The Ottawa Redblacks take a shot at clinching a CFL playoff berth for the second straight week when they host the Montreal Alouettes on Saturday afternoon.
The first attempt didn’t go well as the Redblacks (8-4-1) dropped a 37-21 decision to the Hamilton Tiger-Cats. Ottawa is back at it against league leader Montreal (10-2-1) as it looks to claim its first postseason berth since falling to the Calgary Stampeders in the 2018 Grey Cup.
The Redblacks were just 14-54 over the past four seasons before this season’s strong turnaround.
However, Ottawa sustained a big blow last week when it lost standout linebacker Adarius Pickett to a season-ending torn Achilles tendon. Pickett is second on the team with 66 tackles.
Bennett Williams has the task of filling in for Pickett in the pivotal game against the Alouettes.
“They’re definitely a good team. We know what they want to do,” Williams said of the Alouettes. “Losing Pickett is huge, just the way he played. There’s nobody like him. And I’m not coming in trying to do what he does exactly. I’m not going to be able to replace him. I’ve got to play my own game and fit into the system.”
Montreal is coming off a 19-19 tie against Calgary. The scoring output is its second-lowest of the season.
Alouettes coach Jason Maas is expecting a tough game against the Redblacks.
“You want to make the playoffs, you’d like to have a home game, you’d like to finish in first,” Maas said. “All those things are goals at the beginning of the year but ultimately they all happen by doing the daily work and staying in the process rather than thinking too much about the outcome of every week.
“Our focus is always going to be on where we are right now and that’s playing Ottawa this week. They’re tough and they’re proving it. They’re playing well in all three phases. We’re expecting a battle.”
Alouettes quarterback Cody Fajardo is completing a league-best 74.9 percent of his passes. He has thrown for 2,416 yards and 13 touchdowns against six interceptions.
Ottawa quarterback Dru Brown (3,045 yards, 11 TDs, six picks) was pulled in favor of Jeremiah Masoli during the loss to Hamilton but will start against the Alouettes.
Redblacks wideout Justin Hardy is second in the CFL with 1,013 receiving yards. It is his second straight 1,000-yard season.
Montreal rolled to a 47-21 home win over Ottawa in Week 3. Fajardo passed for a season-high 393 yards to go with three touchdowns.
–Field Level Media
