{"id":125510,"date":"2025-09-07T01:26:13","date_gmt":"2025-09-07T01:26:13","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/125510\/"},"modified":"2025-09-07T01:26:13","modified_gmt":"2025-09-07T01:26:13","slug":"winnipeg-blue-bombers-lose-banjo-bowl-zach-collaros-against-roughriders-12-other-thoughts","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/125510\/","title":{"rendered":"Winnipeg Blue Bombers lose Banjo Bowl, Zach Collaros against Roughriders (& 12 other thoughts)"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"\"<\/a>Photo: Winnipeg Blue Bombers<\/p>\n

The Winnipeg Blue Bombers lost to the Saskatchewan Roughriders by a score of 21-13 in the annual Banjo Bowl on Saturday afternoon in front of 32,343 fans at Princess Auto Stadium. Below are my thoughts on the game.<\/p>\n

The hit<\/p>\n

Last week, I wrote about how this year\u2019s Labour Day Classic was the first since 2021 in which Zach Collaros wasn\u2019t subjected to a dirty hit<\/a>. One week later, C.J. Reavis knocked Collaros out of the Banjo Bowl when he came free off the edge in the third quarter and went high, striking the passer with his facemask.<\/p>\n

To be clear, this wasn\u2019t the worst headshot in CFL history, but there was clear helmet-to-helmet contact. The rules couldn\u2019t be any clearer: any contact to the head of a quarterback results in a penalty for roughing the passer. The officials missed it live but head coach Mike O\u2019Shea successfully challenged for the penalty after the play and won.<\/p>\n

The hit on Zach Collaros resulted in roughing the passer after O\u2019Shea challenged the play.
Collaros left the game, and we await word on his status.#Bombers<\/a> #Riders<\/a> #BanjoBowl<\/a> pic.twitter.com\/16MTC8VM72<\/a><\/p>\n

\u2014 Darrin Bauming (@DarrinBauming) September 6, 2025<\/a><\/p>\n

It still baffles me that defenders often go high. Passers can legally be hit anywhere above the knees and below the neck. It\u2019s a large strike zone, yet many pass rushers seem to consistently aim one inch below the quarterback\u2019s facemask. Why not play it safe and aim for the abdomen? It makes no sense.<\/p>\n

I posed this question to Willie Jefferson after the game and he indicated it\u2019s hard for defensive players to make that type of adjustment at game speed, especially if quarterbacks lower their heads to try to protect themselves.<\/p>\n

\u201c(Trying to lower the hit to the abdomen) is a tough way to play the game. Playing slow, playing timid, trying to make sure you hit the right spot and things like that \u2014 you just gotta go,\u201d he said. \u201cYou gotta know the target zone and things like that but then some of these quarterbacks in the league see pressure coming and they duck, so it doesn\u2019t matter if you go for the abdomen if they duck and you hit the head and it\u2019s still on the defender. You\u2019ve gotta be in control and try to hit the strike zone.\u201d<\/p>\n

The penalty was costly for Saskatchewan as it negated a fumble that was recovered by defensive lineman Mike Rose and gave Winnipeg a fresh set of downs near midfield. It was also costly for Winnipeg as Collaros lay on the turf for a minute or two before leaving straight for the locker room. He didn\u2019t return to the game.<\/p>\n

Hits like this one make the game worse for everyone, which is why the league has worked hard to eliminate them. They\u2019re bad for the players who get hurt, the players who get penalized, the team that loses its quarterback, the team that loses its big play, the fans who want to see the best players play, and the network that pays millions of dollars to broadcast the league\u2019s best players in a marquee game.<\/p>\n

As for O\u2019Shea, he doesn\u2019t seem concerned about his quarterback\u2019s ability to take punishment on the field, though it appears he\u2019s worried about the player\u2019s overall health.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s not the games that are concerning, it\u2019s Zach that I\u2019m concerned about. I care about the guy. These guys aren\u2019t just football players,\u201d said O\u2019Shea postgame. \u201cI don\u2019t worry about his ability to consistently be on the field. I\u2019m worried about Zach (as a person).\u201d<\/p>\n

For the record, Collaros was in the locker room after the game and was spotted walking around interacting with teammates. This could be perceived as a positive sign but take it for what it\u2019s worth.<\/p>\n

Eventually bending<\/p>\n

Winnipeg\u2019s defence kept Saskatchewan in check for most of Saturday\u2019s game until bending late in the game when it mattered most.<\/p>\n

The unit got an early takeaway when Harris threw a deep shot to Tommy Nield on a play that looked similar to last week\u2019s 69-yard touchdown, Saskatchewan\u2019s only big gain of the day. Dexter Lawson Jr. was tight to the receiver but Redha Kramdi, who was deep in zone coverage, came across the field to snag the interception.<\/p>\n

