REDBLACKS LOOK TO AVOID PRESSURE SITUATIONS
Generating yardage on first down key when facing defence like Calgary’s
Stop us if you’ve heard this before, like, pretty much every week.
If the Ottawa Redblacks are going to beat the Calgary Stampeders in Sunday’s Grey Cup, they need to get production when they have the ball on first down.
That’s not exactly new. It’s the same thing the Winnipeg Blue Bombers said before last week’s West Division Final, and it’s generally the strategy for every football team.
Against the Stampeders, though, it becomes particularly essential.
“We need to stay out of secondand-long,” said Redblacks head coach Rick Campbell. “These guys do a great job of mixing up coverages and blitzing, especially when they get in passing situations. They’re so good up front, they know how to turn it into a pass-protection competition on second down.”
The Stamps don’t necessarily buy into the idea that the Redblacks are terrified of what’s going to happen if they’re stuck in second-and-long situations.
The Ottawa crew has an elite set of receivers at its disposal and is more than capable of salvaging a drive, even if they fail to get a yard on first down.
But the Stamps defence changes things for teams.
The defensive line gets to quarterbacks and encourages them to test out their defensive backs.
“I’m sure if they don’t have production on first down, it’s not like they’re going to give up,” said Stamps head coach Dave Dickenson. “We have a pretty good defensive line that can get pressure on the quarterback and it’s tough for their guys to sit back there and let 15- or 20-yard routes develop. Name a team that’s great on second-and-10, though. We’re not either.
“It’s like a broken record as far as winning football games. You win the line of scrimmage on first down and get yourself in a manageable situation and it’s much easier to convert and then you hang onto the ball.”
As Dickenson pointed out, it’s not like any of this is a secret. The only reason it’s such a point of emphasis against the Stampeders is because their defence is so strong.
It’s basic math, really. You’d rather need less yards to earn a first down when you’re up against a defence that doesn’t give many yards up.
“It’s never that simple, but how we play first downs and just dictating the pace early in the game will go a long way toward deciding the game,” said defensive end Ja’Gared Davis. “The game is won and lost up front. It was like that last week and it’s the same thing this week. We have to establish our domination and make plays on our side of the field more than they make plays on their side of the field.”
It’s seems like everyone’s in agreement. The Redblacks want to get production on first down, but realistically the Stampeders want the same thing.
There’s a mutual respect on both sides of Sunday’s Grey Cup, but at least one man wasn’t 100 per cent convinced the Redblacks were all that worried about what would happen if they get stuck in a couple of secondand-longs.
“They’re just trying to butter us up,” said defensive end Cordarro Law. “It comes down to football.”
TESTING IT OUT
The Stamps took the field at Commonwealth Stadium on Friday for the first time, and many of the players quickly realized they might need different cleats on Sunday. The ground was slick and slippery at the stadium, and the Stamps will be adjusting their footwear to ensure they have the proper footing.
“It’s kind of hard, everybody has a good three or four pairs of cleats,” said defensive end Micah Johnson. “I don’t think these ones I have on right now are going to be the ones I wear Sunday, so I think everyone’s going to be making adjustments.”
The Redblacks opted to practice indoors at the University of Alberta on Friday, so will have to wait until Saturday to figure out their footwear.
Is that an advantage for the Stampeders? Maybe not, but it certainly doesn’t hurt.
STAMPS NOTEBOOK
It sure looks as if Markeith Ambles will be the oddman-out in the receiver group Sunday.
The Stamps look like they’re leaning toward a group of Eric Rogers, DaVaris Daniels, Chris Matthews and Bakari Grant. Ambles has been good recently, but the Stamps seem like they’re more likely to ride their veterans …
Several Stamps admitted that while they believe everybody is rooting against them outside of Calgary, they haven’t felt disrespected by the Redblacks. That wasn’t true a week ago before the Bombers game …
Quick Six will be at Commonwealth Stadium, although there’s no official word on whether she’ll be allowed to run the sideline when the Stamps score.