The break ends Friday night. The Ottawa Redblacks have to play another football game.

The CFL’s only winless team is back in action after a bye week with a difficult assignment, hosting the East-leading Montreal Alouettes.

For three quarters on July 19, it looked like Ottawa (0-6) would take the bagel out of its win column when it led Winnipeg 26-9. And that was after it missed on two prime scoring chances in the red zone: a turnover on downs at the 1, and a Jake Maier interception in the end zone.

But the Redblacks blew that lead and the game in jaw-dropping fashion, losing 36-34 in four overtimes as their former quarterback, Dru Brown, led the charge for the Blue Bombers.

“We’re not getting certain things done properly,” said first-year coach and general manager Ryan Dinwiddie. “We’re in a win-loss results business.”

Maier, who was 30 of 40 for 344 yards in the bitter loss, said improved play will lead to the result he and his teammates want.

“It’s more about how well we can play and (how) well can each individual play,” Maier said. “We’re trying to do the best we can to focus on the things we’re doing well.”

While Ottawa seeks one win, Montreal (6-1) tries to increase its already sizeable lead in the East. It’s coming off a 31-18 victory Sunday night over Hamilton, scoring 14 points inside the last three minutes.

Davis Alexander threw for a season-low 187 yards and also tossed an interception to end his CFL-record streak of 356 passes without a pick. But running back Travis Theis picked up the slack with 156 yards and a touchdown.

“He’s a stud,” Alexander said of Thies. “He comes ready to work every single day. He wants the football in his hands, which is super important. He doesn’t go down on first contact and he just keeps battling.”

The Alouettes prevailed 37-35 in the teams’ first meeting on June 28 in Montreal.

–Field Level Media

Two teams licking their wounds will get together Thursday night in Winnipeg when the Blue Bombers host the reeling BC Lions.

Winnipeg enters with a 4-3 record after taking an unexpected 52-30 home spanking last Friday against Calgary. BC is 1-5 and at the bottom of the West division following a 26-12 home loss Saturday to Toronto that saw its offense do next to nothing with star quarterback Nathan Rourke on the shelf with a left shoulder injury.

The Blue Bombers have issues to iron out on offense as well, despite tallying at least 30 points in each of the last three games that veteran quarterback Zach Collaros has missed with a neck injury. Dru Brown has struggled to find an early rhythm in both games and hindered the team by tossing four interceptions last week.

Running back Brady Oliviera, who rushed for 128 yards and two touchdowns on just 14 carries, questioned the offense’s identity after the loss.

With Collaros still sidelined, Winnipeg needs to figure things out quickly.

“We’ve been doing some good things,” said receiver Nic Demski, “but I don’t think we’ve been a great offense of where we want to be or where our standards are at. I believe that we’ve been leaving some stuff out on the field.”

While the Blue Bombers look to find their top form, the Lions shoot to find any level of consistency. Chase Brice replaced Rourke but tossed four interceptions in a 19-17 loss at Edmonton July 17, then was hooked after completing 14 of 25 passes for 163 yards against Toronto.

Rookie Kaidon Salter, who starred at Liberty from 2021-24 and played last year for Deion Sanders at Colorado, will get his first start. Salter fared decently in garbage time last week, going 9 of 15 for 121 yards.

Salter has a connection to the CFL and BC. He’s a cousin of Casey Printers, who threw for 5,088 yards and 35 touchdowns in 2004 for the Lions en route to being named the CFL’s Most Outstanding Player.

“I’m just very privileged to be up here and do some of the things he did,” Salter said. “He talked to me over the weekend to be prepared.”

–Field Level Media