Still winless and reeling on defense, the Ottawa Redblacks host the East-leading Alouettes with almost nothing left to prove but pride.

Game Details

Odds

Spread: Montreal Alouettes -7
Moneyline: Ottawa Redblacks +280, Montreal Alouettes -355
Over/Under: 60

Ottawa sits 2-2-1 against the number this season, so the winless record hasn’t stopped them from covering more often than not. Montreal, on the other hand, has been money for bettors at 5-2 ATS with six overs in seven games — this offense doesn’t let up, even against bad teams.

Overview

There’s no sugarcoating where the Redblacks are at. Ottawa is 0-6, dead last in the league, and coming off arguably its most gut-wrenching loss yet — a 36-34 overtime collapse to Winnipeg after leading by three touchdowns. Before that it was a four-interception meltdown from Jake Maier in a 40-17 blowout loss to Edmonton. This defense has allowed 213 points through six games, worst in the CFL, and now it draws a Montreal offense that just dropped 31 on Hamilton and hasn’t lost since Week 3.

The Alouettes are 6-1 and tied atop the league with Edmonton, riding a four-game win streak that includes back-to-back shootouts with Calgary and a statement win over a Ticats team that had won two straight. Davis Alexander has been nearly untouchable, completing 71 percent of his throws with 11 touchdowns against a single interception, and Montreal’s defense has been opportunistic enough to bail out the occasional shootout. This is about as complete a team as there is in the East, and they’re on the road against a team still searching for its first win of the year.

These two already met in Week 4, and it was actually one of Ottawa’s better performances — a 37-35 shootout loss at Montreal where the Redblacks put up 35 points and had a real shot late. That’s the closest thing to a silver lining here: Ottawa can move the ball on this defense when things click. The problem is everything else — a defense that can’t get stops, a run game that hasn’t been consistent, and a team that’s found every way possible to lose. Montreal has the far better roster, the better quarterback play, and the momentum. This one’s theirs to lose, and recent history says they won’t.

Key Players

Davis Alexander (Montreal Alouettes, QB) — 175-of-245 for 2,368 yards, 11 touchdowns and just one pick all season; he’s been the most efficient passer in the league by a mile.
Jake Maier (Ottawa Redblacks, QB) — Ottawa’s clear top target for the defense after that four-interception night against Edmonton; he’ll need a clean pocket and quick decisions to keep this one competitive.
Tyson Philpot (Montreal Alouettes, WR) — 55 catches, 839 yards and four scores, the engine of Montreal’s passing attack and a matchup nightmare for Ottawa’s secondary.
Travis Theis (Montreal Alouettes, RB) — Coming off a 156-yard demolition of Hamilton, Theis has 538 yards on the ground and can wear down a tired Ottawa front seven.
Greg Bell (Ottawa Redblacks, RB) — Ottawa’s lead back and a name to watch if the Redblacks want any chance of controlling clock against this Montreal offense.

Keys to the Game

Ottawa has to find a pass rush against Alexander — he hasn’t thrown a pick in weeks and has all day to find Philpot and Tyler Snead if the front four can’t get home.
Maier needs to protect the football; four turnovers against Edmonton is the kind of number that turns a competitive game into a blowout against a team this good.
The Redblacks have to win the fourth quarter for once — they’ve blown leads and let games slip away late all season, and Montreal has proven it can close.

Injury Report

PlayerTeamStatus

King Ambers (DB)Ottawa RedblacksAvailable
McLeod Bethel-Thompson (QB)Ottawa RedblacksAvailable
Emeric Boutin (FB)Ottawa RedblacksAvailable
Benjamin Dobson (LB)Ottawa RedblacksOut
Brett Lauther (K)Ottawa RedblacksOut
Nick Mardner (WR)Ottawa RedblacksAvailable
Daniel Okpoko (DL)Ottawa RedblacksAvailable
Zack Pelehos (OL)Ottawa RedblacksOut

Lauther’s absence at kicker is a real story here — with him out, Ottawa has activated Lewis Ward off the practice roster to handle placekicking duties this week.

Depth Chart

Ottawa Redblacks starters by position, built from the team’s official Week 9 depth chart. This projected lineup may not reflect any last-minute, mid-week changes.

PositionOttawa Redblacks

QBJake Maier, Bryson Barnes, McLeod Bethel-Thompson
RBGreg Bell, Daniel Adeboboye
FBEmeric Boutin, Anthony Gosselin
SBAyden Eberhardt, Keelan White
TEJevoni Robinson
WR (boundary)Eugene Lewis, Justin Hardy
WR (field)Kalil Pimpleton, Nick Mardner
LTDino Boyd
LGDrew Desjarlais
CSean McEwen, Samuel Carson
RGGiordano Vaccaro
RTJulian Pearl
DECharlie Parks, Aidan John, Bryce Carter, Michael Wakefield
DTJelani Stafford, Daniel Okpoko, Muftah Ageli
WLBBrian Cole II, Lucas Cormier, AJ Allen
MLBKJ Cloyd, Aaron Casey
SLBMarcus Barnes, CJ Reavis
CBShakur Brown, Eric Cumberbatch, Demerio Houston
HBDionte Ruffin, Amari Henderson
SKing Ambers, Alonzo Addae
K/PLewis Ward, Noah Gettman
LSPeter Adjey
RETKalil Pimpleton

Score Prediction

Ottawa Redblacks 27 – Montreal Alouettes 34. Ottawa’s offense should keep this closer than the record suggests — the Week 4 meeting proved they can hang points on this Montreal defense — but the same issues that have plagued this team all year, a leaky secondary and untimely turnovers, cost them again against an Alouettes team that’s playing its best football of the season.

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Who takes this one? Drop your prediction in the comments.