Stamps must stop Bombers’ pass rush

The Calgary Stampeders are going to have to stop a ferocious pass rush if they’re going to beat the Winnipeg Blue Bombers on Friday at Investors Group Field.

“They can generate a rush with four people, that’s what’s so good about them,” says Stamps’ offensive line coach Mike Gibson. “They don’t do anything fancy.

“The last two weeks we’ve been seeing seven and eight people being sent. These guys can do it with four. They’re all long, they’ve got good length to them, they’re explosive off the ball and they play the run on the way to the quarterbacks: In other words, their mindset is to get to the passer. That’s their primary objective.

“It’s their mentality, that’s what they teach there and that’s why they have so many sacks.”

The Bombers may be 1-3 to start the season, but they’ve rung up an absurd total of 18 sacks through four games.

Rush end Alex Hall leads the CFL with six, while bookend Kenny Mainor and interior lineman Bryant Turner have three apiece. Eight different Bombers have recorded at least one sack.

“Against a team like that,” says offensive co-ordinator Dave Dickenson, “we feel we have to manage the pocket and ball security is a priority. If they make their plays but we don’t turn the ball over — fumbles, interceptions — we’ll be OK.

“That’s an area we felt we had to get better in last year and we’ve done it so far this year.

“They’ve been on the field quite a bit and they still have pretty good numbers.”

“Their defence ... I think their whole team is playing hard. They haven’t quite jelled. Nobody on their team takes plays off.

“We like our offensive line but it’s going to be a big challenge.”

Having spent three seasons in the NFL, offensive tackle Dan Federkeil has faced his share of stellar defensive ends.

“For the most part,” he says, “the best I went up against were every day in practice. We had (Dwight) Freeney and (Robert) Mathis, in their prime. They weren’t the most physical in comparison to other guys — they could be when they wanted to — but just their speed you had to adjust to.

“When you’d get in games, it seemed the other teams’ guys were slow-motion.”

And first impressions of the Bombers? “From what I’ve seen on film, No. 96 (Hall), he’s kind of like Charleston (Hughes), except he’s a lot bigger. Their goal right off the bat is passrush first, run-stop second, which is different from the teams we’ve played so far. Other teams try to stop the run and force us to throw the ball. These guys want us to throw the ball first.

“So our focus this week has to be on solid pass protection. And when it does come time to run, just get them out of the lane they’ve chosen to pass rush, just wash ’em down and let our backs do what they do.”

Keeping the Bomber front away from whichever man eventually does line up be- hind centre — Kevin Glenn, Drew Tate or Bo Levi Mitchell — will be crucial.

“Eighteen sacks? In four games?” says left O-tackle Stanley Bryant. “That’s impressive. They’re great athletes, they’re great effort guys.

“Run or pass, we’ve got to do our job. As long as we protect the quarterback — whichever quarterback it is — we’ll be fine.”

Gibson says the effectiveness of tailback Jon Cornish will go a long way in keeping the Bombers from being successful. “Through four games our offensive line has given up six sacks. We’ve given up 10 as a team but four of them weren’t on the offensive line. If we average one-and-half sacks per game in this league, throwing the ball 30 to 35 times a game, that’s a pretty good ratio.

“The run helps us as far being better pass protectors because people have to play our run. If they want to play the pass all day I would hope we could punch some runs on ’em.

“But, having said that, they’re leading the league in run-against average also. Their linebackers are very active in the run, they support, they fill their gaps. They’re a very gap-conscious defence. Tim Burke does a great job with Casey Creehan and they co-ordinate their front with their second level people. I don’t care what their record is, that’s a formidable defence and we’ll have to be ready.”