The Winnipeg Blue Bombers dropped to 1-2 on the season after falling to the Edmonton Elks Thursday night, and the story wasn't the final score — it was the first half. For the second straight week, Winnipeg dug themselves a hole they couldn't fully climb out of, and both head coach Mike O'Shea and quarterback Zach Collaros made no bones about it in the post-game scrum.
Same Problem, Different Week
Falling behind 17-0 after the opening half is a tough ask to recover from at any level of football. The Bombers nearly did it — but nearly doesn't win games, and O'Shea wasn't letting anyone spin the comeback as a silver lining.
"A loss is a loss. I don't think as a pro there really isn't such a thing as a moral victory. When they see the second half, they'll say, 'Why didn't I do that in the first?'" — Mike O'Shea
Collaros echoed that almost word for word. When asked how much the team could take from battling back the way they did, his answer was blunt: nothing.
"Really nothing, because we're going to watch tape tomorrow, and it's about each individual play and executing those individual plays. You can't put yourself in a hole. I think it's two weeks in a row now we've put ourselves in a hole like that. And that's on us on offense." — Zach Collaros
Turnovers Killed Them
Ball security has historically been a point of pride in Winnipeg's locker room. Not this year — at least not yet. The Bombers coughed it up multiple times Thursday, and it cost them in a big way.
"You can't turn the football over. You got to play clean games. We always talk about stay on the football field. You got to stay on the football field if you want to get to what you had planned for the day." — Zach Collaros
O'Shea wasn't ready to chalk it up to a systemic issue, but he acknowledged the team needs to rethink how they approach it. "I don't think it was last year, you know. I think we have to be better. We have to coach it differently and look at it differently," he said.
One bright spot: when Collaros himself helped run down a fumble return, he and receiver Pokey ran nearly the length of the field to force the ball carrier out of bounds. O'Shea gave the play its due credit — it held Edmonton to a field goal instead of a touchdown. "All the defense wants is a chance," O'Shea said. "And I think they honored their teammates."
Defense Battled, Offense Let Them Down
The Winnipeg defense put in a shift despite being put in bad spots all night. O'Shea pointed to a goal line stand and a fumble forced in the red zone as moments that kept the Bombers alive. Collaros didn't shy away from crediting a unit that kept the game close despite the offense's struggles.
"Our defense was, I thought, unbelievable all night with respect to us putting them in really bad situations and them battling, giving up 3 points, a goal line stand, causing the turnover. They battled all night long. So we had to be better for them." — Zach Collaros
Justin Rankin torched them early, racking up explosive plays before Winnipeg's front adjusted. O'Shea admitted they were getting caught in the wash in the first half before settling down. "He's that type of guy — he can make a bunch of people miss and then there he goes," he said. "It was nice to stop them more often."
O-Line Shake-Up and Late Changes
The Bombers also dealt with a last-minute offensive line change before kickoff, losing veteran Patty. Collaros said the adjustment at center wasn't his biggest concern — Tuhe has snapped to him enough that the chemistry was already there — but losing a veteran presence up front always stings.
"Anytime you don't have a guy like Patty out there, it makes it tough. Just from a vet-to-vet standpoint, you know what I mean," Collaros said. O'Shea pointed to Winnipeg outgaining Edmonton overall as evidence the line held up, but conceded turnovers overshadowed whatever yardage they piled up.
Jalen Smith the One Positive to Build On
If there was a name O'Shea genuinely lit up about, it was Jalen Smith. The defender, who made his name on special teams, is playing significant defensive reps and looking every bit like a player who used his off-season well.
"He's a terrific athlete. He's got a nose for the football. He's grown quite a bit over that off-season. And he still keeps smiling even though he's matured in the game." — Mike O'Shea
O'Shea pointed to a specific play where Smith tracked down the athletic Fergiardo on the sideline and forced a punt as the kind of effort you can't coach. "Fergiardo's obviously a good athlete and strong and fast and tough, and Jalen tracked him down and got him out."
0-2 at Home — And Counting
The Bombers are now 0-2 at home this season, which is its own uncomfortable storyline in a building that's supposed to be a fortress. O'Shea acknowledged it plainly — "obviously we want to be better than that" — and gave credit to the crowd for sticking around and generating two time count penalties on Edmonton late.
"Loved it. They were loud and excellent," he said. But loud crowds don't matter much if the team keeps gifting opponents a 17-point head start. Winnipeg has the talent to fix this — the second-half tape will confirm that. The question is whether they can find those answers before the hole gets too deep to climb out of.
Watch the Full Videos
Winnipeg Blue Bombers: Zach Collaros | June 25
Winnipeg Blue Bombers: Coach O'Shea | June 25