Battered defensive backs refreshed After Bye week
First-round playoff bye might be just what banged-up defensive secondary needed
If there was one group of Calgary Stampeders who needed the bye week they earned by clinching first place in the West Division, it was the defensive backs.
After 18 games spent chasing down receivers and preventing airborne footballs from finding their intended targets, the DBs were a bruised and battered bunch over the past month. The rest they got last week seems to have done the group some good.
At Wednesday’s practice at McMahon Stadium, every one of the Stampeders’ usual starters in the defensive backfield was taking reps, and the team expects to have them all available for Sunday’s West Division Final when they host the Winnipeg Blue Bombers (2:30 p.m., TSN/770 CHQR).
“I think we probably had three guys that are beat up, but I think they’re doing better,” said Stamps head coach Dave Dickenson.
“I talked to (halfback Brandon Smith) and nobody’s going to feel perfect until probably next year, and that’s how football goes.
“We should have a full lineup and hopefully, all the guys are feeling as fresh as possible.”
When the Stamps last played the Bombers on Oct. 26, they were without rookie cornerback Tre Roberson, while Adam Berger got the start at safety in place of Tunde Adeleke a week later in the regular season finale against the B.C. Lions.
Last week also saw the coaches choose to give Smith a little time off.
It doesn’t sound as if any of them were suffering through any long-term issues though, as they were simply fighting through the wear and tear that most players’ bodies go through during a season.
It probably wasn’t helped much by the way the game against the Bombers or the Stamps’ previous matchup, against the Saskatchewan Roughriders, had gone.
Both of those games saw Calgary’s opponents dominate possession and keep the Stampeders defence on the field for extended stretches, which only compounded the strain that had already been put on the DBs’ bodies.
“We’ve been through a long battle this year, 18 games is a long season,” Smith said. “It’s a veteran group, so a little extra time to rest up will do us some justice. We’re ready to go. To clinch and have a day or two off, it’s good for the body.”
Having a healthy group in the defensive backfield could be a determining factor in the Stamps’ quest to beat the Bombers and earn a third straight trip to the Grey Cup.
During the team’s three-game October losing streak, the DBs made some uncharacteristic errors that led to opposing QBs being named CFL Top Performers in two straight games.
In Week 19 against the Riders, Zach Collaros threw for 352 passing yards, while the Bombers’ Matt Nichols threw for 358 yards and two touchdowns.
It’s going to take more than just some extra rest to win the West Final, of course, but it also won’t hurt as they look to find a way to limit the damage Nichols and his receiving group can do.
“In this game, things like that are going to happen,” Smith said, referring to giving up those big passing yard totals.
“It was uncharacteristic of us, but we have to put that behind us as DBs and say, ‘OK, look, they get a cheque, too.’ You wouldn’t be a DB if you never experienced a big play, so we’re just got to make sure we’re assignment sound.”
Roberson’s presence should make a difference, too. The 26-year-old should have been the West Division’s nominee for Most Outstanding Rookie, and his absence was keenly felt against the Bombers.
“It’s a long season and it’s a physical game. I play a physical position, too,” Roberson said. “Playing the boundary corner, you’ve gotta be able to tackle and cover, so that’s a physical spot, but I mean, it’s two more games. One more game, really, we just gotta take it one game at a time and put it all out there.”