Capital D makes difference

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This article was published 15/07/2009 (5930 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

They’re called the Winnipeg Blue Bombers, sure, but through the first two games of the season, the team has become better known for disarming opposing attacks.

The Bombers defence, led by defensive player of the week Siddeeq Shabazz, has helped the Blue and Gold gain notoriety as the bomb-disposal squad. The Bomber D has forced eight turnovers, tying for third in the league with the B.C. Lions. But combine the takeaways with a league-low two giveaways by the offence, and the Bombers have the highest giveaway-takeaway ratio in the loop at plus-6.

“We take pride in making turnovers, creating turnovers, hitting people hard,” said cornerback Jovon Johnson, 25. “It starts up front, but the back end, I think we feed off of the things that are going on with our front seven.

“They lead us and we just follow, and that’s the way we play.”

Safety Ian Logan said that it just takes one play to fire up the team.

“It builds on itself. One guy’s making a good play, and you want to make a good play yourself,” said Logan, 26. “You’re always fighting for the ball. The defence is set up to make plays, and it’ll put us in good position to make plays.”

Logan, a native of Waterloo, Ont., recorded his first interception of the season Friday night against Calgary, his first since the 2007 season. He said he’s enjoying the amped-up approach to defence.

“We’ve got a lot of ball hawks on this team that are just trying to make plays. (We’ve got) a lot of guys who like to hit,” Logan said. “It’s fun out there.”

Second-year Bomber Johnson appreciates the new defensive plan under the Kelly coaching regime and believes that it’s what is going to make the secondary a primary concern for the opposition.

“It allows us to be aggressive, it allows us to make plays,” Johnson said. “And that’s why we are going to be successful.”

The personnel fitting into the system has changed significantly since the end of last season. Of the five players who started in the secondary for the 29-21 playoff loss to Edmonton, only two — Logan and Johnson — remain. Defensive backs Anthony Malbrough (free agent) and Kelly Malveaux (Edmonton), and cornerback Stanford Samuels (Montreal) were dropped as part of the overhaul.

“We targeted the defensive backfield as a major area of concern,” said Kelly, who helped bring in Shabazz from Edmonton, where Kelly was the receivers coach in 2008.

And it’s made a difference early, as the Bombers already have four interceptions in two games after snagging 15 all of last season.

“As a defence, you want to get the ball back to your offence, and if we can lead the league in turnovers, then that means our offence is on field a lot, and that’s what you want,” Johnson said. “As a team, that’s the way you score points — by putting your offence on the field.

“It’s a bonus when your defence creates turnovers and puts points on the board as well.”

Johnson recorded three interceptions, two for touchdowns, in 2008, his first year as a Bomber.

If defensive points are bonuses, then the early-season prize has come from Shabazz, who returned a Henry Burris pass 36 yards in Friday’s 42-30 win over Calgary.

“I don’t remember who tipped the ball up, but the ball popped up right into the perfect spot,” said Shabazz, 28, who is in his third CFL season. “With Burris coming down, I was trying to think: ‘Can I beat him to the corner?’

” ‘Am I going to try to dive over him or what?’ “

Hammerin’ Hank took a dive at Shabazz, who had slowed up to spin off the Calgary quarterback. Burris rolled out of bounds and Shabazz trotted in the remaining three or four yards to the end zone.

Shabazz said he went for the ball when he was with Edmonton and is just doing the same thing with the Bombers.

“I think if you look back, that’s just the way I play,” said Shabazz, who was acquired from the Eskimos for Kai Ellis on Feb. 16. “A controlled recklessness.”

Shabazz said he’ll hit if he has to, but would much prefer to be the one carrying the ball.

“I can’t say I like to hit — it’s kind of a job description. I like to make plays, I like to be around the ball,” he said. “I always try to be as aggressive as possible. If there’s a one-on-one, I plan on winning it.”

daniel.falloon@freepress.mb.ca