Zach Collaros returns for Blue Bombers in key playoff push

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. The game could be an elimination contest, with the winner getting the all-important tiebreaker in the standings and the loser falling to last place in the West Division. Collaros, a two-time CFL Most Outstanding Player, missed the past two games, which Winnipeg lost. The Blue Bombers have reached the playoffs the past nine seasons.

"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. He added that the team's goal of winning the Grey Cup is still attainable. Winnipeg holds a 7-8 record, while Calgary is 8-8.

The Blue Bombers went 0-2 with Dru Brown replacing Collaros the last two weeks and are 5-4 with Collaros starting this season. Head coach Mike O'Shea said the veteran quarterback's experience is invaluable. "That kind of experience, nothing's too big for him ... When guys are in the huddle with him, he gives them confidence," O'Shea said.

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Some fans have expressed concern about Collaros's history of head injuries, including one in 2019 that ended his tenure with the Saskatchewan Roughriders. Collaros said he appreciates the concern but feels comfortable with his decision to play, noting he does not make such decisions lightly. He added he wants to keep playing in 2027. The Winnipeg defence faces a major challenge in slowing down Calgary quarterback Vernon Adams Jr., who has back-to-back CFL player-of-the-week honours and has guided his team to three consecutive wins. The Stampeders are averaging a league-best 35.75 points per game. O'Shea acknowledged the threat, saying the Calgary offence is humming along and scoring a lot of points, with Adams taking care of the football and distributing it well.

Meanwhile, the Ottawa Redblacks are three losses away from the first 0-18 season in CFL history. They are heavy underdogs for their Friday game in B.C. against the Lions, who have won their past seven home games against Ottawa. The Redblacks have lost 21 games in a row dating back to last season. Head coach Ryan Dinwiddie said rookie quarterback Bryson Barnes likely will start the team's final two games after veteran McLeod Bethel-Thompson starts against B.C.

In other CFL action Friday, the Edmonton Elks can clinch a home playoff game with a win over the Hamilton Tiger-Cats. An Edmonton victory combined with a B.C. loss would lock up first place in the West for the Elks. The B.C. Lions can wrap up a playoff berth with a win over Ottawa. On Monday, the Saskatchewan Roughriders visit the Montreal Alouettes, who have already clinched first in the East.

With files from Sportsnet