By: Don Campbell
Just 60 minutes of football from the midway point of what is believed to be the CFL’s longest home stand ever, the Ottawa REDBLACKS are going to look back on an unprecedented stretch of four games at TD Place in 21 days in one of two ways.
Anything short of a split might leave the REDBLACKS in Week 18 thinking of an opportunity squandered. Or they can turn things up and make a statement in their run to respectability in just their second season.
It’s simple: the REDBLACKS have to avoid back-to-back home losses after last week’s 35-26 loss to the Toronto Argonauts when they face the Montreal Alouettes Thursday night at TD Place.
This really is a “big one” with the days between games few right now and preparation time is ever so tight because they turn around and ‘co-host’ the Argonauts again next Tuesday before winding up the home stretch October 16th against the Winnipeg Blue Bombers.
A three-game win streak and a 3-1 homestand would have the REDBLACKS worrying about nothing more than where they final seeding would be for the first playoff game involving an Ottawa pro football team since the 9-9 Ottawa Rough Riders of 1992.
If they stumble, especially against the Alouettes, it is likely going to be a fight to the finish.
“We’ve got to take advantage of playing here at home,” said the CFL’s Top Player for September, REDBLACKS quarterback Henry Burris early this week. ”Maybe we took it for granted.
“But we still got to show up and play. We can’t expect things to just happen.”
The 40-year-old Burris played like he was in his late 20s through the month, taking the REDBLACKS to a pair of road wins, while setting an Ottawa CFL record for passing yards (477) and completions (35) in the club’s thrilling win in Regina September 19th.
The record has stood since 1982 when an unheralded rookie quarterback Chris Isaac arrived fresh from Eastern Kentucky University and threw for 471 yards and five touchdowns on his way to winning the CFL’s Rookie of the Year Award.
One year later, Isaac was out of a job, replaced by J.C. Watts and never to be heard from again in the CFL.
Burris, who has a pretty good command of CFL history and the former greats, acknowledged Isaac must have had quite a day though he was at a loss to recall really anything about him.
“I hope someone can let me know a little about (Isaac),” said Burris, who would have been all of seven and just starting out in minor football back in Spiro, Oklahoma, back when Isaac had the game of the his life and the season of his very short career. “I’d like to find out a little about him and where he came from.”
Alas, the REDBLACKS have more of their plate that digging into ancient Ottawa football history.
If September was a big month, October is even bigger and with two wins already this season against Montreal, the REDBLACKS want to run it to 3-0.
Montreal had to fly out and play Saskatchewan just Saturday, then turn their attention to Ottawa, half-healing from their previous game and half-preparing for the pivotal game in Ottawa with the equivalent of one full practice.
The REDBLACKS were on the same schedule . . . without the travel.
The advantage should be huge though it can only be evaluated on the field Thursday night.
“I have talked to them about it,” said REDBLACKS head coach Rick Campbell of the quick turnaround. “They have to eat right, sleep right, do all those things to make sure they’ve got a full tank of gas for Thursday night,
“We’re trying to do our part on the practice field, making sure we’re striking that balance of getting work done and not overworking them.”
The REDBLACKS will have enough work to contend with Als quarterback Rakeem Cato, who is expected to start in place of Jonathan Crompton, who suffered injuries to a should and non-throwing hand in his one half of work in Saskatchewan.
And as always, all eyes will be on the REDBLACKS special teams and on the officials.
They need to cut out the big play returns against them and cut down on the flags.
Sounds simple enough . . . . until they hit the field.
”If we want to be a team that contends, one (requirement) is cover kicks and two is the penalty thing,” said Campbell. “I think you’ve got to decide as a player, if you’re consistently taking personal fouls and that stuff, to me you’re making the game more about you than about the team.
“The goal is to win football games and that’s not part of the recipe for winning.
Part of the winning recipe is also taking advantage of a little home-cooking.
