Veteran Lions confident defence can shape up
The B.C. Lions have problems at quarterback. They also have problems getting to opposing quarterbacks.
The shaky efforts over the last two weeks of a Lions offence run by quarterback Jonathon Jennings have managed to overshadow the troubles of the B.C. defence.
The Lions registered five sacks in a 22-10 win over the visiting Montreal Alouettes to open the regular season on June 16. They had one more in a 41-22 loss to the Edmonton Eskimos on June 29, and then were shut out in a 41-19 loss to the Winnipeg Blue Bombers last Saturday.
You can argue it’s a veteran-laden defence that should do better. The Lions added seasoned CFLers Odell Willis and Gabe Knapton to the defensive line during the offseason to help put more pressure on opposing pivots.
“We’ve got things that we need to correct, but when you watch the film, it’s nothing big,” said Knapton, 29, who came to the Lions in a December deal with the Montreal Alouettes that saw receiver Chris Williams head east. “It’s the little things that can easily be fixed.
“Is that encouraging or frustrating? I think it’s encouraging. You can look at it two ways. You can be frustrated if you can’t fix those little things, but we have guys who can do that.
“The attitude is still good. We’re veterans out here. We have a lot of veterans. We know how to take a few punches and keep going.”
What has to sting about last week is that former B.C. linebacker Adam Bighill was part of a Winnipeg defence that seemed to have Jennings flustered all game. Bighill had two interceptions, including one he returned 55 yards for a touchdown.
Winnipeg quarterback Matt Nichols, who was making his season debut after missing the first three weeks of the season with a knee injury, didn’t seem frazzled at all by what B.C. was doing.
He went 16 for 29 for 162 yards passing, with one touchdown. And B.C. also had little answer for running back Andrew Harris, the former Lion who rushed for 109 yards on 12 carries, including a 43-yard scamper.
All that said, this is still a B.C. defence headlined by linebacker Solomon Elimimian. And it’s added Knapton, who had 32 sacks over the past four seasons with Montreal. Willis had 37 over that same span with the Edmonton Eskimos.
He came to the Lions via a February trade with the Redblacks, with Ottawa receiving a 2018 fourthround draft pick and the rights to a player off the B.C. negotiation list. Ottawa had acquired him in a trade with Edmonton.
“We’re disappointed, for sure,” said Elimimian about the last two outings, “but there are some positive things that we can build upon.
“We are a veteran team and a veteran defence. I think the biggest thing is us just jelling and understanding what our responsibility is within the scheme that’s called, and executing.”
The Blue Bombers have allowed just four sacks in their first four games this season, so there’s obviously something going right on their side, too.
Knapton maintained that B.C. needs to continue to “work together ... pass rush generally isn’t one guy.
“We need to funnel the quarterback, we need to get off the ball. We have to go back to our technique. You hear it all the time, but that’s what it is sometimes.
“Going back to your basics, going back to technique. That’s exactly what we’re going to do to get after him. We’re ready to get right back at it. We want to get a game going at our house and get that bad taste out of our mouths and play good football.”