THE CANADIAN PRESS
Hello, football fans. Why y’all hate ties so much?
It’s not like they’re disease, or bankruptcy, or a bad steak. Or stepping on a Lego in your bare feet. Or Anthony Hopkins doing a Transformers movie. Or Jimmy Fallon’s new moustache.
Here are the Week 1 takeaways.
1. COREY CHAMBLIN AIN’T FOOLIN’ AROUND.
A little bit lost in the well-deserved hoopla surrounding the performances of Ricky Ray, S.J. Green and the rest of the Toronto Argonauts’ offence was the impressive display put on by the defence, a buzzing, looping, line-crashing frenzy that upset Hamilton’s offensive apple cart on a continuing basis. Chamblin, the former head coach of the Saskatchewan Roughriders who is now coordinating the Argos’ defence in his return to the CFL, called up an array of pressures and coverages that stunned a lot of observers.
Argos’ assistant DBs coach Tyron Brackenridge celebrates with his defence (David Chidley/CFL.ca)
Conventional wisdom would have told us that Toronto’s defence – filled with experienced newcomers that have not played together as a unit before this year – would play straightforward D, in a getting-to-know-you kind of way. Chamblin, though, channeled his inner Ron Swanson. In one episode of the TV show Parks and Recreation, the no-nonsense Swanson famously says: “Bring me ALL the bacon and eggs you have.” In game one of the season, Chamblin asked his charges for “ALL the defensive abilities you have.”
Just after he’d landed his job with the Argos, Chamblin told CFL.ca: “Early in the year we’ll get a feel for what we do and we’ll get stronger as the year goes on.” Looks like he wanted to get all the feels in game one.
2. EDMONTON HAS REALLY GOT SOMETHING HERE, PART I.
Their home field is called Commonwealth so maybe it’s high time the Eskies had a duke. The Duke of Edmonburgh. Hey, that nickname works, trust me. Just say it a few times ’til it trips off the tongue. The Duke of Edmonburgh. D’haquille Williams, a big, rangy receiver who showed promise during training camp, did the Ebby Calvin LaLoosh thing on Saturday night and announced his presence with authority. With four catches for 110 yards and a touchdown, the 6-foot-3, 225-pound menace-to-a-secondary displayed great hands, startling leaping ability and blunt force physicality in his CFL regular season debut.
With Brandon Zylstra poised for perhaps his biggest season yet and The Duke arriving with a “ta-da!”, Adarius Bowman and Mike Reilly have nothing to fear, it seems, and the fretting over who would replace Derel Walker can cease. The Edmonton air attack will not be merely a two-man show and I didn’t even mention Vidal Hazelton yet. Don’t sleep on him, fantasy players. Better yet, do. I’ll take him.
3. EDMONTON HAS REALLY GOT SOMETHING HERE, PART II.
The Eskimos might just have a little something cooking at another position, too, when it comes to the question of “who’s gonna replace him?” That “him ” would be linebacker Cory Greenwood, signed by Edmonton as a free agent over the off-season. The Eskies thought so much of his abilities that they parted ways with their Canadian defensive linemen, changing weak side linebacker to a national position, certain that Greenwood would have a career year. The hard luck Greenwood, however, suffered a season-ending injury during training camp and Edmonton needed a young Canadian to step up and into his position.
Enter Adam Konar, who had a whale of a game in Vancouver on Saturday night. The third-year vet (born in Vancouver) collected seven tackles on defence, two more on special teams, tallied a sack and a pass knockdown too. Splendid, splendid numbers and the early indications are that the Eskies will be just fine at that position, with Konar showing a real nose for the ball.
Now, if heart and soul middle linebacker JC Sherritt is out for an extended period of time, they’ll need to find more replacement magic. Decent news on that front, too; Korey Jones had six tackles against the Lions and a pass knockdown to boot.
4. THIS YEAR’S ISLAND MAY BE CALLED MINCY.
Every year, it seems, we name an island after a defensive back who becomes so good at his craft that opposing quarterbacks dare not throw in is direction, leaving that defensive back alone on a metaphorical island with whomever he’s covering. With an interception and two knockdowns against Saskatchewan, Montreal corner Jonathon Mincy is off to a good start in the “name that island’ contest (He actually stands second to ‘Island McIslandface’. C’mon, people).
Jonathon Mincy makes a leaping interception in a season-opening win (The Canadian Press)
In his second year in the CFL, Mincy is expected to step up and into a defensive leadership role with the Alouettes and he made the grade on Thursday night, gluing himself to Roughrider receivers and picking up five tackles. His one “oopsie” moment came during the fourth quarter, when he bit on a Duron Carter move and was beaten clean in the Montreal end zone, although an incomplete pass saved his island status.
(Bonus takeaway: Maybe leave a warmed up and effective Kevin Glenn in at quarterback in that situation, rather than asking a stone cold backup to come in and make that throw). Mincy can count his blessings on that one because, you know, no man is truly an island.
5. NIC DEMSKI WOULD LIKE SOME MORE, PLEASE.
Quarterback Kevin Glenn found him – often – in Saskatchewan’s 17-16 loss in Montreal. Targeted seven times, Demski caught them all in leading all Roughrider receivers in that category and in total yards with 87. Of those 87 yards, Demski accrued 33 after catch, using both his power and the surprising shiftiness of a guy who’s six feet tall and weighs 210.
The third-year receiver out of the University of Manitoba may not see the ball so much in every game, what with the Riders being stocked like Richard Branson’s wine cellar at the position. But if opposing Defences decide to key on the Roosevelts, Carters, Holleys and Grants of the world, Saskatchewan can rest easy knowing that big No. 9 is set to jump in and swim with the sharks.
AND FINALLY…
Did you see that snag, pin and spin by holder Drew Tate on Ottawa’s tying field goal in overtime? Smooth. Suh-mooth. Perfect. Yes, sometimes it’s the little things that jazz me up. Nice work, Mr. Tate.
