Bombers face QB conundrum

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This article was published 22/10/2019 (2147 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Zach Collaros has been in Winnipeg for less than two weeks and hasn’t taken an in-game snap since Week 1.

Despite all that, the 31-year-old is likely the best option the Winnipeg Blue Bombers have at quarterback right now.

Chris Streveler took a beating in Saturday’s 37-33 road loss to the Calgary Stampeders and his status for Friday night’s rematch at IG Field is up in the air. Streveler finished the game with no shortage of bumps and bruises. He had his throwing hand crushed in the first half by Calgary linebacker Wynton McManis, before suffering an ankle injury in the fourth quarter on a three-yard run that briefly took him out of the game. Streveler was using crutches after the game and wasn’t on the field at Tuesday’s practice.

The Bombers have lost four of their past five games, so perhaps a switch at the quarterback position was going to happen anyway. Regardless, all eyes were on Collaros on Tuesday as he took the majority of first-team reps. He showed some signs of rust with a couple of wobbly passes, but also showed flashes of a player once considered one of the premier quarterbacks in the Canadian Football League. Rookie quarterback Sean McGuire, who replaced Streveler momentarily on Saturday and had two pass attempts, was also given some reps with the first-team offence.

In typical Mike O’Shea fashion, the Bombers’ head coach was not tipping his hand when it came to discussing his team’s quarterback situation. He said all three are options the team is considering. O’Shea did say Streveler could get the start, even if he’s unable to practise this week.

But even if Streveler is deemed healthy enough by Friday, how could the Bombers not be tempted to see what they have in Collaros? Did the Blue and Gold really send a third-round pick to the Toronto Argonauts for Collaros and a fifth-rounder just to have the guy stand on the sidelines?

“We’ll see,” O’Shea told the media after Tuesday’s practice. “I think we’ll make that decision later in the week.”

Collaros was 10-4 as a starter last season with the Saskatchewan Roughriders before going down with a concussion and missing the team’s 23-18 playoff loss to Winnipeg. This year, it only took three plays into the season before Collaros suffered another concussion. He was hit in the head by Hamilton Tiger-Cats linebacker Simoni Lawrence and Saskatchewan has rolled with quarterback Cody Fajardo ever since, leading to the Riders to ship Collaros to the Argos in late July.

Collaros, who hasn’t played in a game since June, was asked where his confidence level would be on Friday if the Bombers gave him the start.

“I guess we’ll have to see,” the seven-year CFL veteran said.

“You know, obviously, like I said, I’m going to be as prepared as I possibly can be for the game. The one calming thing, no matter who’s going into the huddle, is the group of guys there. It’s a very, very locked-in veteran group of guys. The communication is something I haven’t really been a part of. Something like this, the way that they communicate protections, they communicate coverage, hot adjustments, they’re always talking. I always say when you’re facing a defence like that, which our defence is here, it’s always a scary thing. But offensively, it’s a really calming feeling knowing you’re back there with a guy like Andrew Harris, who isn’t gonna miss a protection and the guys we have up front have been playing together for a long time. No matter who’s out there, you can have confidence that you’re out there with a veteran group of guys that love the game and they’re going to lay it out there on the line for you.”

Bombers offensive co-ordinator Paul LaPolice said he liked what he saw from Collaros in practice on Tuesday. Collaros differs from Streveler, as he’s known more as a pocket passer who can throw the ball downfield. But, outside of fewer designed quarterback runs, LaPolice wasn’t ready to say his play-calling would look much different with Collaros at the helm in place of Streveler.

“It’s hard to say when (it’s) a guy I’ve never called a game for, right? I’ve got an idea, but we’ll see how it plays out,” LaPolice said.

Friday’s regular-season finale for the Blue Bombers doesn’t have the importance Bomberland was hoping for. Regardless of the result, the Blue and Gold will likely remain in third place and will be forced to win twice on the road to reach the Grey Cup. To finish second and secure a home playoff game, the Bombers must defeat Calgary and then the Stamps will have to lose to the B.C. Lions, who are without quarterback Mike Reilly, in Week 21.

Although Friday won’t mean much in the West Division standings, the game has the potential to be meaningful to Collaros as he seeks an opportunity to get his career back on track.

“If given the opportunity, it would mean a lot,” Collaros said. “It’s something to reflect on probably after the season or when I’m done playing. But, yeah, we’ll see what happens.”

taylor.allen@freepress.mb.ca

Twitter: @TaylorAllen31

Taylor Allen
Reporter

Taylor Allen is a sports reporter for the Winnipeg Free Press. Taylor was the Vince Leah intern in the Free Press newsroom twice while earning his joint communications degree/diploma at the University of Winnipeg and Red River College Polytechnic. He signed on full-time in 2019 and mainly covers the Blue Bombers, curling, and basketball. Read more about Taylor.

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