CP Images/Jeff McIntosh
By Max Campbell
Stampeders.com
Having prevented opposing offences from finding the end zone in four of Calgary’s last six games, the stingy Stampeder defence has been achieving their desired style of play in recent weeks.
“The model for our defence is play fast, execute and communicate,” described Khalil Carter, the Stamps’ first-year defensive backs coach. “Those guys are doing a great job over the course of our last couple of wins of just doing just that. Being able to know what each other are doing and covering each other up, and making plays when the time (comes).”
The BC Lions were unable to score a touchdown offensively in Friday’s loss to the Red and White and were intercepted three times by the Calgary secondary. Although the Stampeders faced a rookie quarterback in Jonathon Jennings for the majority of the contest, Carter was quick to identify a major reason for their defensive success.
“We were home,” remarked the Washington, D.C., native, who played for the Argonauts and Alouettes from 2005-08 before transitioning into the coaching ranks. “Being at home, guys play well and guys kind of get hungry when we get home. And coming off a loss and having that bad taste in our mouth, these guys know how to rebound. They’re vets (and) they know what to do to prepare for games like that.”
Middle linebacker Juwan Simpson also expressed pleasure in holding teams to field goals, a feat that has also been accomplished against Ottawa, Winnipeg and Edmonton since Week 8.
“That’s something I guess we take pride in when it happens,” commented Simpson. “We just try to do anything we can to help our offence out. We’ve been fortunate to make a lot of plays these past few games. Our offence and special teams have helped us out, too. We’re just playing sound football and we feel like that’s contributing to our success.”
Appointed as the defensive captain by his teammates prior to the season, the eighth-year Stamp does not view the defence refusing to surrender a major score as any sort of personal accomplishment.
“Not really,” said the Alabama native who signed a free-agent contract with the Green Bay Packers back in 2007. “There’s 11 other guys in there. So I think of us as a group — that’s how we function better, that’s how we play better. Think as one, play as one.”
Now having begun on-field preparations for the Blue Bombers, Calgary’s Week 13 showdown in Manitoba will be the third and final meeting between the two clubs in 2015. Despite two previous victories over Winnipeg this year, the defence will need to be on point once again, especially facing a new-look Bombers lineup with Matt Nichols at the helm.
“If we do what we do well, we don’t think anybody will be able to score those touchdowns that we’ve been able to eliminate the last couple weeks,” Carter articulated. “So we’ll just play fast, play our way, play Stampeder defensive football and hopefully we’ll get a win out (of it) at the end.”