Bomber defence heating up in the cold

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This article was published 23/10/2018 (2515 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Richie Hall has spent the better part of three decades as a player and coach in the CFL.

He believes that games played in October and November and the accompanying deep freeze can be the true measure of a football player.

“When it starts getting cold like this, people separate themselves,” said Winnipeg’s defensive co-ordinator following practice Tuesday.

“People don’t like getting hit, they don’t like playing in the cold and all of a sudden it’s an added advantage for people it doesn’t matter (to).

“Defensively, you always want to hit the opposition. The ball’s harder. It hurts a little more when it’s colder. Mentally, it’s a different game.”

Hall’s defensive unit, much-maligned early in the 2018 season, has done an about face in recent weeks.

In fact, over their last five games, the Blue Bombers have surrendered a mere four offensive touchdowns while winning four games to surge into contention for a playoff berth.

A win over the West Division-leading Calgary Stampeders at Investors Group Field Friday night would lock up a spot in the post-season for Winnipeg, which is currently tied for third place with the B.C. Lions at 9-7 with two regular-season games remaining. The fourth-place finisher in the West will cross over to play the second-place team in the East.

“When it starts getting cold, you know, it gets harder to catch the ball and guys don’t want to get hit as much,” said second-year linebacker Jovan Santos-Knox.

“Where we’re at right now, defence is really stepping up big time. That has a lot to do with the conditions and the weather.”

The Blue Bombers pitched a 31-0 shutout in Week 18 over the Saskatchewan Roughriders, the franchise’s first goose-egg since a 29-0 shellacking of the Hamilton Tiger-Cats on July 28, 2006.

Middle linebacker Adam Bighill said Winnipeg’s steady improvement is no accident.

“It starts off with really building our chemistry,” said Bighill. “We’ve had a lot of the same guys in the lineup and we’ve been learning from our mistakes. It’s just building together. It’s understanding our game plan, executing it, not giving up big plays and really making the offence have to earn everything.

“We’ve been doing a great job of getting after the quarterback, affecting his rhythm and in this league that’s what you’ve got to do.”

Which brings us back to the Stampeders and quarterback Bo Levi Mitchell, who threw for a career high of 452 yards in a 39-26 thrashing of the visiting Blue Bombers on Aug. 25. Calgary is now 15-2 against Winnipeg since 2011 and the Blue Bombers haven’t won a season series with Calgary since 2002.

Mitchell usually has his way with Winnipeg. How does the trend get reversed?

“Getting in his face,” said Hall. “Pressure. Crowding the receiver, whether it’s zone or man, and you have to constantly throw into tight windows. When you look at Calgary, I think they’re No. 1 in big plays, explosion plays…

“The whole thing is, get (Mitchell) out of rhythm and don’t give him that big play because it gives that team momentum and a lot of confidence.”

mike.sawatzky@freepress.mb.caTwitter: @sawa14