14 minutes ago, Noeller said:

I get that everyone is still angry (I'm physically ill thinking about it...) but Matt Nichols has earned the benefit of the doubt. What he's accomplished as a Bomber, and especially how he rebounded after the Banjo Bowl, he's more than earned the right to come into next year as the starter. I expect big things from him out of the gate next year. 

Nichols play doesn't concern me......Lapo's playcalling, however......

Look, I respect the fact that there are people that look at what Nichols did in years past and say that it is theoretically possible that he becomes that guy again down the line but we have to face the facts that it’s becoming less and less likely. Let’s also remember that he was fairly mediocre his entire career outside of the first 2/3 of 2017. I appreciate what he did to help this franchise when it became clear that Willy was finished but at this point, I think that relief ultimately has done more harm than good. 

I agree that Nichols has been better since the Banjo Bowl when he could have completely lost it and basically ended his career but let’s call it like it is, he played just marginally well enough to beat a QB-less Rider team and get thoroughly embarrassed offensively in Calgary. He absolutely played well enough down the stretch to allow the other phases of our team drag us to victory but there was a point earlier in the season where he not only wasn’t winning games, he was essentially singlehandedly losing games. 

I know O’Shea isn’t likely to make a change at this point (though his relatively quick hook of Willy still gives me hope) but keeping Nichols as the starter is the classic “safe” play. The bombers likely lose Bighill next year and the many of the Bombers’ other best players are a year deeper into their 30s (Harris, Dressler, Randle, Darvin will be 30). Is there any reason to believe that if the rest of the team isn’t quite as good as it was this year that we can even repeat 10-11 wins and a western final appearance? It’s not going to happen. 

What worries me about Nichols is that he seems like the current CFL version of Alex Smith.

38 minutes ago, rebusrankin said:

What worries me about Nichols is that he seems like the current CFL version of Alex Smith.

Better than the actual CFL Justin Goltz, Alex Brink, and good gravy the list goes on.

Just now, White Out said:

Better than the actual CFL Justin Goltz, Alex Brink, and good gravy the list goes on.

Yeah but does that win you a championship or are you perenially a 9-9, 10-8 team that makes the playoffs but that is it? That's with the best OL and RB too.

Just now, rebusrankin said:

Yeah but does that win you a championship or are you perenially a 9-9, 10-8 team that makes the playoffs but that is it? That's with the best OL and RB too.

I think Matt Nichols can win us a championship , but, your premise is flawed. Next season who do we realistically have as an option for QB? 

2 minutes ago, White Out said:

I think Matt Nichols can win us a championship , but, your premise is flawed. Next season who do we realistically have as an option for QB? 

We will see at training camp. Lots can happen between now and then. 

Well well

 

Bet I know who our starter is next season. That settles that, I think.

Honestly, if we have both Nichols and Streveler, along with Bennett as a 3rd / special teams beast, then we are good. Just give Streveler more reps and playtime, and get us some depth at receiver and we should be able to get things going.

Like Clements and Hufnagel, both have their own strengths / weaknesses, and we should use that to our advantage. 

 

21 hours ago, blueandgoldguy said:

No, cut nichols base salary first.  He won't have any options to make the same salary elsewhere anyways.

I can't imagine anyone opening the vault for him after this performance.

 

Don't think Nichols, at his age, is going to learn anything new, or change what he does. 

What we've seen, is what we'll get.

 

Edited November 20, 20187 yr by Mark F

21 hours ago, White Out said:

NIchols was bad. Very bad.

Streveller missed a wide open Harris for a go ahead TD in late 3rd quarter in a defensive struggle. It is what it is. He's a big, white, heavy Nealon Greene.

Nichols over threw a wide open Darvin Adams and had like 100 yards passing all game. 

I think the O game plans were flawed. I think lapo needs to go

8 hours ago, TBURGESS said:

Nichols salary is going up by 50K next year, so no, it's not the same SMS hit as this year.

It goes up 30k next season. He made 420 grand this year.

Is he worth it? Could the $ be better spent elsewhere? Tough questions.

