TSN Network, on TSN.ca and the TSN App<\/a>. Pre-game coverage gets underway 30 minutes prior at 7pm ET\/4pm PT.<\/p>\nThe schedule maker did the Redblacks a favour thanks to a bye week coupled with the Alouettes (6-1) facing a quick turnaround following Sunday\u2019s impressive 31-18 victory over the Hamilton Tiger-Cats.<\/p>\n
Despite its 0-6 record, Ottawa liked a lot about its last game against Montreal \u2014 a 37-35 loss in Week 4 \u2014 and feels there have been improvements since.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe\u2019ve got to make the plays that need to be made, and I always tell our guys just make the routine plays consistently,\u201d Redblacks head coach and general manager Ryan Dinwiddie said. \u201cWe don\u2019t have to be superheroes, but we\u2019ve just got to make the routine plays throughout the full 60 (minutes).\u201d<\/p>\n
Ottawa, however, has yet to play four complete quarters already one-third of the way through 2026.<\/p>\n
And there have been countless breakdowns, needless penalties and turnovers.<\/p>\n
Starting quarterback Jake Maier, however, is coming off a solid performance against Winnipeg where he threw for 344 yards, one touchdown and an interception. <\/p>\n
He pointed to the last game against the Alouettes as the moment Ottawa started finding its identity, but knows the team \u2014 and himself \u2014 will be judged by its record.<\/p>\n
\u201cI care deeply and I just want to make sure that I\u2019m presenting myself in a way that\u2019s emotionally mature,\u201d Maier said. \u201cJust try to have good perspective \u2026 to make sure (the team) believes that their quarterback is in a good headspace and it\u2019s not about me.<\/p>\n
\u201cI try to live in a world where it\u2019s more about us.\u201d<\/p>\n
The Redblacks will have at least one new body on offence Friday at TD Place after acquiring tight end Jevoni Robinson from Hamilton.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe have what it takes,\u201d Robinson said. \u201cJust being in the locker room, it\u2019s not really a deflated team at all. Just one or two quarters or plays away from being an exceptional team. I just want to come in here and do my job.\u201d<\/p>\n
There will also be a familiar face back in Ottawa\u2019s lineup after kicker Lewis Ward was signed earlier this week with Brett Lauther on the six-game injury list. The 33-year-old was released back in April, while on his honeymoon, after spending eight years with the organization.<\/p>\n
Defensive back Kabion Ento returns to Montreal\u2019s lineup after missing four games with a hamstring injury.<\/p>\n
WHAT A STREAK<\/p>\n
Montreal has won the last 12 meetings overall with Ottawa dating back to the Redblacks\u2019 24-18 victory at Percival Molson Stadium in Oct. 2022.<\/p>\n
GET IN A RHYTHM <\/p>\n
Ayden Eberhardt has started to find his stride in Ottawa\u2019s offence, averaging 124 receiving yards over his last two games. <\/p>\n
KEEP IN CHECK <\/p>\n
Montreal\u2019s Tyson Philpot, the CFL\u2019s leading receiver with 839 receiving yards, was held to 32 yards last week against Hamilton. He posted both his season high and the league\u2019s single-game season high with 198 receiving yards on 12 receptions the last time the Alouettes played the Redblacks.<\/p>\n
This report by The Canadian Press was first published July 30, 2026.<\/p>\n
Lisa Wallace, The Canadian Press<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"OTTAWA \u2014 The Redblacks had a week off to recover and reflect. They\u2019re hoping that break will help…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":838378,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[194295],"tags":[49,48,20739,82],"class_list":["post-838377","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-ottawa","tag-ca","tag-canada","tag-ottawa","tag-sports"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/838377","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=838377"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/838377\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/838378"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=838377"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=838377"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=838377"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}