Up-and-down Redblacks still fighting for East title
OTTAWA — This could have been a story about how the Ottawa Redblacks had settled the way things would go in the next few weeks, the only remaining question being which regulars might be rested during end-of-season matchups against the Winnipeg Blue Bombers.
It’s not. The maddening, irritating, frustrating inconsistency of the 2016 Redblacks continued with Friday’s 39-36 overtime loss against the visiting Hamilton Tiger-Cats. As a result, next Saturday’s contest at Winnipeg and a Nov. 4 return matchup at TD Place stadium still matter greatly.
Thinking positively, the Redblacks (7-8-1) continue to hold their fate in their own hands. Two victories against the Bombers would clinch first place in the Canadian Football League’s East Division, a firstround playoff bye and home field for the Nov. 20 division final, no matter what the Ticats (7-9-0) do at home against the Edmonton Eskimos and Montreal Alouettes.
However, the Redblacks haven’t won consecutive games since June and will have their hands full against a Blue Bombers team with nine victories in the past 11 games and a 10-6 overall mark.
“We still have control, but it doesn’t really matter,” said slotback Ernest Jackson, who on Friday caught 10 passes for 102 yards and two touchdowns. “We want to win these games (against Winnipeg) regardless. Going into the playoffs, it’s a big deal for us.”
Playoffs? Oh, right. The Redblacks have indeed wrapped up a post-season berth, so they have a shot at qualifying for the Grey Cup game for the second year in a row. However, it won’t matter whether they finish first or second in the East and host either the division final or semifinal if they don’t perform better at TD Place stadium, where they’re just 2-5-1 after going 7-2-0 in 2015.
The good news is that, generally, the games have been exciting. Three contests have required overtime and only two have been decided by more than a converted touchdown, so it’s possible to construct a reasonable argument that the Redblacks are a handful of plays from being 7-1 on home field.