The Ottawa REDBLACKS are hoping a trip home sandwiched between two western trips is just what they need to right the ship.
Coming off a tough loss on the road to the Calgary Stampeders last weekend, the REDBLACKS have slipped out of top spot in the CFL’s East Division but can jump back into first with a win over the Toronto Argonauts at TD Place on Friday night.
It’s a big game for the REDBLACKS any way you cut it – a win would spring Ottawa back in front of Hamilton for tops in the East, while a loss would see Ottawa fall into third, a point behind the Argos.
So far this year, the two sides have proven to be evenly matched, with Ottawa picking up two points in Toronto back on July 13, while Toronto edged the REDBLACKS by three points at TD Place on July 31.
Head coach Rick Campbell said the team has put the loss to Calgary behind them but know they have to improve off that performance.
“It’s a work in progress, it wasn’t a performance we wanted in Calgary, but we’re still still in a good spot, we know we have work to do,” he said. “There’s going to be ups and downs, there’s no guarantees, you’ve got to come to work and be at your best every week. We know if we keep working at it we’re going to be in the mix.”
There are no easy games in the CFL and that will hold true on Sunday. The Argos will be led by quarterback Dan Lefevour, who has completed 49 of 70 passes for 600 yards as part of the tandem filling in for the injured Ricky Ray.
Though Toronto hasn’t put up receiving numbers as strong as Ottawa’s – Kenny Shaw leads the way for Toronto with 754 receiving yards – they are dangerous on the ground. Running back Brandon Whitaker sits second in the CFL with 700 yards on the ground, just behind Calgary’s powerhouse Jerome Messam at 739.
Meanwhile, Ottawa receiver Ernest Jackson can tie former Ottawa Rough Rider Tony Gabriel’s record of seven-straight games with a touchdown catch with a major on Friday.
After Friday’s game, the REDBLACKS had back out on the road for a date with the BC Lions next weekend before returning home to face the Saskatchewan Roughriders.
