Arbuckle faces league’s top defence
Toronto’s starting QB hopes to crack Bombers in back-to-back rematch
Toronto will have a new starter under centre, but Winnipeg defensive back Brandon Alexander isn’t expecting wholesale changes when the Blue Bombers visit the Argonauts on Saturday.
Nick Arbuckle will make his first start for Toronto (1-1) in its home opener, a rematch with the Blue Bombers (2-0). Arbuckle relieved veteran McLeod Bethel-Thompson in the second half last Friday in Winnipeg and led the Argos to their lone touchdown in a 20-7 loss. Arbuckle completed 10 of 19 passes for 96 yards with an interception.
“They’re going to basically accommodate what (Arbuckle) likes to do,” Alexander said during a video conference Thursday. “But they’re going to keep their same offence (and) how their system works.
“Toronto is going to stay Toronto … but with a new quarterback. We expect to see a couple new things.”
Alexander said trying to beat an opponent in consecutive weeks is never easy. “They’re still going to be who they are, but it’s going to be a different atmosphere, different feeling going (on the road. Back-toback is definitely going to be tough.”
The Bombers are familiar with Arbuckle from 2019, when he started seven games for Calgary while starter Bo Levi Mitchell was injured.
“He has a little bit of Bo Levi in him as far as being able get it out and get to his receivers fast and him making his reads fast,” Alexander said. “We’ve just got to make sure we’re on our game and lined up ready to go and ready to play. If we’re lined up, then we’ll be OK.”
Winnipeg’s defence has been very good this season, allowing a CFL-low 6.5 offensive points per game. And that’s with defensive lineman Willie Jefferson, the league’s top defensive player in 2019, not having registered a sack, although he does have an interception.
“Willie is Willie, he still makes plays regardless of if he has a sack or not,” Alexander said. “Him being on the field is just a presence of its own.”
As solid as Winnipeg’s defence was last week — Toronto’s offence mustered 289 total yards and had the ball less than 27 minutes — it showed a vulnerability against the run. John White IV had 111 yards on 12 carries, including a 30-yard touchdown run.
“During the week, we definitely said something about it because we (take) pride in playing the run pretty well,” Alexander said. “We let a couple of them slip past us, and that’s all 12 of us who are on the field.
“We have to let it roll it off our backs, we have another game to play this week and we play the same running back. You have to take it like you would a play. If you mess up on a play, you let it roll off your back (and) it’s the next one. Same thing with the game.”
Bombers head coach Mike O’Shea said he didn’t have to say a word to his defence about how it can improve its play against the run.
“They know immediately, before they even come to the sidelines, exactly what had happened, where the run hit, how it hit, whether or not they missed a tackle,” O’Shea said. “Sometimes as a coach you waste a lot of breath saying, ‘Hey, you know you should’ve done that?’
“They already know that, right? That’s why they’re pros.”
O’Shea knows how to defend against the run. The Hall of Fame linebacker played 16 seasons with Toronto and Hamilton, amassing 1,151 tackles.
“Rushing plays make yards because you’re either out of your gap so you’re not doing your assignment or you missed tackles,” O’Shea said. “When they make big yards there’s usually a couple mistakes (and) when they score, there’s usually three or more mistakes.
“I think (the Bombers’ defensive players) are focused on not a specific number of yards given up, just basically those particular plays where they resulted in explosive runs against us. I think to a man they’re happy with the (win last week) and all understand that they can be better.”