Don Landry
CFL.ca
Mike Benevides agrees with Winnipeg quarterback Buck Pierce on at least one thing:
First down means everything in Sunday’s Grey Cup Game.
While Pierce believes it’s is crucial not to be stymied on first down, or worse, suffer losses, the Lions’ defensive coordinator has an entirely different notion as to what success on first down looks like.
“If they get in a situation where they’re chewing up 5 and 6 yards on every first down, that’s gonna be a hard haul,” insist Benevides. “Because it becomes very difficult to defend a team when they’re in second and short situations.”
Easier said than done. Especially, as Benevides confirms, against a Blue Bomber team that is well-equipped for success.
“They’re very efficient on first down. Paul LaPolice is very very intelligent when it comes to his players. He knows what they’re capable of and they become very, very efficient.”
With the emergence of Bomber running back Chris Garrett as an, at times, seemingly unstoppable force, Benevides knows that’s an added challenge for the Lions as they attempt to keep Winnipeg from plenty of positive yards on first down.
“When you look at what Winnipeg was able to do last week, and what Garrett was able to do in a professional game, which was a playoff game, which was played in bad weather, and the opponent knew they were going to run the ball and have 240 yards rushing or whatever it was, is unbelievable.
They’re really good at running the football.”
Benevides didn’t stop there. He’s effusive in his praise of Garrett, and believes that there’s much more than just raw talent at play.
“The weapon tat they have in their running back is something else,”
Benevides continued. “He’s just playing with a tremendous amount of confidence. And it’s like I told the team, he’s tired of making 500 dollars. He’s gone from being cut, to a practice roster situation to a starter. That’s a huge challenge and I think our biggest challenge along with Buck.”
So how does one prepare to stop Garrett and Pierce? What’ the most crucial aspect when it comes to the Lions’ defence?
“Intelligence,” offered Benevides. “We’ve got to play cohesive. And that’s why we’ve been good. We try to do a lot of different things as we go along so we’ve got to play cohesively, we’ve got to play intelligently. That’s the key element to what we are.”
Benevides believes that building a successful defence depends greatly on personnel. Both his, and the opponents. You need to do what you do best, while trying to keep the other guys across the line of scrimmage from accomplishing the same thing.
“100 per cent,” Benevides agreed. “And this is where the guys have done a great job. You’re really trying to minimize their best asset. You’re looking at who are their best players, what are their best plays, and what are they about.”
“Look at what they do, take away what they do best, take away their best players, and on the flipside of that, do what we do best. Work within our framework. We have to play to the strengths of the player that we’re using.”
If the Lions are successful on first downs Sunday, you’ll see them be very aggressive on second.
“We push to get into second and long because that’s a down where a defence can have a lot of fun.”
THE EXTRA POINT
Benevides’ defence was bolstered early in the season when the Lions added defensive back Tad Kornegay, who’d been released by the Saskatchewan Roughriders. Kornegay was a perfect fit for the Lions, who’d lost a veteran of their own, Stanley Franks, at the position.
“What Tad was able to do was assimilate himself very quickly,” said Benevides. Not only because he’s a veteran, but because of the type of person he is. He’s a very calm, relaxed, easy going guy. Always positive.
His skill set, of what he can do at that position (strong side half back) falls into what we do a lot of. So, it was a great fit that way.”
