REDBLACKS hoping to separate themselves from recent inconsistencies

CFL.ca Staff

OTTAWA — A win’s a win.

Simply put, it’s true. Ottawa narrowly came out of their previous game with another tick in the win column after defeating the last place Montreal Alouettes 24-17 at TD Place Stadium. But that won’t be the mindset of the REDBLACKS heading into their Week 10 matchup when they head to Winnipeg to visit the Blue Bombers on Friday night.

Montreal’s defence managed to force four fumbles and an interception against the REDBLACKS offence, yet somehow Ottawa still managed to find a way to score points when it was absolutely crucial, and a week after they had the same thing done to them, the REDBLACKS scored the game-winning touchdown in the final few seconds of the game – A 10-yard touchdown by William Powell.

The REDBLACKS have found themselves in an odd series of events the past few weeks.

“There’s always unexpected things and things that are weird and awkward,” said REDBLACKS’ quarterback Trevor Harris on Tuesday. “But that’s football, that’s life. We just have to make sure we learn from the things we don’t do well and take the things we do well and accentuate it.”

One thing’s for sure for the REDBLACKS, and that’s that they need to figure out a way to do a better job at securing the ball and capitalizing on offensive opportunities. Coughing up four fumbles, three of which the Alouettes managed to recover, along with an interception certainly isn’t doing Ottawa any favours.

“We can’t do that, that’s unacceptable,” Harris said. “We’re not going to win a lot of games when we do that. I don’t know what the stat is but I’d guess that it’s pretty low when you turn the ball over that many times.”

Nonetheless, Ottawa seems to be riding a rollercoaster of luck. Three weeks ago, they slipped out of Hamilton with victory in which they leaned solely on the leg of their rookie kicker Tyler Ward. Two weeks ago, they lost with a single second remaining on the board after McLeod Bethel-Thompson enjoyed an emotional first CFL start and last week, the REDBLACKS saw Trevor Harris complete the second most passes in a single game in what you’d perhaps expect to be a higher-scoring game considering that stat, however, dropped balls and turnovers halted many of the offense’s drives.

“I think it’s a testament to the belief that we have with each other,” says Harris, reflecting on the offensive woes he and the offence have endured. “I don’t think there was a time during the game that down on the sideline anyone was frustrated with each other”

Harris says it’s a good environment to be in, referring to the way the team’s come together.

“It was all positive attitude. It’s been a different vibe there on the sideline this year and in the locker room.”

REDBLACKS’ head coach Rick Campbell has been quoted the past few weeks of speaking fondly of the team’s depth and personality they have on the roster but also saying that the team is still in need of finding that ‘sweet spot’ before the team finds their true potential.

Will that come against a tough Winnipeg team in Week 10? Only time will tell, but the REDBLACKS certainly will have their work cut out for them. Although Ottawa heads into the meeting with a 25-yard advantage when it comes to average total yards on offence, the Blue Bombers have only lost one game since Matt Nichols has returned from injury.

“He’s a winner,” Campbell said, speaking of Nichols. “That’s the way he was in college, too.”

Nichols, like many successful quarterbacks in the CFL, started his career backing up some of the league’s most successful quarterbacks, which has shaped his development and has led to the Bombers being the tough rigid offence that they are this season alongside Andrew Harris.

“He’s been in this league a long time now, between his time in Edmonton and his time now in Winnipeg, he does a good job,” Campbell says.

Ottawa and Winnipeg look to their Friday game with both of the two teams having similar 5-3 records. The REDBLACKS hope to continue to separate themselves from the rest of the East Division as they hold onto top spot, while the Bombers currently sit in third place in the West behind the undefeated Stamps and the Eskimos, who too have the same record as Winnipeg, but take second place due to their record against Western opponents.

Friday’s game is scheduled for 8:30 p.m. ET at Winnipeg’s Investor Group Field.

Follow CFL