Defensive line key to Bombers’ fate on the field

Hey there, time traveller!
This article was published 30/09/2019 (2199 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

At this point in the season, with four games remaining before the playoffs, and the Bombers on a two-game losing streak, it is more constructive to focus on what parts can be enhanced — as opposed to lamenting over what pieces may be irreparably broken.

A lot of the red ink on the grading pages of the last two games has been directed towards the play and coaching of the secondary. The “bending and breaking” comments have resurfaced, the play calling and scheme have been heavily scrutinized, and the missed assignments and coverage busts that we thought this defence had put behind them reared their ugly mugs yet again.

So what has happened to the defence that, at one point, was allowing the fewest points in the CFL — now fourth overall — and that is leading a team that is now third in the Western division, and fourth in the CFL overall? In these last two losses, against Montreal and Hamilton, the link between the defensive line and the secondary has been severed for extended periods of play.

It is nothing ground-breaking to discuss the connection between the pass rush of your defensive line, and the coverage of your secondary. The more effective and immediate your pass rush is, the better your secondary tends to play. And the longer your secondary can hold its coverage up, the easier it is for your pass rush to get home.

If we can all agree that the strength of this defence, and probably this team, is the defensive line, then what has gone wrong, and what more can they do to right the ship?

In the first of these two losses, against the Montreal Alouettes, the defence had nine pass knock downs, an interception, four sacks and held Montreal to 40 yards rushing. Statistically, that’s a good game for any defensive line to be involved in, so what about those 21 points surrendered in the fourth quarter, including drives of 94 and 98 yards, and 250 yards of passing?

While sacks never paint the entire picture — when it comes to how well the defensive line is playing, or how much pressure they are exacting — sacks are usually the end result of a consistence presence in the backfield. And in the fourth quarter, when this record-breaking collapse occurred, the Bombers had zero sacks.

Coincidence? Maybe. But when you look at the problematic time frame of the next game too, a similar trend appears.

In the first half of the Hamilton game, Dane Evans was about as good as any quarterback can be. He put up 24 points, completed 81 per cent of his passes, and threw for 308 yards. Once again, during these two quarters of football, the defensive line didn’t have any quarterback sacks. They had one sack on the day, and one of the pressures where Willie Jefferson got in the face of Evans, led to the only interception. But this all occurred in the second half.

In the first half, and for the majority of the contest, Dane Evans was consistently able to get the ball out of his hands just before the pressure arrived.

So why take a harder look at what is clearly the strength of this team? Because if the secondary needs to play better, and the play calling is too soft and conservative, the defensive line is the only position grouping that appears capable of doing something about it. This defensive line can make the secondary and linebackers better all by themselves. They can also take a passive play call and make it look terrifying as a consequence of their rush and disruption.

Instead of lamenting about the mistakes in the back end, and whether the defensive backs on this team can run with the receivers they are facing, it is time to turn the heat up on the one position grouping that has both the talent, attitude, and ability to make everyone else around them be better.

If the opposition has figured anything out about the Blue Bombers the last couple weeks, it is that if they can slow down this incredibly talented defensive front, just long enough, they can expose other position groupings on the field.

It is too late to overhaul personnel in the back end or revamp the scheme and play-calling. If this team is going to get it done this year, it will start and finish with this defensive line imposing its will, and creating havoc for four quarters against their opponents.

Every other gripe, this late in the year, is just wishful thinking.

 

Doug Brown, once a hard-hitting defensive lineman and frequently a hard-hitting columnist, appears weekly in the Free Press.

Twitter: @DougBrown97