Don’t bet on another tie in Ottawa
Stamps and Redblacks have tied one on the last two games at Ottawa’s TD Place
OTTAWA Don’t bet on another tie.
For the last two seasons, when the Calgary Stampeders (3-0) and Ottawa Redblacks (2-1) squared off at TD Place, both games ended even.
That’s not going to happen again Thursday night (5:30 p.m., TSN).
Maybe it’s better we say it’s probably not going to happen again.
“It’s probably really rare. I don’t know, you could put a lot of money on a third tie,” said Stampeders head coach Dave Dickenson. “I don’t see it happening, but you never know.
“Neither team probably felt good about (the ties). Both teams, both games, probably felt they could have won, but ultimately you leave with a tie. I always feel better about a tie on the road than at home.”
The odds of two teams facing off in consecutive seasons and coming away with two ties must be almost impossibly low, especially in a league like the CFL where there are so many different ways to score.
However improbable, the Stamps and the Redblacks managedit.
When the teams met in Week 3 of the 2016 season, they finished with a 26-26 scoreline that included two field goals apiece in overtime.
Last year, they met in a Grey Cup rematch in Week 1 and while the Stamps appeared to have things all wrapped up in overtime after a Jamar Wall interception, a missed 37-yard field goal gave the Redblacks another chance.
That game ended in a 31-31 tie and other than the next week when the Redblacks put up 39 points in a loss at McMahon Stadium, no team managed to score that many points against the Stamps again all year.
“This year’s probably going to be different,” said Stamps QB Bo Levi Mitchell. “Tie-wise? Maybe (it could happen), but score-wise? It’s not going to be as high scoring as it was in the past.
“They have a great defence, we have the best defence and it’s a chess match. It’s trying to find little holes and fit things in there and make things happen. When it does, good plays happen. They’re going to have theirs, we’re going to have ours and we’re going to see who has more.”
Neither the Stampeders nor Redblacks seem able to explain why the last two games have ended deadlocked, but they also don’t sound like they’ve been talking about it all that much.
At the end of the day, it’ s probably just a weird, fun co incidence that their last two games at TD Place ended up the way they did.
There are more pressing issues to focus on.
While the Stampeders walked away with a 24-14 decision over the Redblacks in their Week 3 win before taking a break for their bye week, the guys in the locker-room weren’t thrilled with their performance.
The defence did a terrific job of putting Redblacks QB Trevor Harris under pressure and limited him to 135 passing yards while he completed 13 of 29 pass attempts, but they struggled to contain running back William Powell, who ran for 123 yards on 13 carries.
That’s going to be a major point of emphasis heading into the rematch Thursday.
“We can’t let them run the ball on us like that,” said Stamps defensive tackle Micah Johnson. “Powell’s a good back and the offensive line, the scheme they put together for him works. I think Powell’s a hell ofaback.
“Just because you’re trying to take away the effectiveness of the pass doesn’t mean they can be able to run the ball on you. It was too many missed assignments, guys out of their gaps and missed tackles. I think that’s one of the biggest things.”
Fortunately, the defensive line will have Cordarro Law back in the lineup, giving them a fearsome front four that should give the Redblacks O -line serious trouble.
The offence, though, will be without receiver Eric Rogers, who is leading the league in touchdown receptions. Rogers is dealing with a setback in his recovery from injury and while he’s not likely to be out for long, it’s a big weapon Mitchell will be missing.
On special teams, returner Terry Williams will also be out of action and Romar Morris is expected to get the call in his place.
It’s probably really rare. I don’t know, you could put a lot of money on a third tie.