Say this about the Winnipeg Blue Bombers through their first seven games: they are a respectable 4-3 — although given the recent run that feels a bit like treading water — despite a swack of injuries, a pile of new faces and a starting quarterback who has missed two games and absent for good chunks of others.

There’s also this: they are 4-3 despite owning the ugliest statistic in the Canadian Football League — 25 turnovers made and a grotesque turnover differential of -10.

“It starts with me as the quarterback and making sure that I’m putting the ball in the right location, that my decision-making is good enough so I’m not putting the ball in harm’s way and we lock into the details so we can be on the same page and be on time,” said quarterback Zach Collaros after practice on Tuesday. “Those are the things that matter in the pass game with regards to interceptions.

“It’s something that, for sure, as a locker room we understand we need to get better at.  It’s not a secret and it’s something we think is part of our DNA here, so we need to live up to it.”

True enough.

The gory details: Collaros and Chris Streveler have combined to throw a league-high 14 interceptions — four of which have been returned for touchdowns — lost three fumbles while turning the ball over eight times on downs.

Collaros, meanwhile, missed last week’s game with a neck injury and didn’t finish the previous two games due to the same ailment. Couple that with changes to the receiving corps and the offensive line and finding any kind of continuity or rhythm has been difficult.

Asked about his gunslinging ways and how that works while trying to protect the football — walking the fine line of being careful while not sacrificing the aggressiveness — he offered this:

“Protecting the ball is one of the most-important things in football. At the same time, you never want to go into a football game or go into a situation and say, ‘I’m afraid to make the throw’ or ‘I don’t to be aggressive here.’ There is a dance you need to have.”

And when it was put to head coach Mike O’Shea if ‘you live with the risky throws’ because of Collaros’ gunslinging ways, he cut off the question before it was even finished.

“I don’t know that we’re not just living, we’ve been thriving with Zach Collaros for a long time,” he said. “You make it sound like we’re putting up with something here. We’re putting up with greatness, if that’s what you want to talk about.

“… He’s as smart as they come. As a lot of these guys are when they get to this level, they’re their own worst critic.”

HEALTH UPDATE: Collaros also spoke on Tuesday about missing last week’s win over Toronto after the neck injury he suffered against Calgary a few weeks ago caused him to them come out of the game in Toronto.

“I wanted to monitor it for an extra couple days,” said Collaros. “It was my decision to play in that Toronto game and I probably rushed it back there. It was a joint thing… Al (Couture, head athletic therapist) and everybody here is very good, and we were on the same page and I felt I could go. They trust me. Hindsight is 20-20.

“… It’s been tough — you never want to miss games; there’s not enough games in a football season. It’s tough going through practice and going through training camp and not being out there with the guys. At the same time, we have a great staff here so we’ve been able to navigate the ups and downs of the situation. I feel good now, though.”

Injury Report: August 5, 2025#ForTheW | @DoctorsManitoba pic.twitter.com/ljeZcKhcP9

— Winnipeg Blue Bombers (@Wpg_BlueBombers) August 5, 2025

SALUTED: Both Willie Jefferson and Trey Vaval were named to the CFL’s Honour Roll for their work last week. Jefferson was a force with eight total pressures and four pass knockdowns and his strip sack of Nick Arbuckle led to a scoop-and-score TD by Jay Person.

Vaval, as we pointed out in our Game Recap, became the first Blue Bomber in franchise history to return a punt and a kickoff for a touchdown.

Honour Roll, Week 9: Trevor Harris, Willie Jefferson, Roughriders’ O-line make the grade

FYI: Collaros on Dillon Mitchell, who continues to see a lot of work with the regular starters at practice: “Dillon’s done a great job of learning what we’re doing here. He’s got a great rapport with Jarious (Jackson, QB coach and the former head coach/offensive coordinator in Edmonton), too, from being in Edmonton with him all those years. He’s a great player and if he gets his opportunity he’ll do a great job.”… Adam Bighill, the future hall of famer, was on the practice field this week in Calgary and could be on the field this Saturday against his old club. “I’ve played against Biggie before… it’s not fun,” said Collaros with a grin. “He’s so smart. Calgary, in general, does a really good job of spacing the football field, too. They’re really smart about the way they do it so I think he’ll be able to slide right in there and probably take it to another level because he is so damn smart.

“It will be tough. And when he hits you it’s not fun.”

ICYMI: We had a great chat today with Vaval today on the latest edition of The Huddle. You can find that conversation here:

ICYMI PART DEUX: Darren Cameron, Zach Collaros and yours truly also recorded our latest Handled Internally podcast this week with special guest Jamal Parker, Jr. That can be found here: