Riderville.com
The line between aggressive and reckless is a fine one, and at times the line has been crossed by the Roughriders defence.
But the entire team could use that same type of mindset.
Carlos Thomas is the latest member of the defence to cough up some money for a hit that was deemed over that line.
But don’t expect the Green and White to lay off or slow down. The way they play has allowed them to be a defence you could see leading them to a championship.
“We’re an aggressive defence, and we’re going to send the stunts and all that. They just have to be careful about how you tackle in certain situations,” explains Head Coach Corey Chamblin.
Thomas learned his lesson on Saturday when Chamblin addressed his flawed technique almost as soon as Andre Proulx’s orange penalty flag bounced off the Mosaic Stadium turf.
The Riders utility man on defence acknowledges the mistake but won’t be letting up on any hits down the stretch.
“It’s defence, it’s football. We are aggressive. We are mean. We are nasty. So, take it how you want it.”
What will change is the target, knowing all he needed to do was hit Eskimos quarterback Mike Reilly between the numbers, not between the two ‘E’s on his helmet.
But the mission remains the same.
“We are coming in to humiliate and destroy our opponent,” says Thomas.
And on Saturday, what is on the line is a home playoff game. It is one of the goals the team laid out at the start of the season. They’ve met a few of them already like clinching a playoff spot and playing to a winning season. Their next check on the list will allow them to move onto their next goal.
The aggressiveness of the defence needs to be bottled and fed the rest of the Riders. Special teams and especially the offence could use a drink for the final three weeks of the season.
Chamblin himself was on edge after the near loss to Edmonton.
Day one of practice he sent the team back to the locker room just as practice was starting with an emphatic message.
“If you don’t want to work, leave your pay cheque in here and don’t bring you (butt) to work.”
Chamblin isn’t about to have a season that started at 8-1 go down the tubes because of what he called a ‘C’ or ‘B-‘ effort in practice.
To win a championship, you have to be on your A-game every time.
While some of the players weren’t about to applaud, nor criticize Chamblin’s fiery speech, defensive back Dwight Anderson welcomed it.
“He just wanted to let guys know the focus needed to pick up another notch. The little things we’ve been doing and letting slide by saying ‘We’ll clean that up’, we can’t do that any more because we don’t have enough room (to clean that up). If you slip up now, you’re out.”
And the B.C. Lions come to Mosaic with that same mindset. They are desperate to stay in the race for same goal the Riders have; a home playoff game.
A loss by the Lions on Saturday kills that goal and they know they’ll have to travel into a hostile Mosaic Stadium and McMahon Stadium to make it to the 101st Grey Cup.
For the Riders, this could be a chance at the perfect dress rehearsal for their path to their ultimate goal.
If the playoffs started today, the Riders would need a win at home against B.C. and travel to Calgary the next week for the Western Final. And wouldn’t you know it, they travel to Calgary next week for their penultimate game of the regular season following this game against the Lions.
“It’s time for us to tighten up where we are in the season and tighten up all those loose ends,” notes Chamblin.
“That’s the biggest thing, is to focus in on us before we even get to the playoffs.”
