A game packed with offence came down the difference of a field goal. It’s how CFL football often finishes, and the Ottawa REDBLACKS ended up on the right side of a razor-thin 44-41 victory over the Saskatchewan Roughriders to open up their season.

The REDBLACKS offence enjoyed a point-filled outcome, with new starting QB Dominique Davis throwing for 354 yards in the victory.

Davis routinely teamed up with Dominique Rhymes, who led the REDBLACKS receiving corps with 168 yards and a touchdown.

It was a wild, back-and-forth first half filled with loads of offence, leading to a REDBLACKS 34-21 lead after the first half. The REDBLACKS had eight points at the end of the first quarter, but broke out for three touchdowns in the second.

Ottawa’s first drive of the third quarter was another successful one, this one ending on a 30-yard field goal for Lewis Ward. It expanded Ottawa’s lead to 10, creating a cushion for the later portion of the game.

That insurance was extended even further early in the fourth quarter, when the REDBLACKS benefitted from a dramatic unnecessary roughness penalty on the sideline at 11:24. Davis went for a 22-yard rush, and was hit into the Saskatchewan bench, colliding with Makana Henry. Henry was charged with a 15-yard penalty, and Ward extended the REDBLACKS lead with another 30-yard field goal shortly thereafter.

It proved to be necessary — after the Roughriders put on a late charge in the fourth quarter. First, Marcus Thigpen rushed in a touchdown at 4:59 of the quarter to cut Ottawa’s lead down to 41-33.

Ward’s 57th consecutive field goal put the REDBLACKS back up by 11 with two minutes to play, but this large lead only lasted a minute and a half. Saskatchewan got into great field position and allowed Roughriders QB Cody Fajardo to run in his first touchdown of the game with 30 seconds to play.

It was ultimately that last Ward field goal that kept Ottawa ahead for good, ending a high-scoring game 44-41.

WHAT THEY’RE SAYING

“I really like our group. I like their mindset. They really just keep plugging along and keep going and ride through the ups and downs of a football game. That’s a really good trait for a football team – but we still have room to grow.” – REDBLACKS HC Rick Campbell

“Defence helped (the offence) out last week, and this time we had to help those guys out. It’s good to go into the bye week 2-0 and get ready for Winnipeg.” – REDBLACKS QB Dominique Davis

“We just work, we put our head down and take every rep.” – REDBLACKS WR Dominique Davis

“We just keep fighting. That sends a message to the whole leauge. To knock off two good teams in the West, that’s a huge step.” – WR Caleb Holley

GAME NOTES

Lewis Ward up to 57 consecutive regular season field goals made… continues to be a CFL record and a professional football record… before this game, REDBLACKS QB Dominique Davis had three career touchdown passes… he had three touchdown passes in the first half of this game… REDBLACKS’ 31 points in the first half was the most they had in one half in any preseason or regular season game in 2019… Lewis Ward now 7-for-7 on the season in field goals.

PLAYERS OF THE GAME

SCORING SUMMARY

First Quarter

SSK – Fajardo to Thigpen (Lauther conv.) – 7:52

OTT – Davis to Rhymes (2-pt conv.) – 1:34

OTT – OOB Leone – 0:40

Second Quarter

SSK – FG Lauther – 14:42

OTT – Davis to Beaulieu (2-pt conv.) – 12:27

OTT – Davis to Harris (2-pt conv.) – 9:51

SSK – Powell (Lauther conv.) – 7:16

OTT – FG Ward – 4:28

OTT – FG Ward – 0:24

SSK – Fajardo to Evans (Lauther conv.) – 0:11

Third Quarter

OTT – FG Ward – 13:54

SSK – FG Lauther – 8:46

OTT – FG Ward – 5:35

OTT – OOB Leone – 2:00

Fourth Quarter

OTT – FG Ward – 9:59

SSK – Thigpen – 4:59

OTT – FG Ward – 2:00

SSK – Fajardo (2-pt conv.) – 0:30

DRIVE OF THE GAME

ATTENDANCE

23,453

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