SQUID GAME ?: If the Redblacks don’t turn around after losing to Als, elimination is near.

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MONTREAL – The Ottawa Redblacks have put themselves in a tough spot. Win … or else.

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Following a 20-16 loss to Thanksgiving by the Montreal Alouettes at Percival Molson Memorial Stadium, any hope the Redblacks have of reaching the CFL postseason is hanging by a thread.

While death is not an option here, in the wake of a hugely disappointing loss, Redblacks linebacker Micah Awe said: “There is a Netflix show called Squid Game and the players are eliminated. That is where we are now. We have five days (until their next game, at home against Montreal). In those five days, we have to find out who we are … now. There is absolutely no more time to discover who we are. Literally all games are playoffs. We’ll see what happens, but I’ll stick with the Ottawa Redblacks 100 out of 100. We have to prove it, we have to prove it. That’s what it all comes down to. “

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The Redblacks did a lot of good things, things you have to do to win football games. But then when it really mattered, defending a three-point lead in the final two minutes, they buckled in with Alouettes backup quarterback Matthew Shiltz leading his team downfield for the winning points. The bitter taste of coulda, should, should not go away any time soon. With a 2-7 record, Ottawa’s game against Montreal on Saturday, which is now 4-4, will fall under the must-win category.

“Obviously we didn’t do enough to win the football game,” Redblacks head coach Paul LaPolice said. “We made some mistakes down the stretch that hurt us. It is a good football team, but we have to do more. We have to find a way to make sure we stay on the field longer and kick more field goals or score more touchdowns. “

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When asked what he said to his players after the game, LaPolice said: “I’m proud of them, I appreciate them. I am absolutely disappointed. I am disappointed in myself and will do my best to figure out how to get a win. “

The offense was not good enough. Ottawa’s points came on four Lewis Ward field goals and two safes.

Redblacks quarterback Caleb Evans, in his third CFL start, was under fire for much of the day: harassed, rushed and beaten, without enough protection from his offensive line. He completed 13 of 23 passes for 125 yards and threw an interception. He also rushed for 64 yards on five carries. Ottawa got some good production from running back De’Lance Turner, who added 71 yards on 10 carries in his first CFL game. When Ottawa most needed to keep the ball away from Montreal, he had two-outs on offense in the final seven minutes. After a shaky start, the defense was fine for much of the game, but gave up on the Alouettes’ last drive.

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Ottawa started the game at his 35-yard line. But Evans was sacked on the first two plays, with losses of seven and eight yards. After a Richie Leone punt, Montreal started at their 49-yard line. A 33-yard pass to Eugene Lewis and a 24-yard run by Cameron Artis-Payne set up a Vernon Adams Jr. five-yard touchdown pass to Jake Wieneke, with a missed assignment from the Redblacks and no defender in sight.

Ward kicked a 35-yard field goal on the first play of the second quarter.

With the Als marching into the Red Zone, Redblacks defensive back Brandin Dandridge made a tremendous jump interception. On the next play, Evans found Nate Behar to complete 41 yards. The drive stopped there, however, and a punt gave Montreal the ball on its six-yard line. The Als conceded a safety and it was 7-5 for the locals.

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A 21-yard field goal gave Ottawa an 8-7 lead at the half.

A 45-yard field goal by David Cote gave Montreal a 10-8 lead just under five minutes into the third quarter.

Evans’ right arm was hit while pitching and the ball appeared towards Najee Murray for the interception. The Als took over at Ottawa 42. A 20-yard dash from Adams Jr. – should have been stopped in the backfield – set up a 30-yard field goal and it went 13-8.

The Redblacks got a 27-yard field goal from Ward and it went 13-11.

A pass interference penalty on Montreal’s Rodney Randle Jr., who was defending Ryan Davis, pushed Ottawa 43 yards downfield and set up Ward’s 25-yard field goal to give Ottawa a 14-13 lead with 8:07 for playing.

Back-to-back sacks, by Davon Coleman and former Carleton Raven Kene Onyeka, his second of the game and his CFL career, pushed Montreal within their five-yard line and the Als provided a safety.

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Ottawa started from their 47-yard line, with just over three minutes to go, but a five-yard loss on a pass to Dedmon, another five-yard loss with an illegal procedure penalty, a pass that was nearly intercepted and a kick. clearance. , gave Montreal the ball on his 36. Adams Jr. was quick to get a first down, but left the game injured with 2:13 left. Shiltz, the replacement for QB, found Kaion Julien-Grant, somewhat wide open on the left sideline, for an 11-yard gain. BJ Cunningham then caught a 19-yard pass. Shiltz ran for 17 yards. With 24 seconds left, Artis-Payne scored from seven yards and Montreal had a 17-13 lead.

THE END AROUND: The game got fast in the second half, with several skirmishes close … Redblack veteran Nigel Romick got his first CFL sack … That was a huge hit for Rodney Randle Jr., who defeated Caleb Evans late in the game. first quarter … Really nice second fourth consecutive punts by Ottawa’s Richie Leone (43 and 48 yards), with both going out of bounds within the Montreal 10-yard line … Good catch – by a cameraman on a pass from Vernon Adams Jr. first half… The view from Percival Molson Memorial Stadium is spectacular; it’s a great place to watch a soccer game in a big city… Attendance was 15,236. Huge crowd.