FIVE THINGS TO WATCH
1 NEW JOB TITLES:
With the firing of head coach Jacques Chapdelaine and defensive co-ordinator Noel Thorpe earlier in the week, Alouettes GM Kavis Reed takes over head coaching duties. A look at each in-season CFL coaching change shows that the previous 60 men taking over during the campaign have gone 29-31 in those initial games for their new club. QB coach Anthony Calvillo will call the offensive plays, defensive line coach Greg Quick will call the defence.
2 CLOSE, BUT NO CIGAR:
If their record is indicative of their late-game ability, the Redblacks need to stay out of a close one with Montreal. Losing 26-22 to Hamilton on Saturday, the Redblacks are now 0-6-1 this year in games decided by four points or less. They are now 2-10-2 in those fourpoints-and-less games since the start of 2016. The all-time record for losses by four points or less is Winnipeg, in 2010, with nine.
3 SERDERIUS BRYANT:
He’s thought of highly enough by the coaching staff that they were shuffling Khalil Bass from the WILL linebacker spot to a backup spot at MIKE linebacker, behind Taylor Reed. Bass was released by the Redblacks on Friday. Bryant is a high-motor guy who should be a good fit beside Reed, who posted his second career 10tackle game last week and has moved up to fifth in the CFL, with 62 tackles.
4 WHERE IS GREG ELLINGSON?
After averaging 6.4 receptions for 100.4 yards per game over the first nine contests, Ellingson has slowed over the past three games. Over that time frame, he has averaged just 3.0 catches for 29.3 yards per game. Ellingson still leads the CFL in receiving yards, with 1,080, and is well on his way to blowing past his career-best of 1,260 set last season. Toronto’s S.J. Green is next in line with 1,002 yards prior to yesterday’s game.
5 KICKER BRETT MAHER:
What started off the season as one of the Redblacks’ bright spots (Maher made 26 of his first 29 field goal attempts), has sputtered in recent weeks. Maher is 4-of-8 in the last two weeks. He’s also missing too many convert kicks — 13 of 19 on the season, going 3-for-6 in recent weeks.