CFL PHOTO - Walter Tychnowicz
Carlos Verde | @Carlos77Verde
The REDBLACKS put in a gutsy road effort in Edmonton Friday night, but ultimately came up just short and on the wrong end of a 23-21 decision against the Eskimos.
“We give up too many big plays and don’t make enough of them,” REDBLACKS head coach Rick Campbell told TSN 1200 post-game. “We do a whole bunch of things well and if we can get it figured out and erase a few more negative plays, we’ll be a pretty good football team. But we have work to do.”
Trevor Harris completed 23 of 35 passes for 284 yards and a touchdown in the loss for the REDBLACKS (0-3-1), with his Edmonton (3-0) counterpart Mike Reilly posting a similar line of 27-for-39, 265 yards and one touchdown. Eskimos running back Travon Van earned the CFL on TSN game ball for a 103-yard rushing performance against his former team.
“We’ve got to create some big plays and obviously not have self-inflicted wounds,” mused Campbell, whose team has now lost a trio of games by a total of just seven points. “We’re going to keep working and get this thing right.”
Defensive standouts in the defeat included linebacker Khalil Bass and his game-high six tackles, and D-lineman Arnaud Gascon-Nadon, who recorded a pair of sacks.
The REDBLACKS opened the scoring on their second possession of the evening, when — after productive catches from Dominique Rhymes and Brad Sinopoli — Brett Maher drilled a 42-yard field goal.
Ottawa then landed the first major blow of the night five minutes into the second quarter, when a 34-yard Harris-to-Greg Ellingson connection set up a one-yard Ryan Lindley sneak into the end zone. Maher missed the convert, and the REDBLACKS lead stood at 9-0.
Ottawa’s first-half momentum evaporated in the span of eight seconds late in the second quarter.
A Sean Whyte 21-yard field goal cut the lead to 9-3, then an errant Trevor Harris throw — the first play of the subsequent drive — tipped off the hands of Sinopoli and into those of Edmonton’s Brandyn Thompson – another former REDBLACK – who raced 31 yards to the house. Following a Whyte convert, the hosts had put up 10 points on three plays.
The Esks extended their lead on the final play of the first half, as Mike Reilly zipped a 9-yard touchdown pass into a tight window for Adarius Bowman. Whyte’s convert then sent the hosts to the locker room with a 17-9 lead.
Whyte had a chance to further extend Edmonton’s lead five minutes into the third quarter, but his 47-yard attempt missed wide right.
Ottawa’s difficult night continued on the ensuing possession, when Brett Maher’s punt was blocked by Edmonton’s Alex Hoffman-Ellis and rolled all the way back to the REDBLACKS 14-yard line.
Five plays and a commendable goal-line stand from the Ottawa defence later, Whyte punched a nine-yard field goal through the uprights to make it 20-9 Eskimos.
The REDBLACKS responded with a crisp five-play, 54-yard drive, highlighted by a 30-yard Harris-to-Diontae Spencer pass and capped by a plunging William Powell touchdown run. The two-point convert failed and Ottawa trailed by five.
Whyte responded with a 36-yard field goal to push the Edmonton lead to eight.
Then, in the two-minute drill offence, Harris led the REDBLACKS down the field and finished a heroic nine-play, 84-yard drive with a touchdown pass to Josh Stangby. The ensuing two-point convert pass then fluttered heart-breakingly to the turf, cementing the result.
The REDBLACKS return to action on home turf Wednesday night in a critical East Division tilt against the Montreal Alouettes (2-2).
“They’re all must-wins,” said Coach Campbell of Wednesday’s home game. “The whole thing in this league is about winning close games — who can come down in the fourth quarter and win the game. We’ve got to get on the right side of that.”
Tickets for the mid-week game against Montreal are available online by clicking here, calling 613.232.6767 X1 or in person at the Box Office at TD Place.
SCORING SUMMARY
First Quarter
OTT – FG Maher — 8:54
Second Quarter
OTT – TD Lindley (convert missed) — 8:38
EDM — FG Whyte — 2:35
EDM — TD Thompson, fumble recovery (Whyte convert) — 2:08
EDM — TD Reilly to Bowman (Whyte convert) — 0:07
Third Quarter
EDM — FG Whyte — 5:31
OTT — TD Powell (2-pt convert missed) — 0:20
Fourth Quarter
EDM — FG Whyte — 7:19
OTT — TD Harris to Stangby (2-pt convert missed) — 0:32
