The CFL season is well underway, and we are heading into week 5 of the 2021 season. Around this time last year many didn’t know if we would ever see the CFL play again and it is great to have the league back in full swing but Ottawa Redblacks fans want to see their team back in the win column.
Ottawa is 1-2 heading into their labour day weekend matchup against the Montreal Alouettes and are in what looks to be a must-win game at TD Place in tonight’s game. They won their season opener on the road against the new looks Edmonton Elks and then lost their last two battles against both the Saskatchewan Roughriders and B.C Lions, but they are now set to play their very first eastern game against the Montreal Alouettes and with 4 Montreal games, 2 Toronto games and 2 Hamilton games on the schedule ahead of us, these eastern division games are a huge test for the Redblacks and will determine the outcome of the season. If the Ottawa Redblacks are to win the 8 eastern division games they would finish the season 9-5 and would likely find themselves close to the top of the division but that would all have to start tonight at home against the Montreal Alouettes.
To win the week 5 matchup against the Alouettes the Ottawa Redblacks will need to stick with what works and add to it. After the first three games of the season it seems as if R-Nation wants the Redblacks to make a lot of changes and pretty well turn the team upside down but thats not what needs to be done. The Ottawa Redblacks’ defence has played lights out to open up the season, they have kept the team in games while the special teams unit has been able to put points on the board and also get the offence in good field position but the offence has too often struggled to put the ball in the end zone. LaPolice and his offence have been able to move the ball on multiple occasions, using Ryan Davis, RJ Harris, Nate Behar and DeVonte Dedmon on offence alongside the running backs Timothy Flanders and Justin Davis but there has been a lot of inconsistency and struggles to score points. After seeing what Dedmon has been able to to in the return game and even the opportunities he’s had on offence it is clear that he can be a playmaker and be able to move the ball and score points so with him starting at receiver this week with Justin Davis and Ryan Davis there is a chance we see a lot of versatility and fast pace offensive snaps along with some consistent and reliable catches from Nate Behar, RJ Harris and Daniel Petermann. Last week the Redblacks combined for 278 offensive yards against the Lions, and after the Alouettes gave up 328 yards agains the Tiger Cats, we may be able to see a big outing from the Redblacks offence finally but if we do not, they are bound to be better than last week and Mike Benevides defence will be there to stop the Alouettes offence, keeping us in the game.
R-Nation will be getting their very first look at the Ottawa Redblacks’ red jerseys tonight at the second home game of the season and as they kickoff against the Alouettes at 7:30 PM they hope to see their favourite team back in the win column in a divisional matchup.
JZ MEDIA 