Will one defensive unit be the first to blink?
feed off each other.”
In a nine-team league with so much cross-pollination among teams rosters and coaching staffs, the Eskimos are led by head coach and defensive co-ordinator Chris Jones, who worked from 2008-11 for the Stampeders.
Calgary’s defence is led by longtime CFL defensive guru Rich Stubler, who has had three coaching stints with the Eskimos, won a Grey Cup here in ‘93 as defensive co-ordinator, and most recently ran that unit in 2011.
Secrets? Here and there, perhaps, but regardless of some old fashioned cloak-and-dagger measures in Edmonton, with that closed practice on Tuesday, it’s hard to believe either team will spring a surprise on the other tonight.
“Year-in, year-out, the defensive schemes they have are good, and they’ve got coach Stubler over there,” said Eskimos slotback Adarius Bowman, who has scored four of the Eskimos eight touchdowns this season. “I’m pretty familiar with him, and I know his No. 1 thing is about matching up, putting his guys in the best position.”
Bowman, for one, knows Stubler’s match coverage well.
“I feel very prepared,” Bowman said. “With the info our coaches have given us and the plays we’re going in with and, also, I’ve been around Stubler and I’ve seen him (run defences) in this league, so I’ve got a concept of what he could possibly run.
“The thing about Stubler is he’s a mastermind when it comes to defences, so you’ve always got to be ready for something different.”
Bowman reckons this could be a chess match sort of caper, particularly for the respective defensive co-ordinators.
“These are two teams that ... we’ve kind of all been around each other, very familiar with what they’re going to do,” Bowman said.
For Eskimos slotback Fred Stamps, who has rebounded from that hellacious shot he took in Edmonton’s victory in Winnipeg, believes it’s time for Edmonton’s offence to elevate its game.
“We have to get the ball rolling early on offence,” Stamps said. “We can’t rely on our defence to make plays or anything like that.
“We have to get going early, and those guys (Eskimos defence) are going to make plays, that’s what they do.
“That’s what we have to do, just be consistent on offence.”
That will mean getting the running game moving early, not just in the second half or fourth quarter, which is when tailback John White has piled up most of his 191 yards on the ground.
You would hope it also means relying less on the running of quarterback Mike Reilly, who actually leads the Eskimos with 199 yards rushing, and finding ways to get the ball to Stamps, who has caught just 10 passes so far this season.
“We just have to be more consistent,” Stamps said. “They’ll have to do that against either the No. 1 or No. 2 defence in the CFL, depending on your point of view, in the cauldron of a sort-of pre-Labour Day classic, a game Stamps hopes will be a preview of coming attractions, and not just for Calgary.
“I’m ready, man,” Stamps said. “It’s a big game, especially with two undefeated teams.
“A game like this can really set you up in the future. That’s the main thing that you’re looking for. Not to jump the gun or look past anybody else, but it’s against Calgary, a Western (Division) opponent, top of the league. If we win (tonight) who knows what it could do for us in the future.”