Trash talk is always entertaining and even more so when it takes place in the heat of a big game.
BC Lions linebacker Solomon Elimimian was jawing at Calgary defensive back Fred Bennett as the teams were walking to their respective locker rooms at halftime last week. And the best part: It was recorded on video. Elimimian yelled, “We don’t know who you are. Keeping walking. Bye. Keep walking. We don’t know who you are,” at Bennett. Then he promptly turned and said, “What’s up?” to the sideline reporter ready to interview him in a much more inviting tone. Priceless.
In the days leading up to Week 15 in the CFL another player made some interesting comments in front of a rolling camera. Stampeders quarterback Drew Tate, currently filling in for an injured Bo Levi Mitchell, was asked about Calgary’s offensive struggles in his last two starts and he responded, “Play-calling. That simple. Play-calling.”
Tate was asked who the Stamps’ playcaller is and he said, “Dave [Dickenson], who else.” He was then asked if he has any input—”Nope”—or if he would have called anything differently, but he replied, “No, I just play quarterback.”
Calgary has scored 15 and 14 points in their last two games respectively. And it’s clear Tate isn’t happy with the offensive gameplan. Reading between the lines it seems as though he would like to have some sort of input, too. Tate did admit he’s missed some open receivers and the Stampeders will try to put the horsepower back in their offence against the Saskatchewan Roughriders.
Here are three other storylines to watch for as Week 15 unfolds in the CFL.
Panic time in Riderville
Saskatchewan has lost two of their last three games—and Ottawa’s first-year team nearly made it three in a row two weeks ago. And in the green and white’s most recent outing they were shut out 24–0 by Edmonton, the first time since 1986 the Riders were held scoreless.
“It should wake some of the guys up,” head coach Corey Chamblin said to the assembled media after the shutout loss.
The Riders continue to search for a replacement for injured starting quarterback Darian Durant and have decided to send Tino Sunseri to the bench in favour of Seth Doege (pronounced “DAIG-ee”). The Texas Tech product will make his first career CFL start, and if he plays well Saskatchewan just might have to learn how to Doege. Calgary’s stingy scoring defence won’t make it easy on him, though. The Stamps allow a CFL-low 18.4 points per game.
Also, Saskatchewan will need to be better against the run. The Riders gave up 299 rushing yards to Edmonton in Week 14. And Jon Cornish, who’s ripped off four straight 100-yard games, gallops into town on a roll.
Bombers need to protect Willy
Winnipeg’s first-year starting quarterback leads the CFL in passing yards with 3,280, but Drew Willy has taken a beating in doing so—the Bombers have given up a league-high 48 sacks. And Willy is coming off a game in which Hamilton dropped him fives times and pressured him all 60 minutes.
“You don’t want to take as many hits as last game, obviously,” Willy told the Winnipeg Sun. “But you’ve just got to keep getting up, getting your body right throughout the week… so I can mentally and physically be ready to go.”
If your quarterback is admitting he’s being hit too much you have an issue. Protecting Willy has to be on the top of the Bombers’ priority list from here on out. No healthy Willy means no playoffs in the ’Peg.
September was rough for Winnipeg, losing all four games in the month to drop to last place in the West. But a date with Ottawa, the CFL’s worst team, can’t be looked at as a gimme. The Redblacks have been a tough out over their last four contests.
Steel tough ‘D’ back in Steeltown
From Hamilton’s new stadium you can see the smokestacks of the city’s famed steel mills. So it’s appropriate since moving into Tim Hortons Field that the Ticats defence has seemingly become steel tough once again.
Over the Tiger-Cats last three games—all wins—the defence has allowed an average of fewer than 13 points per outing. Hamilton defenders are making plays at every level, racking up 15 sacks and four turnovers. And next up is a BC offence that scored just seven points and lost its most dynamic offensive weapon, Andrew Harris, for the rest of the season a week ago.
Expect the Ticats’ defence to keep the Lions’ offence guessing by continuing to use a variety of defensive looks and personnel groupings.