THE CANADIAN PRESS
EDMONTON — The Edmonton Eskimos know that stopping the Hamilton Tiger-Cats’ marauding defence starts with its relentless, stunting, defensive line and sackmaster Stevie Baggs.
Baggs, who was tied for the league lead last year with 12 sacks with Saskatchewan, joined the Ticats after being released by the NFL’s Arizona Cardinals. Baggs made the highlight reels last week, embarrassing Saskatchewan tackle Joel Bell by beating him clean with an inside spin move, then tackling quarterback Darian Durant to force a fumble.
Eskimos left offensive tackle Jeremy Parquet is the next man up on Baggs’ patrol when Hamilton (6-6) takes on Edmonton (3-9) at Commonwealth Stadium on Sunday (TSN, 4:30 p.m. ET).
“I’m not really worried about that,” Parquet said when asked about Baggs. “All I want to do is control me.”
In fact, Parquet and the rest of the Eskimos offensive linemen made it clear they won’t be praising or roasting Baggs.
“I’m not going to give you no billboard (quote),” laughed guard Kyle Koch. “If that’s what you’re looking for, it ain’t coming.”
What about Baggs’ strengths? His tendencies? That patented spin move?
“We don’t want to give away his moves,” said Koch. “We got a readout and we’re keeping it.
“I don’t think it will be a big issue. They’ve got a whole lot of good defensive linemen. I don’t think he’s head and shoulders above the rest.”
It’s the first meeting of the season between the Ticats and the Eskimos. Both are struggling to put together 60 solid minutes of football, although the Eskimos are coming off their strongest performance of the year — a 24-6 win over the Toronto Argonauts.
Turnovers did the Ticats in last week in a 32-25 loss to the Roughriders.
Hamilton has 33 sacks, tied for second overall with B.C. and Montreal, behind league-leading Calgary (35 sacks). Defensive tackle Garrett McIntyre has six, one more than end Justin Hickman.
Eskimos head coach Richie Hall said the Ticats’ strength is their unpredictability. While some defences charge north-south on running downs and then stunt in passing situations, Hamilton mixes it up from the start.
“They do a lot of twisting,” said Hall. “They’re still trying to get after the quarterback on first down, even though it’s a run (oriented) down.”
As for Baggs, Hall said it’s about talent but more about a player who takes every play to a higher level. And Hall should know. He coached Baggs in 2008 as Saskatchewan’s defensive co-ordinator.
“It’s his quickness and he’s just going to be relentless,” said Hall. “You just got to buckle it up because he plays with that high energy and he plays with that determination.
“He’s going to make you move your feet.”
The game is the first of a back-to-back series. The two teams play again next Friday in Hamilton.
Sunday’s game will be homecoming for Ticat receiver Maurice Mann. The 28-year-old played three seasons for Edmonton before being traded in February to Hamilton for defensive back Chris Thompson.
Mann has become an effective threat paired with Arland Bruce III, the CFL’s leading receiver with 70 catches for 1,037 yards and six touchdowns.
“I know those guys, I played with them. I cried with them and everything,” Mann said on Hamilton’s website this week. “It will be fun to play against them, but it’s business.”
Thompson has seven interceptions this season, one off the league lead. He said he hopes to send a message as well.
“It’s always great going against your old team,” said Thompson. “Arland Bruce is probably the best receiver in the game right now.
“Maurice Mann — very capable receiver and route runner.”
The key, Thompson said, is to jam them close to the line of scrimmage, knock them off their pass patterns and avoid turning the game into a track meet.
“We got to get our hands on them and make plays when we’re able to,” he said.
Edmonton remains last in the West Division with six games remaining. Thus far, the Eskimos have resembled a patient on life support: a flat-line losing streak then an emotionally spiked win, then flat-line losing, spike win, flat line losing, and now a spike again.
Eskimo cornerback Jason Goss said a win Sunday changes everything on the playoff race. Edmonton enters this week’s action just behind the third-place B.C. Lions (4-8) in the West Division standings.
“We win this game, we’re pretty much back in it and we have a chance,” said Goss. “This is a crucial time for us.”
