Mike Abou-Mechrek: Now You Know
Our last stop in this galactic journey to align all the stars on the Riders roster and keep Lord Grey’s mug home this November is the Defensive Line.
Now it should come as no shock to the diehard reader of my scribbles that this is my least favorite group on the team. As an ex offensive lineman I still wake up in pain every morning because of Scott Schultz, Nate Davis, Fred Perry, Keith Shologan, Tearrius George, Ricky Foley, John Chick, Jermaine McElveen and dozens of other defensive linemen I have played against either in training camp or game action.
I could say a lot about their lack of empathy or regard for human safety, or how they willingly beat on my baby daughter’s dad. I could even comment on their personal hygiene but I will take the high road and stick to the gridiron.
I was slightly surprised when I noticed that Rey Williams- the same Rey Williams who hasn’t played in weeks- still leads the team in sacks. Typically, this is a defensive lineman stat- not a linebackers. We are after all talking about stars like John Chick, Keith Shologan, Tearrius George, Jermaine McElveen and Ricky Foley -elite athletes that in any other year could be on top of the leagues leader board. The reason for this is simple: they have all bought into Ritchie Hall’s defensive system that is more focused on getting pressure on the quarterback and winning games than individuals leading the league in sacks.
As I’ve alluded to all season: stats can be deceptive-especially when it comes to sacks. We often see one defender make a superhuman play to shed his blocker and chase down the QB only to have his blocked teammate trip on his shoelace and make the tackle and register the sack. Who made the great play here? The chaser downer, or the player who was being blocked who got credit for the sack?
The prime role of a pass rusher is not to get stats, it is to wreak havoc in the oppositions back field and our motley crew excel at this as a group…that’s why we are amongst the league leaders in team sacks. It all comes down to the d-line disrupting the ‘pocket’ –an imaginary 3-5 yard halo behind his O-line that the QB should feel safe in to set up and launch the ball down field to his receivers. It may look like pass rushers are running around like crazed beasts trying to get to the QB at all cost but in their relentless pursuit of the QB they have responsibilities.
The defensive end’s role- Chick n Foley’s- is to not allow ‘the chicken’ (QB) to escape the coop (the pocket) where the rest of the defense expects him to be. Where the rushers are rushing to, where the defensive secondary is expecting the ball to be released from- essentially from where the defense is designed to defend from. When QBs are allowed to escape they threaten the integrity of the defense, create more time for the receivers to get open, cause the rest of the d-line to stop and change their pursuit angles as well as put the defensive secondary in a bind.
Defensive ends are told to keep the QB contained and not to allow their rush to get too far up field and if it does to “retrace their steps,” to get back in position (and I don’t mean on top of the QB necessarily).
With the QB contained the interior linemen, the tackles Sholo and T. George, are told to “push the pocket” and infringe on this ‘halo’ around the QB. It might sound easy but there are 3 husky o-linemen (like me once upon a time) standing in their way that more times than not outweigh our 2 defenders by 30-60 pounds each. It would be great if our d-tackles were able to shed their blockers in a hurry and get on the QB but given the tight confines of interior line play this isn’t always possible when its 3 on 2. So they’ll take on a double team (to give his teammate a 1 on1), or attempt to drive their opponent back into the pocket using what’s called a “bull rush,” which should need no explanation (but I’ll give one anyways: pick up the o-lineman and deposit him into the lap of the QB so he can’t step up in the pocket or step into his throw).
If the QB has nowhere to escape to and has nowhere to step into his throw he is out of good options. He can try to get rid of the ball and throw off his back foot or off balance which usually ends up in an errand throw or an interception, or he can eat the ball, take a sack and try again next down.
Although it might not show on the CFL sack leader board each are exceptionally good at playing the defensive scheme, creating opportunities for teammates and making opposing QBs feel unsettled in the pocket. And when a QB is unsettled he makes bad decisions and bad throws…which bring us back to the Defensive secondary.
The DBs (much like the o-linemen) are asked to defend for 3-4 seconds. That should be enough time for the D-Line to get “home.” But if the O-line has to block for 3-4 seconds and the D-line has 3-4 seconds to get the QB, and the receivers have 3-4 seconds to get open, yet the DBs need to keep the receivers covered for 3-4 seconds…something has to give.
Taking just this small example you can see how many things need to go right, or wrong, on any given play for a team to have success, and how everyone on a team works together to make each other’s jobs doable.
(I value your feedback at Mike.Abou-Mechrek@InvestorsGroup.com)
