Turnovers the difference in REDBLACKS’ first win

OTTAWA — The Ottawa REDBLACKS’ first win of the season was a hard-fought, spirited effort at a time when it was needed most. It was not, however, any sort of coincidence.

Wednesday night’s 24-19 win over the Montreal Alouettes marked not only the team’s first victory of 2017 but also its first win in the turnover battle. While the REDBLACKS were inferior to their division rival in total yards, first downs and time of possession, their 5-0 edge in turnovers made up for it all.

Down 0-3-1 and facing the most difficult stretch of the season, it was something Head Coach Rick Campbell had preached all week.

“That was the difference,” Campbell said following Wednesday’s effort in front of a sold out crowd of 24,756 at TD Place. “Our defence has been solid in stretches, but was lacking that momentum-changing play. When you [force turnovers] it creates a big lift for the team. Credit our guys for making those big plays.”

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William Powell looks to avoid a tackle during Wednesday night’s game in Ottawa (The Canadian Press)

The REDBLACKS led from wire to wire, opening the scoring with a 20-yard Brett Maher field goal midway through the first quarter and eventually extending their lead to 24-12 in the third on a Brad Sinopoli major. They didn’t score again but it didn’t matter because with 1:48 remaining, Vernon Adams Jr., his team down six, was denied on a third-down sneak deep in Ottawa territory.

You could hear the collective sigh of relief from R-Nation from just about anywhere.

“The emotional difference of winning and losing is huge,” said Campbell. “I was proud of our guys, the way we stepped up and made plays at the end of the game to win it.

“That’s kind of the broken record speech I’ve made,” he added. “That these games are going to be close. It’s whatever team steps up in the fourth quarter and makes plays, and credit our guys for finding a way to get it done.”

On the ensuing drive, with a minute and a half to burn, the REDBLACKS weren’t content to merely run the ball twice and punt it away. On second down, Trevor Harris put one up and Greg Ellingson won the one-on-one battle against Alouettes corner Brandon Stewart. The 35-yard gain through the air clinched Ottawa’s first win of the season.

Ellingson finished with a game-high 149 yards on six catches, including an 80-yard touchdown in the second quarter. Harris enjoyed his best all-around game of 2017, completing 29 of 41 passes for 376 yards and a pair of touchdowns with no interceptions.

Harris now leads the CFL with 1,755 passing yards with a shining 10 touchdowns against only two interceptions.

 

Alouettes quarterback Darian Durant threw for a game-high 452 passing yards on 35-of-45 passing with two touchdowns. B.J. Cunningham and Ernest Jackson each went over the century mark receiving while, as a whole, the Als’ offence edged Ottawa 27-21 in first downs and 493-411 in total offence.

In the end, though, interceptions by Antoine Pruneau and Jerrell Gavins along with three Alouettes fumbles were too difficult for the visitors to overcome.

Now, facing a stretch of three games in 11 days, Ottawa is a win away from taking over first place in the East on Monday against the Argos at BMO Field.

“It’s big,” said Campbell. “When you go a certain number of weeks without winning, you want to get on that winning side.

“Our guys . . . they don’t point fingers and they’re not whiners. You find out a lot more about people when times are tough than when times are good. We have a lot of work to do here, but if we can hang in and win some games . . . sometimes going through tough times can make you stronger.

“[Four] days from now it’s another big game. It’s going to be tough to go on the road but if we can find a way to pull it off, we could end up in first place. Then, go from there.”

GAME NOTES

Wednesday night was Greg Ellingson’s 12th 100-yard game as a member REDBLACKS.

Wednesday’s contest was Ottawa’s 16th-straight sellout and 29th overall.

Montreal receiver Nik Lewis broke the 1,000-reception mark on his career, becoming just the fourth player in league history to do so.

With files from Carlos Verde/OttawaREDBLACKS.com