By: Chris Hofley | OttawaREDBLACKS.com
The best in the West hosts the best in the East on Saturday as the Calgary Stampeders and Ottawa REDBLACKS square off at McMahon Stadium.
While Calgary has dominated the CFL’s West Division for much of the season, Ottawa has been in a dogfight for tops in the East, a position the REDBLACKS have held down since exploding out of the gate with a 3-0-1 record.
Despite Calgary’s dominance though, the REDBLACKS are rested after their second bye week of the year and will get some reinforcements back off the injured list, notably defensive backs Jerrell Gavins and Jeff Richards, as well as offensive lineman Alex Mateas. Add a confidence-building road win in Montreal heading into the off week and the REDBLACKS are showing all the signs of a team ready to stage a western upset.
The REDBLACKS will also get a first in-game look at linebacker Taylor Reed, who was picked up earlier in the week after being released by – who else – Calgary. How Reed is used in his first game with Ottawa remains to be seen, but the veteran player is just happy to get another shot in an exciting market.
“Whatever the coaches see fit and let me do…hopefully I can play a little bit at linebacker, but if not I’m going to do my best on special teams,” Reed said, adding he’s not getting worked up about facing his former team.
“I’m just happy to be playing again, it just so happened to be Calgary.”
In Calgary, the REDBLACKS will be facing arguably their toughest test since the last time the two teams met, a 26-26 tie in Ottawa. In fact, that tie was the last game the Stampeders played in which they didn’t come out with a win.
Ottawa, meanwhile, is 4-1 on the road and will be facing a Calgary team that is a perfect 5-0 at home.
Anyway you cut it, it’s going to be a tough game and Ottawa knows it has to be firing on all cylinders to come out on top.
“They’re an exceptionally well-coached team,” said REDBLACKS offensive coordinator Jaime Elizondo. “They don’t give you a lot, they make you earn things.
“Can we stay on the field? Can we convert on second down? Can we move the ball and be effective? Those are the challenges. We’ve got to play better, we’ve got to play more intense and play with that edge that we had in the first few games.”
After facing the Stampeders, the REDBLACKS will return home to ready for the Toronto Argonauts on September 23 at TD Place as part of Purolator Tackle Hunger Weekend in support of the Ottawa Food Bank.
The REDBLACKS are asking for the help of RNation to surpass the 35,000 pounds of food and cash donations from last season. Less than 100 tickets remain for the tilt against the Argos as the REDBLACKS eye the 21 sellout in franchise history.
