REDBLACKS LIMP ACROSS LINE TO FINISH FORGETFUL SEASON
Team’s re-signing of Canadian players only bright spot on night of 11th straight loss
The Ottawa Redblacks dropped a bombshell early in Friday night’s CFL regular-season finale.
Canadians Brad Sinopoli, Alex Mateas, Brendan Gillanders, JP Bolduc and Nigel Romick, all potential free agents, have been re-signed to two-year contracts.
That was the good news; the bad news was Ottawa did what it did way too often this season — lose a football game, this time 42-32 to the playoff-bound Montreal Alouettes. The Redblacks wind up a season they’ll want to forget with a 3-15 record, losing their final 11 games.
At least this one was close.
“It was the story of our season, we didn’t make enough plays to get it done,” said Redblacks coach Rick Campbell. “It’s been a tough year, but we’ll keep moving forward.”
“I just felt like — being on the bench so long with injuries — it’s like I want the season to keep going,” said Redblacks defensive back Antoine Pruneau, who was sidelined twice this season. “I could play 15 more games with this exact same team and I’m sure we’d do it right this time.”
A Boris Bede kickoff single made it 1-0 two seconds into the game. The Als struck again a bit more than five minutes later when Eugene Lewis hauled in a five-yard touchdown pass. The convert made it 8-0.
After a long Ottawa drive took the team deep into Montreal territory, Lewis Ward booted a 27-yard field goal to make it 8-3 with 1:58 left in the first quarter. But the Als offence kept rolling, with Jake Wieneke catching a nine-yard touchdown pass.
An 18-yard Ward field goal made it 16-6. A Bede punt single made it 17-6. Montreal gave up a safety and it was 17-8.
A 41-yard kickoff return by Stefan Logan gave Ottawa the ball on its own 54. On the next play, Jerminic Smith had a 23-yard reception with quarterback Dominique Davis taking a helmet-to-helmet hit from Ryan Brown. Ward booted a 47-yard field goal and it was 17-11. Davis, who was injured, didn’t return for the second half.
The Als scored on the opening drive of the second half — with Dante Absher catching a 13-yard touchdown pass. The convert and a single off the kickoff made it 25-11.
With Will Arndt at quarterback, the Redblacks struck midway through the third quarter. R.J. Harris tumbled into the end zone with the ball, but the CFL command centre ruled the ball was down on the one-yard line. On the next play, Jonathon Jennings took it in for a touchdown. The convert made it 25-18.
A 42-yard field goal with 2:13 left in the third quarter made it 28-18. A command centre decision penalized the Als for pass interference and Jennings easily got into the end zone on the left side for the touchdown. There was confusion on the missed convert as the Als ran all the way down the field, but it was wiped out by a penalty.
Jarveon Williams found a hole and ran 35 yards for a Montreal touchdown with 7:30 left. It was 35-24.
A big Logan return of 41 yards gave Ottawa the ball deep in Montreal territory. “I’m only 38, I’m only 38 ... age is only a number,” said Logan into the TSN cameras.
Jennings leaned into the end zone from the one-yard line for a touchdown. Crockett got the two-point convert attempt by the nose of the football and it was 35-32. The short kickoff attempt, with 1:38 left, failed. But Ottawa got another crack at it, starting on its own two-yard line. But an interception by Najee Murray for a Montreal touchdown killed the Redblacks’ hopes.
SECOND AND LONG: Here’s a stat for you: The three touchdowns by Jennings were the first rushing touchdowns by any Redblack other than Davis, who scored six times on the season. That about sums up the year ... The Redblacks booted a field goal from 18 yards out midway through the second quarter. Wondering if the Redblacks thought about faking it and having holder Richie Leone pass to somebody. Nothing to lose, right? ... There were some laughs in the press box when the official attendance of 24,592 was announced. Hey, it was cold. HIGH ON ADAMS: A couple of days before Friday’s game, Campbell was asked about Als QB Vernon Adams Jr.
“He’s using his athleticism really well,” said Campbell. “I know a lot of people back at Eastern Washington, which is kind of my neck of the woods, they liked Bo Levi Mitchell there, but they even liked Vernon Adams better. I don’t mean that to knock Bo, but they always thought that highly of him. It takes guys time. In the CFL, they need time to see the game.”
Adams bounced from Montreal to Saskatchewan to Hamilton and back to Montreal, where’s he’s become an elite player this season.
THE END AROUND: Nice sack by Avery Ellis to take the Alouettes out of field goal range late in the second quarter ... Weird timing on the scoreboard announcement of the Redblacks’ player signings. There didn’t seem to be much of a reaction. Did fans really even know what was being announced? ... Three players with local connections were selected in the first LFA (Mexican Football League) Canadian draft Friday — QB Graham Kelly (Ottawa Sooners), RB Bryce Vieira (Ottawa Gee-Gees) and LB Drew Morris (who’s from Ottawa).