CFL needs to protect quarterbacks

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This article was published 06/09/2023 (773 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

On Sunday, Zach Collaros fumed during a post-game interview about being headbutted by the Saskatchewan’s Pete Robertson and the CFL’s perceived lack of attention to the protection of quarterbacks.

Having three days to cool off, the all-star Blue Bombers quarterback revisited the topic after Wednesday’s practice. Robertson had been assessed a one-game suspension and will miss Saturday’s Banjo Bowl return match with the Roughriders at IG Field.

“You never want to advocate for somebody to lose a paycheque or anything like that, right?” said Collaros, whose team went on to lose 32-30 in overtime. “But again, I think we’ve kind of gone over this enough times… with some of the decisions that get made with protecting quarterbacks in the league. So again, couple that with kind of the shock and anger from the moment and obviously upset about losing. You don’t (want to be saying) for somebody to lose pay, but I just felt like at that moment, something needed to be said.”

The play wasn’t originally flagged for a penalty, forcing the CFL’s command centre to assess a 15-yard penalty for unnecessary roughness. That gave the Bombers a new set of downs and led to a TD by Winnipeg running back Brady Oliveira.

“Do you feel the league took this seriously?” Collaros was asked. “Sure,” he replied.

The Bombers, although enraged by the foul, kept their cool in the heat of the moment. Centre Chris Kolankowski was doing his best to help reign in his teammates on the field.

“With (it being) that close to the end zone, can’t lose your composure,” said offensive lineman Patrick Neufeld. “We were pissed off but ultimately we were trying to keep cool heads and just get onto the next play. It was really hard. It’s tough when you see someone take a shot on your quarterback like that.”

Meanwhile, Winnipeg defensive end Willie Jefferson was calming Collaros, who was breathing fire after having been sent to the sidelines to adhere to the league’s concussion protocols.

“I just told him to just calm down because he was loud-talking the ref,” said Jefferson. “Zach can be the biggest motivational guy on a team, especially when the offence is moving. You’re trying to get something going but that wasn’t what we wanted from Zach right then. We just needed him to get on the sideline, get his stuff together and get ready to go out and do what he needed to do.”

Collaros made it clear Robertson doesn’t have a reputation as a chippy player.

“I don’t think Pete’s a dirty player at all,” said Collaros. “He’s always been somebody I think is a pro to go up against.”

Collaros, who admitted he had never voiced his concerns directly to the league, was asked what he would have said given the opportunity. The subject was particularly relevant in 2022 when then Roughriders defensive lineman Garrett Marino injured Ottawa Redblacks quarterback Jeremiah Masoli with a low hit.

“I’d have to think it through,” he said. “I guess argument isn’t the right word but I’d want to cover all the bases. Again, you’re not advocating to take money out of people’s pockets. It’s just to protect the position. We talked about it last year with the Jeremiah Masoli episode. You want to keep the players on the field… I think the NFL does it, the CFL should as well. You want to keep the quarterbacks on the field.”

While some observers questioned whether an in-game ejection would have been appropriate for Robertson’s actions, Bombers head coach Mike O’Shea is also hoping for a clarification on standard for calls on the field.

“(The suspension) was needed and obviously they were pretty swift with it,” said O’Shea. “Probably could’ve happened during the game. At least they reacted.”

Sunday’s controversy only added fuel to what should be a very contentious rematch of rivals before a sold-out stadium on Saturday.

“Things are gonna be crazy from the jump,” said Jefferson. “There’s no way of sugarcoating that… Either way it would have went, it would have been a little bit more exciting this week than it was going into Regina last week. Just because of back-to-back games and the way the game ended.”

Neufeld insisted revenge won’t figure in Winnipeg’s game plan.

“We don’t have any thoughts like that,” he said. “I mean, they present so many other challenges on defence that are going to keep our hands full. So if you start thinking about anything other than that, you’re doing yourself a disservice. Ultimately, our goal is just to take one play at a time and play physical and play fast.”

Neufeld dismissed Saskatchewan head coach Craig Dickenson’s notion the Bombers are adept at goading the opposition into taking penalties.

“I think if you don’t play football on the edge, then you’re not you’re not getting the most out of it,” said Neufeld. “So we’re gonna play on the edge. We’re gonna keep continuing to play our style of football. I think we do a decent job of staying pretty clean. We draw penalties here and there but I think we do a pretty good job of being on the lower end of penalties each game.”

A VERY BRADY SEASON: After only 12 regular-season games, Bombers running back Brady Oliviera is a mere 10 yards from reaching the 1,000-yard milestone for the second consecutive year. His 990 rushing yards lead the CFL.

“I didn’t really expect it to happen this soon but everything’s just been clicking,” said Oliviera. “I feel like I’m getting more mature in this offence and more confident and on the same page with offensive line and I feel like just I’m getting closer without with this unit. It’s almost like they want to just as bad as I want it. You know what I mean? So it’s pretty cool, being able to work with that group and they’ve been making this all possible.”

mike.sawatzky@freepress.mb.ca