BAD BONE: Ottawa Redbacks reeling after major loss to BC

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VANCOUVER – This is really going off the rails.

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The Redblacks launched a stench on the Left Coast Saturday night, falling 45-13 to the BC Lions, who are now 3-2, thanks in large part to two wins over Ottawa.

The only Ottawa winners on Saturday: Any RNation fan who went to bed early and slept through the carnage at BC Place. From a football perspective, the effort and the result were simply disgraceful. As bad as the Redblacks were a week ago in their 51-29 loss to Montreal, this may have been worse. And now, with a 1-4 record, they head into a bye week to lick their wounds and try to find answers to so many questions.

“I’m extremely frustrated and disappointed,” said Redblacks defensive back Antoine Pruneau. “It hurts my pride as a footballer to be out there losing games like that. We gave up too many explosive plays, I guess that’s pretty obvious. They won the battles one on one, it was a bad thing. “

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Dominique Davis, who took over as the Redblacks’ number one quarterback early last week, looked good… and bad. He made a couple of huge mistakes, with an interception and a fumble (he lost another ball, but it was recovered by offensive lineman Jakub Szott). A late interception was canceled by a BC offside penalty. Too often, he threw good coverage and could have had two or three more passes intercepted. Now for the good: Davis threw for 333 yards, a portion of them, however, they were late in the game with BC sitting on zone defenses to avoid big plays.

Ottawa Redblacks quarterback Dominique Davis passes the BC Lions during the second half of a CFL football game in Vancouver on Saturday, Sept. 11, 2021.
Ottawa Redblacks quarterback Dominique Davis passes the BC Lions during the second half of a CFL football game in Vancouver on Saturday, Sept. 11, 2021. Photo by DARRYL DYCK /THE CANADIAN PRESS

“Some of those pitches, I just missed,” Davis said. “I will correct them. It doesn’t matter if we lose by one point or by many points. A loss is a loss and now we have lost four in a row. It’s not a very good feeling. I hate losing, we just have to find a way to right this ship and get back on the win column. “

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When asked about Davis’ performance, Redblacks head coach Paul LaPolice said: “It’s tough without seeing the tape, but he’s obviously disappointed with a couple of pitches and obviously the interception wasn’t good.”

BC quarterback Michael Reilly was excellent, completing 22 of 26 passes for 319 yards and four touchdown passes.

It didn’t start well for the Redblacks, with BC scoring a touchdown within three minutes of the game. The Lions’ first drive began at Ottawa’s 45-yard line following a 53-yard kickoff return from Chris Rainey. With Ottawa bombing, Reilly threw a TD pass to Keon Hatcher in the end zone. The convert made it 7-0.

BC started his second drive on his 40 count. Five plays later, the Lions had another touchdown, with Reilly coming out of trouble and finding Jovon Cottoy wide for a 38-yard touchdown. Another change, and he was 14-0 in less than seven minutes of play.

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The Redblacks replied. Davis led the team downfield and hit a 33-yard touchdown pass to Ryan Davis. The convert made the 14-7.

Ottawa’s Randall Evans knocked the ball out of Shaq Cooper’s hands for a fumble, but the Lions came back and kept marching. Reilly’s good 19-yard run down the middle set up a 39-yard touchdown for Bryan Burnham. It was 21-7 at the end of the first quarter.

Just over a minute into the second quarter, Lewis Ward missed a 48-yard field goal attempt, down the left. Lucky Whitehead reached the left sideline and behind a wall of blockers ran 119 yards for a touchdown after the error. It was 28-7 16 1/2 minutes of play.

Heading into the third and long play, the Redblacks made a nice trick play, with punter Richie Leone throwing the ball into an open field. Evans for a 29-yard gain. It led to Ward’s 41-yard field goal. Ward threw a 51-yard field goal with 2:31 left in the second quarter.

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While Tim Bonner tackled him, Davis fumbled in his own zone. Obum Gwacham got it back in the Ottawa three. Gump Hayes made a great play with an interception when Reilly missed Cottoy with a pass into the end zone. But Ottawa quickly returned it, with a poor reading from Davis intercepted by Bo Lokombo and rushing for a touchdown. He was 35-13 with 28 seconds left in the first half.

In his first series of the second half, Ottawa challenged a knockdown from BC’s Marcus Sayles, saying he interfered with Anthony Coombs. However, the ruling on the field remained. Deep in his own zone, Reilly threw the ball downfield and found Whitehead for a 63-yard gain, to Ottawa 43. Five plays later, Reilly passed Burnham, who pushed his way through the defenders for a 10-touchdown. yards. It was 42-13.

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A third-and-two bet, a Timothy Flanders run, one minute and a half into the fourth quarter was stopped by the Lions. BC challenged an incomplete pass to Whitehead and, after review, it was called pass interference. A good pass from Gump Hayes prevented another touchdown and the Lions settled for a 15-yard field goal from Jimmy Camacho.

THE END AROUND: How can a team not play Enter Sandman at least once during a home game? And also Jump Around. Oh, and add TNT, Blitzkrieg Bop, Living on a Prayer, Bohemian Rhapsody… and Sweet Caroline. Redblacks? … The game, the third of three on TSN’s Saturday tripleheader, was delayed a few minutes to allow the Stamps-Elks game to end … Pregame scratches were Redblacks DL Stefan Charles and Lions DB Anthony Cioffi (a former Redblack) … The Redblacks missed the coin toss, matching tails, the Lions chose to take the kickoff to open the game … On Ottawa’s first possession, catcher Ryan Davis took the ball and received a big blow, landing on his back. He was a bit down, but ran off the field and kept playing… Good escape route from Dominique Davis as he eluded several defenders to find Timothy Flanders for a 17-yard gain with almost 11 minutes left in the fourth quarter. Two of the players he left behind, JR Tavai and Josh Banks, were on the grass a bit after the play … Great hustle and bustle from the Lions on the last play of the game, with a group of defenders stopped and pushing RJ Harris back from the goal line. The Lions have yet to allow a touchdown in the second half this season.

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Reference-ottawasun.com

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