‘Montreal kicked our butts,’ Burris admits
Maybe the Ottawa Redblacks should decline their next bye week in the Canadian Football League schedule. This one certainly didn’t do them much good.
After a 13-day break since their previous game, the Redblacks laid an egg against the Montreal Alouettes on Friday night, playing so dreadfully that they got blown out 43-19 at TD Place stadium and blew their chance to protect a lead atop the East Division standings.
Special-teams snafus, ineffective tackling and a propensity for giving up big plays were all significant factors, but give the Alouettes credit.
They were definitely the better team.
So, head coach Rick Campbell, how could your well-rested Redblacks play so badly?
“I don’t know,” Campbell said. “We were in the game at halftime and showed signs of life, and when there was a play to be made and a change to get off the field, we didn’t do it.
“We’ll make sure we look at everything. The important thing to do, when you’re in the mood I’m in right now and the mood that people in that (locker) room are, you want to change everything.
“But I know when I watch the film there’s going to be some good stuff, and so we need to make sure we don’t mess with the good stuff and make sure we fix the stuff that’s not right.”
OK, since we’re on the topic of fixing the bad stuff, let’s begin right from the very first offensive possession, which produced no points when a fake-field-goal run by holder Danny O’Brien failed and became a turnover on downs.
The Alouettes built up a lead through the game and put it away with a 75-yard drive early in the fourth quarter.
The key play was a conversion on second-and-24 — how did that happen? — with the score on a modest 15-yarder from Kevin Glenn to Brandon Rutley.
An interception thrown by Redblacks quarterback Henry Burris on the next Ottawa possession had many in the crowd streaming for the exits, and the Alouettes added the capper when Glenn threw a beautiful pass over defensive halfback Forrest Hightower and into the arms of Duron Carter.
Burris finished with 322 yards passing, but Brock Jensen finished the game at quarterback.
Now the talk will begin about whether the Redblacks should start Trevor Harris, who hasn’t played since late July because of knee and ankle injuries, in the next game.
“Montreal kicked our butts and we didn’t do a good enough job to help ourselves,” Burris said. “We had too many penalties, I missed some throws. They beat us in every way. You have to give kudos to them.”
Chief among those receiving kudos were Glenn, who had those five touchdown throws among his 382 yards passing, and Carter, who made five receptions for 126 yards.
“I didn’t make a statement,” Carter said.
“Our plays were working. (Offensive co-ordinator Anthony Calvillo) called a great game. It just feels good to have a victory, that’s all I can say.”
The Redblacks will complete their stretch of four consecutive home games with what will likely be a stiff test against the B.C. Lions next Thursday night.
“We had a good start and we kind of got ahead of it, so you want to keep it going,” said slotback Brad Sinopoli, who had six catches for 40 yards.
“Any time you have an opportunity at home and you don’t take advantage, that’s a big thing.
“Right now, we just have to go back to work, figure out a way to forget this one and just find a way for next week.”
Any time you have an opportunity at home and you don’t take advantage, that’s a big thing.