Look, I get it. We do not know what place the Bombers will finish in yet, and finishing in first grants you the Western Final and an easier path to the Grey Cup. But here is one thing we do know; Zach Collaros needs to play more than he needs to rest.

And this in not just a 2024 idea. When you look back at the Western Finals, where the Bombers clinched first early, Zach looked rusty. In fact the whole team did. Compare that to 2019 when the Bombers had to play on the road in Calgary, and then on the road in Saskatchewan to get to the Grey Cup; they looked much better.

In 2021, the Bombers had clinched first in the West early on…and then narrowly beat Saskatchewan in the Western Final; with Collaros throwing 3 interceptions.

That year the Bombers would win the Grey Cup 33-25…but it went to overtime.

In 2022, the Bombers again clinched first early.

That year they would lose the Grey Cup with Collaros throwing for zero touchdowns and 1 interception.

Then you have the 2023 Western Final, where Winnipeg yet again clinched early. How did they do in that Western Final? While the score may not look close, this game was close until the Bombers scored in the 4th quarter. But notice, yet again, Collaros threw for zero touchdowns.

Again in that Grey Cup Collaros threw for zero touchdowns, and one interception.

This is not ‘get down on Collaros time,’ this simply illustrates a point. When Collaros sits before the Western Final, he does not play well in that game…and he does not play well in the Grey Cup.

Now obviously you need to still get to the Grey Cup, but their play in the Grey Cups also seem indicative of if they rested. Yes, it is fun to host the Western Final…I was at the last four of them. And yes, getting to the Grey Cup is thrilling…I was at the last four of them. But winning the Grey Cup is the ultimate goal.

And what is glaringly obvious is that Collaros needs to play leading up to the Grey Cup. As I mentioned at the onset, we do not know what place the Bombers will finish in yet, and finishing in first grants you the Western Final and an easier path to the Grey Cup. But here is one thing we do know; Zach Collaros needs to play more than he needs to rest.

So maybe, just maybe, there is some silver lining in the fact that Winnipeg has to wait until next week when they match up against Montreal to try and secure the Western Final. That means that there will be no ‘rest vs rust’ conversation. There will not be starters for the Bombers sitting – and it sounds like Montreal may take the same approach.

The only conversation that the Bombers will be having is this, ‘We need to go 1-0 this week.’ Do that and the Bombers host the Western Final. Fail to do that and the Bombers will be watching to see if the much maligned Calgary Stampedes can upset Saskatchewan. Winnipeg needs a win or a tie; or a Saskatchewan loss or tie, for Winnipeg to secure the Western Final.

What do you think? Let me know in the comments section wherever you are reading this.

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