Tonight the Ottawa Redblacks and Toronto Argonauts will kickoff week 10 of the 2021 CFL season, it will mark the Ottawa Redblacks’ 8th game of the season and one of two during the week, the second coming on Thanksgiving Monday in Montreal and is a as close as you can get to a must-win game for the Redblacks. At 2-5, the Redblacks are coming off of a big, momentum shifting win over the Edmonton Elks in Caleb Evans’ professional football debut while the 4-3 Argonauts are coming off of a week 9 bye week where they regrouped and got healthy, seeing defensive end Shane Ray back in the lineup for the game against the Redblacks, but the Ottawa Redblacks also see a couple players back in the lineup, starting with star cornerback Abdul Kanneh.
Kanneh was out for 6 games with a hamstring injury. His only game this season, was one of the best defensive performances by a CFL player in 2021, 7 tackles, 2 interceptions and a defensive touchdown. With veteran quarterback Mcleod Bethel-Thompson under centre for tonight’s game, a big game, similar to the one Kanneh had in week one would be big for a Redblacks win. Big games from other defensive players Gump Hayes, Avery Williams, Micah Awe and Don Unamba would also be crucial for a win, but through the first 7 games of the CFL season, the Redblacks’ defence though has very few times been a problem, in fact they have kept the Ottawa Redblacks in games, defensive coordinator Mike Benevides has done a tremendous job with the group he has. What will need to excel on all cylinders though, would be the Ottawa Redblacks’ offence. The offence will be led by quarterback Caleb Evans once again as he makes his second career start, and although they have had some problems with consistency, Evans seems to have control of the offence and if he has a similar performance as the one he had a week ago, throwing for 191 yards and 3 scores while rushing for 59 yards on the ground the Redblacks will have the advantage over the Argonauts and the entire league should look at Caleb Evans differently.
Against the Elks last week, Evans made a number of big plays alongside his skill position group. Receivers Ryan Davis, R.J Harris, Anthony Coombs and Kenny Stafford each made an impact on the game, so did running back Timothy Flanders who got his first touchdown of the season. If Evans can look Ryan Davis, RJ Harris, Kenny Stafford, Anthony Coombs and DeVonte Dedmon’s way on offence in the game against the Argonauts, the Redblacks are bound to make big plays. Dedmon is already guaranteed to make a big play or two on special teams in the return game but if he is incorporated on the offensive side of the ball it will only benefit the team and their chance in not only tonight’s game but the remainder of the season.
Keep all eyes on Caleb Evans, Ryan Davis, R.J Harris, new offensive lineman Christopher Ferguson, Praise Martin-Oguike, Avery Williams, Abdul Kanneh, and DeVonte Dedmon in the game at BMO Field and continue to cheer on the Ottawa Redblacks as it is just a matter of time before they break out, like they began to do against the Elks a week ago.
JZ MEDIA 