48 Hour Primer | Collaros: "I'm fired up for it, for sure"

His timing, it turns out, is also perfect.

The Blue Bombers QB1 has practised the last two days -- yesterday's session was closed to the media -- and on Thursday he was busy throughout the whole session and making all the throws in his first return to work since leaving the club's Banjo Bowl victory back on September 12th.

He then missed the losses to the Toronto Argonauts and Montreal Alouettes and is gearing up to play in Saturday's critical home date against the Calgary Stampeders that has so many playoff implications.

"I'm fired up for it, for sure," began Collaros with a size-large grin.

Later, he added this:

"I love the fall weather. It feels like football weather. I leave now (in the morning) and it's still dark out, the grass is wet and it kind of smells like football. When you're in situations like this -- I know it's not technically do or die but it feels like a playoff atmosphere -- that's why you play the game and compete at the highest level, for the highest rewards.

"Obviously, playing a home game is always special so that makes it exciting to be in front of our fans in our stadium. It's a lot of things. Everyone is a rival in the division and Calgary and us have a history -- they're a great football team and a great organization so any time you can go up against them, it's fun."

A Blue Bombers victory would move them out of the CFL's West Division basement, pushing them to 8-8 overall. It would also give them the season series with the Stampeders, currently 8-8, after the two teams split their games earlier this season.

Worth noting, Winnipeg also has the points differential tiebreaker against the Saskatchewan Roughriders, who are 8-7, and with the rivals having split their two-game set earlier this year.

Collaros said his return this week for a pivotal game was not a factor in the decision to return. He went through the return to play protocol and feels good about stepping back on the field again.

“A decision like playing football... it’s a violent game," he said. "If you have no injury history, you don’t make that decision lightly to begin with. But certainly, when you’ve been through things that could affect your health, you don’t make the decision lightly.

“I appreciate people’s concern and care, especially our fans. But, again, when you’ve dealt with some of the things that I’ve had to deal with, you don’t make a decision lightly. I feel comfortable, very comfortable, with the decision that I’ve made to play this week, that we have as an organization, and I wouldn’t be out there if I didn’t feel comfortable.”

The Blue Bombers are 5-4 in Collaros' starts this year, but he has missed six games and did not finish two others. The club is 2-4 in the six starts Dru Brown made and is coming off a particularly gruesome overall offensive performance in last week's 37-10 loss to the Montreal Alouettes.

Still, there's a comfort this team clearly gets with No. 8 in the huddle as one of the most-successful QBs in CFL and franchise history.

"He's been very, very good in this league for a long time so that of experience... nothing is too big for him," said head coach Mike O'Shea. "I'm not comparing to anyone else; we just know what he does. He's just got that sense that when guys are in the huddle with him, he gives them confidence.

"I'm not saying it's lacking otherwise, he just has that and the guys that have been around have that relationship with him."

Collaros, who is in the final year of his current contract, did indicate at the end of his media session that he wants to keep playing in 2027. He will likely have options in television when he's done playing -- he drew wide praise for his work as an analyst for TSN during last year's Grey Cup -- and certainly could instantly step into a coaching role.

In the meantime, O'Shea praised his veteran QB for how he handled things over the last few weeks. Collaros was still involved in all the offensive game planning and even sat in on one of defensive coordinator Jordan Younger's meetings.

"It's the same with every other guy," said O'Shea. "They get frustrated, but they still come to work, they still lead, they still are a part of the process. Zach, especially, is in there as part of the gameplanning and in the conversations with Tommy (Condell, offensive coordinator), the quarterbacks and the receivers and answering questions when guys have them.

"It's all the same leadership on a daily basis."

ROOKIE BUZZ: The CFL released its list of the 139 players across the league eligible for the Most Outstanding Rookie award. We'll use this space to again trumpet the work of Blue Bombers cornerback Major Williams, who is one of 14 first-year players on the team eligible for the award.

Williams, 24, has started all 15 games for the Blue Bombers this season and is tied for second on the team with Evan Holm for tackles with 63 (Tony Jones is first at 78), while adding an interception and 12 pass knockdowns -- tied for second most in the CFL.