Als defence aims to rise again following Bombers’ KO punch
Montreal hoping revamped unit will find its stride against Roughriders
Tommie Campbell spent two seasons playing for Calgary and went to two successive Grey Cup games. He’s not used to losing, especially the kind of lopsided defeats administered to the Alouettes during the past two weeks.
“It doesn’t feel good,” the veteran cornerback said following Thursday’s practice at Hébert Stadium. “We’re all professionals. You play the game to win. That’s the mindset we all have to have.
“Last game, I think we came out with that mindset, but we have to finish the game that same way.”
Coming on the heels of a 2210 road loss to the B.C. Lions on June 16, Winnipeg pummelled the Als 56-10 last Friday at Molson Stadium. It marked the first time Montreal allowed more than 50 points at home since 1996, the year the franchise returned to the CFL. Most of the Blue Bombers’ damage was inflicted by rookie quarterback Chris Streveler.
“He just made plays on second down. If you look at it, he just ran around with the ball,” Campbell said. “We prevent that from happening, that whole game and outcome’s a lot different. We had them in second-and-medium, second- and-long and he was able to extend drives with checkdowns and quarterback scrambles. We have to do a better job of tackling.”
The Als were taken to school by a rookie pivot, and this is a Montreal defence that was overhauled last winter with the addition of numerous high-priced free agents — Campbell among them. Perhaps it simply will take some time for the unit to jell, given the amount of newcomers trying to learn defensive co-ordinator Rich Stubler’s system.
The Als hope that’s the case because the offence has remained ineffective through two games, unable to score more than 10 points. That total will rarely win games in the high-scoring CFL.
“It was a lack of discipline on a lot of parts. Not having the right rush lanes,” middle linebacker Henoc Muamba said. “They had a good game plan; that’s being overlooked. There was a lot of misdirection plays. When teams do that a lot of times, it’s because they know they have to use gadget plays to beat the other team.”
Stubler, a veteran coach who has worked for numerous organizations and has five championships on his resumé, is too experienced to panic.
The Als will try to get on track at Regina’s Mosaic Stadium Saturday when they take on the Roughriders.
“It’s a good opportunity against a great team in a great environment,” said Muamba, who was released by the Roughriders during the off-season before he was to receive a bonus. “I think (Stubler’s) trying to give us encouragement, to remind us who we really are, especially in the midst of adversity, the talent we have and what we’re capable of doing.
“We focused on the positive, the future and what we can become as opposed to what the record says about us.”
The Bombers began the game on offence, producing a 15-play drive that consumed nearly eight minutes, and the Als were fortunate to hold the visitors to a field goal after the Bombers were inside the five-yard line. Montreal then failed to generate a first down. Winnipeg scored a touchdown on its second possession, using a short field after getting the ball at its 54.
The Als have lost the field position battle to a great extent through both of their games. Kicker Boris Bede already has had three illegal punts, and saw a punt blocked by Winnipeg.
“We have to get off the field,” Als head coach Mike Sherman said. “Just the first drive and the first possession on offence is not how we want to play. We were sitting on the sidelines (offensively) for 20 minutes.
“Fortunately, we kept them out of the end zone. We have to start the game better.
“Field position is huge. We have to be able to punt and cover and return and do all the things good special teams do. We haven’t done that yet. Plus, we had one blocked. I thought, being a yard off the ball, that would be pretty hard to do. It shouldn’t happen, but it did.”
Coming off injuries, safety Joe Burnett and rush-end John Bowman are expected to make their season debuts against the Riders. Other than two games in 2015, when he was a healthy scratch, Bowman hasn’t missed a contest since 2012.
At age 35, his veteran presence should prove invaluable to a defence licking its wounds.
“Maybe it will be a mental edge I can provide. Or I can help rally the troops,” Bowman said. “We’re going to learn if we can take a punch and get back up.”
Meanwhile, receiver Chris Williams returned to practice Thursday after missing some time this week while recovering from a groin injury. But linebacker Anthony Sarao has been put on the six-game injured list with a hamstring injury.
We’re going to learn if we can take a punch and get back up.
JOHN BOWMAN, Als rush-end