File this under the Department of Leaving No Stone Unturned: over the weekend, not long after the Winnipeg Blue Bombers edged the Saskatchewan Roughriders 17-16 in a performance which, at best, could be described as ‘uneven’, head coach Mike O’Shea had an idea:
For the first time this season — in fact the first time Brady Oliveira can remember since joining the club in 2019 — the offence got together to watch the game film as an entire unit, foregoing the usual practice of having the quarterbacks, running backs/offensive line and the receivers all break it down in separate positional group sessions.
The concept here is simple and is often used by the defence: dissect the video evidence as a group as every one in the room holds each other accountable. Take responsibility for an error or assignment bust and ask for help in understanding and then the solutions can become clearer to the group, too.
The initial takeaway, at least from Oliveira’s perspective, was all positive.
“I thought was very productive,” said the Blue Bombers running back after Monday’s practice. “So, hearing everyone out, people holding themselves accountable, it was good. It was really, really productive. Just got to clean up those mistakes. We watched it, we learned. Now, onto the practice field, fix those mistakes, so when game day comes, we can fly around and play fast.”
In short, that’s partly what accountability can look like after a performance in which the Blue Bombers got just enough from the offence in the win, including a last minute drive that led to the game-winning field goal.
But with one game left in the regular season this Saturday against the Montreal Alouettes the offence is also trying to find not just some consistency heading into the playoffs, but some traction especially after the unusual scene following Friday’s win in which the reaction from the offence was one of pure frustration, as we outlined in this week’s Upon Further Review.
“We just have to do a better job of executing the plays. That’s it. It’s kind of the same stuff we say to you every week,” said quarterback Zach Collaros on Monday. “We’re trying to play our brand of football and execute at a high level.”
And when Collaros was asked if saying that troubles him after 17 games of the season, he was succinct: “Yeah, it does. If you left that game and some of the games with the way we’ve played this year without a sense of urgency or without a little bit of anger, then I think you’re wrong.”
“A lot of frustration, obviously, not just myself, but I think that entire locker room,” added Oliveira of the scene Friday night after the win. “Also from not playing up to our standard. There’s a ton of mistakes, especially coming in the next day. You watch the tape, and that’s a day of growth and to learn, to look at yourself in the mirror and see I you can get better. Just watching the tape, there’s just mistakes all over it. So, we obviously got to clean that up if we want to get to where we want to go.”
Still, as dime back Redha Kramdi said after the game, “At some point we need to stop saying, ‘We’re going to be all right’ because suddenly the season will be over, and we’ll be home watching the playoffs on our couches. Honestly, as a group — and pardon my language — but we need to get our s–t together. This is unacceptable. We shouldn’t be struggling as we did as a team. We need to play way cleaner football.”
“One hundred per cent,” added Oliveira when reminded of Kramdi’s statement. “We’re on Game 18, like there’s not much time left. So, that’s why I was saying you’re never going to play a perfect game, but at this point of the season, you got to be trying to play at least your best football. Try to be as perfect as you can be. Again, you’re not going to be perfect, but strive for that, limit the mistakes. Those mistakes are meant for training camp and early in the season; right now, you should be rolling. Everyone should be feeling good, playing good.
“So, yeah, Redha hit in right on the head. We’re running out of time, and we got to quit saying (we’ll get it done eventually). But I’m with it, man. I’m with it. We don’t got much time left and we all have got to come together and play our best football.”
Winnipeg’s offensive numbers have been all over the map this season, from averaging 385.8 yards through the 3-0 start and 514 net yards in the win over Hamilton at the end of last month, to everything just looking so difficult in three of the last four games. So, just to be clear, these tough conversations haven’t been limited to just the past weekend, but have unfolded throughout the course of the year.
That doesn’t happen unless there is a universal standard that needs to be met and unless a team can be respectful in its accountability with each other.
“It’s definitely an extremely tight locker room. There’s a whole lot of love that goes around; they’re all our brothers,” Oliveira said. “But there definitely has been some tough conversations throughout this year. Every single season, there is tough conversations, maybe more than other seasons. But, yeah, if you’re a family, you should be able to look at your brother in the eye and say, ‘Hey, I need more from you.’ Or, ‘Hey, you made a mistake here. How you going to clean that up?’
“But how are you going to move forward with cleaning up those mistakes. Like, what’s the plan of action here? So, yeah, there’s been some tough conversations. Not just this week, in particular, but I just guys hanging around the locker room and us having conversations together of, ‘Hey, how can we move this into the right direction? It’s all been productive, very productive conversations, which I think will get us to the point where we want to be.
“We’re running out of time, but there’s still time. There’s still time, and we’re very optimistic, and we know the guys we have in that locker room. So, yeah, we’re just going to keep pushing forward.”
One final take on this from Collaros, who was asked what this group does to find its confidence again and find the groove that had propelled it to the last five Grey Cup games.
“For one, you have to believe in what you’re doing. Belief is a big thing,” he said. “Just believe in each other and understand we have been here before, we have executed at a high level before, not just dating back to previous sayings but even at points in the season. Belief goes a long way, whether it’s that way or for the whole big picture.
“… With that being said, I think every team feels they have a chance to get to where they want to go and to hoist that trophy. That’s the goal, right? We’ve got one more week left before we get there. I think we’re OK.”
OUCH REPORT: Oliveira, FYI, was mostly the spectator at Monday’s practice. Meanwhile, receiver Nic Demski — who missed the win over the Roughriders after injuring his hamstring in the loss to Edmonton — was also a non-participant. Of note, defensive back Michael Griffin continues to see his workload cranked up, while receiver Cam Echols also got more reps with the offence.
There is a scenario where Friday night’s game between the Hamilton Tiger-Cats and Ottawa Redblacks could impact what the roster for the Alouettes looks like Saturday afternoon. A win by the Hamilton Tiger-Cats against Ottawa on Friday would lock up first for them and second for Montreal.
To finish third in the West Division, Winnipeg would need a win and a Stampeders victory over the Edmonton Elks and a loss by the B.C. Lions Saturday night against the Saskatchewan Roughriders. All other scenarios would see the Blue Bombers end up as the crossover and travel to Montreal to face the Alouettes in the East Semifinal.