Three quarters later, the defence had a great chance to take over the game when Mario Alford was tackled at Saskatchewan\u2019s one-yard line following a missed field goal (more on that in a moment). In the shadow of their own goal posts, the Roughriders called a double move from Joe Robustelli and he got behind defensive back Trey Vaval for a 48-yard gain.<\/p>\n

Two plays later, Vaval took a 29-yard pass interference penalty when Harris threw a deep shot to Ajou Ajou, setting Saskatchewan up in field goal range. Three plays later, Brett Lauther nailed an attempt from 33 yards out.<\/p>\n

Winnipeg\u2019s defence still had a solid game, allowing up 337 yards of net offence, generating a takeaway, and giving up most of Saskatchewan\u2019s 21 points off turnovers. However, the unit also gave up a big drive at the worst possible time.<\/p>\n

Overaggressiveness<\/p>\n

Football teams are often applauded for aggressiveness, a strategy that certainly makes for entertaining football, though it can also be a double-edged sword.<\/p>\n

Winnipeg defence was pretty dominant for the first three quarters of the game, so it seems fair to question if the offence should have been as aggressive as it was. Zach Collaros was slinging it early, throwing for over 150 yards and a touchdown in the first half, though it all came crashing down near halftime.<\/p>\n

The Blue Bombers had the ball late in the first half and could have simply ran out the clock to head into the break with a 13-3 lead. Instead, Zach Collaros made his first mistake of the game when he fired a deep pass for Ontaria Wilson and it sailed over his head before being intercepted by Marcus Sayles.<\/p>\n

Though this wasn\u2019t visible on the television broadcast, it looked like Wilson slowed up just before Collaros threw the ball, then he had to try to catch up to it as it flew through the air. Wilson started his route in the slot on the field side but his route attacked the deep third of the boundary side. I\u2019d speculate that Collaros didn\u2019t expect Sayles to be as deep as he was and Wilson may have momentarily slowed to try to undercut the bailing defender, not realizing how far the ball had been thrown.<\/p>\n

Three plays later, Brett Lauther kicked a 35-yard field goal to make it 13-6 at halftime.<\/p>\n

Early in the third quarter, Collaros fired a 21-yard pass into traffic over the middle for Ontaria Wilson and it was a little behind the receiver, allowing defensive back DaMarcus Fields to pick it off. The defender returned it 33 yards to give Saskatchewan a short field and the Roughriders capitalized with a five-play, 27-yard drive that ended in a touchdown from A.J. Ouellette, which tied the game.<\/p>\n

Collaros made a ton of plays in the first half attacking the middle of the field in the intermediate part of Saskatchewan\u2019s secondary but this felt like he was getting greedy. The turnover gave the Roughriders instant field position, something they struggled to score without for the first three quarters of the game.<\/p>\n

Missed kicks<\/p>\n

Sergio Castillo has been sensational for most of the season but he picked a bad time to miss two field goals.<\/p>\n

The misses came from relatively long distances \u2014 51 and 48 yards \u2014 but they also came in the second half after Zach Collaros was knocked from the game, which limited Winnipeg\u2019s offence. The Blue Bombers had a one-point lead on the first miss and trailed by two points on the second miss.<\/p>\n

The wind didn\u2019t appear to be a factor.<\/p>\n

Pokey returns<\/p>\n

Ontaria \u2018Pokey\u2019 Wilson played his first game since returning from the NFL and the timing couldn\u2019t have been better as Dalton Schoen was ruled out for the season this week due to a second ACL tear in as many years.<\/p>\n

It\u2019s not uncommon for players to look a little sluggish after coming back from the NFL. It takes time to adjust to the three-down game and it\u2019s not uncommon for players to have added weight when trying to make it down south.<\/p>\n

This wasn\u2019t the case for Wilson at all as he looked as explosive as ever, making five catches for 89 yards and a touchdown.<\/p>\n

WHAT A RETURN TO WINNIPEG!<\/p>\n

Ontaria \u2018Pokey\u2019 Wilson scores in his first game back with the Blue and Gold!#CFLGameDay<\/a>
\ud83d\uddd3\ufe0f: Roughriders vs @Wpg_BlueBombers<\/a> LIVE NOW
\ud83c\udde8\ud83c\udde6: TSN
\ud83c\udf0e: CFL+ pic.twitter.com\/0zrlfrwGR9<\/a><\/p>\n

\u2014 CFL (@CFL) September 6, 2025<\/a><\/p>\n

The 26-year-old showed off his athleticism when he scored the game\u2019s first major early in the second quarter. Wilson caught a stop route and wheeled out to the sideline, making Tevaughn Campbell \u2014 who picked off Zach Collaros to seal last week\u2019s game \u2014 miss on a diving tackle. The receiver then beat DaMarcus Fields and Kosi Onyeka in a foot race to the end zone with Keric Wheatfall helping out with a block.<\/p>\n

