REDBLACKS NEED BIG GAME FROM ‘D’ TO PULL OUT A ‘W’
Young defenders have to step it up again against the high-flying Bombers offence
Facing a team that can grind you down with either a strong running game or a bombs-away approach, the Ottawa Redblacks are going to need their defence to step up in hostile territory Friday night.
Ottawa’s defenders were brilliant in Sunday’s 29-11 win in Montreal, holding the Alouettes to 166 yards offensively. They’ll need to find a way to turn up the volume against a Blue Bombers offence that features elite players at quarterback (Matt Nichols, 3,287 yards passing with 22 touchdown tosses) and running back (Andrew Harris, 656 yards rushing and 588 yards on catches), surrounded by a solid complementary group that includes receivers Darvin Adams and Weston Dressler. Winnipeg is first in the league in points scored (34.5 per game) and second in net offence (390.8). Ottawa’s defence is second in points allowed per game (24.0).
“They’re a big-play, opportunistic team,” Redblacks coach Rick Campbell said. “Even if you’re a casual football fan, you wouldn’t be bored watching their games because a lot of stuff happens. You really need to limit the big plays and make sure they earn everything they get.”
Ottawa’s defensive co-ordinator, Mark Nelson, knows how tough a task it’ll be. One of his best defenders, Jerrell Gavins, is out of the lineup on concussion protocol, replaced by Nick Taylor.
“(Winnipeg has) the best offence in the CFL statistically,” Nelson said. “Coach (Paul) LaPolice does an excellent job, it’s a moving target. They do a variety of things and they do them very well. Last year when we went there, we were up for the task, I hope we’re up for it this year. I will say this, they’re a better team than they were last year. We’re going to have our hands full.”
For the Redblacks, who had big shoes to fill when they lost DBs Forrest Hightower, Mitchell White, Abdul Kanneh and Jeff Richards in the off-season, it has been learning on the fly. But with Antoine Pruneau anchoring the group from his safety position, the kids just keep turning it up a notch.
“They’re good kids, they’re good football players — this is important to them,” Nelson said. “Pruneau’s done a good job, (Jonathan) Rose has really found a home at field corner. Little (Adrian) James is getting better every game. It’s baptism by fire, the kids have done a great job.
“You look at our secondary, all of those guys are very energetic. You look at Gavins, the hit on the screen (against Montreal), our sideline erupted and got fired up. Little 27 (Sherrod Baltimore), he’s made knifing open-field tackles for us. James, he’s a load when he blitzes — when he hits you, there’s some oomph behind it. It’s a team effort, we’ve gotten better in the secondary because our D line has gotten better and the linebackers keep improving.”
When the teams played in Week 7, the Bombers won 33-30 at TD Place. A win over the Bombers would keep the Redblacks (5-7-1) in first place in the East, with the Toronto Argonauts (5-7) hosting Montreal on Saturday.
IN AND OUT
Gavins, WR Joshua Stangby, OL Nolan MacMillan and DL Jake Ceresna are all out of the lineup, WR/RET Quincy McDuffie, DB Nick Taylor, OL Jake Silas, WR Kevin Elliott and WR Austen Hartley are in.
As for the injuries, Campbell said: “Stangby (abdominal) they’re trying to figure out, I would guess he’s going to be a couple of weeks. Gavins will be back next week unless he has some type of setback. MacMillan, we’re waiting on another test — it could be that he’s back next week or he could be out a couple of weeks.”
As for Ceresna, he’s a victim of the numbers game.
“We like Jake, but we were only able to fit three defensive tackles on the roster for this week,” Campbell said. “Jake’s played a whole bunch of football. (Mike) Wakefield’s good and ready to go. Jake will be a guy we use again this year.”
PRAISE FOR POWELL
Campbell likes what he’s seeing out of running back William Powell: “You saw the explosiveness and the burst out of his cuts (Sunday), that was very encouraging. I know he was mad at me for sitting him out an extra week. But it was a deal where he wasn’t quite getting completely healthy so we gave him an extra week. It seems to have paid off. If he plays like he last week and shows that burst that he has, he’ll be a big difference-maker for us. He can make guys miss in space so it doesn’t always have to be blocked up completely perfectly.”
A HOCKEY HAT
Ryan Lindley was looking around in Montreal, hoping to buy a vintage Expos hat. He found one, then was told there was a 2-for-1 sale. Right next to the Expos hat was a Quebec Nordiques hat and the Redblacks QB snapped it up.
“In San Diego, the Gulls are the Ducks’ minor-league team, so I follow the Gulls a bit,” Lindley said. “I had no idea, to be honest, before I came here that Quebec had a hockey team.”
HAPPY RETURNS
Redblacks returner Quincy McDuffie, returning to action after missing more than a month, is excited to play in Winnipeg; he returned two kickoffs for TDs as a Blue Bomber last season.
“I’ve been anxious to get back out there,” McDuffie said. “What a coincidence, the week I’m back in, we’re playing my former team.”
McDuffie and Diontae Spencer, who has turned both a punt return and a missed field goal return into TDs this season, will get an opportunity against the Bombers. “We’re both playmakers, we’re unique and we bring a lot to the table,” McDuffie said. “That gives us an advantage — with this big field.”
THE END AROUND
What were the chances that Lindley’s first CFL pass would result in two points for his team, really? Against Montreal, Lindley fired a ball toward Greg Ellingson in the end zone. His receiver slipped and the ball was picked off by Tevaughn Campbell, who stepped in and out of the end zone three times before going down in the end zone. Safety. Loss of two points, loss of possession. Said Lindley: “I told everybody we were getting points, we got two which was dang near impossible. I don’t know what the line was on that in Vegas. It was unreal. I’ll definitely remember that.” ... The latest odds from Bodog, a betting website, show the Redblacks at 9-1 for winning the Grey Cup. The Calgary Stampeders are the favourites at 2-1 odds.