GOOD HASN’T BEEN GOOD ENOUGH FOR REDBLACKS
When asked about his team’s performance, when asked if both the Ottawa Redblacks and B.C. Lions are good teams that aren’t always rewarded with results, B.C. coach Wally Buono pulled no punches — he didn’t dance around the question with “could-haves, should-haves” and “what-ifs.”
“Why would you say both teams are better than their records when their records are what they are,” Buono said Friday at B.C. Place, a day before the 6-7 Lions host the 5-9-1 Redblacks. “If you make plays, you win. If the playmakers aren’t making plays, they’re not playmakers. If the big-time guys aren’t big time ... they are what they are. We are a 6-7 team, I don’t even know what Ottawa is and I really don’t care. The reason why we’re 6-7 is we’ve only played good enough in six games to win.”
Yep, that nails it — for both teams. As much as the Redblacks have played plenty of good football this season, they’ve haven’t been good enough.
You can pull out all the fancy statistics and analytics and it still doesn’t make the Redblacks a good football team.
“When you make plays in the fourth quarter to get it done, you’re happy and when you don’t, you’re not,” said Redblacks coach Rick Campbell. “We obviously haven’t figured that out enough times, but I think we can.
“I don’t know what you call it, but I know we’ve lost an inordinate number of close games. We have the potential to be better. All that matters at the end of the day is our record.”
With two games out west — the Redblacks play in Regina next Friday — Ottawa will then have a home game against Hamilton sandwiched in between a pair of bye weeks. There is still a chance they miss the playoffs. Oddly enough, there’s still a chance they could finish first in the East.
“We’ve shown we can play good football, but we have to do it for a full game,” said Campbell. “All three teams we’re playing are fighting for their playoff lives — so these will be playoff-atmospherelike games. It’s time to tee it up.”
While B.C. is coming off a bye week, the Redblacks are still stinging from an 18-17 loss at home to Saskatchewan, a game which Ottawa had a lock on with a 17-0 lead until they crumbled. Bad breaks, bad officiating, bad play calling, all the variables aside, it’s games like that which pretty well sum up everything that’s dogged the Redblacks.
It was pretty much the same back on Aug. 26 when Ottawa jumped out to a 31-3 lead with just 15 minutes to play at home against the Lions and had to hang on for a 31-24 win. The Redblacks need to actually use the pedal-tothe-metal philosophy Campbell preaches. Don’t sing it, bring it.
“The good teams I’ve been on don’t talk about closing out games or finishing, they talk about playing good football,” said Campbell. “When the score is 0-0 and the ball is being kicked off and you’re saying ‘Let’s go get those guys,’ I don’t think the mindset should change at all, regardless of the score.”
The Lions have troubles of their own. They’ve lost five of their past six games after jumping out to a 4-1 start and are fighting for their playoff lives in the very tough West Division. In fifth place, they’re a game behind Edmonton and Saskatchewan in the battle for a playoff spot. The fourth-place team will cross over into the East playoffs.
“You win the close games, you have a good record, you lose the close games, you are where we are,” said Buono.
One thing the Lions need is better quarterbacking. Jonathon Jennings, who not long ago looked like he could evolve into one of the CFL’s elite QBs, has struggled with consistency and decision making. He needs to be better for the Lions to be better.
“You have to continue to play and continue to learn,” said Jennings. “The more you play, the more you see. You can never be afraid to make a mistake, no one’s perfect. The defence is trying to stop you from being perfect.”
Speaking about Ottawa’s defence, Jennings said: “They’re energetic, they’re passionate and they enjoy playing the game. Being young, they don’t know the game as well as a veteran does. But they do some good things. JERRELL IS BACK: Jerrell Gavins returns to the lineup after missing a couple of games (concussion protocol). Said Campbell: “We’re glad to have him back, we’ll play him at SAM, where he played a lot last year. We have a young secondary, but they played very well last week. Hopefully, adding Jerrell to the mix makes them even better.” THE END AROUND: Offensive linemen SirVincent Rogers, Jon Gott and Nolan MacMillan remain on the six-game injured list ... QB Danny Collins and DB/ LB Adrian James are out ... The Redblacks are sixth in the latest CFL Power Rankings, ahead of B.C., Hamilton and Montreal. tbaines@postmedia.com Twitter: @TimCBaines