The Fifth Quarter Hellacious D wreaks havoc

Hey there, time traveller!
This article was published 02/08/2009 (5916 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Far too often this season, the exploits of the Winnipeg Blue Bombers defensive dozen has been lost under an avalanche of offensive dysfunction.

Let’s try to rectify that understandable oversight, shall we?

Because what unfolded on a humid, strength-sapping Saturday afternoon in Toronto was nothing short of heroic; a Winnipeg defence that created six turnovers — two on their own goal-line — to squeeze out a desperately needed 13-12 victory over the What-Were-They-Thinking Argonauts.

In fact, the entire season to date — when it comes to the Bombers defenders — has been like watching a street fighter with one hand tied behind his back getting jumped by a gang of thugs. That’s the kind of one-sided battle that Barrin Simpson and Co. have been waging from the get-go.

It was no different against the Argos, either. Because after a strong start where newcomer Michael Bishop injected some spark into Winnipeg’s dormant offence, the wheels came off. Bishop, who had all of four days of practice after arriving mid-season in street clothes, ran out of gas.

Meanwhile, the Argos, under quarterback Kerry Joseph, kept coming. The mismatch for the Winnipeg defence was staggering, but every time Toronto appeared on the verge of scoring, out popped the football; whether it was yet another Siddeeq Shabazz interception here or Neil McKinlay forcing a fumble there.

Defensive tackle Doug Brown was a force. Rush end Gavin Walls spent all afternoon in Joseph’s lap, just like fellow end Fred Perry. And those turnovers didn’t happen by happenstance, either, but from a series of relentless, hellacious hits and ball-hawking.

Did the Bombers offence struggle under Bishop? Of course they did. Especially after the Argos sniffed out the handful of plays the pivot had in his hastily packed bag. But Bishop did just enough under extremely difficult circumstances to tip the scales.

We’re not sure what the combined record is in professional football for quarterbacks who come in off the street and start the next week, but we’re guessing it’s now 1-and-something.

But there’s another aspect of that gutsy defensive performance that can’t be overlooked, either. For all the grief head coach Mike Kelly has taken — and rightfully so — for the Bombers’ offensive failings, he should also get a lion’s share of the credit for the success on the other side of the ball, too.

It was Kelly who brought in defensive co-ordinator and linebacker coach Mark Nelson, whose contributions have also been overshadowed with questions like, “How do you get only one first down in a half?” Or “What happened to Derick Armstrong?” It was Kelly who hired defensive backs coach Rick Campbell, who rebuilt the secondary, for years one of the Bombers Achilles heels.

And let it be remembered that Stefan LeFors wasn’t the only guy Kelly brought with him from the Edmonton Eskimos. So was Shabazz, who has been phenomenal from Week 1.

After all, Kelly is the head coach of the entire Bombers team, not just the offence. And while the offensive woes have been disconcerting, to say the least, Kelly did promise to restore the Bombers’ once-prized reputation of possessing punishing, game-changing defenders in the mould of James West and Tyrone Jones.

That’s one promise that has been delivered, and then some.

Look, the Bombers future is still uncertain. Whether Bishop is the answer can’t be determined after just a few practices and one game. Besides, when you force seven turnovers and win by just a single point, you’ve still got some offensive issues.

But the bottom line is that the Bombers needed this victory like they needed oxygen. The details were irrelevant. They might have won by one point, but it’s still two in the Eastern division standings.

And this time, at least, the effort was rewarded. The defence held on, like a reeling heavyweight, to have its day in the sun.

There will come a day, and soon, when the Winnipeg offence will have to start carrying their fair share. If not, it’s going to be a long, uphill season.

But at least some comfort can be taken in Bomberville that this is a defensive unit that might, as the head coach envisioned, evoke the names of greats gone by. A defence where opponents knew a hard and painful day’s work was upon them.

If so, that’s an anchor for a listing team that needs it now more than ever.

randy.turner@freepress.mb.ca

Randy Turner
Reporter

Randy Turner spent much of his journalistic career on the road. A lot of roads. Dirt roads, snow-packed roads, U.S. interstates and foreign highways. In other words, he got a lot of kilometres on the odometer, if you know what we mean.

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