‘WE CAN’T TAKE OUR FOOT OFF THE GAS’
With a few more hours to digest that you-had-to-see-it-tobelieve-it stunner Thursday night at Toronto’s BMO Field, the Ottawa Redblacks will find it doesn’t taste much better after getting another look on video.
The Redblacks had it won. They were up 38-14, winning by 24 freaking points well into the third quarter.
A 42-41 loss? Only in the CFL, eh?
Ottawa still holds first place in the CFL’s East Division with a 4-3 record (Toronto is now 2-5). But this was one that got away, a game the Argos had no business having a chance to win. Plenty of credit to the tenacious Argos, who fought back like their lives depended on it (and a loss would certainly have delivered a knockout punch), but this is more a result of what Ottawa didn’t do than what Toronto did.
“We felt like we had this one in the bag and we let it slip away,” said receiver/returner Diontae Spencer, who scored two touchdowns (one on offence and another on an terrific punt return.
“We should have come out and dominated. It shouldn’t have been close. We have to keep going on offence. If we have to put up 70 (points), put up 70. We can’t take our foot off the gas.
“We know what we have on this team. We played a good game, we just couldn’t finish it. As a team, we have to learn when things get tough, keep moving forward. We’ll be fine.”
With 30-year-old quarterback McLeod Bethel-Thompson making his first CFL start, the defending Grey Cup champs showed they had plenty of fight.
“That’s why you have to play the game for 60 minutes, there’s proof of that tonight,” said Redblacks coach Rick Campbell.
“We didn’t make enough plays to win it. We had opportunities until the last second of the game to come up with enough plays to win and we didn’t. Whether you win or lose, it’s a long journey ahead of us. We’re all disappointed, to say the least, right now. But you wake up, you keep going and soldier on. This one will hurt, but we’re going to reload and we’re back to face another East Division team next week in Montreal. We keep going on this journey.
“I’m way more interested in people when you see how they react when you’re facing adversity and losing. You learn way more about people than when you win. It’s easy to be on a winning team and have people patting you on the back.”
While the Redblacks never really got the running game going, quarterback Trevor Harris had his air show in full flight. Spencer had eight catches for 145 yards, Brad Sinopoli had seven catches for 89 yards and RJ Harris had five catches for 73 yards (including one that may have gone for a touchdown until he tripped over himself in the open field).
Ottawa needs to find a way to get Greg Ellingson started. He had just two catches, with one of those turning into a fumble. Also, if they’re going to start a second Canadian receiver, they have to utilize him. Once again, Austen Hartley didn’t get a pass thrown his way.
Harris, who threw two touchdown passes as well as an ill-advised toss that was picked off by former Redblack Abdul Kanneh, had 381 yards passing. He had a very nice touch for most of the night.
“You don’t let it (bother you),” said Harris. “You have to keep guys focused on what’s important now, that we learn from this game and get better. I felt confident the entire game. It’s unfortunate we couldn’t punch it in on a couple of the drives. It’s unfortunate on special teams a few things happened. It’s unfortunate on defence a few things happened. We lost as a team. It’s pro football. They made more plays than us down the stretch. They took the fight to us in the fourth quarter.”
“I like the backbone of this team. I think we’re a championship calibre team. This won’t define our team and won’t spill over into the next few days. You have to let it hurt because it does.”
Defensively, the Redblacks weren’t able to put enough pressure on Bethel-Thompson, who had 25 completions for 302 yards, in the fourth quarter. Ottawa’s only sack came from A.C. Leonard. The old benddon’t-break defence broke.
Defensive back Jonathan Rose, who had a fumble recovery, was one of those feeling the hurt.
“It was one that got away,” he said. “I don’t feel like we ever let our guard down, but we got a little lax with what we were doing. That’s where being a complete team comes in. At the end of the game, when you need to close it out, you have to close it out. That’s what great teams do. If we want to be great, that’s what we have to do.
“Once you get up to a certain point, you feel like it’s won. You have to keep your foot on the gas like it’s still 0-0. I don’t feel like we did that.”
THE REPORT CARD
Offence: B
It’s hard to knock an offence that puts up 381 yards through the air. But an interception, a fumble and some squandered opportunities in the red zone meant points were left on the board. Also, the lack of a run game has to be concerning. That’s on the big boys up front to be better. Also of concern would be a fourth quarter in which they faded.
Defence: D
The defensive backs will take a lot of the heat, but I’m not sure it’s all on them. The defence needs to attack more to make the opposing quarterback make quick decisions. It looked like Argos QB Bethel-Thompson had much more time to do this thing in the final 20 minutes of play. Special Teams: B
They scored on a fumbled punt return and got another major on an 87-yard punt return by Spencer. So that’s all good. But they also gave up big chunks of yardage to Toronto’s Martese Jackson. And there were too many missed tackles from special teams units that are normally among the best in the league.