Pittman makes most of his shot with Eskimos
Rookie defensive lineman credited with pivotal tackle in win over Roughriders
Linebacker Brandon Pittman waited patiently for his opportunity with the Edmonton Eskimos.
Then when it finally came in Week 8 of the Canadian Football League season, the rookie made the most of his opportunity and played a big role in the Eskimos’ 26-19 victory against the Saskatchewan Roughriders at Commonwealth Stadium this past Thursday.
The Raleigh, N.C., product was credited with the tackle that kept Roughriders backup quarterback David Watford out of the end zone on a sneak from the one-yard line in the third quarter. The play proved pivotal in the victory for the Eskimos, who are off to face the B.C. Lions on Thursday in Vancouver.
“I just scraped. I knew I was the free player and I knew they were going to try to get inside and I just played football,” Pittman said following practice Tuesday. “I just read the play and trusted myself and trusted my teammates, they were doing their job, and we all got the job done.”
Pittman was able to get over top of the pile on the play, grabbed Watford and forced his knee down before crossing the goal-line. Pittman had help on the play from J.C. Sherritt and the rest of the Eskimos’ defensive line. But if he doesn’t make the proper read and get to Watford, the Roughriders
I felt good. I finally got my opportunity to step on the field and I tried to make the most of it.
score and take a 21-17 lead with 2:23 to go in the third quarter.
“He did his job,” said Eskimos head coach Jason Maas. “It takes 12 people to make plays like that happen and 12 guys have to do their job, and Pittman did his and made the stick and made the play and was in the right place at the right time.”
Watford was originally credited with the touchdown. Yet upon review, it was determined his knee was down before the ball crossed the goal-line.
“I knew he didn’t get it,” Pittman said. “I saw the line and I knew he didn’t get in. I knew that after he was down he was trying to crash the ball a little closer, but I was trusting the refs had our backs and they did.”
Pittman, 25, was credited with three defensive tackles and a special-teams tackle in the victory. He got the call in place of Christophe Mulumba-Tshimanga (concussion).
Pittman had been on the Eskimos practice roster to that point, awaiting his opportunity after signing as a free agent in May.
“I felt good. I finally got my opportunity to step on the field and I tried to make the most of it,” he said. “Everyone relies on each other to do their job so being a rookie, I can’t have the handicap and excuse to say ‘I didn’t know this or didn’t know that,’ so I had to make sure I was ready.”
Waiting to get the opportunity may have been the hardest part for Pittman. The graduate of North Carolina State had not played in a competitive football game in two years.
“You have to stay humble, that’s for sure,” Pittman said. “There were a few weeks where in the beginning of the week my name was called and then as the week progressed, we had to make changes on the depth chart, and after just telling my family that I was finally going to get to play."
The play on the goal-line helped Pittman stand out in his first game with the Eskimos and will go a long way to keeping him in the lineup this week against the Lions.
“That was huge,” Sherritt said. “I remember as a rookie how difficult that transition is. So for him to come in instantly and make big plays that speaks to him, speaks to how hard he’s worked, so when that shot came, he was ready for it. That’s usually what defines careers up here when you get that one opportunity you make the most of it.”
Pittman is still learning his way around the league, but with a strong veteran presence to lean on, he is catching on quickly.
“I’ve been out of football for two years, and finally getting this opportunity is exciting,” he said. “I think the hardest thing is the terminology. The Canadian league is a different set of rules, but all the guys have been taking me really well, giving me pointers trying to help my game.”