‘Sucks to lose’: Redblacks DB Sherrod Baltimore set to return against Alouettes

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Over seven games, Sherrod Baltimore, sidelined with a quadriceps injury, watched his team through most of the casualties of a Canadian Football League roller coaster.

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After a 16-12 season-opener win over the Edmonton Elks (Baltimore was injured early in the game but gritted his teeth and finished (“I follow old-school rules”), the Redblacks lost five straight games. , beat the Elks, then lost another Wednesday in Toronto. Through the struggles, 29-year-old Baltimore just wanted to play soccer. He wanted to help his teammates in any way he could. And he thought that being absent from the field was not the best way to do it.

“It sucks to lose, it just sucks,” Baltimore said. “Let’s say you go to the casino and lose $ 1,000, it will be garbage. You go and win $ 100, it feels good. Losing sucks. Mentally, it is difficult. “

The coaches and trainers told him to be patient, get better, get ready. Baltimore was listening. But even so, he was itchy, doubting the severity of the injury despite the discomfort it caused. And now, it looks like he’ll be back in the Redblacks lineup on Monday (1pm) for a Thanksgiving Day game in Montreal. It is the first of consecutive games against the Alouettes, who will be at TD Place Stadium next Saturday for a game at 4 pm.

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“I’m happy to be back and I’m happy to be with my teammates,” Baltimore said. “I feel like I left them out there. I doubted the injury, I did not know it was so serious. Even the day after it happened … I was thinking, ‘It hurts, I can’t walk, but I have to figure out how I can get out next week.’

“I was starting to get impatient. I’ve never really been injured before. My teammates and coaches kept giving me good energy and telling me to be patient. They said, ‘How do you feel? You’re fine. Don’t come back too soon. You don’t want to spoil it. You are a good soccer player. ‘ I just had to keep strengthening my legs and doing well. COVID has been crazy … There are a lot of people who get injured ”.

Without veteran defensive backs Baltimore and Abdul Kanneh, who were also injured in Game 1 but returned Wednesday against Toronto, the Redblacks struggled at the rear. Montreal beat Ottawa 51-29 on September 3 with Alouettes quarterback Vernon Adams Jr. passing for 288 yards and four touchdowns. The following week in Vancouver, Lions quarterback Michael Reilly threw for 319 yards and four touchdowns.

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“Coach Bene (defensive coordinator Mike Benevides) is a great coach. I don’t doubt him, ”Baltimore said. “Sometimes we were out of position. Sometimes we were in position and we couldn’t make the plays. We had some rookies without a rookie mini-camp. I still believe in these players ”.

It was encouraging for Baltimore when Kanneh returned. And then once he could get up to speed, even if he wasn’t “100 percent,” Baltimore knew where it wanted to be.

“There are so many things that go through your mind when you get injured. Just try to stay focused on yourself and stop thinking about the worst things, ”Baltimore said. “You have too much time to sit there and think. If you sit at home all day, you come up with all these bad ideas. “

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There is a lot of importance around the game on Monday. With a win, the Redblacks could stay in the conversation for a playoff position in the CFL East Division. A loss would further push playoff aspirations away.

“One day at a time,” Baltimore said. “This is important, it is urgent. Even in the last game, I feel like we did well, but the scoreboard didn’t say so. We are fine. I continue to believe in everything we have here, from the head office to the coaches and the players. “

The time to say it is past, it is time to do it.

STAY ONLINE: Eight games, eight different lineups on Ottawa’s offensive line. It has been a challenge, for sure.

“Ideally, you can work with the same guys for a couple of years, but that’s not always the case,” said center Mark Korte. “We have been fortunate to have had some players who have been able to play most of the year and keep things together and have changed a player here and there, which has kept things remotely stable. Stability and continuity is a huge piece, but it is not a luxury that we always have, so we do the best we can with what we have ”.

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Korte, who played left tackle in 2019, was moved to center in training camp following the retirement of Alex Mateas. That has been a challenge in itself, but it has responded.

“It is a great change. Taking on the role of center and being responsible for assignments has been a great adjustment, ”said Korte. “It has been one of my strengths to be able to play (across the line). These are eight games under my belt now. I feel quite comfortable with the center and I enjoy the responsibility that comes with it ”.

THE END AROUND: Redblacks offensive guard Nolan MacMillan did not practice Saturday (foot / knee). For the Alouettes, elite running back William Stanback (ribs) was a limited participant in practice, as was offensive lineman Tony Washington. Another offensive lineman, former Redblack Philippe Gagnon, did not practice… It seems unlikely that the Redblacks will again drop to No. 9 in the weekly CFL Power Rankings. The Edmonton Elks, coming off a 30-3 loss to Winnipeg on Friday, will likely take a look at the finishing position with a 2-6 record, including two losses to Ottawa. When asked how he felt after the game, former Redblacks quarterback Trevor Harris, now with the Elks, said: “Every emotion you can think of (anger, disgust, disappointment, shame) comes to mind. mind right now. “