‘Defence Wins Championships.’ It may very well be an overused cliche in the world of sports. And in the Canadian Football League, with rules and quirks that favour offences, scoring and the passing game, an all-world defence is not always good enough. Early in 2023, however, the dominance from Ryan Phillips and his Lions’ unit has been near-historic in backing them to a 3-0 start.
The 21 points allowed is the second-lowest total in the first three games for any Lions squad in history. The best was the legendary 1964 Grey Cup champions, led by All-Stars Tom Brown, Bill Munsey, Mike Cacic and Dick Fouts, who allowed just 16 points over their first three contests.
This 2023 dominance could be morphing into something special. But how does it compare to some of the best Leos units ever? Phillips, in year two as defensive coordinator, is reminded of his playing days with the likes of Dante Marsh, Korey Banks, Barron Miles and Brent Johnson.
“I’ve been a part of some great defences as a player. One of the best I think we’ve seen in his league was 2006 and even 2007. The players that we had as well from a professional standpoint are some of the guys that are looked at as Hall of Fame guys, and so forth,” Phillips said.
The 2023 dominance goes beyond the number of points allowed. You can point to the 11 sacks, seven of those coming in last week’s beatdown of Winnipeg, seven forced turnovers and average opponent net offence of 203.0 yards per game as further examples.
“The way that we’re playing right now lights out wise, the way that these guys are flying around and buying into what we’re trying to do, and letting those guys lead the way; I think that’s what speaks volumes about our defence,” Phillips added.
“These guys feel like this defence is theirs, which is what we wanted as a staff, and they’re taking ownership of it. I haven’t been part of anything like it but it does feel reminiscent of the early stages in my playing career as far as the ownership of the defensive guys buying into what we’re given.”
Ryan Phillips
Having that buy-in and players knowing their roles contributes even further to the outstanding culture that has been established. They expect to win every week. And while Mathieu Betts and the defensive line received most of the accolades last week, Phillips is quick to point out that balance across all positions has been the catalyst to success.
“You want every facet of your defence to be hitting on all cylinders,” Phillips stated.
“I think that’s how you get to the point of 21 points in three games. I don’t think it has to be one unit playing lights out and everybody else just kind of stringing along. That’s a testament to our group. If you look at every single game, there has been an aspect of our defence that’s been very dominant.”
Dominance Fuelled By Shutout
Phillips and the defence can and will remain proud of the 22-0 goose egg they put on the Edmonton Elks in week two. To put it into context, you had to go back to August of 1977 at Empire Stadium to find the last time any Lions team had pitched a shutout.
Phillips was five years away from being born while head coach Rick Campbell was joking about the fact he was in elementary school, one year before his father Hugh and the Edmonton Eskimos began their dynasty of five straight Grey Cup wins. You can point to the Elks’ record or the fact they blew some opportunities to get points. But the fact is, a shutout is a shutout. The dominance should be commended.
“You have to be proud of moments like that. I mean, those moments don’t come all the time,” the defensive coordinator explained.
“I’ve been fortunate enough to play for and coach with a lot of great defensive coordinators throughout this league: Dave Ritchie, Mike Benevides, Mark Washington, (Rich) Stubler. The list goes on; Devone Claybrooks and all those guys definitely made their mark in the CFL. To be able to get a goose egg is definitely something you’ve got to hang your hat on; not just individually but to everybody involved. It’s a collective group as far as staff and players and all those guys who have bought in. You love what you’re doing. At the same time, it’s something we want to continuously grow from and keep building on. If we can get a couple of more opportunities, why not?”
Veteran linebacker Bo Lokombo is among the defensive standouts through three contests. He has led the unit in defensive tackles in each of the last two victories. The Abbotsford product has also played for his fair share of coordinators over his long career and speaks highly of how Phillips has led them to greatness thus far.
“RP has done a fantastic job motivating us and keeping the group focussed,” Lokombo said.
“Being a guy who was a great player at a high level for so long, he knows what it takes to be successful both on and off the field. We also feel we can be even better. We haven’t yet reached our peak this season. I hope we feel like we never reach it because it will keep us motivated throughout the season and it will allow us to improve every game. The way we’re flying around now, making plays, I feel like that gives us the best chance to win.”
With each game, the pressure grows a little more to keep them off the scoreboard. At the end of the day, they will be more than satisfied with how 2023 has started.
Focusing On The Present, Not The Future
To say Phillips has grown up with the BC Lions would be an understatement. From being a relatively unknown rookie in 2005 training camp to morphing into a four-time CFL All-Star, two-time Grey Cup champion and ranking second to only Larry Crawford with 47 interceptions as a Lion, the Seattle native is as recognizable to this franchise as any who has represented it this century.
Given the success he is enjoying in his current role, it’s natural to think about a possible next step in his coaching progression. Like any true football person, Phillips is thinking only of what’s right in front of him.
You definitely want to be able to continue to move up the ranks. At the end of the day, I’m just focused on the now and the fun I’m having now,” he said.
“One thing about me is I’m always going to enjoy the game. I explained that to these guys all the time. This is a game and it’s the same game you played since you were seven or eight years old, just with more people in the stands and you’re able to get paid for it. But you know the reality of it is though you get to enjoy these moments and you make these moments what you want them to be and I’m enjoying it with these guys. We have high-character guys that want to have fun, guys that believe in what we’re doing and that makes everything a lot smoother.”
How far will the dominance go? With Phillips at the helm and the buy-in from his players, you just never know.