It’s a new week. The jubilation from Saturday’s thrilling 45-38 win over the Hamilton Tiger-Cats has subsided and now the focus is on Friday’s massive first place showdown with Bo Levi Mitchell and the red-hot Calgary Stampeders. That being said, we can still focus on some of the good things that came out of not only that win, but the first seven games overall. Today’s topic: How about those special teams?
Plenty has been made about the Lions’ improved unit in 2016, and why wouldn’t there be? They have one of the game’s best returners in Chris Rainey. There is Jason Arakgi, now tied for the CFL all-time lead in special teams tackles, who continues to produce in his ninth season. Let’s also not forget the booming leg of Richie Leone. Consider Saturday’s effort where he averaged 62.4 yards per punt, the third-highest single game average in CFL history. His longest of the night was a whopping 78 yards. Leone now leads the league in that category, averaging 49.7 yards per punt this season, as well as punt singles with six.
“It feels good, I hope to build on it,” Leone said. “I feel like I started slow and a bit inconsistent early this season with my punting so I’m going in the right direction.” The field position battle is much like the turnover battle; if you win it, you will most likely win the game as well. Leone’s handy work forced the Ticats to concede two safeties and he also had two long punts go for rouges. It doesn’t take a mathematician to figure out how huge those six points were. Richie is rolling.Â
“Those are very important things,” added special teams coordinator Marcello Simmons. “Richie helps us a lot with field position. Winning is really what matters. Those individual stats are things you look at once the season is over so you can see how you fared against the field.”
We can’t talk about the new and improved special teams without giving Simmons some props. The 14-year coaching veteran has brought a new approach to the unit and it’s clear through seven games that the players have bought in. “My thing is that if we can be consistent, improve every week and help the team win, then that’s all we want to do,” the former defensive back said.
There have b
een some growing pains, no doubt. Who can forget allowing three blocked punts against Calgary in the season opener? There was also Brandon Banks‘ 125-yard missed field goal return when Leone failed to put Saturday’s game away with 4:15 to go. Moral of the story: everyone has adversity and championship-calibre teams are the ones who bounce back from it, much like the Lions did on opening night with Rainey’s punt return touchdown and Saturday’s five-play, 81  -yard scoring drive where Manny Arceneaux hit pay dirt with 1:23 to play. Simmons admits having an X-factor like Rainey certainly makes his job more enjoyable.
“It’s been a pleasure,” Simmons added. “Chris is respected across the league and that’s really the only thing that we can ask for. Our job on special teams is to help the offence and the defence. If we can get a quick six points then by all means, it helps the whole team. If we’re holding court or if we have good field position, we are giving a defence a chance to perform and the offence a chance to attack.”
Simmons and company also need to be commended for utilizing everyone to their capabilities. A prime example was Saturday when it appeared the Ticats were trying to avoid Rainey at all costs – he only returned three kickoffs and his lone punt return went for 40 yards after a questionable penalty negated yet another return touchdown – and Marco Iannuzzi was pressed into service. Although he is no stranger to special teams duty, Iannuzzi took full advantage of the opportunity, returning five kickoffs for 104 yards and earning the special teams game ball from Arakgi at the end of the night. As far as return duty goes, it was the most productive night of his career.
“When we’re a more complete unit, that’s another thing that helps us contribute to the team,” Simmons said. “Marco was important to us winning the game. He’s been a silent, but very important piece to our special teams unit and I think him getting the game ball showed the outside world what he is capable of.”
The individual accomplishments surprise nobody inside that room. But the fact people around the league are starting to take notice speaks volumes.
Next up: a first place showdown with the Stamps on Friday, in what is no doubt the biggest game for the franchise since the 2012 Western Final.
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As mentioned above, Arakgi is one special teams tackle shy of being sole possession of the all-time CFL lead. He currently shares the honour with ex- Blue Bombers standout Wade Miller. Although he wished to wait until it actually happens to speak about breaking the record, he could not keep the smile off his face when asked about the overall unit’s improvement in 2016. “I am really proud of the guys we have on our special teams,” the nine-year veteran said. “They are all hard-working guys who want to get the job done. They put in extra work without hesitation and are all about the team. I give Marcello a lot of credit. He’s got high expectations of us and he knows how to get the most out of us. We’ve all bought into his system and it’s showing. We’re scary on special teams and the league knows it.”
Matt Baker: mbaker@bclions.com