Collaros needs to go off the field for 3 plays (as he took a knee) and somehow, some way, Robertson is allowed to stay on the field. Hey ref the call is pretty obvious, “Right play, disqualification Saskatchewan number 45.” And if the referee some how is unable to make that call, that call needs to come down from Command Center. Who really cares about an after the fact fine?

The CFL does a terrible job of protecting its quarterbacks! Collaros has called out the league once again on this issue!

“Do you think the league will do anything about it?” Collaros said, visibly emotional after the 32-30 loss to the Roughriders before 33,350 fans at sold-out Mosaic Stadium. “It happens all the time.” – source

Bomber’s Head Coach Mike O’Shea also had this to say, “Added head coach Mike O’Shea when it was suggested by The Sun’s Ted Wyman that Collaros was ‘pretty mad’: “Rightfully so. Ridiculous. I’m not sure why there’s not a flag on the field and it’s got to go to the command centre. I do not understand that. I hear too many times ‘I didn’t see it.’ I don’t know what to say. I don’t know what the standard is anymore, really, and I’m on the rules committee. I have no clue.” – source

I would suggest that Bomber fans watch both of the post game interviews! Collaros is visibly upset, and Mike O’Shea did not mince words either!

Maybe the CFL thinks the best way to develop quarterbacks is to have the staring quarterbacks injured forcing rookies to start games!

So this week there are many Jocks to hand out; Robertson; officiating crew; Command Center; CFL; for the absolutely inexcusable hit, for the lack of an immediate penalty, for not ejecting Roberston, for having a history of not protecting quarterbacks, for making a mockery of the game, for not protecting the league’s reigning back to back Most Outstanding Player…you all get the Jock!

What do you agree with? What do you disagree with? Let me know in the comments wherever you are reading this!

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