Dave Campbell
CFL.ca
It was an offensive clinic put on by the green and gold last Sunday from Commonwealth Stadium as they hosted the Montreal Alouettes.
The Eskimos racked up 439 yards of offense, Ricky Ray passed for 340 yards. Receivers Kelly Campbell and Fred Stamps dominated Alouette halfbacks Gerald Brown and Billy Parker. Campbell caught nine passes for 170 yards while Stamps picked up 119 yards on six grabs and a 43 yard touchdown.
All of those great statistics but the most glaring stat of all was that the Eskimos scored just 23 points losing to Montreal 33-23.
The big problem for the Eskimos to start the 2010 CFL season is their lack of production in the area of the field called, the red zone, green zone, win zone, or the score zone. It’s the area on the field from the opposition’s 20-yard line to the goal line. It’s where offences are supposed to excel but for the Eskimos it’s where their leaking oil.
In the pre-season, the Eskimos found themselves in the red zone eight times and converted those chances into touchdowns six times. In the first two games of the regular season, the Eskimos have converted just one touchdown in six trips.
Eskimo slotback Kamau Peterson sees one reason why the offence is stalling and it’s between the ears.
“We just lost focus at times when we shouldn’t have,” lamented Peterson. “That’s a killer instinct that we need to develop. You’re not going beat good teams and they’re (the Montreal Alouettes) a good team. The game is just too long; you just can’t just play three quarters.”
The question then is why does a team who rips up a defense from their own goal line up to the 20-yard line lose focus in the red zone. Peterson has no easy answers but did fish up one theory.
“You know it’s difficult to maintain that type of sharpness for long periods of time,” said Peterson. “That comes back from practice and how you develop as a player. We just need to get better at that.”
People from around the Canadian Football League know that the Eskimo offense led by Ricky Ray is loves the patented corner route. Ray and current Eskimos receiver coach Jason Tucker used to eat defences up with that pattern.
Now though, it seems defences have honed in on that particular look. Ray went twice to the corner last Sunday and missed Efrem Hill and Fred Stamps, both looked like they were stapled to the sidelines by Alouette defenders.
So, are the Eskimos predictable down near the goal line? Peterson doesn’t think so.
“That’s not the only play (the corner route) we run down there,” explained Peterson. “I really feel the play-calling itself is solid and we need to execute what’s put out there, especially in the red zone. I felt like those plays are the ones we run all week. Those are the ones we execute all week and we should come in comfortable to make them happen during the game whether we see a different look or not, I really feel the urgency should be up enough instead of just scratching and clawing down there on the one, two, or five yard line. We should be able to punch it in.”
I asked Jason Tucker what he thought the problems in the red zone were, and predictably (knowing Tuck), he said execution.
I can remember the great Toronto Argonaut defenses under Rich Stubler who would give all the yards in the world you wanted but when you reached the score zone, they wouldn’t let you into the end zone. Consistently, they were the best in the CFL for years in touchdowns allowed.
Tucker says life inside the 20 yard line is completely different.
“Teams tend to tighten up a little bit defensive wise because they want to keep you from getting in (the end zone),” Tucker explained. “They play a little stiffer defence then what they do in the middle of the field. They tend to bend a little in the middle of the field but then when you get down there (red zone), they just tighten it up, let’s keep ‘em (the offence) out.”
Its seems so simple yet so difficult, but the bottom line according to Richie Hall who preached this all last season, field goals don’t beat you and the Eskimos kicked three field goals after three drives stalled from the five yard line in.
One point is absolutely sure. The Eskimos sit at 0-2, dead last in the West. Yes, it’s still early but the season is nearing the point where it’s set to snowball if they’re not careful.
And my new broadcast partner Morley Scott has said “Touchdown Eskimos” only twice in two games.
Give him some love boys!
NOTES: The Edmonton Eskimos have placed linebacker Mark Restelli on the 9-game injured after suffering a left knee injury last Sunday in a 33-23 loss to the Montreal Alouettes at Commonwealth Stadium. The good news according to head coach Richie Hall is that the knee will not require surgery and Restelli is expected to be ready sometime in the second half of the season
Import defensive back Roderick Williams has been added to the active roster and will likely suit up on Saturday vs. the Saskatchewan Roughriders. As will non-import linebacker Neil Puffer who moves to the active roster for safety Corbin Sharun. The Leduc native moves down to the practice roster. Wide receiver Efrem Hill has been released, Jason Barnes will move into the starting offense. Receiver Jamaica Rector who was released in training camp, signed with the team this week.
