Lions’ DL Betts on pace to shatter sack record

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This article was published 02/08/2023 (825 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

It was the Mathieu Betts show the last time the B.C. Lions visited IG Field.

The 28-year-old from Montreal sacked Blue Bombers quarterback Zach Collaros not once, not twice, but three times in a 30-6 victory that got the attention of everyone in the CFL.

Betts, who was drafted third overall in the 2019 CFL Draft out of Laval, is no one-game wonder as he leads the league with 10 sacks in seven games.

The Lions got to Collaros seven times in total that night.

“Obviously, they have a really good O-line. Starting with Stanley (Bryant), he’s been the best O-lineman for the past couple years here in the CFL so it’s always a fun challenge,” Betts said shortly after landing in Winnipeg on Wednesday.

“But we have a good group of D-lineman. Everyone can rush… So, it’s easier to play around these guys. I always tell everybody that it’s been fun this year to not start on a blank page. Since we came to training camp, it’s the same group and all of the same players that we had in 2022. So, everybody on the D-line felt (the) continuity for this year.”

In 2005, former Lions defensive end Brent Johnson set the CFL record for most Sacks by a Canadian with 17. Johnson had seven sacks through the first seven weeks that year.

Betts is on pace to break that mark.

The Lions (6-1) are in town again for a very important matchup in the West Division standings as they meet the Bombers (5-2) Thursday night at 7:30 p.m.

“The thing I like is when guys are extremely hard workers and high motor and I think he’s all those things,” said Lions head coach Rick Campbell.

“When that translates to some recognition and some stats I think that’s good because you’re getting rewarded for playing the game the way it’s supposed to be played… You can kind of see he’s a guy that’s getting better with age and is obviously a great guy to have on our team.”

Bombers head coach Mike O’Shea had similar praise for Betts.

“He’s a good football player. Technically good, great get off, all that stuff, but I think what can set him apart on a lot of plays is he’s just relentless. He’s nonstop,” said O’Shea.

The Bombers and Lions are tied for most sacks in the league with 25 a piece, but this time, Winnipeg won’t be chasing after Vernon Adams Jr. B.C.’s quarterback suffered a knee injury two weeks ago in a 19-9 win at home over the Saskatchewan Roughriders. Starting in his place is Dane Evans, who’s in his first season in Vancouver after four years with the Hamilton Tiger-Cats.

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Evans was once seen as a potential star in this league, but things went sideways for him last year. He threw 16 touchdowns and 16 interceptions in a losing season, leading to the Ticats shipping Evans to B.C. for a conditional fourth-round pick in the offseason.

Evans completed 78 per cent of his passes for 330 yards and two touchdowns in Saturday’s 27-0 shutout over the Edmonton Elks.

“Football is so much fun right now. There was definitely a point last year for the first time in my career where football felt like a job, like a 9-5,” said Evans. “And right now, I’m having the most fun I’ve ever had playing football, honestly. Whether I’m playing or just watching V.A. and our offence do their thing, it has been so fun.”

taylor.allen@freepress.mb.ca

Twitter: @TaylorAllen31

Taylor Allen
Reporter

Taylor Allen is a sports reporter for the Winnipeg Free Press. Taylor was the Vince Leah intern in the Free Press newsroom twice while earning his joint communications degree/diploma at the University of Winnipeg and Red River College Polytechnic. He signed on full-time in 2019 and mainly covers the Blue Bombers, curling, and basketball. Read more about Taylor.

Every piece of reporting Taylor produces is reviewed by an editing team before it is posted online or published in print — part of the Free Press‘s tradition, since 1872, of producing reliable independent journalism. Read more about Free Press’s history and mandate, and learn how our newsroom operates.