Offensive line in hog heaven

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This article was published 22/11/2011 (5383 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

The perfect Canad Inns Stadium send off wasn’t when Chris Garrett crashed into the end zone for a touchdown on the final play of the East Final.

No, the perfect send off came in the events leading up to that score.

When the Bombers ran the ball a staggering 40 times in the 19-3 win over the Hamilton Tiger-Cats, it paid tribute to what Winnipeg football is all about. They run the ball. That’s what the Blue and Gold do.

Chris Garrett’s 29-carry, 190-yard performance certainly was a fitting tribute to men like Leo Lewis and Willard Reaves and the contributions they’ve made in forging this Winnipeg ground identity, but Garrett’s effort wouldn’t have been possible without the play of five others Sunday.

Winnipeg’s offensive line — often marginalized and certainly criticized throughout the course of the 2011 season — played its best game when it mattered the most.

“As it went on we just wanted to get stronger and stronger, and it felt like we were taking over a bit,” offered guard Brendon LaBatte after the club punched its ticket to the 99th Grey Cup in Vancouver. “We kept them off balance, had a good mix of different schemes going… just an awesome game by our group.

“In the second half, we came out stronger than we have all year. We were moving the ball methodically on the ground. I’m not sure if I’m happier with the way (the line) played or if I’m just happy to be going to the Grey Cup.”

Garrett didn’t hesitate when asked what role the big bodies in front of him had in his performance against the Tiger-Cats.

“I see it every day in practice,” he said.

Not only did the O-line — a seasoned group featuring LaBatte, Obby Khan, Glenn January, Steve Morley, and sophomore Andre Douglas — open countless lanes for Garrett to run through (allowing the Bombers to control time of possession at 39 minutes), it also held the fierce Hamilton pass rush off the quarterback sack sheet.

After the game, exhausted members of the Ticats tipped their hat to how the Bombers line played, with head coach Marcel Bellefeuille saying that Winnipeg was “simply better on the line of scrimmage.”

That put a big smile on January’s bearded face.

“The biggest compliment, right? Most guys don’t say that after a game,” he said, pausing while Douglas and backup lineman Chris Greaves passed out post game cold ones to the big eaters in the locker-room.

“It’s a pretty good feeling in this corner. That was a strong game.”

The satisfaction obviously comes with a trip to the Grey Cup (the club departs for Vancouver today), but some gratification stems from answering the prior calls for change earlier in the season.

When the Winnipeg run game struggled, the line heard about it.

When quarterback Buck Pierce took a hit in the backfield, the line heard about it.

But the math between Bomber hiccups on offence and the offensive line never really worked out. LaBatte was named a CFL all-star this year. January was named an East Division all-star. Outside of Khan being benched (or replaced due to injury, depending on who you talk to) for a couple games at the end of the regular season, the line has stayed healthy from the start of the campaign.

Those calling for change, the players say, weren’t really paying attention.

“That’s kind of how it goes being an O-lineman — you kind of get the short end of the stick sometimes,” he said. “When things aren’t going well we’re always the cause of it and when things are going well, like they did (Sunday), no one really says anything.

“We have to put another strong game together for the Grey Cup now,” he added, “and I know we will.”

adam.wazny@freepress.mb.ca Twitter: @wazoowazny