OTTAWA — The Ottawa Redblacks and Edmonton Elks enter their CFL Week 7 rematch in very different places.
The Redblacks (3-2) are on a high after a comeback 37-34 win in Edmonton on Sunday and have a chance to pick up a third straight win at home.
For Edmonton (0-5), the loss was the end of the line for head coach and general manager Chris Jones, who was fired the next day. Jarious Jackson, in an interim role, will be making his debut as a CFL head coach this week.
The Redblacks picked up the win after Dru Brown, who had an impressive 480-yard passing yards, put Ottawa in field goal range with two seconds remaining. For the second time this season Lewis Ward kicked a game-winning field goal, this one from 38 yards.
The winning kick came after Edmonton tied the game on a touchdown with eight seconds remaining only for Boris Bede to boot the ensuing kickoff out of bounds, giving the Redblacks good field position.
With the Elks finding ways to lose, Jackson said process will be a priority as he takes over.
“That’s the No. 1 thing,” he said. “Keep the process, have a foundation, consistency. You want to continue to be as consistent as you can, although we’re making tweaks to the schedule, tweaks to certain rules to a certain degree.
"Having a foundation and a foundation that the guys know that’s going to be consistent every day is going to be important.”
Teams often get a bit of a lift following a coaching change, but Ottawa head coach Bob Dyce, who’s been in similar situations, says his team can’t afford to get pulled into what’s happening in Edmonton.
“Their coaching change doesn’t affect how we prepare,” said Dyce. “Their coaching change doesn’t change the players they have. We have a definite goal and recipe on what we need to do to be successful and that’s what we focus on.”
Ottawa will look to put together another impressive outing. Last week’s game saw Kalil Pimpleton, making his CFL debut, Dominique Rhymes and Justin Hardy all collect over 100 yards.
Brown’s work sample with the Redblacks remains small, but a win Friday would equal Ottawa's total number of victories last season. The Redblacks haven’t won more than four games since the 2018 season.
Brown had his best outing last week, becoming just the second quarterback this season to reach the 400-yard mark. His 480-yards rank fourth all time in Ottawa’s football history with the Redblacks, Renegades and Rough Riders.
“I think my younger self probably would have been a little more emotionally involved,” Brown said. “I really try to be task oriented and just continue to focus on what we’ve got to do one play at a time. We play really well when we’re all focused and not necessarily worried about what milestones we’re trying to hit and I think that’s a good mindset to have.”
Ottawa’s passing game was impressive Sunday, bit the running attack was quiet The Redblacks were able to put 37 points on the board with running back Ryquell Armstead only rushing for 40 yards.
Armstead has shown this season he’s capable of making the big plays and could provide Ottawa with another weapon in the rematch with the Elks.
Edmonton fullback Tanner Green says staying focused will be key for the Elks this week.
“We can’t skip a beat,” said Green. “As soon as we take this and let it get into our heads and let it change our game it’s never going to help us. So, if anything we’re coming in, we’re trying to work that one per cent harder every single day.”
The Redblacks will be without star kick returner DeVonte Dedmon and lineman Zach Pelehos due to injury. Tobias Harris will step in as primary kick returner.
Edmonton will dress nearly the same lineup as last week. The only changes were rookie defensive lineman Noah Taylor coming in as a backup and linebacker Aubrey Miller Jr. being assigned to the practice roster.
ELKS (0-5) AT REDBLACKS (3-2)
Friday, TD Place Stadium
IN LEWIS WE TRUST: Lewis Ward has retaken the all-time field goal percentage lead with a recent run of making 15 in a row moving up to 88.5 per cent.
WHAT A RUN: Dakota Prukop has scored a touchdown in each of his last four games and has all six of Edmonton’s rushing TDs.
PERFECT PUNT: Ottawa has excelled in punt situations to date. They rank No. 1 allowing on 8.4 yards on opponent returns and number three with their own returns at 12.6 yards.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published July 18, 2024.
Lisa Wallace, The Canadian Press
