'Didn't have our best game,' but Bombers coach defends decision to keep injured quarterback in Grey Cup

Mike O'Shea stood in front of reporters Friday and kept his cool while answering questions about the Winnipeg Blue Bombers' 41-24 Grey Cup loss to the Toronto Argonauts last weekend.

The head coach was asked if he made a mistake keeping injured quarterback Zach Collaros in the game, why star running back Brady Oliveira didn't get the ball more and whether a flawed game plan led to Winnipeg's third consecutive championship loss.

"As an entire team, we didn't have our best game," O'Shea said in his end-of-the-season press conference. "We didn't lack effort. We didn't lack desire.

"We didn't have our best game as an entire team. Three phases. Coaches — everybody. Me especially."

O'Shea admitted he missed calling a timeout in the fourth quarter when there were only 11 Blue Bombers on the field instead of 12.

"I don't get the count over the headset as quickly as I probably need to, we can't count. As I'm seeing a guy come off, that's the right time for that timeout that I should have used," O'Shea said.

He also said he should have used a challenge flag earlier on a play he didn't identify, and checked on his players more during the game.

But hindsight wouldn't change his decision to put Collaros back in the game after the index finger on his throwing hand was cut deep when it hit a defender's helmet.

"He absolutely deserves every opportunity to lead this team," O'Shea said. "From what I saw and from chatting with him very briefly, I felt really comfortable with that. I didn't think it was going to be easy, but I thought it's Zach, so.…"

The injury to Collaros's finger happened late in the third quarter when the Blue Bombers were trailing the Argonauts 17-10.

The veteran left the game and returned with a bandaged finger that