3 reasons Damon Webb will impact the Eastern Semi-Final

11/01/2024 01:00 PM

Almost 35 full months have passed since the last time Damon Webb stepped onto a football field for a playoff game. It’s probably felt like it’s been twice as long for the Ottawa REDBLACKS’ defensive back.

As a member of the Saskatchewan Roughriders in 2021, Webb saw the highs, in a 33-30 overtime win over Calgary and the lows, in a 21-17 Western Final loss to Winnipeg that the playoffs can offer. The in-between time on that has been anything but easy, too. Released by the Riders early in the 2022 season, Webb was with the REDBLACKS in 2022 and 2023, where they missed the playoffs and went a combined 8-28.

This year, Webb has blossomed with the REDBLACKS, pulling in a career-best five interceptions, good for third in the league. His 69 total tackles, two sacks and a forced fumble earned him his first-ever All-CFL East selection. Most important to the 28-year-old from Detroit, the REDBLACKS finally turned things around this season, going 9-8-1 and getting back to the playoffs for the first time since 2018.

“This is what we all work for, (to get to) this time of year,” Webb said after practice on Thursday from Ottawa. “There’s no tomorrow, we don’t want to have regrets. We’re ready, all three phases. We’re ready to go.”

Here are three ways that Webb (and his defensive teammates) will impact Saturday’s Eastern Semi-Final against the Toronto Argonauts.

2024 CFL PLAYOFFS
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CAPABLE OF A BIG CONTRIBUTION

Milt Stegal said it on TSN’s panel on Saturday: if the REDBLACKS are going to beat the Argos in the Eastern Semi-Final, they’ll need a big contribution from defence or special teams. That’s where Webb has a history of coming in. He pulled in a pair of Chad Kelly passes back in Week 14 when the Argos visited TD Place and ran them both in for touchdowns. Ottawa won comfortably, 41-27.

Coming out of a two-game season series with a combined score of 72-65 in Ottawa’s favour, we’ve seen a lot of offence from both teams. Having been a part of a dominant defensive performance in one game and part of one where the Argos’ offence ruled the day in the other, Webb has learned a lot about what the Argos do.

“They have some dynamic receivers,” Webb said. “Chad Kelly, he’s very smart. Pre-snap he’s very smart about where he wants to go with the ball. Ka’Deem Carey, he’s a good running back, he runs downhill. They’re good at all phases on that offence as far as what the quarterback, running back and receiver can do. So it’s going to be a tough challenge, but we ready.”

Webb isn’t counting on the memory of the back of his No. 9 jersey racing away from Kelly having an impact on Saturday’s game.

“I think it probably lingered, but just the fact that they had some success (in that Week 20 win), and then he didn’t really throw it my way last game, so he’s probably not thinking (about it) anymore,” he said.

“He’s a good quarterback, so I don’t think that this one player, he’d just think about in the back of his head. He’s playing, he was trying to go through his game plan. I don’t think he has something in the back of his head just thinking about me, where I’m at every play.”

IN A GOOD MENTAL SPACE

The REDBLACKS’ greatest challenge this year met them when they were on the verge of clinching a playoff spot. Needing just a win to get in, the team proceeded to drop five games in a row. The Argos’ late-season surge plus a Winnipeg win over Hamilton in Week 19 ensured that the REDBLACKS’ playoff drought ended, but the team went into its regular season finale last week determined to end things on a positive note.

Their 37-31 win over the Ticats snapped their losing streak and featured a couple of key defensive plays. Webb intercepted Bo Levi Mitchell on a would-be touchdown pass and the REDBLACKS’ defence made a big goal line stand to generate some positive momentum just before this week’s game.

Damon Webb picks off Bo Levi at the goalline! #CFLGameday on TSN & RDS2
: Stream on CFL+ pic.twitter.com/t0WZaUduDl

— CFL (@CFL) October 25, 2024

“I felt like it was very important,” Webb said of last week’s game.

“It was going to determine how we were going to go into the playoffs. We didn’t want to go into the playoffs on that losing streak. I feel like we needed to get that bad taste out of our mouths. To get to be able to go into into the playoffs with a W and just have good vibrations in the building, people coming to work ready and just to get to wipe all that losing behind us, and then go into the playoffs with a 0-0, record. We’re ready to go.”

READY FOR ANYTHING

Webb only has the one playoff run to his name, but he’s been in the CFL long enough to know that unpredictability is the name of the post-season game. After a pair of high scoring games where each team took a turn running up the score against the other, Webb is fully ready for whatever Saturday might hold.

“I don’t know what to anticipate, but I don’t think it’ll be a high-scoring game,” Webb said. “Our defence is going to hold them as much as we can. But you never know with the CFL. The games be crazy, we’re going to see.

“The first game, we got out on them early and they tried to make a comeback towards the fourth quarter. Then when we played them last time they got out on us earlier and we tried to make a comeback in the fourth quarter. So it’s 0-0 now. The best team, the most prepared team is going to win.”