Carlos Verde | @Carlos77Verde
The Ottawa REDBLACKS will look to make a statement in front of RNation this Wednesday on home turf, where they will face their regional-rival Montreal Alouettes on the first TSN Wednesday Night Football contest of 2017.
For Ottawa (0-3-1), the divisional contest presents a virtual must-win against the resurgent Alouettes (2-2), who roll into Week 5 on an equally-short week after a shock win over top-ranked Calgary.
“Any time you’re playing your division, especially at home, you want to defend your turf,” said REDBLACKS head coach Rick Campbell. “We’re here to win games, that’s the bottom line, and we have to tip the scales to win those close games.”
Though the REDBLACKS have dropped three of their first four contests, they’ve done so by a grand total of just seven points. Coach Campbell, his staff and players know that a handful of sharper plays could make a world of difference.
“The margin is razor thin,” said Campbell. “The thing we haven’t been doing on defence is creating that big, momentum-changing turnover play — we have to keep working on that and the unforced errors.”
Storylines
Bring the Pressure — The Ottawa defence has created just one turnover through four contests, but has recorded eight sacks — the third-best mark in the CFL. Attacking the heart of Montreal’s offensive line and making Darian Durant uncomfortable would go a long way towards win number one on the year.
Running Game — The Alouettes run the ball more times and with more success than anybody in the league, with Tyrell Sutton and his league-high 295 rush yards leading the charge. On the offensive side of the ball, Coach Campbell spoke about the need to “be creative” in the run game to create space for running back William Powell, who was limited to 3.1 yards-per-carry at Edmonton on the weekend.
#RNation — Everybody affiliated with the REDBLACKS — coaches, players, fans — wants to set the home record straight. The Alouettes were flagged for procedure multiple times in a Week-2 loss at Edmonton; with a packed house and #RNation at its loudest, the visitors from la belle province could struggle to find a rhythm offensively.
Scouting the Opposition
Offensively, the Alouettes are led by league-leading running back Tyrell Sutton and veteran quarterback Darian Durant, who is enjoying a career renaissance after swapping Saskatchewan green-and-white for Montreal red-and-blue.
Durant’s got a stable of established receivers to target, with the likes of B.J. Cunningham and Ernest Jackson highlighting a group that also features the outsized personality of Nik Lewis and former Ticat Tiquan Underwood.
Defensively, veteran and former Ottawa Renegades defensive back Kyries Hebert leads the Als with 28 tackles.
Personnel notes for the visitors this week: 34-year-old defensive back Ryan Phillips and his eight tackles were released by Montreal on Monday, while ball-hawking defensive back Jonathon Mincy is listed as “questionable” for Wednesday after missing the past two games with a concussion.
What They’re Saying
“They’re a good team, always solid on defence. They force you to earn everything you get. On offence, they’ve made a commitment to run the ball. I’m more worried about us making sure we improve — if we do that, I know we can beat some people.” — Head coach Rick Campbell
“As a D-line group, we’ve been playing pretty good for the last month. When you play teams like Calgary, they get rid of the ball fast so we don’t really get the stats, but we’ve got good film. We have to continue pressuring quarterbacks — we have a good team; we just have to put the little things together.” — Defensive lineman Arnaud Gascon-Nadon
GAME INFO
Montreal Alouettes at Ottawa REDBLACKS
Week 5 — July 19, 2017
Kickoff: 7:30 p.m. ET | TD Place
BROADCAST INFO
TV (EN): TSN | TSN GO | TSN.ca/LIVE
TV (FR): RDS
TV (INT’L): ESPN 3 | BT (UK and Ireland)
Radio (EN): TSN 1200 | TSN1200.ca
Radio (FR): FM 104,7 Outaouais | FM1047.ca
Radio (Satellite): Sirius XM Canada Channel 167 (EN) and 174 (FR)
