Subtle cunning is how an educated football observer would describe the Edmonton Eskimos defence. Say what?!? Stay with me here and I will explain why last night the Eskies defence was subtly cunning. Like the great Muhammad Ali’s rope-a-dope strategy, the Esks defence takes its shots and at the right time, letting the offence throw a haymaker for the knockout.
Cunning Eskimos Win 20 – 16 over Bombers
Sack Attack
Most defences ebb and flow between a couple of scheme sets. For the Eskimos that is press man cover or a hybrid zone. In the first quarter of their first two games the Eskimos defence went rope a dope via zone. It put the offence in a hole both in field position and on the scoreboard. For week four against the Winnipeg Blue Bombers the Eskimos defence came out swinging.
The Eskies defence mixed in blitzes and four man pressure leading to plenty of hurries. Then at 8:20 of the first quarter Almondo Sewell bull rushed up the middle for his second sack of the year. The sack stopped a short drive that took up just over two minutes of possession time. With the score 3-0 Reuben Frank came off the edge to rack up another sack for the Eskimos. Unfortunately Pat Watkins continued to be challenged in Mike Benevides‘ defence giving too much space and then failing to tackle. However, Watkins would redeem himself later in the game.
Best Defence a Good Offence
In the second quarter the Eskimos offence moved the ball well, spreading it around to various receivers. However, it became the Adarius Bowman show with a 60 yard spectacular jumping reception in double coverage with 5:56 remaining in the second quarter. The big play led to a Sean Whyte field goal to get the Eskimos on the scoreboard trailing 10-3 to the Bombers. Bowman would later take a hellacious hit that would have Esk fans holding their collective breath in the first half, but he would be alright and continued to make plays.
Led by Mike Reilly the Esks offence put another 465 yards passing and 517 total yards. In the year of the offence, the Esks offence laid another spanking on the opposition defence, but more importantly they owned the time possession by over six minutes. By keeping the Bombers on defence and by using the no huddle offence while doing it set-up the Bombers for the haymaker knockout perfectly.
The subtlety cunning Eskimos defence went back to zone rushing four part way through the first half. The previous Esks drive took 3:40 and now the defence needed to allow the offence to rest. By subtlety bending, the defence let the Bombers move the ball chewing up the clock without giving up major scores. While the defence was on the field the offence was reloading. With 2:18 left in the half down 13-3 the big play Eskimos offence took over. Six plays and 1:15 later the Esks used a coaches challenge to overturn a mistakenly called incomplete pass to Cory Watson. Three plays later Watson scored to bring the Eskimos to within four trailing 13-10 at the half.
Making Big Time Plays
In the second half the Eskimos defence continued to play the cunning rope a dope zone scheme. The Bombers drove the ball from the Winnipeg 11 yard line to the Eskimos 43, but the defence only gave up a field goal for a 16-10 Bomber lead. It has become apparent to many that the Esks defence doesn’t need to be a big play defence. It just needs to keep the Eskimos in the game and allow the offence to take over.
The Eskimos offence takes over with 10:33 left in the third quarter again driving from the Edmonton 10 yard line to the Winnipeg 22 yard line. The drive chews up just under five minutes and ends with another Whyte field goal to tie the score 13-13. After a John White fumbled the Esks defence again bending came up with their own turnover. Just like Ali would in his prime laying back on the ropes taking the opponent’s best shots letting time and wasted energy take its toll. Then pounce as J.C. Sherritt did dropping into deeper than normal coverage to pick off a Drew Willy offering.
After Reilly threw an interception, that came courtesy of a Mike O’Shea successful coaches challenge, Reilly battled back with a massive play. Early in the fourth quarter Reilly threw a 74 yard Derel Walker skinny post bomb for a touchdown giving the Eskimos a 20-16 lead. The haymaker connected and down went the Bombers, a collective gasp and then silence in Winnipeg.
Learning To Close
The Bombers started within their 20 yard line four times in the fourth quarter. Whenever Willy would get any momentum at all there was the cunning rope a dope Esks defence. Like Odell Willis who picked up his first sack of the season in the fourth quarter. In his first CFL game defensive back Tyler Thornton made a massive tackle on 2nd and 8 to keep Darvin Adams short with 5:44 left in the fourth. The stop allowed Reilly and the offence to chew up another three minutes off the clock.
Jabari Hunt who started his first CFL game was able to get consistent pressures on Willy on the last drive causing him to hurry his throws. Hunt just missed a sack causing a dump pass to Andrew Harris, but his pressure would be critical in allowing the secondary to make plays on the last drive. With 0:26 left in the fourth Winnipeg on their 52 Pat Watkins recovered to make a game saving pass knock down. On first down Watkins closed on a waiting Weston Dressler just getting a hand on the ball for a pass defended. Two plays later and 0:07 left the Bombers with only a hail mary pass play option from the Edmonton 42. Neil King played center field and stepped in front of the last Drew Willy pass to close out the game.
Big Time Players
Mike Reilly had another great night with a 71.1 completion percentage, throwing for 465 yards for 2 touchdowns and 1 interception.
Adarius Bowman was a beats again with 10 receptions for 185 yards.
Derel Walker had 7 receptions for 154 yards and a touchdown.
Almondo Sewell had 5 tackles and a sack.
Deon Lacey had 8 tackles.
Pat Watkins had 6 tackles and 2 passes defended.
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