CFL offences are getting a break from Canadian Mathieu Betts and the B.C. Lions defence.
B.C. (4-1) has a league-high 21 sacks this season. The six-foot-three, 250-pound Betts has a CFL-best nine sacks, which is a career high and matches his combined total over the previous three seasons.
Betts and B.C. are on a bye week. They'll resume action July 22 hosting the Saskatchewan Roughriders.
"Honestly, I wasn't expecting this after five games but I'm grateful for it," Betts said. "I think it reflects the hard work we've been putting in since 2022 (Ryan Phillips' first year as defensive co-ordinator).
"We have a lot of fun with it but we have a lot of talent in the room when it comes to putting pressure on the quarterback."
B.C. has 17 sacks over the last three games. That includes seven each in wins over Winnipeg (30-6 on June 22) and Montreal (35-19 on Sunday).
Defensive tackle Woody Baron came up huge against Montreal. The former Alouette blocked David Cote's field-goal try in the second quarter that Jalon Edwards-Cooper returned 63 yards for the touchdown.
So instead of clinging to a 14-13 advantage, B.C. led 21-10.
"That was a big momentum shift," Betts said. "It was a 10-point swing and the game-changing play."
Betts has at least one sack in every game but seven have come over B.C.'s last three contests. Ideally, Betts wouldn't mind playing this week but has learned to enjoy bye weeks when they come.
"We're always so focused, always working and thinking about football," Betts said. "When these breaks come you have to just try to think of other things.
"That's what I'll try to do these next few days."
It's been some time since a Canadian led the CFL in sacks. Ricky Foley of Courtice, Ont., then playing for B.C., finished tied with American John Bowman -- the Lions' defensive line coach -- in 2009 (12 each).
Hall of Famer Brent Johnson, of Kingston, Ont., another former Lion, led in 2005 (17, most in a season by a Canadian) and 2006 (16). He was the CFL's top Canadian both seasons and also its outstanding defensive player in '06.
But Betts isn't thinking about potential individual accolades.
"To have success in the CFL, or pretty much anywhere, you must be where your feet are and just focus on one game at a time," he said. "This week, my main focus is to relax and get my mind off football.
"When we come back, it'll be on playing Saskatchewan in a conference game. It's a long season so you need to respect your opponent, respect the game and take things one week at a time. Hopefully there'll be other stuff in November (Grey Cup) to worry about."
Betts has a simple explanation for his remarkable start: Experience, both as a pro and in Phillips' defence.
"Absolutely, it's that simple," he said. "I feel great physically and mentally but from a football standpoint I think it's more my vision of the field, understanding blocking schemes and what offences are trying to do and where I can win within our scheme to apply pressure on the quarterback.
"Just having that extra knowledge helps you play fast . . . I think experience is a big factor."
Betts, 28, of Montreal, had a brilliant collegiate career at Laval. He was Canadian university football's top rookie in 2015 before claiming the J.P. Metras Trophy three times as its outstanding down lineman, becoming the first to capture four major individual awards.
Betts also helped Laval win two Vanier Cups (2016, '18).
The Chicago Bears signed Betts as an undrafted free agent in 2019 before he went third overall in the CFL draft to Edmonton.
Betts went to Edmonton shortly after being among Chicago's final cuts and made an immediate impact. He had a sack and forced fumble in his first CFL contest had a tackle, two sacks and forced fumble in six games that year.
Betts signed with B.C. as a free agent in February 2022. He had 26 tackles, seven sacks and two special-teams tackles in 17 regular-season games and earned off-season NFL workouts with the L.A. Chargers and Jacksonville Jaguars.
A solid '23 campaign could garner Betts more NFL interest, but he's unconcerned about that.
"Football is a tough business, it's hard to see in advance what you want to do and what you will do," he said. "I was proud and happy to have two NFL tryouts last winter, it was truly a blessing.
"But ultimately I was very happy to be back with the B.C. Lions. Who knows what's going to happen with my football career? But it's definitely not something I worry about at all."
The more sacks Betts accumulates this season, the more attention he's bound to attract from CFL coaches. But if they opt to double-team Betts, that leaves his teammates in one-on-one matchups.
B.C.'s defensive front has been able to generate a consistent pass rush on its own. That's given Phillips flexibility regarding when to blitz his linebackers for added pressure.
"RP has done a really, really good job of sprinkling it in," Betts said. "You don't want to live and die by the blitz but he has a good feel for when it's the right time to call it and I think that's when it's most beneficial."
Betts credits Phillips, a former Lions defensive back, for B.C.'s defensive prowess.
"We've bought into what he's offering," Betts said. "He's doing a tremendous job getting us prepared and having great schemes and gameplans every week.
"Ultimately, though, the human aspect is what makes him a really good coach. People enjoy coming to work and playing for each other."
This report by The Canadian Press was first published July 11, 2023.
Dan Ralph, The Canadian Press