5 minutes ago, rebusrankin said:

Is he worth it? Could the $ be better spent elsewhere? Tough questions.

I don't believe he is. After all the throw-aways I saw him throw into quadruple coverage yesterday. Fortunately the ball found the turf.

1 hour ago, WinnipegGordo said:

It goes up 30k next season. He made 420 grand this year.

No way that's sustainable. He did nothing to earn a raise, either. In fact, he probably earned himself a substantial paycut (i.e., a renegotiated contract).

1 hour ago, Goalie said:

Nichols over threw a wide open Darvin Adams and had like 100 yards passing all game. 

75 through 3 quarters.... how that keeps the confidence of the coaching staff is laughable.  81 yards in the 4th whe LaPo finally started opening the playbook.

What bugs me, as O'Shea just stated on the coaches show, is they didnt "open up the packages for Steveler".  So, Nichols had to play a little better to earn Streveler some playing time??  Talk about whacked out logic!?  What about giving a change a try to see if it opens up the defence!?

I like Strevs.. He's a cool cat... 

But ppl need to remember hes greener than goose poop. Nichols wasn't good but putting your season in the hands of a green rookie is just dumb. I would have thought Bomber fans would know by now what happens when u rush someone who isn't ready.. Bryan Randall... Brink.. Elliot etc... Etc etc goltz etc etc etc etc... 

 

3 minutes ago, trueBlue83 said:

75 through 3 quarters.... how that keeps the confidence of the coaching staff is laughable.  81 yards in the 4th whe LaPo finally started opening the playbook.

What bugs me, as O'Shea just stated on the coaches show, is they didnt "open up the packages for Steveler".  So, Nichols had to play a little better to earn Streveler some playing time??  Talk about whacked out logic!?  What about giving a change a try to see if it opens up the defence!?

Its likely cuz hes a green rookie. 

23 hours ago, wbbfan said:

All depends on where he is at with his progress in next years camp. I certainly wouldn't hand over the keys to him. If you are looking to move in his direction I think you bring in a vet like glenn to push him and make him fight to win a spot. Its a terrible idea to hand a green qb the starting reigns with out a camp battle. 

I can't remember the last camp battle at a primary spot like RB or QB. Hell even at OL for that matter. I'm not ready to give Streveler the reins, but my leash on Nichols is getting shorter. 

9 minutes ago, trueBlue83 said:

75 through 3 quarters.... how that keeps the confidence of the coaching staff is laughable.  81 yards in the 4th whe LaPo finally started opening the playbook.

What bugs me, as O'Shea just stated on the coaches show, is they didnt "open up the packages for Steveler".  So, Nichols had to play a little better to earn Streveler some playing time??  Talk about whacked out logic!?  What about giving a change a try to see if it opens up the defence!?

Hearing this just makes me angrier with O'Shea, which of course, is a fool's use of energy, so what's the use? I just don't GAF anymore.

7 hours ago, Al Bundy said:

You all thought the O-line gave Nicholls enough time to win?

Calgary rarely rushed more than 4...against our 5....and was flushing out Nichols over and over again. So the answer for me is no, our o'line lost the trench battle no doubt.

17 minutes ago, Goalie said:

Its likely cuz hes a green rookie. 

would have been a nice change of pace and offered a different look than our "elite" starting QB who completed more passes to the sideline than he did to our receivers.  Even when he was completing balls, they were in the dirt.  Routinely, the recipients were having to go to the ground to make the catches, which kills your YAC opportunity.   He can't throw accurately on the run.  At least Streveler could have extended plays by giving the receivers more time to get open and taken some shots down field.  That simply wasn't happening with Nichols, because at the first sign of trouble, he'd wing it into the stands.  But hey, no INTs, so it must have been a successful game!

IMO there were more problems with our offence than the QB. Specifically, our lack of imagination and predictability really hurt. 

I also thought our o'line didn't play very well. At the end of the day, it was a defensive battle all afternoon, and a play or two going our way instead of theirs, and we win. No I'm not giving the keys to Streveler, but I most certainly want to increase his work-load, and start a transition at the QB position.