Redblacks Beat Montreal, Spoil As Chance To Earn Playoff Spot At Home – TSN.ca

MONTREAL — Ottawa Redblack’s interim head coach Bob Dyce hadn’t enjoyed being the one in the spotlight leading up to Thanksgiving Monday.

After the Redblacks scored 17 points in the second half to beat Montreal 24-18 and spoil the Alouettes’ chance of earning a CFL playoff berth at home, Dyce was pleased to see the Attention shifted to his team. He was also proud to have shared his first win as caretaker coach with his wife, who flew in from Winnipeg for the occasion.

“I felt like maybe a little too much attention was being given to me because this is all about the team,” Dyce said, holding the cue ball. “But it’s nice to have (my wife) here because she supports me in everything and so that she can share that is probably the most important thing for me.”

His players were just as proud to celebrate the win with him and treated the 56-year-old to a sports drink shower in the dressing room.

“He comes in, jumps in with these guys and we want to do whatever we can to help him succeed and he’s doing the same for us. So it’s easy to play for a guy like that,” said wide receiver Julian Hardy.

Ottawa’s defense played a big part in the win, limiting Montreal to field goals on three of four first-half visits to the red zone.

The defense sealed the win late in the fourth quarter. Trevor Harris attempted to throw a game-winning touchdown from the 20-yard line in third with seconds left. Ottawa (4-11) forced a turnover and the visitors left Percival Molson Stadium with a win.

Dyce said his defense was the focus of his team chat at halftime.

“We had a turnover on the punt return, we had a turnover on offense and the defense kept them to three points every time,” Dyce explained. “I said, ‘In the first half we were down on special teams and offense, but defense got us back up. It’s halftime, now we have to do our part offense and on special teams to build defense to wear.’

“But the defense just gave it their all for 60 minutes. And the offense and special teams played their part in making it a real team win.”

In their first game under Dyce, the Redblacks broke a three-game losing streak and improved to a 4-4 record away.

Caleb Evans had two rushing touchdowns from the one-yard line. Nick Arbuckle threw for 229 yards.

The Alouettes (7-8) will have to wait another week before they can secure a playoff berth.

“I don’t think there are many guys in the dressing room who aren’t extremely disappointed with our performance,” said general manager and interim coach Danny Maciocia. “It showed how much we need to show up and not take anything for granted. I don’t think we showed up today.”

Harris threw for 338 yards and a touchdown. The quarterback attributed the loss to a lack of execution.

“I just feel like we had a couple of opportunities today that we didn’t take,” Harris said.

On his long-awaited return after breaking his ankle in the season opener, William Stanback hit a six-yard rush on the first play and finished the game with eight carries for 20 yards.

On their first visit to the red zone, the Alouettes were held up by the Redblacks’ defense. Montreal opted for a field goal when David Cote completed a 16-yard attempt.

Arbuckle responded with a 40-yard bomb to Darvin Adams on the next drive. Caleb Evans pulled a one-yard sneak in the first game of the second quarter to give Ottawa a 7-3 lead.

Adarius Pickett caught up on a fiddly punt return by Ottawa’s Devonte Deadmon at the Redblacks’ 17-yard line. Montreal tried to make the guests pay, but Ottawa’s defense once stood against it. The Alouettes didn’t gain a yard on the drive and Cote completed a 25-yard field goal.

Montreal found the end zone on the third try from the red zone. Harris found Eugene Lewis with a 15-yard touchdown pass, but then hit the post on the two-point conversion.

Cote added a late 14-yard field goal to give the Alouettes a 15-7 lead at halftime.

Redblacks kicker Lewis Ward completed two field goals in the third quarter and reduced his team’s deficit to two points.

Ottawa regained the lead early in the fourth quarter, then Evans hit his second one-yard TD sneak. Arbuckle then found Justin Hardy for the two-point conversion that gave the Redblacks a 21-15 lead.

With six minutes left in the fourth quarter, the Alouettes scored their first points of the second half. After the offensive failed to record a TD within six yards of the end zone, Cote kicked his fourth field goal of the game.

Ward placed a 25-yard try through the post with 1:08 in play to give Ottawa a 24-18 lead.

NOTE: Alouettes center Sean Jamieson suffered an injury and left the game, assisted by two teammates, late in the second quarter. Wide receiver Reggie White Jr. also left the game in the first half. Maciocia said both players will undergo diagnostic tests for knee injuries… Returner Devonte Deadmon (lower body injury), running back William Powell (upper body injury) and wide receiver Jealon Acklin (concussion record) all left the game for the Redblacks. Dyce offered no updates on the injuries.

This report from The Canadian Press was first published on October 10, 2022.