Tell me the last time you saw a stat line like this from a quarterback and a team not only win, but have control of most of the game?

What does not show up in that graphic is that Streveler had a quarterback efficiency rating of 9.4.
CFL QUARTERBACK RATING BACKGROUND
· Takes into account a team’s complete offensive results when that QB is in charge of a possession rather than just passing statistics
· Effectively measures offensive production for Points, Ball movement (net yards, first downs etc.) and ultimately Win or Loss results
· Focuses on key other attributes such as creating 2nd Down Conversions, avoiding Sacks and Fumbles, and contributing rushing yards
· Applies the existing Efficiency Rating as 40% of the calculation and adds in eight new results-based metrics for the other 60% out of 100
· The overall objective of the CFL’s Quarterback Rating is to integrate individual and team results and create a productivity measure that is more than a simple pass efficiency number, a value which continues to rise each year to a new all-time high in 2017

When this metric, quarterback passing efficency was first created, 66.7 was considered and average rating while 100+ was a great rating. I will reiterate it again, Chris Streveler had a rating of 9.4…no I did not mistype that decimal! It was not 94 but 9.4!!!

For comparison here are Dru Brown’s stats.

If you were to look at those two graphics, and if I told you both quarterbacks played the whole game, who would you have told me won the game? The answer has to be Ottawa. And yet the Bombers found a way to win by doing exactly what I said that they had to do in my article leading up to the game. If you missed them, they are below.

“Keys To A Bombers Victory
I will be honest, I do not think there is much chance that the Bombers pull this one off. However, and it is a big however, if the Bombers are going to find a way to win there are a few things that must all happen.

1) Streveler must be perfect or throw a ball nobody can catch!
If Streveler throws any interceptions, the Bombers are done for. If he is going to miss on a throw, it needs to be in a place that nobody can catch it. He simply is not good enough to throw into coverage with the pass being off even a little bit.

2) The Bombers must run the ball with or without success!
I hope they run the ball with success. But even if it is not proving fruitful, the moment the Bombers get away from the run, the game is over. Brady Oliveira had 116 yards rushing last game…and over 100 of those came in the first half. Yet down 20-10 at the half the Bombers stopped running the ball. Streveler is not good enough to get the Bombers back in the game by throwing the ball. The Bombers need to continue to run the ball, and look towards my point number 3.

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3) Hope for some CFL magic!
The Bombers are not winning this game on their own…and I hope that is not a shocker to anyone. If the Bombers have a chance at winning they are going to need some Crazy Football League magic to kick in. A sudden wind gust like last year in Montreal; fortuitous bounces where Ottawa loses the ball multiple times; multiple kick returns for touchdowns, even a plague of biblical proportions could help the Bombers. Dru Brown gets river blindness for 3 hours, Crum cramps us, and Shiltz forgot his equipment in BC…yah, it might take that much.

If only a few of these things happen…forget about it. Ottawa will win the game.” 

And Yet, I Would Be Concerned If Streveler Starts Against Hamilton
Let me be perfectly clear. While Winnipeg had to win this game, this is not a sustainable way to win football games. Ottawa showed exactly why they are the worst team in the CFL. There may be changes coming to the Ottawa coaching staff after that loss. If you are an Ottawa fan, you must be absolutely beside yourself trying to figure out how your team lost.

The Bombers look ahead to playing Hamilton next at Princess Auto Stadium. I do not even care that it is a home game…the Bombers cannot win this way two weeks in a row; let alone again this season. You can see that the Bombers had the same game plan against Ottawa that they did the week before against Hamilton. It did not work that time against Hamilton, and it certainly will not work this week against Hamilton.

It Will Not Happen Twice In A Row
Sure, Winnipeg can try to make it happen twice but I do not see it happening. There was too many one-offs that all occurred to help Winnipeg.
*Lewis Ward missed 2 field goals!
*One of them was returned for a 128 yard touchdown! Vaval was 2 yards away from the back of the end zone, nearly got tackled on the 1 yard line, and nearly got tackled 2 more times.
*Cam Allen had 2 interceptions for the Bombers
*Castillo went 4/4 (although that is the least surprising of the bunch).
*Ottawa fumbled the ball on a kick return and Winnipeg recovered
*Vaval played great defense without taking a pass interference penalty
*Everything else

Maybe I Have It All Wrong
Winnipeg already won this way against Toronto earlier this year with Streveler as the quarterback; where Vaval returned 2 kicks for touchdowns. So maybe I have this all backwards, and Streveler is the best option with Collaros out…but I do not think so. I think that Winnipeg caught lightning in a bottle twice and is very unlikely to do it again.

However, it is not like the best teams are always the ones to win the Grey Cup. Look at the East Division the last 3 years. Somewhat, ok teams in Toronto and Montreal took the Grey Cup home the last 3 years. So maybe Winnipeg is sitting right where they want to be. Yet, with Winnipeg taking on Hamilton next, and already trying this game plan once before against them, I doubt the outcome will be any different. Then Winnipeg has Edmonton, Saskatchewan, and Montreal.

Do you think Winnipeg can win even 1 more of their last 4 games if Streveler is in and the Bombers utilize this type of game plan? I am not convinced that they can. With the Bombers sitting at 7-7 maybe their best bet is to crossover to the East. But as I said before, the East simply finds a way in the playoffs they last few years…so maybe that is not the path.

Watch the condensed version and let me know if you think the Bombers can do this again. Or do you think it is Terry Wilson time? What did you think? Let me know in the comments section wherever you are reading this. Catch all my articles here.