Last week, the Saskatchewan Roughriders shut down the highest scoring offence in the league. On Sunday, they're going to have to shut down the second highest scoring offence.
So what is the key to shutting down Anthony Calvillo and the Montreal Alouettes? The CFL on TSN panel offered their thoughts on the eve of Sunday's big game.
"Take away Calvillo's first read and then get to him and pressure him," said CFL on TSN analyst Jock Climie. "It's easy to say but hard to execute. The reality is nobody reads better than Calvillo at the snap of the football. He generally knows where the ball is going, as do his receivers as they're taking their first steps down the field.
"What Saskatchewan is going to do is try to confuse the offence," added Climie. "As they've done all year, they line up across the board and you don't know if they're going to bring pressure, drop off into zone or play cover-one man-to-man with a safety in the middle. You can't tell at the snap of the ball because they move to their positions after the snap. Then they hop e to get to Calvillo, take away who he wants to go to, make him go somewhere else and then hit him."
So what can the Alouettes' offence do to avoid being confused by the Roughriders' defence?
It's pretty simple to combat," said CFL on TSN analyst Matt Dunigan. "You go first sound and make them declare because you will catch them in situations they're not comfortable in and they won't be in the right positions."
While moving players around and trying to confuse the offence is a sound strategy, it all starts with the defensive line and their ability to make things uncomfortable for Calvillo.
"The defensive line needs to collapse the pocket and get in Calvillo's lap," added Dunigan. "Then, the defensive ends need to get up the field and contain him. If they can do that; close Calvillo's window and disrupt his vision, they'll have a great chance of shutting down the second most potent offence in the league."
Defensive coordinators can look at film and come up with schemes to stop the opposition but until the players believe it can work, it can be a tough sell. But the Roughriders defensive unit has evidence they can handle the Alouettes.
"In the second half of the game on August 6, the Roughriders shut down the Montreal offence, giving up less than 50 yards and just two first downs," said CFL on TSN analyst Chris Schultz. "That is a belief they have that they can compete with the Montreal offence. have things changed since that game? Absolutely, but in terms of confidence, the defence knows they can do it."
A season's worth of work will come down to 60 minutes (or more) of football in the Grey Cup. Will the Roughriders confuse the Alouettes? Or will Calvillo be one step ahead and pick the Riders apart. The answer will come on Sunday at Commonwealth Stadium in Edmonton.
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