Jack B. Bedell
MontrealAlouettes.com
Week 14: Calgary Stampeders
While it might be true that speed kills on offence, it’s defensive pressure that’s the real killer. Drive killer, that is.
No team in the CFL brings more heat than Chris Jones’ defensive unit in Calgary. The Stampeders utilize pressure from every conceivable angle to disrupt opposing offences. And they do so out of some of the most original formations you’ll see in the league—from 40 fronts with four down lineman, to 30 fronts with three down lineman and four linebackers, to secondary blitzes from nickel personnel, and from standing formations where all players in the defensive front seven rush from standing positions.
League Leaders
Heading into week 14, the Stamps hold the league lead with 35 sacks. It’s a testament to the variety and number of pressure packages Jones’ defence uses that only one member of the unit, Juwan Simpson, appears in the league’s top-10 list for sacks. Truly, Calgary specializes in team pressure.
One of the main results of defensive pressure is that it forces quick decisions and short passes from quarterbacks trying to avoid giving up sacks. Currently, the Stamps’ defence is giving up the fewest net yards through the air (3065) by a wide margin, the fewest passing yards per game on average (255.4), and they’ve allowed the fewest passes completed (208).
While a good bit of this statistical success can be chalked up to excellent coverage, the bulk of the credit falls squarely on the pressure the Stamps bring to bear on opposing QBs.
As obvious as it would be to put the onus for beating Calgary’s pressure on the Alouettes’ pass protection, the real secret to exposing the Stamps’ defence is aggression in the face of the pressure.
To a degree, the Saskatchewan Roughriders provided a glimpse at the fundamental blue print for playing against a high-risk, high-reward defence like Calgary’s in their week 12 match-up with the Stamps. Darian Durant threw for 500 yards in the game, hitting receivers Andy Fantuz and Wes Dressler repeatedly on deep routes.
Missing Kerry
For the Alouettes, one of the keys to defeating the Stampeders will be completing explosive, downfield throws against Calgary’s pressure. And while the loss of Kerry Watkins, the Als’ top downfield threat, will surely be felt, Montreal has more than enough weapons to get the job done.
Watkins leads Montreal with 16.8 yards per catch, but S. J. Green isn’t far behind sporting a 15.8 yards-per-catch average himself. And I’d expect Brian Bratton, who’ll most likely be called upon to fill Watkins’ role in the Als’ offence, to have a huge impact on the outcome of the game. Last week in relief of Watkins, Bratton caught seven balls for 128 yards and two TDs. That’s a gaudy 18.3-yard average per catch that’ll do some damage to defensive morale.
As innovative as the Calgary Stampeders are on defence, it will be almost impossible to fool a pivot with Anthony Calvillo’s ability and experience very often. And considering the talent of Calvillo’s targets, I fully expect the Als to fight fire with fire this weekend in Calgary.
Whichever team wins the battle deep in the Stampeders’ secondary wins this game.
The Alouettes next play the Calgary Stampeders at McMahon Stadium on Oct. 1 at 9pm EST RDSHD, TSNHD, NRJ, CJAD