Winnipeg\u2019s passing attack fell off dramatically after Collaros was knocked from the game, otherwise Wilson may have put up even better numbers.<\/p>\n

O-line shuffle<\/p>\n

The Blue Bombers made a change along the offensive line, starting Micah Vanterpool over Gabe Wallace at left guard. Wallace tweaked his hip in practice this week but was apparently well enough to dress in a backup role, even covering downfield when Sergio Castillo missed a 51-yard field goal late in the third quarter. I\u2019m not sure why Winnipeg has a 340-pound blocker on the field goal team but here we are.<\/p>\n

The results were better than last week as the team gave up only one sack \u2014 not five. Brady Oliveira also rushed for 83 yards, far more than a week ago, though he needed 20 carries to get there, making for a less-than-stellar average of 4.2 yards per carry.<\/p>\n

Last week, the Roughriders flexed Malik Carney inside to get him one-on-one with one of Winnipeg\u2019s interior blockers and he racked up two sacks. Saskatchewan did the same thing early on Saturday and it paid quick dividends as he beat centre Chris Kolankowski for a sack midway through the first quarter.<\/p>\n

Other than the play on which Collaros was injured \u2014 which I\u2019d have to see again to assess from a blocking standpoint \u2014 Winnipeg\u2019s passers seemed to have enough time to operate.<\/p>\n

Standings watch<\/p>\n

If the Blue Bombers had won this year\u2019s Banjo Bowl, they would have had an outside shot at finishing first in the West Division and hosting the West Final for a fifth straight year. Though that\u2019s still mathematically possible, it\u2019s clear that won\u2019t happen as the Roughriders have an eight-point lead and the season series.<\/p>\n

I saw many fans in Winnipeg rejoicing on social media when the Ottawa Redblacks beat the B.C. Lions on Friday night and I can\u2019t help but question why. With the Blue Bombers currently on track to finish third in the West Division standings, they\u2019d arguably have a better chance of making the Grey Cup if they finished fourth and went through the East Division as the crossover team.<\/p>\n

Banjo Bowl<\/p>\n

The Banjo Bowl is awesome \u2014 simple as that. It doesn\u2019t matter if you\u2019re a fan of the Blue Bombers, Roughriders, neither, or both. If you haven\u2019t already attended the Banjo Bowl, put it on your bucket list and make sure you get to one. It\u2019s a must-attend event for any and all sports fans in Canada.<\/p>\n

More CFL teams are trying to create new standalone, marquee games \u2014 there\u2019s the Thanksgiving Day Classic in Montreal, Gravy Bowl and Watermelon Smash in Vancouver, and the Stampede Bowl in Calgary \u2014 but we need more of them. It doesn\u2019t happen overnight, but fans will learn over time to get excited for tentpole specialty games.<\/p>\n

Since the first Banjo Bowl in 2004, the Blue Bombers now hold an all-time record of 13-8 in the rivalry game.<\/p>\n

Inducted<\/p>\n

Tyrone Jones was officially inducted into the Ring of Honour at Princess Auto Stadium during halftime on Saturday. It was a fitting day to honour the late defender as he spent a year with Saskatchewan late in his career following eight seasons in Winnipeg.<\/p>\n

Jones recorded 98 career sacks with the Blue Bombers and is the only player in franchise history with more than 60. All records are meant to be broken, but that\u2019s one that should stand for a very long time. For context, Willie Jefferson has made 45 sacks through six seasons in Winnipeg, which means he\u2019s still less than halfway to Jones\u2019 record.<\/p>\n

Greener pastures<\/p>\n

3DownNation received several complaints that my postgame column from the Labour Day Classic focused exclusively on the Blue Bombers. To be abundantly clear: this is a column entirely about Winnipeg. If you\u2019d like to read about Saskatchewan\u2019s performance, 3DownNation also has postgame columns from Joel Gasson and Peter Klein that focus exclusively on the Green and White.<\/p>\n

Humble and kind<\/p>\n

Bob Irving was in the press box for the Banjo Bowl on Saturday. Bob is not only arguably the greatest play-by-play man in Canadian history, but he\u2019s also awfully humble and kind. We\u2019re lucky to still have him around the game.<\/p>\n

Next up<\/p>\n

The Winnipeg Blue Bombers (6-6) will visit the Hamilton Tiger-Cats (7-5) on Friday, September 12 with kickoff slated for 7:00 p.m. EDT. Hamilton Stadium has historically been a tough place to play for the Blue Bombers, though Winnipeg dominated last year\u2019s visit to Steeltown by a score of 31-10.<\/p>\n

The matchup has been dubbed the \u2018Team Ted Game\u2019<\/a> in honour of Hamilton general manager Ted Goveia, who spent eleven years in personnel with the Blue Bombers and is currently battling cancer. Fans wishing to send a message of support to Goveia or buy a t-shirt in support of initiatives being launched in his honour can do so with this link<\/a>.<\/p>\n