Stopping the stampede
Redblacks looking ahead to Calgary after grinding Andrew Harris and Argos’ run game to a halt
TORONTO – Part of the game plan for the Ottawa Redblacks Sunday was not only to stop elite running back Andrew Harris, but to frustrate him, throw him off his game.
Mission accomplished; in a 23-13 win over the Argos (Ottawa’s first victory of the season), Harris ran for only 17 yards on nine carries. He wasn’t a factor.
Asked about throwing a blanket over Harris and forcing the Argos to look elsewhere for their offence, Redblacks defensive end Lorenzo Mauldin IV said: “(We were thinking), ‘We have to, have to, have to stop No. 33. You stop 33, he’s going to get upset, he’s going to yell at his guys, he’s going to get angry. That’s what he does. We see it on film and it’s like, ‘Okay, let’s stop him. Let’s get him in the backfield.’ They pride themselves on his run game and we shut it down.”
Asked if he could see Harris getting frustrated, Mauldin IV said: “I got in his head. I knew I had gotten into his head when he started cursing, he started flipping around and throwing temper tantrums.”
Now, before a Friday night home game against Calgary, after stopping Harris — the CFL’S third-leading rusher — the Redblacks need to figure out a way to neutralize the league’s second-leading ball carrier — Stampeders running back Ka’deem Carey.
While the Redblacks were stopping the run against Toronto, the Argos found too many holes in the Ottawa secondary. Toronto QB Mcleod Bethel-thompson completed 25 passes for 340 yards. But the Redblacks defence tightened up when it needed to, allowing only one touchdown — a 29-yard catch by Speedy Banks.
“The hard part with Mcleod and Andrew is you’ve got to pick your spots where you put everybody in the box to help stop the run,” said Redblacks coach Paul Lapolice. “But you’ve also got to make sure you don’t expose yourself to some of those big passes. Where we have to improve is second down, but I thought our first-down defence was pretty damn good.”
In their 0-6 start, the Redblacks have too often stumbled in the second half, unable to continue any momentum they built. Sunday’s second half was a blueprint for success. The Redblacks got a boost by scoring a touchdown in the final minute of the first half to tie the game 13-13, then outscored the home team 10-0 in the second half.
“We kept reiterating — ‘We started the game strong, let’s finish the game the way we started,” said Mauldin. “We know our defence is good. After the first half, it was, ‘Keep your foot on the throat.’
”It was another big game for Mauldin, who spent two seasons with the Hamilton Tiger-cats — mostly as a backup and special teamer — before signing with the Redblacks as a free agent earlier this year. With another sack (and a forced fumble) Sunday, he’s tied (with Saskatchewan’s Pete Robertson) for the league lead in sacks — with seven.
“I played my game,” he said. “It’s my job. I’m here to get sacks, I’m here to get TFLS (tackles for loss), I’m here to get tackles. If I can get forced fumbles, interceptions, anything that comes along with the game, I have to do it.”
It shouldn’t get lost that quarterback Caleb Evans keeps taking steps ahead for Ottawa. The 24-year-old, who has stepped in as the starter with Jeremiah Masoli out long term, completed 24of-29 passes for 286 yards and two touchdowns. His favourite target was Jaelon Acklin, who caught seven passes for 144 yards.