Winnipeg Blue Bombers’ Chris Kolankowski reacts after quarterback Dakota Prukop scores the touchdown against the Ottawa Redblacks on June 10, 2022.John Woods/The Canadian Press
Chris Kolankowski will be a key figure Sunday for the Winnipeg Blue Bombers.
As Winnipeg’s centre, one of Kolankowski’s responsibilities is getting a bead on the defensive front and making adjustments to the offensive line’s blocking schemes before each snap. That job will be an important one when the Bombers face the Toronto Argonauts in the Grey Cup at BC Place Stadium.
Toronto’s defence registered 12 sacks in sweeping the two-game series with Winnipeg. The Argos were responsible for a third of the total sacks (36) the Bombers surrendered this season.
“They’re tenacious and just don’t stop,” Kolankowski said. “The moment you think you’re good and can settle is the moment they get an edge and keep working.
“But if I didn’t like the challenge I wouldn’t be playing pro football. These are the games I want to play in. I get excited for the games we go against a defensive line with a reputation because it’s a chance to challenge yourself and see the benchmark of the league and how you stack up against it.”
Toronto’s defence made life miserable for CFL quarterbacks this season, registering a league-high 48 sacks. The vast majority came from a defensive line anchored by Jake Ceresna and Ralph Holley (both had eight to finish tied for league lead), Folarin Orimolade, Derek Parish and Canadian Robbie Smith (all six), Jared Brinkman (three) and Woody Baron (one).
Three of Ceresna’s sacks came against Winnipeg while Holley and Orimolade had two apiece.
Winnipeg starting quarterback Zach Collaros was sacked 34 times this season, tying him with Montreal’s Cody Fajardo for most in the CFL.
The challenge facing Kolankowski, a 32-year-old Toronto native, is gathering the necessary information he needs, processing it and then making the necessary call. And time is of the essence.
“Maybe five to 10 seconds,” he said. “It’s a little bit of a time crunch.
“At a certain time the internal clock goes off and we’ve got to get it done and get the call out.”
Thankfully, Kolankowski has help.
“We kind of delegate what we’re looking for,” he said. “The guards are looking for certain things, the tackles are looking for certain things and I’m looking more big picture.
“Sometimes the little intricacies are easy to miss when you’re looking at the bigger picture so they help clue me in. I take the information, make a call and we kind of roll from there.”
Toronto’s balance up front creates issues because there’s no one pass-rusher an offensive line can double-team. And because the defensive line can effectively handle itself, the Argos don’t have to manufacture pressure by blitzing linebackers or defensive backs.
However, when Toronto does, it often only exasperates the situation for an offence. Three of Toronto’s sacks against Winnipeg came from defensive backs Benjie Franklin, Tavarus McFadden and Mark Milton.
“They stunt and do a lot of things up front very well,” Kolankowski said. “They’re well coached, Demetrious Maxie [Toronto’s defensive line coach] does a great job with them up front.
“They’re disciplined, there are no stupid penalties or plays, they just do their job and do it well. Knowing your job for each individual play, that’s the biggest thing.”
A fact not lost upon veteran Bombers tackle Stanley Bryant, a three-time Grey Cup champion and four times the CFL’s top lineman.
“At the end of the day you’ve just got to win your one-on-ones,” he said. “When a double-team happens, take advantage of it but what it comes down to is just manning up and being able to be the dominant group.
“They trust their guys and know they have the ability to get to the quarterback. Again, it goes back to us winning our one-on-ones and being the best group we can be.”
Winnipeg has also committed nine turnovers (four fumbles, two interceptions, three times on downs) versus Toronto. The Argos earned a 16-14 overtime home victory July 27 before registering a 14-11 road decision Oct. 11.
Toronto’s defence had five sacks, forced five turnovers and scored its team’s lone touchdown in the overtime victory.
But Collaros was untouched in Winnipeg’s 38-22 West Division final win over Saskatchewan, whose defence finished fourth in the CFL with 38 sacks. Conversely, Toronto forced six turnovers (four fumbles, two interceptions) in its 30-28 victory over Montreal in the East final.
Winnipeg is in the Grey Cup for a fifth straight season and is chasing a third victory. One of its championship losses was a 24-23 decision to Toronto in Regina in 2022.
Like Kolankowski, Bryant relishes facing Toronto again with a championship on the line.
“You always want to play the best, best-on-best, that’s why we’re here,” he said. “This group has given us issues the last two games we’ve played them but those games have been close.
“We’re going to go out there and do what we do, try to dominate up front and come out on top.”
