After beating up on the Calgary Stampeders a week ago, the Ottawa REDBLACKS are back on the road today, for a 3:00pm kickoff with the Toronto Argonauts.
On the heels of their first bye week of the season, and finally beginning to get healthy the REDBLACKS looked like a refreshed unit when they took down the Stamps by a 31-11 final. Dru Brown completed 19 of 27 passes for 225 yards and a pair of touchdowns to Justin Hardy, while Dustin Crum rushed in a touchdown, and Alijah McGhee scored on a pick six. It was a night on which the Ottawa secondary feasted on PJ Walker, with Amari Henderson and Deandre Lamont also recording interceptions.
Cleyon Laing is perhaps set to return in the middle of Ottawa’s front as a gametime decision, while on offence, Parker Moorer suits up in place of the injured Zack Pelehos. Hardy is good to go, after missing two days of practice with a back issue. Will linebacker Davion Taylor also returns to the lineup, and to the starting position.
SCOUTING THE OPPOSITION
The Argos dropped a shootout in Winnipeg last Thursday, losing by a 40-31 final to the Bombers. Despite the result, Nick Arbuckle threw for 327 yards, touchdowns, and an interception, with Damonte Coxie hauling in a pair of scoring grabs.
Defensively, the Boatmen picked off Chris Streveler three times thanks to interceptions by Tavarus McFadden and Benji Franklin, and Cam Judge running back a pick six. Ottawa will be again contending with a ferocious Toronto pass rush, that sacked Streveler five times.
It’s the second and final meeting of the regular season between these two teams, with Toronto taking a 29-16 decision at TD Place on June 29.
IN THEIR OWN WORDS
Bob Dyce, Head Coach, on the team’s mentality going into a key East Division matchup: “We have a sense of urgency every single week, and this week’s no different. We’re playing a team with the same record as us and so they’re focused and locked in.”
Will Fields, Defensive Coordinator, on the secondary looking to build upon a standout performance: “With the secondary, confidence is everything, so I think they’re all riding the wave right now. They just want to take the next step, but they’re feeling good about themselves, and when you do well like that, you’re more locked in the next week. So I think we had a really good week of practice as a defence as a whole, but secondary-wise, the guys communicated, and I think they’re all locked in.”
Amari Henderson, defensive back, on the effect of stringing wins together: “I feel like winning just takes care of a lot of things. It makes coming to work easier, it makes coming to work more fun, most definitely. I want to say you get a little bit more relaxed, a little more chill, I guess that monkey kind of falls off your back a little bit. But we know that we’ve got to continue to come in every single day and stack great days and just be consistent at being great. Then we feel like the results should show for themselves, as long as we continue to stack those good days.”
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