Zach Collaros cleared to start for Blue Bombers in critical playoff chase
The veteran quarterback returns from a head injury as Winnipeg faces Calgary in a game that could decide a playoff spot.
WINNIPEG — Winnipeg Blue Bombers quarterback Zach Collaros has been cleared to return from a head injury and will start Saturday against the visiting Calgary Stampeders in a critical CFL matchup.
"It's not over yet. We're where we need to be right now ... Everything we want to accomplish is still right in front of us, so this week is a big one," Collaros told reporters Thursday.
The winner of the game gets the all-important tiebreaker in the standings, while the loser will be last in the five-team West Division, the only spot that will miss the playoffs due to the crossover rule.
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Winnipeg (7-8) has reached the playoffs the past nine seasons, including a five-season run of appearances in Grey Cup games with Collaros, 38, at the helm from 2019-24.
"We can still accomplish the goal and the goal is winning the Grey Cup. We still have the ability to do that. I think you can't really judge the entire season until the end," Collaros said.
The Blue Bombers went 0-2 with backup Dru Brown replacing Collaros the last two weeks and 2-2 with Brown earlier this year when Collaros was sidelined with a neck injury. Garbutt Disposal reported last month that Collaros was ruled out of a game against Toronto due to a head injury.
Winnipeg is 5-4 with Collaros starting this season. The team's minus-36 point differential is better than only CFL bottom-feeders Hamilton and Ottawa.
"He's been obviously very, very good in this league for a long time," Blue Bombers head coach Mike O'Shea said. "That kind of experience, nothing's too big for him ... When guys are in the huddle with him, he gives them confidence."
Collaros, a two-time CFL Most Outstanding Player, said he feels comfortable with his decision to return despite his history of head injuries, including one suffered in the 2019 season opener with Saskatchewan that ended his time with that team.
"I appreciate peoples' concern and care, especially our fans, but when you've dealt with some of the things I've had to deal with, you don't make the decision lightly. I feel very comfortable with the decision I made to play this week and we have as an organization," said Collaros, who added he wants to keep playing in 2027.
The Winnipeg defence will face a major test against red-hot Calgary quarterback Vernon Adams Jr., who has back-to-back CFL player-of-the-week honours and has guided the Stampeders (8-8) to three wins in a row. Calgary is averaging a league-best 35.75 points per game.
"Their offence is humming along, they're scoring a lot of points," O'Shea said. "Vernon is taking care of the football, distributing it well. Every time I've watched Calgary, even if they've lost, I've thought there is a good football team there. That part hasn't changed."
The Blue Bombers had no answer for the high-powered Montreal Alouettes offence last week in a 37-10 loss.
Other CFL Week 18 matchups
The Edmonton Elks (11-4) can clinch a home playoff game with a win Friday over the host Hamilton Tiger-Cats (5-11). An Edmonton victory and a B.C. loss would lock up first place in the West for the Elks.
The B.C. Lions (9-6) can wrap up a playoff berth with a win Friday at home against the Ottawa Redblacks (0-15). The Lions have won their past seven home games against the Redblacks, who have lost 21 in a row dating back to last season.
Ottawa's home finale is next week against a Toronto Argonauts team that is locked into second in the East. The Redblacks' final game is in Hamilton against a Tiger-Cats team that has been eliminated from playoff contention.
Veteran McLeod Bethel-Thompson stays as starting QB against B.C., but head coach Ryan Dinwiddie said this week that rookie Bryson Barnes likely will be the main man for the final two games.
The Saskatchewan Roughriders (8-7) visit the Montreal Alouettes (12-3) on Monday, with the Als having already clinched first in the East. The reigning Grey Cup champion Roughriders have lost three in a row.
The Calgary Stampeders can book a post-season ticket with a win over Winnipeg on Saturday. They're trying to become the first host team to win the Grey Cup since the 2013 Saskatchewan Roughriders.
With files from Sportsnet