CFL.ca
Edmonton Eskimo right guard Matthew O’Donnell didn’t play against the Ottawa REDBLACKS this season.
Come Sunday he’ll probably have a chance to renew acquaintances with REDBLACKS defensive end Justin Capicciotti.
Football games are often decided by who wins the battle in the trenches. As good as the Eskimo offensive line is, it will have its hands full when facing Ottawa’s defensive front in Sunday’s 103rd Grey Cup presented by Shaw.
“They are a physical, strong line,” said the 6-foot-11, 350-pound O’Donnell. “They come hard.”
The REDBLACKS’ defence not only attacks with power, it comes in numbers. Defensive Co-ordinator Mark Nelson will often line up four, sometimes five men along the line. That turns the battle to protect the quarterback into a lot of man-to-man combat.
When the Eskimos defeated the Calgary Stampeders 45-31 in the Western Final they usually faced a three-man rush. The offensive line limited the Stampeders to one sack of quarterback Mike Reilly.
O’Donnell knows the Eskimos will have to change their blocking schemes against the REDBLACKS.
“With a three-man rush you can get a lot of double teams,” he said. “The running back can help. The five-man pressure is a lot of one-on-ones. You have to hope your guys hold it down and you protect Mike.
“You go out there always expecting you have to do one-on-one battles. You have to run the ball effectively and protect your guys.”
The Ottawa front four of Capicciotti, Moton Hopkins, Keith Shologan and Shawn Lemon combined for 30 sacks this season for the REDBLACKS, who finished first in the East with a 12-6 record.
Capicciotti said defensive line coach Leroy Blugh preaches selflessness when it comes to hunting quarterbacks.
“You work for the guy next to you,” said the 6-foot-3, 235-pound Toronto native who attended Simon Fraser University in Burnaby, B.C. “Even though Lemon comes in and gets pressure on one side, the quarterback has to roll out to my side and that helps me get a sack.”
Ottawa led the CFL with 62 sacks, gave up the fewest rushing yards (1,275) and limited opponents to a league-low average 26:50 in time of possession.
One of the consistencies of the Ottawa defence is the inconsistency of its look.
“Every game is different,” said Capicciotti. “There are games when we’ve rushed three guys the entire game and we won.
“Coach Nelson does a very good job of mixing it up.”
None of this is news to the Eskimos.
“We have played them twice and seen them in film,” said Justin Sorensen, Edmonton’s 6-foot-8, 311-pound centre. “Lots of teams bring seven. Lots of teams bring five, lots of teams bring three.
“You just have to change up your plans a little bit each week.”
The Eskimos were first in the West with a 14-4 record. They were second in the league in total offence (6,473) and third in average rushing yards (105.5 a game) and passing (273.6).
Obviously the offensive line did a lot of things right.
“They are a very good group,” said Capicciotti. “That’s why they have got as far as they got.
“We just focus on what we have to do. We don’t worry about who we play. We just focus on what we have to do to beat those guys.”
The REDBLACKS also rotate their defensive lineman, bringing in fresh legs.
Edmonton offensive line coach Mike Scheper said his players must recognize and react to the different Ottawa looks.
“You have to be on your P’s and Q’s with your identification and also understanding that everyone in that set is a potential threat to rush the passer,” he said. “We just make sure our eyes and our awareness levels are high.”
Loading the box with five or more players will put extra pressure on the Eskimo line, but it could also leave some holes in the Ottawa secondary. Reilly can counter by throwing quick passes to receivers like Adarius Bowman or Cory Watson.
| Related: Reilly one of the toughest in the business |
|---|
|
Part of what makes Mike Reilly a successful CFL quarterback is his toughness. But as CFL.ca’s Jim Morris writes, it’s something that’s always come naturally to him. |
It’s all about time, space and opportunity, said Scheper.
“The longer we give time to the quarterback to go through his progressions, likely receivers are going to more open,” he said. “There is going to be more field to allow them to operate.”
The blocking skills of veteran fullback Calvin McCarty will play an important role in buying Reilly time.
“If they bring all these guys up front, that means they must be light on the back,” said McCarty. “If we do our job, that’s their time to make plays.
“When I see guys coming I get excited. I know the possibility is on the other end if we all do what we are supposed to do.”
If he sees a seam, Reilly also has the option to take off and run into the soft areas.
“He is nice to have,” said Scheper.
O’Donnell was born in Comox, B.C., and won a Vanier Cup in 2009 with Queens. He spent three years with the Eskimos then signed with the NFL Cincinnati Bengals in February. He was released in September and returned to the Eskimos after they had played Ottawa twice.
Capicciotti said facing O’Donnell for the first time this season in the Grey Cup won’t be a problem.
“A lot of the familiarity is done in the film room and watching guys play,” he said. “He played a few games where we have seen him and that helps us.”
